PeaceHealth’s Home and Community Services team brings compassionate care directly to you 

Eight billion miles. 

That’s how far home care providers travel each year, according to national estimates. 

Why are these caregivers on the road so much? Because we know that sometimes home is the best place for you to be. 

To make life easier for patients and families with long-term and serious illnesses, PeaceHealth’s Home and Community Services team brings high-quality care directly to you. You can get skilled in-home support following a disability, illness, injury, surgery or hospitalization. We also offer end-of-life planning and support for you and your family. 

PeaceHealth’s services span several specialized fields of care, including: home health, palliative care, and hospice care and more. They’re all delivered by doctors, nurses, therapists, medical social workers and other caregivers who specialize in meeting your health needs where you are most comfortable.

Home health: Recovering in comfort

Home health care lets you avoid going to the hospital for treatment that can be done in the comfort of your home. You can use these services for one-on-one help when you are:

• Recovering from being sick
• Rehabbing from surgery 
• Healing from an injury
• Managing long-term health conditions

PeaceHealth’s home health specialists also make sure your care plan works for you. Our team can teach you more about your condition and show you how to manage your medications.

We also coordinate services such as skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy for you. We handle the details so you can focus on getting the most out of your treatment. 

Palliative care: Treating the whole person

At a high level, palliative care is medical care to ease the symptoms and stresses of a long-lasting health issue. On a deeper level, it’s about improving your quality of life and supporting the people who care about you. 

Palliative care can be given along with treatments aimed at curing your condition. It is appropriate at any age or stage of illness. Some people use it when recovering from surgery or during cancer treatment. Others want help planning for end-of-life care or managing the anxiety that comes with a long illness.

No matter your motivation, palliative care gives you access to a team of experts, so you and your family don’t have to make treatment decisions on your own. You also don’t have to go to the hospital to get support. PeaceHealth offers community-based palliative care. That means our services can be done at home or nearby.

Our services include:

• Help managing symptoms: We share ways to make you more comfortable. This may be with medication or techniques to address pain, fatigue, depression, difficulty sleeping and more. 
• Personalized care plans: No two palliative care patients are the same. Our providers will take the time to understand your needs and adjust your care as they change.
• Coordinated care: Serious illnesses often mean lots of appointments and instructions to follow. You don’t have to do it alone. Our specialists help you keep track of your visits, prescriptions and other health care services. This coordinated approach means you’re less likely to go to the hospital or emergency room for care. Whole-person health: Your health includes your physical, mental and emotional well-being. To address all these needs, our palliative care teams include a social worker, doctor, nurse, chaplain and other specialists. 
• Family support: Caring for a sick family member has an impact on caregivers, too. Palliative care is also for them. Our team can help you consider changes in family roles and expectations. We can also connect your loved ones with help for mental health and financial concerns.

Hospice: End-of-life care for mind, body and spirit

Hospice caregivers are specially trained providers who offer care tailored to people in the last six months of life. They provide care around the clock, where and when you need it most.

If you or a loved one has a terminal illness, PeaceHealth Hospice offers many ways to support you in the transition toward end of life. They can help with:

• Pain and symptom management, including medication
• Physical, emotional and spiritual support
• Equipment needed for comfort
• Grief and bereavement support

Our hospice team is on call 24/7. Hospice care can begin when you and your family feel it's right for you. The team then delivers care wherever you live or choose to spend your final days. The three options are:

• In-home care at your house, assisted- or senior-living facility, or skilled-nursing home
• Short-term stays at a PeaceHealth-affiliated hospice house 
• Hospital-based hospice care

The first option, in-home, is how many people get hospice care. A registered nurse serves as your case manager. They visit you at home several times a week and are on call around the clock. A nurse’s aide also comes a few times a week to help you with bathing and other personal care needs. 

With in-home care, our team brings all the medicines and medical equipment you may need. And you and your family get access to a social worker and chaplain for emotional and spiritual support. 

In some cases, the hospital is a more appropriate place for hospice care. This may be true if you have specialized medical needs or a shorter time to live. You still have access to the many hospice services we provide, with the added support of hospital staff on site. 

The third option is a short-term stay at a hospice house. These spaces are peaceful, home-like settings for you and your loved ones. They include private rooms, family spaces and a sanctuary for reflection. A family member may stay overnight with their loved one. Some people prefer this option because it eases their responsibility for at-home caregiving and lets them focus on their loved one’s final days.