Can someone die at home, and what does it take?

Can someone die at home?

Yes. In 2018, 31.4% of deaths in the United States happened at home, up from 22.7% in 2000, according to CDC death certificate data. The National Institute on Aging says there is no single right place to die. Home is usually the most private choice, with the person's own bed, family and routines.

What does it take to care for a dying person at home?

It takes a primary caregiver: a spouse, an adult child, relatives taking turns, a hired caregiver or a mix. Someone needs to be in the home at night and most of the day, especially in the last weeks. If the person lives alone, say so at the first call, and the social worker will help you plan.

The hospice team visits on a schedule, and visits usually increase as needs grow. The team is not in the home all the time. A hospice nurse answers the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can visit when needed. Extra nursing hours at home, called continuous home care, are provided only when medically necessary during a symptom crisis. See does hospice provide 24-hour care?

What does hospice bring to the home?

Hospice brings a team: a nurse, a hospice aide, a social worker, a chaplain and a doctor. It also brings equipment such as a hospital bed, supplies and the medicines related to the terminal illness, including a small comfort kit for sudden symptoms. See what hospice provides and the comfort kit.

Dying at home vs in a hospital vs in a care facility

What Medicare pays for hospice is in the cost question at the end of this page.

What if caring for someone at home becomes too much?

Tell the hospice nurse early. Respite care gives the caregiver a break, with a stay in a contracted facility for up to 5 days at a time. See respite care. If symptoms cannot be controlled at home, general inpatient care is available only when medically necessary during a symptom crisis. See the four levels of hospice care.

Some families decide a nursing facility or board-and-care home is safer, and hospice can usually follow the person there. Changing the plan is not a failure. Choosing hospice is your decision. You can stop hospice at any time and return to regular Medicare coverage. You have the right to choose your hospice.

Can you die at home without hospice?

Yes, but there is no team to call at night and no comfort medicines in the home. Families often end up calling 911. Paramedics may start CPR and take the person to a hospital unless there is a signed POLST form. A doctor must still sign the death certificate. The police or the county coroner may become involved, especially if no doctor had seen the person recently. With hospice, the nurse handles these steps. Read can you call 911 on hospice? and what to do when someone dies at home.

How do you prepare the home?

At the first visit, ask the nurse to look at the home with you.

• Put the hospital bed where the person wants to be, often the living room, with room to reach both sides.
• Keep pads, gloves, wipes, mouth swabs and lip balm on hand. Ask what the hospice supplies.
• Post the hospice phone number. Keep the POLST form, if there is one, on the refrigerator or by the bed.
• Make a schedule so caregivers take turns and sleep.

What help is there for family caregivers in California?

People with Medi-Cal may qualify for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), which pays for hours of help with bathing, dressing and meals. A family member can be the paid provider. Read IHSS and hospice.

If you work, California Paid Family Leave can pay part of your wages while you care for a seriously ill family member. It pays for up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period. It does not protect your job, so ask your employer about job-protected leave.

Common questions about dying at home