(607NewsNow) — Hospitals are in the business of treating patients and helping them overcome injuries and illnesses. In many instances, hospitals offer unparalleled care. However, hospitals are not always without risk, and sometimes are not the most comfortable places for their patients, particularly those recovering from injuries or facing end of life.

Fluorescent lights, beeping machine monitors and 24-hour personnel conversing at all hours of the day can disrupt natural sleep patterns. Hospital patients may be woken at night for status checks and to draw blood. Staff shortages may mean some patients become lower priority and do not receive much individualized attention. Medication mistakes and hospital-acquired infections also are risks that patients take when they are admitted to a hospital. Many people would prefer an alternative, if possible, particularly if they have a serious illness to recover from or a terminal condition. Some individuals may be eligible for home-based care.

People may mistakenly think that home care and hospice care are one and the same. In fact, home care and hospice are two distinct services that provide support to individuals with serious conditions. They share similarities, but they differ in goals and eligibility.

Home care

The main scope of home health care is curative. The goal is to help a patient recover from a surgery, injury or illness, according to Vitas Healthcare. Patients typically are visited by skilled nursing providers, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, or occupational therapists. How long home health care services last depends on the patient’s needs and goals.

To be eligible for home coverage, patients have to meet certain criteria, such as being considered homebound. This means limited ability to leave the home without help. Service length depends on the needs of the patient, and frequency may decrease over time as the patient’s health improves.

Hospice care

Hospice care can be administered at home or in another setting, but it’s different from other home care in that it is not curative. Patients who have terminal illnesses can be placed in hospice care. This care focuses on pain and symptom management for those who are not expected to live longer than six months. Hospice services can include help with personal care from a home health aide, skilled nursing, medical social work to help with advanced directives and insurance, and bereavement counseling.

To receive hospice care, a doctor must determine that the patient has less than six months to live if the illness will follow the typical course. Hospice patients do not have to be homebound, according to Amedisys, a provider of health care in the home. Hospice visits typically increase over time as the patient’s health declines.

Home health care and hospice care are services with different eligibility and modes of care designed to assist patients in home settings.

Want to learn more about hospice care? Visit the Hospicare and Palliative Care Services of Ithaca site here.