Hospital At Home’s Reliance on Family Caregivers: What this means for the future of home-based care

ianacare co-founder Jessica Kim knows the reality of programs like Hospital At Home through her own personal experience caring for both her mother and father. In a recent interview with McKnights Home Care, Jessica shared that as long as home-based care, and especially Hospital-at-home programs, are delivered in a thoughtful and comprehensive way, there is real value for all parties involved. From lowering costs to alleviating capacity constraints, and increasing patient satisfaction by allowing them to be more comfortable in their home environment.

However, as they stand today, Hospital At Home programs overlook critical gaps, the biggest of which is a lack of support for the family caregiver. Especially in Hospital At Home programs, the family caregiver serves as the round the clock care managers. The moments between in-home or virtual visits can quickly become critical.

These caregivers become the eyes and ears of the clinical team in the home. They pick up on important insights from small changes in behavior, appetite, physical appearance, and more. They are the constant pillar of support as intervals of clinical care come in and out of the home.

“Being a caregiver is making sure they’re eating the right food, cooking for them, bathing them and making sure all their needs are taken care of. If we don’t call ourselves caregivers and recognize this additional set of real daily responsibilities, we won’t know how to even advocate for ourselves and to make it known to doctors and to everyone around us that I’m not just a daughter; I’m actually taking on these additional responsibilities for my parents’ care.”