Muskegon, MI – Throughout the month of November, Harbor Hospice and Harbor Palliative Care will be joining organizations across the nation in hosting community activities recognizing National Care at Home Month.
For half a century, the collective care at home community – including home health, private duty home care, palliative care, and hospice care – has helped provide interdisciplinary, holistic care to millions of people, allowing them to recover from acute illness or injury, receive daily pain relief and support, or spend their final months wherever they call home surrounded by their loved ones. As our population continues to age, we must ensure our healthcare system is prepared to offer a well integrated, person-centered continuum of high-quality care where most Americans would most like to receive it – in the comfort of wherever they call home.
“National Care at Home Month provides an opportunity for patients, providers, and community members alike to continue building awareness of the critical role all forms of home care play in protecting and support millions of Americans nationwide,” said Steven Landers, MD, MPH, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home. “Everyone deserves access to high-quality, person-centered care at home that protects their dignity and independence and preserves their quality of life.”
National Care at Home Month also recognizes the important work of unpaid caregivers, who often labor without notice or thanks. While the support of home care provides immense relief for patients’ unpaid caregivers, they continue to engage in acts of love, commitment, and compassion while caring for their loved one, often at great personal sacrifice during an already emotionally and financially challenging time.
“National Care at Home Month reminds us that compassionate care begins at home, where love and support create an environment for healing and dignity,” says Susan Houseman, President & CEO of Harbor Hospice and Harbor Palliative Care. “We invite the community to join us in celebrating the vital role caregivers play in enhancing the quality of life for patients and families in our community.”
