Each November the home care community across the United States honors the skilled clinicians, aides, therapists, social workers and volunteers who bring compassionate care into patients’ homes. National Home Care & Hospice Month highlights the full continuum of home-based services, from rehabilitation and skilled nursing to palliative and end-of-life care, offering a moment to both celebrate successes and spotlight ongoing challenges. National Day Calendar+1

At UC Davis Health, the Home Health and Hospice programs, as well as the Home-based Palliative Care Program (HBPC), are central parts of that continuum. UC Davis Home Health is a full-service home health agency that partners patients and physicians to deliver skilled clinical care in the home and to help patients regain independence and function after hospitalization or during chronic illness. UC Davis Hospice focuses on symptom management, psychosocial support and dignity for patients and families who choose to receive end-of-life care at home. UC Davis Home-Based Palliative Care program provides exemplary care to over 90 patients, addressing physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and practical needs of patients and their caregivers, throughout the course of serious illness. These programs together reflect a patient-centered approach that meets people where they are. UC Davis Health+1

Why Home Health & Hospice Matter and Why Awareness Month Counts
Home-based care reduces hospital readmissions, supports aging in place, and provides personalized, family-centered support that is difficult to replicate in institutional settings. For many patients, especially older adults, people with mobility limitations, or those with advanced illnesses, bringing clinical expertise into the home improves comfort, safety and quality of life. Awareness month is a chance to remind communities, policymakers and health systems about the value of these services and the workforce that delivers them. oahc.org

Is Violence in Health Care/Home Health Care Settings a Big Deal?

National data reveal that 1 in 4 nurses are physically attacked at work, and 17 nurses are killed on duty each year, underscoring the severity of violence in healthcare settings. Over the past decade, reports of violent incidents against healthcare workers have risen by 110 percent, reflecting growing pressures on both staff and the patients they serve. Studies also show that 18–65 percent of patients verbally abuse caregivers, creating an ongoing emotional and psychological strain. The impact is felt beyond the moment of each incident, as 13 percent of all missed workdays in healthcare are linked to workplace violence, affecting staffing, patient care continuity, and the well-being of the workforce. These statistics matter because they highlight the urgent need to support and protect health care and home health and hospice professionals, whose compassion and courage allow patients to receive care safely and comfortably in their homes.

Keeping Caregivers and Clinicians Safe: The Role of CPI Training
Providing care in patients’ homes offers tremendous benefits, but it also presents unique safety challenges. Home visits often take place in unpredictable environments, where caregivers may encounter situations influenced by cognitive impairment, behavioral health concerns, or heightened family dynamics. To support staff safety while preserving dignity for patients, UC Davis Health’s Workplace Violence Prevention trainers provide Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Verbal De-escalation training specifically tailored for home-based care. This training equips staff to recognize early signs of distress, use trauma-informed communication, verbally de-escalate escalating situations, manage their own emotional responses, and rebuild therapeutic rapport after an incident. These skills strengthen safety, confidence, and compassion for UC Davis Health Home Health and Hospice teams, and ultimately enhance the care experience for the patients they serve.

In Summary
National Home Care & Hospice Month is more than recognition, it is an opportunity to invest in systems that support dignified, person-centered care at home and to equip the workforce with the training they need to stay safe while doing that vital work. UC Davis Health’s Home Health and Hospice programs, together with Workplace Violence Prevention’s CPI training, illustrate a model that honors patients’ rights and dignity, while protecting the patient and those who provide their care. This November, let’s celebrate that commitment and keep building it stronger.