The World Health Organization states that, "Home care can be defined as an array of health and social support services provided to clients in their own residence. Such coordinated services may prevent, delay, or be a substitute for temporary or long-term institutional care."

Palliative home care is the care provided by professionals to people in their own homes with the ultimate goal of not only contributing to their life quality and functional health status, but also to replace hospital care with care in the home for societal reasons. Home care covers a wide range of activities, from preventive visits to end-of-life care.

Adapted from Thome B, Dykes AK, Hallberg IR. Home care with regard to definition, care recipients, content and outcome: systematic literature review. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2003;12: 860-872.