Not every home is a haven: how policy and practice can address vulnerabilities in home-based care

Home is most commonly the preferred setting of care for many individuals across the lifespan living with serious illness,1 or defined as conditions with a high risk of mortality, substantial impacts on function and quality of life, or risk of excessive strain on caregivers (Supplementary Materials).2 (∗∗see Glossary in Supplementary Materials) The promise of home-based care is clear: to honor patient preferences, support family caregivers, reduce avoidable hospitalizations, and contain costs when compared with hospital- or facility-based care.