Blog Details

In Zambia, when someone falls seriously ill, the family steps in. It is not a question. It is not a policy. It is simply what we do.
A son who moves back home to help his mother. A wife who becomes a nurse overnight. A daughter who manages medication schedules alongside her own job and children. An elderly father who watches over his wife of forty years, not knowing what to do but refusing to leave her side.

This is home-based care in Zambia. It is one of the most courageous, exhausting, and loving things a person can do. And it is something Our Lady’s Hospice deeply respects and actively supports.
This guide is for you — the caregiver at home. Not the medical professional. You. The person who woke up this morning already tired, who is doing their best with what they have, and who deserves practical help and genuine support.

You Are Already Doing Something Profound

In many parts of the world, when someone is seriously ill they are placed in a facility and the family visits. In Zambia, the family — more often than not — becomes the facility. This is not a failure of the health system. It is an expression of something deeply important in our culture: the belief that care belongs within the family, within the home, within the community.
At Our Lady’s Hospice, we do not try to replace that. We try to support it.
We believe home-based care, when properly supported, is one of the most dignified ways a person can be cared for in serious illness. The familiar sounds and smells of home. The presence of people they love. The prayers of a family gathered around them. These things matter. They are not small.

“You are not just a caregiver. You are someone who chose love over convenience. That is not nothing. That is everything.”

Practical Tips for Caring at Home

Whether you are just beginning this journey or have been caring for a loved one for months, these practical principles will help you provide safer, more sustainable care at home.

TIP 1: Establish a Daily Routine Patients with serious illness benefit enormously from consistency. Try to give medication, meals, and personal care at the same time each day. A predictable routine reduces anxiety for the patient, helps you track changes in their condition, and makes it easier for other family members to share the caregiving load.

TIP 2: Learn the Basics of Pain Recognition Your loved one may not always be able to tell you they are in pain — especially if they are weak, sleeping frequently, or have communication difficulties. Watch for: restlessness or inability to settle, facial grimacing or frowning, moaning or crying out, guarding a part of the body, changes in breathing. If you notice these signs, contact Our Lady’s Hospice or the nearest health facility. Pain can and should be managed.

TIP 3: Keep a Simple Care Record Use a notebook to record: medication given and time, what the patient ate and drank, any changes in condition (fever, swelling, confusion), bowel and bladder changes, and how they slept. This record is invaluable when speaking to a nurse or doctor — and it helps you notice patterns that might otherwise be missed.

TIP 4: Manage Nutrition Carefully Patients with HIV/AIDS or cancer often experience poor appetite, nausea, or difficulty swallowing. Small, frequent meals are better than large ones. Soft, easily digestible foods — porridge, soups, boiled vegetables, eggs — are often better tolerated. Staying hydrated is critical. If your loved one is refusing food entirely for more than 24 hours, contact our team.

TIP 5: Prevent Pressure Sores If your loved one is bedridden or largely immobile, turn them gently from side to side every two hours to prevent pressure sores (also called bedsores). These are painful wounds that develop when skin is compressed for long periods. Use folded chitenge or foam pads to cushion bony areas such as the hips, heels and elbows. Keep skin clean and dry. If sores develop, do not treat them yourself — contact a nurse.

TIP 6: Protect Your Own Health If your loved one has HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis (TB), take precautions: wear gloves when handling bodily fluids, wash hands thoroughly before and after care, and ensure you have been tested yourself. Our Lady’s Hospice provides free HIV testing and can advise you on safe caregiving practices at home.

The Emotional Weight No One Talks About

Home-based caregiving in Zambia is rarely discussed honestly. Everyone praises the carer. No one asks how the carer is.

The truth is that caring for a seriously ill loved one at home is one of the hardest things a human being can do. It is physically exhausting. It is emotionally draining. It can feel isolating — especially if you are carrying the responsibility alone while life around you continues as normal.

It is also an experience that carries grief in it — grief for the person your loved one used to be, grief for the life you had before the illness, grief that arrives before any loss has even occurred.

All of this is normal. All of it is allowed. And none of it means you are failing.

You are not alone in this. And you were never meant to be.

Our Lady’s Hospice offers dedicated counselling support for caregivers — not just for patients. If you are struggling emotionally, please reach out. Speaking to one of our counsellors is free, confidential, and does not require a formal referral.

When to Call for Professional Support

Home care is not always enough. There are moments when a patient needs professional intervention, and knowing when to make that call can make an enormous difference.

Contact Our Lady’s Hospice or seek urgent medical attention if your loved one:

• Has a high fever (above 38.5°C) that does not reduce with medication
• Is in severe or uncontrolled pain
• Becomes confused, disoriented, or is experiencing hallucinations
• Has difficulty breathing or is breathing very rapidly
• Has not passed urine for more than 12 hours
• Has developed pressure sores that appear infected (swollen, hot, producing discharge)
• Has stopped eating or drinking for more than 24–48 hours
• Has had a fall or injured themselves
• Is expressing suicidal thoughts or extreme psychological distress

IMPORTANT: Do not wait until a situation becomes a crisis. Our Lady’s Hospice is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Our team is available by phone at any time. You do not need to manage this alone — call us whenever you are unsure, and we will guide you.

How Our Lady’s Hospice Supports You at Home

Our Lady’s Hospice does not only provide inpatient care. We actively support families caring for loved ones at home through a range of services designed specifically for the Zambian context.

 

SERVICE	WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR FAMILY
Caregiver Training	We train family members in practical caregiving skills: how to reposition a patient, manage basic symptoms, prevent infections, and provide personal care safely and with dignity.
Community Outreach	Our outreach team conducts home visits in Kalingalinga, Mutendere, Kalikiliki and surrounding areas. A nurse or trained caregiver can visit your home to assess your loved one and support your care plan.
Counselling Support	Free and confidential counselling for both patients and family caregivers. Emotional support is not a luxury — it is part of good care.
Medication & ART	If your loved one is on ART or other medications, our pharmacy team can advise on schedules, side effects, and adherence. We provide medication support free of charge.
Community Health Posts	We operate health posts in Mutendere and Kalikiliki markets in partnership with Epic 3-90, bringing VCT testing and ART services directly into the community.
24-Hour Phone Support	Call us any time: +260 977 740 427. Our team is available around the clock for advice, guidance, and referrals.

A Final Word: You Are Not Alone

If you have read this far, you are probably already deep in the experience of caring for someone you love. You are probably tired in ways you cannot fully explain to people who are not living it.

We want you to know that what you are doing is seen. It is honoured. And it is supported — by a team of people at Our Lady’s Hospice who have walked alongside hundreds of Zambian families before you.

You do not have to figure this out alone. You do not have to wait until there is a crisis. You can call us now, today, even just to ask a question or talk through what you are facing.

That is exactly why we are here.

 

“Every family that cares for a loved one at home is doing something sacred. Let us help you do it well.” — Our Lady’s Hospice and Health Centre

Reach Our Team Any Time Plot 8668, Kamloop’s Road, Kalingalinga, Lusaka, Zambia +260 977 740 427  —  Open 24 hours, 7 days a week info@ourladyshospice.org.zm No referral needed. No appointment required. Call whenever you need us.