Hospice of Eastern Idaho provides physical, psychosocial and spiritual care for the terminally ill. Our services meet and exceed the hospice Medicare requirements. A medically supervised interdisciplinary team of professionals plans and provides care for each patient that is individualized to meet patient/family goals.

PHYSICIAN DIRECTED CARE

While our Hospice Medical Director directs overall medical aspects of the hospice program, the patient's own physician can remain the primary physician.

NURSING CARE

Nurses are on call 24/7 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) and visit the patient as needed to provide assessment, education and assist with care in pain control and symptom management. While the nursing staff cannot normally provide 24 hour care, limited continuous care can be provided over a 24 hour period.

Our Patient Services Director oversees all aspects of patient care of our hospice program including coordinating in-patient and home care. A Registered nurse will complete a Nursing Assessment and will develop an individualized plan of care with the assistance of the family, physician and other members of the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team. The nurse is responsible for holistic nursing care of the patient, identifying patient/family needs for services from other hospice disciplines with a focus on pain and symptom management.

PERSONAL CARE SERVICES

Certified Nursing Assistants provide assistance with bathing and other personal care, light housekeeping, and other hygiene related tasks under the supervision of the Registered Nurse.

SOCIAL SERVICES

The social worker assesses the patient and family's psychosocial, emotional and financial needs. A plan of care is developed utilizing community resources if needed to help enhance the quality of life for the patient and family.

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

Our non-denominational Chaplain assesses the patient/family spiritual needs helping to provide spiritual care and comfort if needed.

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT

Bereavement support is provided for the family for 13 months after the death of the patient. Individualized care is provided based on the needs of the family. Our bereavement staff spends the time to get to know the family so they can guide the family to appropriate resources. Grief and loss support groups, grief series mailings and support through key events are offered.

TRAINED VOLUNTEERS

Trained volunteers supplement and expand services in patient care, clerical and bereavement services. Volunteers engage in a wide variety of services including patient visitation, providing caregiving to give the caregiver a break, housekeeping chores, bereavement follow-up, clerical assistance, and more. Our volunteers receive extensive training in a classroom setting.

THERAPISTS, PHARMACISTS, DIETITIANS, ETC.

Therapies (physical, occupational, speech, and others) are available to hospice patients on a case-by-case basis as indicated by the plan of care.

DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND MEDICATIONS

Medical equipment and medications related to the terminal illness and relief of the symptoms are included in our services. Examples include pain medications, oxygen and respiratory equipment, wheelchairs, hospital beds, and shower benches.

An often asked question is whether the patient has to give up being treated for other conditions that they have that are not related to the terminal illness. The patient may continue treatment for any condition not related to the terminal illness, and these may be billed separately under Medicare. There are special billing codes available which allow the physician to receive payment for services.

RESPITE CARE

Short-term (up to 5 days) respite care in a skilled nursing facility is offered to allow caregivers relief from caregiving.

CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER

Books, handouts, videos and DVDs about hospice related care and caregiving are available to professionals, patients and families, and the community free of charge.