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Hospice Services
Hospice of Eastern Idaho provides all the
services required by Medicare to provide palliative (comfort) care
to terminally ill patients. Some of the areas covered
are:
NURSING CARE
Nurses visit the patient as needed to provide
care for the patient's symptoms. While the nursing staff
cannot normally provide 24 hours care in the residence, there is
always a nurse on call 24/7. A special number is given to the
patients so that they may get in touch with a nurse at any
time. Under extreme circumstances, limited continuous care can
be given over a 24 hour period. Short-term (up to 5 days) respite
care in a skilled nursing facility is offered to allow caregivers
relief from caregiving, and in special circumstances hospice
care can be provided on a general in-patient basis.
PERSONAL CARE
SERVICES
Certified nursing assistants provide assistance
with bathing and other personal care, light housekeeping, and
other hygiene related tasks.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Our social service department, which is
supervised by a licensed social worker, can provide counseling
regarding grief, family dynamics, the grieving process or any other
emotional support related to the terminal illness, which
may be needed by the patient or their family. As required
by Medicare regulations, we provide bereavement services ranging
from a simple phone call to participation in grief and loss support
groups. This service is provided for 13 months after the patient
passes away.
VOLUNTEERS
We have a dedicated and extremely well trained
group of volunteers available to help with those things that cannot
be classified under anything but helpful kindness. These volunteers
will do such things as sit with the patient while the caregiver goes
out to run errands, read to the patient, or just provide a willing
ear. Volunteers may also be asked to assist in fundraising drives,
clerical duties and assist at special events such as our annual Tree
of Rememberance. Our volunteers receive 12 hours of extremely
in-depth training in a classroom-type setting on subjects ranging
from the proper way to transfer a patient from bed to chair to the
dynamics of grief. Persons wishing to become volunteers should
contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Carole Mason at cmason@ida.net or call her at
208-529-0342.
SPIRITUAL
We have a hospice chaplain on staff and can
access members of any denomination, on request, to provide spiritual
care and comfort for our patients.
MEDICATIONS AND
EQUIPMENT
Medications and equipment required for relief of
the symptoms of the patient's terminal illness are included in our
services. Examples might be pain medications, oxygen and
oxygen equipment, wheelchairs, hospital beds, shower benches,
etc.
An often asked questions is whether the patient
has to give up being treated for other conditions not related to the
terminal illness, such as arthritis, etc. The patient may
continue treatment for any condition not related to the terminal
illness, and these treatments are billed under Medicare Part
B. There are special billing codes available which allow
the physician to receive payment for services.
CAREGIVER RESOURCE
CENTER
A lending library of books, articles and
videos with information on end-of-life-related topics and
disease profiles. See our book and video library by clicking on the
the links to the left.
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