FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Now is the best time to talk about end-of-life planning, needs, and wishes. Planning can greatly reduce stress when the time for hospice care is needed. Planning allows patients to make their own decisions and it relieves their family from making uninformed choices for their loved one. The Conversation Project is a very helpful, self-guided resource to help the conversation get started and determine what end-of-life choices may be.
Yes, our care includes caregiver support. Our team will review a caregiver’s handbook and provide any obvious and applicable education at each scheduled visit. Our expert staff is available by phone 24-7, including holidays, to take questions and schedule an immediate visit if needed. Learn more about Caregiver Support here.
We have seen the positive difference it makes for families and patients to enroll with Hospice of North Idaho early in a disease progression process, or when treatment is no longer curative. Call us anytime to discuss your unique situation.
Palliative and Hospice care education can reduce emergency hospital visits, give confidence to caregivers, encourage planning, encourage choice, and supports the grieving process. Families have told us that planning for a good ending is empowering and honors life.
Hospice of North Idaho is staffed 24-hours a day, every day of the year. We take enrollments and questions about enrollment at any time. Care is provided wherever our patient resides, including a skilled nursing facility or a residence. Individuals may also choose care at the Schneidmiller House.
We honor our patient’s wishes for how they envision their end of life journey. Comprehensive care includes the patient’s choices for alleviating pain, receiving support in grief, lifestyle changes and spiritual needs.
Palliative Care begins at the time of diagnosis, even if treatment is ongoing. We help family caregivers stay on top of the increasing amount of care they will provide. Caregivers receive better education, patients receive better care, and a sense of personal choice is brought into their journey. Patients decide when to transition into traditional ‘hospice’ care. Learn more.
Respite Care is available to every Hospice patient. Patients can receive up to 5-days of care at the Schneidmiller House, when caregivers are in need of a respite. Caregivers needing a couple of hours of respite can request a Hospice Respite Volunteer to care for their loved-one at home.
We believe that every person should receive an expert level of care, regardless of their ability to pay. Medicare, Medicaid, V.A. and private insurance are billed. Remaining costs can be covered with charitable care. A social worker will discuss with each patient, their circumstances, so that cost is not a barrier to receiving the best hospice care available.
Advance Directives are legal documents indicating your preferences about medical treatment at the end-of-life. By completing these forms, you are able to predetermine the level of intervention provided when you are unable to make these decisions. The documents that are important to have are: Power of Attorney, Living Will and Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POST) form. We are able to provide assistance and education to help complete this process. Get the forms below.
Get Living Will and Power of Attorney forms here.
Download POST Forms here.
Each patient’s care team includes skilled nurses, social workers, hospice aides, board certified physicians, and a spiritual care coordinator. The patient and the team create a Plan of Care meeting the needs and goals of the patient. Working together we help ensure your comfort, dignity, and peace of mind. Please do not hesitate to ask questions, tell us how you are feeling, or ask for help.
Patients also have access to Hospice Volunteers who provide additional support. Find out how volunteers can add joy, ease, and comfort.
Volunteers made Hospice of North Idaho what is it today. Our volunteers bolster services by providing companionship, respite visits, pet therapy, veterans companionship, certified massage therapy, bereavement support, and more. Volunteers help our patents be at ease and make quality memories with their family.
Consider the experience you and your loved ones wish to share. Do you want to make time to resolve relationships or contemplate spirituality? Will the family need support for living without their loved one?
Our philosophy is to care for the whole person and for their family’s life-changing experience. Our comprehensive care ensures that options for care are available and respected.
Hospice offers a time to live fully. Planning care, the tone of the environment, and resolving spiritual and emotional needs makes hospice an incredibly special time. We believe that everyone should have access to the most expert and comprehensive care in our area.
We serve every community in Kootenai, Shoshone and Benewah Counties. Since 1981 our community-owned Hospice has provided expert care for the seriously ill and those touched by loss.
Every patient, regardless of age, or their financial circumstances receives the highest quality of care offered by the most experienced team in North Idaho. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
Yes, all medication and medical equipment related to a hospice diagnosis and care are covered. Pain medications, beds, walkers, oxygen and other equipment are provided to meet each patient’s needs. Our Palliative care doctors prescribe medications and nurses will provide medications and caregiver education.
Yes, Hospice will talk to you about your wishes and support you in creating your Plan of Care. We will make visits, where you live. Our entire team is available to each person; including volunteers, spiritual care, social work and nursing staff.
The Schneidmiller House is offered to our patients as a choice for symptom management or respite. Built in 2011, it is Idaho’s only hospice in-patient unit. Some choose the House for it’s 24-hour nursing care. Some people choose the House as a place where family is welcome and their family caregivers can experience the role as ‘loved-one.’ Discover the place of peace and comfort; take a virtual tour of the Schneidmiller House.
The in-patient unit provides acute in-patient care for symptom management and skilled caregiving for those needing a safe and secure environment during a family respite.
Hospice of North Idaho is accredited by Joint Commission and is Medicare Certified. Joint Commission surveys Hospice of North Idaho to assure compliance with Hospice Medicare Regulations and Joint Commission standards.
Hospice of North Idaho (HONI) is required by applicable federal and state laws to maintain the privacy of your health information. We are required to give patients our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Yes. Hospices are not all the same; in fact they can be quite different. Hospices can be for-profit, non-profit, hospital-based, home health-based, or independent. Different hospices have different levels of expertise, philosophies of care, depth of services and approaches to patient and family care.
Hospice of North Idaho is the only local, fully non-profit hospice. We direct all of our resources to ensure that members of the community will live as fully as possible at the end of life. Hospice of North Idaho is the longest established hospice in the area.