What Is Our Mission?
Hospice of the Palouse strives to maintain the quality of life of patients despite the sometimes uncomfortable and stressful effects of a terminal illness. Hospice provides palliative Medicare- care for comfort, not cure. We focus on controlling pain and other symptoms in order to allow patients the comfort they need to cope with end-of-life issues and decision making.

What Is Our Philosophy?
Hospice of the Palouse affirms life. We believe that even in facing death, patients are valuable to their families and community. At a time when their independence may be limited, we honor the integrity of our patients' choices and respect their individual religious and moral convictions. We do not impose our own values upon patients or their families, and we do not refuse to care for anyone based upon his or her illness, gender, race, creed, nationality or sexual orientation. Since terminal illness is a catastrophic event involving both patients and members of their family, Hospice of the Palouse considers the patient and his or her family as the unit of care. We provide the best medical care for the patient's primary caregiver and family.

Who Is Eligible for Hospice Care?
Hospice of the Palouse cares for anyone in the Palouse region who is hospice-appropriate, regardless of their ability to pay. A patient is eligible for hospice care if his or her physician certifies that the patient's life expectancy is six months or less and the patient is not receiving treatment to cure his or her illness, and a primary caregiver agrees to care for the patient in the patient's home on a regular basis.

Who Pays for Hospice Care?
Hospice of the Palouse accepts payment from Medicare, private insurance providers, patients and their families. For patients without insurance for medical care, Hospice relies on donations and memorial contributions from the community and the proceeds of several fund-raising events. All donations to Hospice of the Palouse are tax-deductible.

What Services Do We Provide?
The hospice offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Hospice services are available seven days a week, and a hospice nurse is on call 24 hours a day for emergencies.

• Skilled nursing care
• Home health aides
• Rehabilitate therapies
• Dietary counseling
• Psychosocial services
• Spiritual counseling

• Respite care
• Information on grief and issues related to death and dying
• Bereavement services
• Basic caregiver training
• Child grief specialists

As a community organization, Hospice of the Palouse also provides cancer and grief support groups, education about hospice care, information on grief, and information about issues related to death and dying.

How Can You Be Involved?
Hospice of the Palouse welcomes community members to become involved as volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include:

• Non-medical patient care
• Family respite care
• Office work
• Fundraising

What Is Hospice?
Hospice is a special kind of medical care that provides comfort and dignity for people whose disease cannot be cured and whose life expectancy is limited. Hospice offers an alternative to institutionalized care for patients with a terminal illness. It enables them to live their remaining days at home or in a home-like setting with as little pain and suffering as possible.

What Is Hospice of the Palouse?
Hospice of the Palouse is a non-profit, community-owned organization with offices located in Gritman Medical Center. It provides home hospice care to residents of the Palouse region. Hospice of the Palouse was founded in 1983 and was the first Medicare certified hospice in Idaho. Our professional staff includes:

• Medical director
• Registered nurses
• Physical, occupational and speech therapists
• Medical social worker
• Certified nursing assistants and aids
• Spiritual counselor
• Volunteer coordinator

In addition to our staff, volunteers from the community generously donate their time and talents to Hospice, visiting patients and raising funds. In Hospice work, volunteers make it happen!