Hospice and palliative care are essential services for anyone who is entering the last phase of their life. Many senior caregivers may rightly wonder which Idaho hospice and palliative care facilities, companies and organizations are worth researching and what to consider when looking.
This article will review what makes hospice and palliative care good and list some of Idaho’s highly-rated senior care facilities.
What to consider when researching Idaho hospice and palliative care facilities
There are many things to consider when researching hospice and palliative care facilities. Thankfully, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) has a hospice questionnaire people can cross-reference when considering hospice and palliative care options.
A few of the notable questions featured in the NHPCO’s questionnaire are:
- Is the facility for-profit or not-for-profit?
- How many years has it operated?
- Are both palliative and hospice care available?
- Is there an inpatient unit as well as home care?
- Is it Medicare-certified?
To develop this list, I used the above comparison points to determine if the hospice and palliative care facilities were worth considering. In addition, I only researched places that received a rating between 4-5 stars on Google and checked to see if each provider also appeared on the NHPCO’s provider list. Note that these hospice and palliative care facilities are not rated in any particular order. As always, with lists such as this, I encourage you and your loved one to do unique online research and to ask a trusted doctor, and possibly a social worker, for their thoughts on hospice and palliative care facilities in your area, too. (Another helpful decision-making tool is Medicare.gov’s provider comparison service.)
Top hospice and palliative care facilities in Idaho
1. Hospice of Eastern Idaho
Hospice of Eastern Idaho serves five areas in the state. It has a state license and is Medicare-certified, but it does not appear to be accredited. The hospice notes that it was the recipient of the 2019 Customer Experience Award from Pinnacle Quality Insight. This hospice is a nonprofit and was founded 19 years ago. Hospice of Eastern Idaho provides standard hospice care (it provides nurses, social workers, etc.) but does not appear to have a separate palliative care program. This hospice provides care to patients wherever they live.
2. Idaho Home Health & Hospice
At least two Idaho Home Health & Hospice locations (Twin Falls, Meridian) received ratings on Google between 4-5 stars and were on NHPCO’s list. The Twin Falls location serves six areas in the state, and the Meridian location serves one. Each location is Medicare-certified and accredited by The Joint Commission. The NHPCO states that the Twin Falls location has a state license and the Meridian location does not. The Twin Falls location received two accolades (4-star patient satisfaction from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and recognition of the HomeCare Elite Agency 2018). And the Meridian location is part of the We Honor Veterans program. (The NHPCO, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, developed the “We Honor Veterans” program.) This hospice appears to serve patients wherever they call home.
LHC Group, Idaho Home Health & Hospice’s “parent” organization, provides in-home health care throughout the United States, as well as home- and community-based services and facility-based care. LHC Group was founded in 1994. And while LHC has palliative care programs, these hospice locations do not appear to offer this type of care.
3. Treasure Valley Hospice
The Nampa location of Treasure Valley Hospice serves one location in the state. It’s Medicare-certified and accredited by The Joint Commission but doesn’t appear to have a state license. It’s also part of the We Honor Veterans program. This hospice cares for patients wherever they call home but also will provide inpatient care by partnering with a “skilled nursing facility when there is a need to manage a crisis or to stabilize a patient during difficult times.” This hospice does not appear to have a standalone palliative care program. This hospice is a “partnership” (rather than being privately held or nonprofit) and was founded in 2007.
4. Heart ‘n Home Hospice
Multiple Heart ‘n Home Hospice locations (including Fruitland, Caldwell, and Emmett) met my search criteria. Each location is Medicare-certified and has a state license.
- Fruitland: Founded in 2004; serves three counties in Idaho and one in Oregon
- Caldwell: Founded in 2006; serves two counties in the state
- Emmett: Founded in 2005; serves three counties in the state
Heart ‘n Home Hospice (founded in 2004) provides standard hospice care. It also provides specialized care for veterans, grief and loss support, and advanced care planning. It also has a C.A.R.E. Program (Connecting Appropriate Resources and Education) that “is designed to provide support to individuals of all ages with a serious, life-limiting illness.” Although this program sounds like it provides palliative care services, it does not use the word “palliative” in its description. It appears that Heart ‘n Home provides care wherever a patient calls home. This hospice is a “public company.”
5. Keystone Hospice
Keystone Hospice, specifically the Eagle location, received many positive reviews on Google (96 reviews with a 5-star average rating). It’s Medicare-certified and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) but does not appear to have a state license. Keystone serves patients wherever they live. It offers traditional hospice care and medicine as well as complementary medicine and therapies (music therapy, pet therapy, etc.). Keystone also is part of We Honor Veterans. I could not determine if this hospice provides separate palliative care. Keystone was founded in 2016 and is privately held.
6. Heritage Home Health & Hospice
Heritage Home Health & Hospice, a privately held hospice, has two locations that have received favorable ratings on Google. The Pocatello location has an accumulated 4.8-star rating (13 reviews), and the Twin Falls location received a cumulative 4.4-star rating (7 reviews). Heritage is Medicare-certified and ACHC accredited. I could not determine if it has a state license. This hospice provides care to people in their homes. Heritage provides standard hospice care, home modification help, and additional assistance through its Elf Project. Heritage also is part of the We Honor Veterans program.
7. Lighthouse Hospice & Palliative Care LLC
Lighthouse Hospice serves seven counties in Utah, Idaho City, and Eastern Oregon regions. It’s Medicare-certified and accredited by the ACHC. I could not determine if it has a state license. Lighthouse provides specialized hospice, therapy, and counseling services. It also provides palliative care services and is part of the We Honor Veterans program. I could not determine if Lighthouse is for or not for profit or when it was founded.
8. First Choice Home Health and Hospice
First Choice Home Health and Hospice serves seven counties in the state. First Choice is Medicare-certified and accredited by The Joint Commission. I could not determine if it has a state license. First Choice Home Health and Hospice was formed in 2012 after First Choice Home Health (a home health company founded in 2004) and A Better Way Home (a hospice and palliative care program established in 2009) joined together. This hospice provides standard hospice care as well as additional specialized therapies. I could not determine if First Choice has a specialized palliative care program. It’s privately held and appears only to serve people in their homes.
9. Symbii Home Health and Hospice
Symbii Home Health and Hospice provides hospice service throughout Eastern Idaho. It provides standard hospice care. It’s privately held, and it appears that this hospice only provides in-home care. I was unable to determine if Symbii is Medicare-certified, state-licensed, or if it’s accredited. It does not appear that this hospice has a palliative care program. I also could not determine when it was founded.
10. Bluebird Hospice
Bluebird Hospice provides care wherever a patient calls home in the state’s Treasure Valley. Bluebird is accredited by the ACHC and is privately held. It does not appear to have a state license or be Medicare certified. I also could not determine if this hospice provides separate palliative care services or when it was founded.