Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty donates $60,000 to hospice upgrades

A $60,000 gift from Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty will pay for an updated call-light system at the Schneidmiller House in Coeur d'Alene, giving patients, families and hospice staff a faster way to connect when every minute matters. The upgrade is meant to sharpen response times and reduce the lag between a request for help and the moment a nurse reaches the bedside.

At 2290 W Prairie Ave, the Schneidmiller House is more than an inpatient unit. Hospice of North Idaho says the building offers 24-hour acute hospice care for people who need complex nursing support, with 21 private rooms and a peaceful, home-like setting that stands apart from a hospital floor. A 2025 profile described it as North Idaho's only freestanding inpatient hospice facility and the largest in the Inland Northwest, underscoring how much of the region's end-of-life care capacity flows through one building.

Hospice of North Idaho executive director Shawna Cauley said the donation will help staff respond more quickly and attentively to patient needs, a difference that matters deeply when families are saying goodbye. Hospice nurse Candi Goodsell said the new system should improve efficiency, timeliness and reassurance by making sure patient requests are heard and addressed promptly. In a setting where comfort, privacy and dignity are central to daily care, a better call-light system affects everything from pain management to peace of mind.

The gift also reflects a long-running local relationship. Hospice of North Idaho built Idaho's first hospice inpatient unit in 2011, then renamed it the Schneidmiller House in 2016 in honor of Mannie and Gladys Schneidmiller. The organization says the facility also provides respite care, with stays that can last up to five days under the Hospice Medicare Benefit, adding another layer of support for families who need short-term relief while caring for a loved one.

Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty has supported the facility before, including a previous $30,000 donation to the inpatient hospice unit. For Kootenai County, the latest gift is not a symbolic gesture. It is a direct investment in the infrastructure of end-of-life care, where a working call-light system can shape how quickly staff arrive, how calmly families move through hard moments, and how well a rare local resource serves the people who depend on it.