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The Louisianians who live in and around Bayou Gauche are known for their sense of community, generous nature, as well as strong family bonds. When difficult times occur, the citizens of Bayou Gauche have a history of pulling together and helping each other, just as they did when Katrina brought chaos upon Southern Louisiana’s communities. Sadly, life itself has many storms, and while the weather brings most storms, others are just part of living. Probably none more heartbreaking than when somebody we care for develops a terminal illness. Still, these storms happen to all of us. Eventually, we all will need to cope with the passing of loved ones because each of our lives will ultimately come to its end.
When a loved one is coming to the end of their life’s journey, most of us are ill prepared and oftentimes at a loss as to where to look for the assistance we require to help us through this challenging and often unfamiliar aspect of life. In many instances, hospice is the solution we seek to help us with the challenges of nursing our loved ones full-time.
The majority of Bayou Gauche locals likely think that hospice is a facility which people go to pass away. But, hospice isn’t a destination, and it is not about dying. In reality, hospice is a compassionate, holistic medical care which improves the quality of life for our patients and their loved ones. It also enables individuals with a life-limiting condition to live the best life possible with the time that they have remaining.
Hospice also makes it possible for people approaching the end of their lives to continue to live in Bayou Gauche and reside in their homes with their family members near them. As a matter of fact, around ninety percent of the people who opt for hospice as a treatment method continue to stay in their residences until they pass on. It doesn’t matter if they reside in a house, a retirement community, or an apartment in Bayou Gauche because hospice is almost always conducted in a patient’s home, irrespective of the place they call home. Hospice Associates’ caring staff will come to your Bayou Gauche home and provide the compassionate care you or your loved one requires, and we will do it whenever you or your loved one requires it, anytime, day or night. Hospice Associates is only a phone call away.
How is it that one word can cause so much anxiety?
Why does a single word often cause people to cringe?
One word that a lot of people never want to hear…
The word is HOSPICE, and it is not nearly as frightening as some people may make it out to be. In truth, hospice is not something people should fear… it is something we should all welcome.
Hospice was initially a home intended for those with an incurable illness– a place where the dying would go to live out the final days of their lives. These days hospice is no longer thought of as a destination. Instead, it is now viewed as more of a medical service that offers comfort and care to terminally ill patients in their own homes. Whether that home is in a nursing home, assisted living facility, a member of the families’ house, or their own individual home. Hospice can be administered to patients irrespective of where they consider home.
Among the most prevalent myths concerning hospice I’ve encountered is that many people frequently presume hospice is reserved exclusively for individuals that only have a few days left to live. The reality is hospice becomes accessible when a doctor informs their patient that their disease is terminal and a cure is no longer a possibility.
My experiences as a hospice nurse have offered me the to witness the wonderful aspects of what hospice care provides to a family. One of the many things I often learn from families is that wish they would have known hospice was an option well before they did. I believe this is because hospice reduces the burden placed on families and provides them peace of mind. Once they understand the relief hospice offers, families can start to enjoy the short time they have remaining with the ones they love.
I think this is because the more quickly hospice is made available to a patient’s family, the sooner they can let go of the anxiety and fear of being the only ones providing care to their loved one. And once they understand the relief it provides, they have the capacity to begin enjoying the time they have left with their loved one.
We help walk families through every aspect of the disease process, so they can understand how disease will progress and what they should come to anticipate. Then, as issues develop, our team is available to answer all of their questions and address any concerns they may have. With this knowledge and understanding, families shed the fear of the unfamiliar and are provided the resources they are in need of to help their loved ones through the process of dying.
This is not only for our patients but also for their families. Comfort is a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. Hospice offers patients as well as their families with spiritual, psychosocial, and physical comfort. Pain can be caused by many different things, but it is not confined to merely bodily pain.
Hospice also helps to take off the restrictions you may feel your illness has placed on you. For many, having the awareness and knowing what you should expect can be freeing. We don’t put limitations on what you can or can’t do. Our objective is to help you be as comfortable and live each and every moment you have left to the fullest with the ones you love.
The majority of hospice care is provided in-home, regardless of the place the patient calls home. Care can be offered at your private home, retirement community, assisted living, group homes, or family homes.
Anyone, whether a member of the family, patient, close friend, physician or healthcare professional, can make a recommendation to Hospice Associates. Recommendations are totally confidential. If you know of somebody that is in need of our services, contact us at 504-457-2200 to discuss whether or not we would be a suitable fit for the person you have concerns for.
The most suitable opportunity to learn more about hospice care is prior to you or someone you care for really needs hospice care. But it’s never too late to learn more about hospice care or to go over hospice with your loved ones. By talking about hospice in advance, you ensure that everyone impacted has a thorough understanding of what is available to them.
No, individuals of any age with a terminal illness are able to receive hospice care.
Yes. Your family physician becomes part of our team. We will keep in touch and coordinate with your physician to better understand your personal requirements.
To qualify for hospice care, individuals don’t need to be inactive. Our mission is to help our patients live their lives to the fullest. We encourage our patients to do whatever they feel capable of doing and continue to do the activities that bring them joy.What makes hospice special is that it focuses on patient care and not on a cure. Hospice care allows people which have developed a terminal illness to determine precisely how they would like to spend the rest of their lives. Hospice care ministers to the entire person, and their family members are viewed as part of the unit of care. It places emphasis on pain management and enjoying life fully.
Hospice services, even in-home hospice care is almost always completely covered by Medicare and Medicaid, so hospice care is something everyone that needs it can afford. Private insurance can on occasion help fund the expense of items Medicaid and Medicare might not cover.
Hospice Associates provides hospice and palliative services to any qualified* individual that resides within a 50-mile radius of New Orleans, that includes Bayou Gauche.
Hospice volunteers are generally available to provide different types of support to patients and their loved ones, which can include:
Call Us: 504-457-2200
FAX: 504-457-2207
Physician managed hospice
and palliative care