The families that live in and near Lemannville are known for their civic pride, caring nature, as well as strong family bonds. When tough times come, the residents of Lemannville have a reputation for coming together and helping one another, just as they did when Hurricane Katrina rained destruction upon Louisiana’s towns and cities. Sadly, life itself has many storms, and while the weather cause most storms, others are simply part of living. None more devastating than when a person we care for develops a terminal illness. Still, these storms happen to every family. Inevitably, we will all have to suffer through the death of loved ones because all of our lives will ultimately come to its end.
When a loved one is coming to the end of their lives, most of us are ill prepared and oftentimes at a loss as to where to look for the assistance we need to help us through this challenging and often unfamiliar aspect of life. In many instances, hospice care is the solution we are in need of to support us through the difficulties of looking after our loved ones full-time.
The majority of Lemannville residents probably believe that hospice is a facility which terminally ill people go to pass away. But, hospice isn’t a destination, and it isn’t about dying. The truth is, hospice is a compassionate, holistic medical care which improves the quality of life for the people in our care and their families. It also permits people with a life-limiting condition to experience the best life possible in the time that they have been given.
Hospice also allows people nearing the end of their lives to continue to live in Lemannville and reside in their homes with their families near to them. In fact, ninety percent of the folks that embrace hospice as a treatment method continue to remain in their residences until their passing. It doesn’t matter if they live in a house, a retirement community, or an apartment in Lemannville because hospice is almost always conducted in a patient’s home, regardless of where they call home. Hospice Associates’ specialized staff will come to your Lemannville home and provide the compassionate care you or your loved one needs, and we will do it whenever you or your loved one needs it, anytime, 24 hours a day. Hospice Associates is no more than a phone call away.
How is it that a single word could bring so much dread?
How can a single word cause people to cringe?
One word that a lot of people never hope to hear…
The word is HOSPICE, and it is not nearly as scary as some people may think it is. Hospice isn’t a thing to be feared, hospice is something to be welcomed.
Hospice was originally a home for those with a terminal disease– a place where the dying would go to live out the last days of their lives. Nowadays, hospice is no longer considered a destination. Instead, it is now thought of as a service that provides comfort and care to terminally ill patients in their own homes. Regardless of whether that home is inside a nursing home, assisted living facility, a member of the families’ house, or their own personal home. Hospice can be provided to patients regardless of the location they call home.
One of the most prevalent mistaken beliefs about hospice I have run into is that many people quite often presume hospice is only for patients that only have a short while left to live. The truth is hospice becomes accessible as soon as a physician informs their patient that their disease is terminal and a cure is no longer a possibility.
My experience as a hospice nurse have allowed me the to partake in the wonderful aspects of what hospice care can offer to a family. One of the many things I frequently hear from families is that wish they would have known hospice was an option long 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 begin to appreciate the time they have left with the people they love.
I think this is because the more quickly hospice is offered 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 family member. And once they realize the freedom it provides, they have the chance to start enjoying the time they have left with their loved one.
Initially, we take friends and families through every aspect of the disease process, so they comprehend exactly how the illness will advance and what they can come to expect. Then, as things develop, we are available to answer each of their questions and address any problems they might have. With this knowledge and understanding, families shed the fear of the unfamiliar and are given the resources they are in need of to help their loved ones throughout the dying process.
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 provides patients and family members spiritual, psychosocial, and physical comfort. Pain can be caused by many different things, but it is not restricted to just physical distress. I have come to realize that spiritual pain can be equally challenging to lessen as physical suffering . Our chaplain and social workers labor collectively alongside our hospice nurses to treat each of the pains that might be present.
Hospice even aids to remove the restraints you may feel your illness has placed on you. For some, gaining the awareness and learning what to expect may be liberating. We never put limitations on what our patients can or can’t do. Our goal is to help you be as comfortable and experience each and every moment you have left to the fullest together with your loved ones.
The majority of hospice care is provided in-home, irrespective of the place the patient considers home. Hospice Care may be given at your personal residence, nursing homes, assisted living, group homes, or family residences.
Hospice services, even in-home hospice is usually completely covered by Medicare and Medicaid, so hospice care is something every peson that requires can afford. Private insurance can on occasion help subsidize the cost of items Medicare and Medicaid may not cover.
Call Us: 504-457-2200
FAX: 504-457-2207
Physician managed hospice
and palliative care