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The Louisianians that reside in and near Avondale are known for their civic pride, generous nature, and strong family bonds. Whenever challenging times happen, the residents of Avondale have a reputation for coming together and helping one another, just as they did when Hurricane Katrina brought chaos upon Southern Louisiana’s parishes. Sadly, life itself is full of storms, and while the weather brings most storms, others are simply a part of life. Likely none more distressing than when somebody we care for develops a terminal illness. Still, these storms happen to every one of us. Inevitably, we all will have to deal with the loss of a loved one because all of our lives will ultimately come to an end.
When a person we love is reaching the end of their life, many of us are poorly prepared and frequently at a loss as to where to look for the assistance we need to help us through this challenging and often unfamiliar part of life. In many instances, hospice is the answer we are looking for to support us with the challenges of attending to our loved ones 24 hours a day.
The majority of Avondale natives probably believe that hospice is a facility that terminally ill people go to pass away. But, hospice is not a place, and it isn’t about dying. The truth is, hospice is a compassionate, holistic medical treatment that improves the quality of life for our patients and their family caregivers. It also enables people that have a life-limiting condition to experience the best quality of life attainable in the time that they have remaining.
Hospice also makes it possible for people approaching the end of their lives to continue to live in Avondale and live in their homes with their loved ones nearby them. In fact, around ninety percent of the people that elect hospice as a treatment option continue to stay in their residences until they pass on. It does not matter if they live in a house, a retirement community, or an apartment in Avondale because hospice is almost always conducted in a patient’s home, regardless of where they call home. Hospice Associates’ caring staff will come to your Avondale home and administer the compassionate care you or your loved one needs, and we will do it when you or your loved one needs it, any time, 24 hours a day. Hospice Associates is no more than a phone call away.
How is it that one word could instill so much fear?
Why does one particular word often cause some people to cringe?
One word that most people never hope to hear…
That word is HOSPICE, and it’s not as frightening as you might make it out to be. Hospice isn’t something to fear, hospice is something to be welcomed.
Hospice was initially a home intended for those with a life-limiting disease– a place where the dying would go to live out the last days of their lives. Today hospice is no longer viewed as a place. Instead, it is now thought of as more of a medical service that administers comfort and care to patients in their own homes. Whether that home is in a nursing home, assisted living facility, a member of the families’ residence, or their personal home. Hospice can be offered to patients irrespective of the location they consider home.
Among the biggest mistaken beliefs concerning hospice I’ve come across is that a lot people frequently think hospice is only for people that may only have a few days left to live. The truth is hospice becomes available as soon as a physician informs their patient that their disease is terminal and a cure is no longer attainable.
My experience as a hospice nurse have allowed me the to experience the blessing of what hospice care can provide to a family. One of the things I commonly learn from families is that many wish they would have known hospice was an option long before they did. I believe this is because hospice reduces much of the burden placed on the family and gives them peace of mind. Once they understand the relief hospice provides, families can begin to appreciate the time they have remaining with the people they love.
I think this is because the sooner 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 offering care to their loved one. And when they understand the relief hospice can provide, they can start enjoying the short time they have remaining with their loved one.
We help walk families through every aspect of the disease process, so they can understand how illness will advance and what they can come to anticipate. Then when things occur, we are available to answer all of their questions and tend to any concerns they may have. Because of this knowledge and understanding, families shed the fear of the unknown and are provided the tools they are in need of to help their loved ones throughout the process of dying.
This is not only for our patients but also for their family members. Comfort is a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. Hospice provides hospice patients as well as families with spiritual, psychosocial, and physical comfort. Pain can be caused by many different things, but it is not confined to just physical pain.
Hospice also helps to take off the restraints you may believe your illness has placed on you. For many, having the knowledge and recognizing what to expect may be liberating. We do not put restrictions on what our patients can or can’t do. Our aim is to help you be as comfortable and enjoy every moment that you have remaining to the fullest with the ones you love.
Almost all hospice care is provided in-home, regardless of the place the patient considers home. Hospice can be offered at your personal home, nursing homes, assisted living, group homes, or family homes.
Any person, whether a relative, patient, friend, medical professional or medical professional, may make a recommendation to Hospice Associates. Referrals are fully confidential. If you know of somebody that is in need of our services, get in touch with us at 504-457-2200 to discuss whether we would be a suitable fit for the individual you are concerned for.
The most suitable opportunity to learn about hospice care is prior to you or someone you care for actually needs hospice care. It’s never too late to learn about hospice care or to discuss hospice with family members. By discussing hospice care in advance, you ensure that every family member affected possesses a good understanding of what is available to them.
No, people of all ages with a life-limiting illness are able to undergo hospice care.
Yes. Your physician becomes part of our team. We will communicate and coordinate with your doctor to best understand your personal needs.
To qualify for hospice, individuals don’t have to be sedentary. Our objective is to help our patients live life to the fullest. We encourage people in our care to do whatever they feel capable of doing and continue to do the things that bring them joy.What helps make hospice so special is that it concentrates on patient care and not on a cure. Hospice enables people that have developed a terminal illness to specify the way they wish to spend the remainder of their life. Hospice care attends to the whole person, and their family members are viewed as part of the care unit. It emphasizes pain management and enjoying life fully.
Hospice services, even in-home hospice is almost always completely paid for by Medicare and Medicaid, so hospice care is something everybody that needs it can afford. Individual insurance can occassionaly help subsidize the cost of items Medicaid and Medicare may not cover.
Hospice Associates offers hospice and palliative services to every qualified* person that resides within a 50 mile radius of New Orleans, which includes Avondale.
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