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The people who live in and near Harahan are well known for their sense of community, caring nature, and strong family values. Whenever challenging times come, the people of Harahan have a history of coming together and helping one another, just as they did when Hurricane Katrina rained chaos upon Louisiana’s towns and cities. Unfortunately, life itself is filled with storms, and while the forces of nature brings most storms, others are simply part of living. Likely none more heartbreaking than when somebody we care for develops a terminal illness. Even so, these storms happen to each of us. Eventually, we all will need to cope with the passing of the people we love because each of our lives will ultimately come to its end.
When a person we love is coming to the end of their earthly life, most of us are ill prepared and oftentimes at a loss as to where to go for the assistance we require to help us through this challenging and often unfamiliar part of life. In many circumstances, hospice is the answer we need to support us with the difficulties of caring for our loved ones 24-7.
Many Harahan residents likely believe that hospice is a facility that people go to pass away. But, hospice is not a destination, and it isn’t about dying. In reality, hospice is a compassionate, holistic medical care that improves the quality of life for our patients and their family caregivers. It also allows individuals with a life-limiting condition to live the best life possible with the time that they have been given.
Hospice also allows people approaching the end of their lives to continue to live in Harahan and reside in their homes with their family members near them. As a matter of fact, close to 90% of the people who opt for hospice as a treatment option continue to remain in their residences until their passing. It does not matter if they live in a house, a retirement community, or an apartment in Harahan because hospice is almost always conducted in a patient’s home, regardless of where they call home. Hospice Associates’ caring staff will travel to your Harahan home and provide the compassionate care you or your loved one requires, and we will provide it when you or your loved one requires it, any time, 24-7. Hospice Associates is no more than a phone call away.
How is it that one word could create so much fear?
How can a single word often cause people to cringe?
One word that many people never want to hear…
The word is HOSPICE, and it’s not nearly as frightening as you may think. Hospice shouldn’t be something to fear, it is something to be welcomed.
Hospice was initially a home intended for those with a fatal illness– a place where the dying would go to live out the last days of their lives. Today hospice is no longer viewed as a destination. Instead, it is now thought of as more of a service that delivers comfort and care to patients in their own homes. Regardless of whether that home is within a nursing home, assisted living facility, a member of the families’ residence, or their own personal home. Hospice can be provided to patients irrespective of just where they consider home.
One of the biggest mistaken beliefs about hospice I’ve run into is that a lot people commonly believe it is reserved only for patients that only have a couple of days left to live. The fact is hospice becomes available as soon as a physician informs their patient that their disease is incurable and a cure is no longer a possibility.
My personal experience as a hospice nurse have allowed me the opportunity to experience the wonderful aspects of what hospice care can provide to a family. One of the many things I commonly learn from families is that they wish they would have known hospice was an option well before they did. I think this is because hospice reduces the burden placed on families and gives them peace of mind. Once they understand the relief hospice provides, families can begin to enjoy the short time they have remaining with the people they love.
I believe this is because the more quickly hospice is made available to a patient’s family, the sooner they can let go of the stress and fear of being the only ones giving care to their loved one. And when they realize the freedom hospice provides, they have the opportunity to begin enjoying the short time they have left with their loved one.
First, we walk friends and families through every aspect of the disease process, so that they comprehend exactly how the illness will advance and what they can come to expect. Then, as things develop, our team is available to answer all of their questions and address any problems they might have. Because of this knowledge and understanding, families lose the fear of the unknown and are given the tools they need 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 hospice patients and family members with spiritual, psychosocial, and physical comfort. Pain can be caused by many different things, however, it is not restricted to merely physical pain.
Hospice also aids to remove the barriers you may suspect your condition has put on you. For some, having the awareness and knowing what you should expect can be liberating. We do not put limitations on what our patients can or can’t do. Our goal is to help you be as comfortable and enjoy every moment that 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 calls their home. Hospice Care can be given at your private home, nursing homes, assisted living, group homes, or family homes.
Any individual, whether a family member, patient, close friend, personal doctor or healthcare professional, can make a recommendation to Hospice Associates. Referrals are fully confidential. If you know of somebody that is in need of our services, phone us at 504-457-2200 to discuss whether or not we might be a good fit for the person you have concerns about.
The most suitable time to learn about hospice care is prior to you or someone you love actually requires it. But it’s never too late to learn about hospice care or to talk about hospice with your loved ones. By discussing hospice in advance, you ensure that everybody affected has a thorough understanding of what is available to them.
Not at all, people of all ages with a terminal diagnosis are able to undergo hospice treatment.
Yes. Your physician is part of our team. We will communicate and partner with your physician to better understand your personal needs.
To qualify for hospice care, individuals do not have to be inactive. Our goal is to help our patients live life to the fullest. We encourage patients in our care to do whatever they feel capable of doing and continue to do the things that bring them happiness.What helps make hospice special is that it places emphasis on patient care and not on a cure. Hospice allows people which have developed a life-limiting illness to determine how they would like to spend the rest of their life. Hospice ministers to the whole person, and their family members are considered as part of the unit of care. It emphasizes pain control and enjoying life fully.
Hospice services, even in-home hospice care is usually completely covered by Medicare and Medicaid, so hospice care is something every peson that requires can afford. Individual insurance can occassionaly help fund the cost of things Medicaid and Medicare might not cover.
Hospice Associates offers hospice and palliative services to all qualified* individual that resides within a 50 mile radius of New Orleans, that includes Harahan.
Hospice volunteers are generally available to provide different types of support to patients and their loved ones, often including:
Call Us: 504-457-2200
FAX: 504-457-2207
Physician managed hospice
and palliative care