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The families who reside in and near Woodmere are known for their sense of community, generous nature, and strong family bonds. Whenever tough times come, the families of Woodmere have a reputation for pulling together and helping one another, just as they did when Hurricane Katrina brought destruction upon Southern Louisiana’s towns and cities. Unfortunately, life has many storms, and while the forces of nature brings most storms, others are simply part of life. Likely none more traumatizing than when somebody we care for develops a terminal illness. Still, these storms happen to every family. Eventually, we will all need to deal with the death of the people we love because all of our lives will ultimately come to an end.
When a loved one is coming to the end of their lives, many of us are ill prepared and often at a loss as to where to go for the guidance we need to help us through this challenging and often unfamiliar part of life. In many instances, hospice is the solution we really need to help us through the challenges of taking care of our loved ones 24 hours a day.
The majority of Woodmere residents probably believe that hospice is a place which sick people go to die. But, hospice is not a destination, and it is not about dying. The truth is, hospice is a compassionate, holistic medical care that improves the quality of life for our patients and their family caregivers. It also lets people diagnosed with a life-limiting illness 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 Woodmere and reside in their homes with their family members close to them. In fact, almost ninety percent of people who choose hospice as a treatment program continue to stay in their residences up until their passing. It doesn’t matter if they reside in a house, a retirement community, or an apartment in Woodmere because hospice is almost always conducted in a patient’s home, regardless of the place they call home. Hospice Associates’ caring staff will come to your Woodmere home and provide the compassionate care you or your loved one needs, and we will do it when you or your loved one needs it, any time, day or night. Hospice Associates is no more than a phone call away.
How is it that just one word can cause so much fear?
Why could one word cause some people to cringe?
One word that a lot of people never hope to hear…
That word is HOSPICE, and it’s not nearly as frightening as some people might make it out to be. Hospice shouldn’t be something to be feared, hospice is something to be welcomed.
Hospice was originally a home for those with a fatal disease– a place where the dying would go to live out the final days of their lives. Today hospice is no longer considered a destination. Instead, it is now thought of as a service that delivers comfort and care to patients in their homes. Whether that home is inside a nursing home, assisted living facility, family members’ home, or their very own home. Hospice can be provided to patients regardless of the location they call home.
One of the most prevalent mistaken beliefs about hospice I’ve run into is that many people often think it is exclusively for individuals that may only have a short while left to live. The fact is hospice becomes accessible as soon as a physician informs their patient that their disease is terminal and a cure is no longer attainable.
My experiences as a hospice nurse have given me the to witness the beauty of what hospice care offers to a family. One of the many things I commonly learn from families is that they wish they would have known hospice was available 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 short time they have remaining with the ones they love.
I believe this is because the sooner hospice is offered to a 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 recognize the freedom hospice offers, they have the capacity to begin enjoying the time they have left with their loved one.
We help walk families through every component of the disease process, so they can comprehend how disease will progress and what they should come to anticipate. Then, as issues arise, our team is available to answer all of their questions and address any concerns they may have. Because of this knowledge and understanding, families shed the fear of the unfamiliar and are provided the resources they need to help their loved ones throughout 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 provides patients and family members spiritual, psychosocial, and physical comfort. Pain can be caused by several things, but it is not limited to just bodily suffering. I have realized that spiritual pain can be equally as challenging to alleviate as physical suffering . Our chaplain and social workers strive collectively alongside our nurses to attend to each of the pains which may exist.
Hospice also helps to take off the barriers you may believe your condition has placed on you. For a few, gaining the knowledge and knowing what you should expect can be freeing. We don’t put limitations on what you can or can not do. Our objective is to help you be as comfortable and enjoy each and every moment that you have left to the fullest together with your loved ones.
Virtualy all hospice care is provided in-home, regardless of the place the patient calls home. Hospice may be given at your personal home, nursing homes, assisted living, group homes, or family homes.
Any individual, whether a family member, patient, close friend, personal doctor or healthcare professional, may make a referral to Hospice Associates. Recommendations are fully confidential. If you know of an individual that is in need of our services, contact us at 504-457-2200 to discuss whether we would be a good fit for the individual you have concerns about.
The best time to learn about hospice care is well before you or somebody you care for actually requires it. But itis never too late to learn more about hospice or to discuss hospice with your loved ones. By discussing hospice care in advance, you ensure that everybody affected has a good understanding of what is available to them.
Not at all, individuals of any age with a terminal diagnosis can undergo hospice care.
Yes. Your doctor becomes part of our team. We will be in touch and partner with your doctor to best understand your personal needs.
To qualify for hospice care, 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 activities that bring them joy.What helps make hospice special is that it puts emphasis on patient care and not on a cure. Hospice care allows people that have developed a terminal illness to specify just how they wish to spend the rest of their lives. Hospice care ministers to the whole person, and their family is viewed as part of the care unit. It emphasizes pain control and living life fully.
Hospice care, even in-home hospice is almost always 100% covered by Medicare and Medicaid, so hospice care is something everybody that requires 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 Woodmere.
Hospice volunteers are generally available to provide different types of support to patients and their loved ones, which may include:
Call Us: 504-457-2200
FAX: 504-457-2207
Physician managed hospice
and palliative care