Resources

Links

• Aging with Dignity - Five Wishes
  

  Five Wishes helps you express how you want to be treated if you are seriously ill and unable to speak for yourself. It deals with all of a person's needs: medical, personal, emotional and spiritual.

• American Association of Retired Persons
  

  Useful information on caregiving and grief/loss can be found under the Relationships section of AARP.

• American Hospice Foundation
  

  Articles, publications and education related to hospice care, caregiving, advance care planning and grief/loss.

• Book and Video Resources for Bereavement & Loss
  

  These and other related resources can usually be found at local libraries and bookstores.

• Caring Bridge
  

  Free, personal and private websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to their family and friends.

• Caring Connections
  

  Provides information and support for planning ahead; caring for a loved one; living with an illness or grieving a loss.

• Family Caregiver Alliance: National Center on Caregiving
  

  Education, publications, newsletter, fact sheets and audio conferences related to the special needs of caregivers.

• Hard Choices for Loving People
  

  Paperback book that covers the most common medical treatment decisions faced by those living with a life-threatening illness. CPR, artificial feeding, hospitalization of an ill person and shifting to a hospice approach are all considered in depth.  Includes sections on ventilators, dialysis, antibiotics and pain control.  Free to download. Paperback copies can be ordered from website.

• Hospice Associates Video Channel
  

  Series of short videos on Hospice Care designed to be viewed on-line and easily shared with patients, families, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

• Hospice Foundation of America
  

  Resources, publications and education for professionals, caregivers and patients related to hospice care, end-of-life and grief. Free articles and e-newsletter available. 

• Hospice Net
  

  Free information and downloadable articles with sections specific to Hospice Services, Patients, Caregivers, Children and Bereavement.

• LaPOST - Louisiana Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment
  

  Approved by the Louisiana Legislature during the 2010 legislative session as ACT 954, the LaPOST document is a means by which a person may communicate his/her wishes concerning medical treatment with a physician's order. The LaPOST document is recommended for patients who are seriously ill with “life limiting disease and irreversible conditions” and whose life expectancy is less than one year. The document is completed by the patient and the physician.

• Light in the Shadows: Meditations While Living with a Life-Threatening Illness
  

  A book about finding hope in hopeless situations; being grateful in the midst of great losses; experiencing a connection to things eternal; living a meaningful life while considering the possibility of death; and getting to the root issues in medical treatment decisions. Free to download. Paperback copy can be ordered from the website.

• Local Community Caregiver Support & Grief Resources
  

  A list of support groups and resources for the Greater New Orleans and Baton Rouge Service Areas: Caregiver, Patient and Grief Groups

• Louisiana/Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
  

  Resources, education, free articles, links for hospice providers, patients and caregivers. Information specific to Louisiana and Mississippi hospice care services also provided.

• Medicare - The Official US Government Site for Medicare
  

  Information on plans and benefits; resource locator; compare health care facilities and providers; order new cards; update address; find useful phone numbers, websites; answers to frequently asked questions and more.

• Medicare Hospice Benefits Booklet
  

  Official U.S. Government 16-page booklet for Medicare hospice benefits with information about the following: hospice care, eligibility and covered benefits.

• The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
  

  Full range of support, education and advocacy services for hospice providers, patients, caregivers and professionals. Educational conferences and downloadable resources related to end-of-life care.

• U.S. Department of Veternas Affairs
  

  Information on all Veterans services and benefits including health care services and locations as well as spouse, dependent, and survivor benefits and burials and memorials.  Tip: Use the search box in the upper right corner to search for your topics of interest as information can be hard to locate using the main categories alone.  Aid and Attendance benefit is an often overlooked benefit for both the eligible veteran and spouse which provides for in-home personal care and assistance. Your VA or hospice social worker can assist you more information on this finanical resource if needed.

• U.S. Living Will Registry
  

  The U.S. Living Will Registry is a secure, on-line database where you can store your advance directive. Your document can be easily accessed by you, or by health care providers anywhere.

• Veteran Aid and Attendance Benefit Veteran Aid and Attendance Benefit
  

  Aid and Attendance (A&A) or Homebound benefits are additional benefits paid to war veterans with eligible pensions, who meet set criteria for need of daily support care at home or a nursing home.