When times are tough, it’s helpful to have resources to turn to—people and professionals who know how to provide assistance and guide you in the right direction. From financial retirement questions to in-home care needs, insurance, uniform and medical supplies, where to find swim lessons, and much more, locating a knowledgeable professional is fortunately not difficult across the metro area. This is a city of people that care for one another, people who are looking to help get the job done—even if it’s so we can all get back to having fun. Uncertain times bring with them a lot of questions; for answers, give an area expert a call. There may be something they can offer to help you, your family, or loved one find the assistance or security they seek whether in finances or in health. Check out the following resources for physical and financial health and wellness, and you may be able a little certainty to your life despite unpredictable times.
Blood Donation & Antibody Testing
The Blood Center
For a limited time, The Blood Center is testing all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies. This free service informs the donor if they carry the COVID-19 antibody, which has been used via plasma transfusions to help critically ill patients battling the coronavirus.
Scheduled donations are required to practice social distancing and insure a safe, stable blood supply. Results post three to five days after a completed blood donation. Following donation, donors need to visit TheBloodCenter.org and log into My Account for their results. Donors testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be eligible to donate COVID Convalescent Plasma (CCP).
“We’ve seen promising results from patients who’ve received CCP, but there’s only a few recovered patients eligible to give at this time,” says Dr. Tim Peterson, Medical Director for The Blood Center. “The scarcity of donors with the COVID antibody make this test extremely beneficial to patient care.”
Testing also provides statistics to the Louisiana Department of Health about what percentage of the population was exposed to COVID-19. To schedule your blood donation and help save lives, visit TheBloodCenter.org or call 1-800-86-BLOOD.
Health Insurance & Professional Liability Insurance
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is devoted to its mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Blue Cross has offices in every major Louisiana city.
It’s important to stay on top of healthcare needs, especially if you’re over 60 or have a long-term condition like diabetes or high blood pressure. Here are some tips:
Ask your healthcare providers if they offer telehealth, online visits that you can do from the comfort of home.
If you need an in-person visit, ask your provider about the safest way to come in for care.
At appointments, wear a face mask and keep at least six feet away from others. Your provider’s office may have rules to limit contact between patients. Ask about this before you arrive.
If you postponed a procedure because of COVID-19, ask about rescheduling.
If you have an emergency, seek medical attention immediately.
For more information, visit bcbsla.com/keepupwithcare.
LHA Trust Funds
Did you know that LHA Trust Funds is the second largest provider of professional liability coverage for Louisiana physicians? Founded in 1977, LHA Trust Funds provides professional liability, general liability, and workers’ compensation coverages to physicians, hospitals, and healthcare facilities in the state of Louisiana.
LHA Trust Funds features unique insurance programs created for members of the Louisiana Hospital Association and owned by member participants. These programs provide physician members with affordable and flexible solutions designed specifically for them, including sole practitioners, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers.
The LHA Trust Funds have been successful and financially stable for more than 40 years. The company’s team of certified experts also provides resources and works with members to proactively reduce risks within their organizations.
For more information about LHA Trust Funds, please call 225-272-4480 or visit lhatrustfunds.com.
Hospice Care
Hospice Associates
Founded in 2004, Hospice Associates is a local CMS-certified and ACHC-accredited provider founded on the belief that when a cure is no longer possible, individuals with life-limiting illness deserve an end-of-life care plan built on knowledge, compassion, and access to services designed to fit their specific needs. The interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, counselors, and other medical professionals at Hospice Associates are uniquely trained to provide physical, emotional, social, and spiritual support to patients and their families.
Hospice Associates offers four unique programs to meet patients’ needs in a variety of circumstances. The Pre-Hospice Program provides a palliative management plan for those who may need to later transition to hospice care. The Home Based Program provides hospice care in the home or at any site that meets necessary criteria for care. For patients with greater needs, the Intravenous Therapy Program and Inpatient Hospice Program are also available.
Hospice Associates strives to meet the needs of patients for comfort and dignity with 100 percent satisfaction rates. For more information or to request admission into a program, call 504-457-2200 or visit HospiceAssociates.com.
In-Home Care
Dependable In-Home Care
Aging in the home has always been the preferred choice for the elderly—now it is also one of the safest.
“Exposure to fewer people today is paramount,” says Joni Friedmann-Lagasse, Owner of Dependable In-Home Care. “That doesn’t mean you cannot safely bring in home care.”
An experienced, professional caregiver understands and uses universal precautions such as wearing a mask and washing hands, but it is the families who must be vigilant concerning others in the home, especially younger family members. Everyone should be observing these simple precautions.
With over 100,000 successful referrals over 50 years, Dependable In-Home Care holds high standards for referring caregivers. It is the only nationally accredited caregiver registry in the region. They help you find the right caregiver who can provide everything from total care, basic supervision, help with daily activities, meal prep, and transportation to bathing, dressing, and mobility assistance.
For more information on the company’s vetted pool of nearly 100 experienced caregivers, visit dependablecare.net.
Home Instead
Now more than ever, aging adults see home as the safest place to be. Fortunately for these adults and their families, Home Instead offers peace of mind with a dedicated staff of CAREGiversSM, essential workers who are fully trained to provide—in the home—the care and companionship your loved one deserves. In addition to their CAREGivers, a homecare tablet has been added to improve protection and connection for seniors during isolation.
A local franchise owned by New Orleans native Lisa Rabito, Home Instead offers the added benefit of staff who understand New Orleans’ culture and hospitality. CAREGivers provide support through non-medical services like meal preparation, transportation, personal care, medication reminders, and more, while working in tandem when needed with healthcare providers, home health, and hospice. Care is available from eight hours a week to 24 hours a day. Aging adults no longer in the home can also request Home Instead services at the retirement community or nursing facility where they reside.
For more information, visit HomeInstead.com/339 or call 504-455-4911.
Personal Homecare Services
In April of 1998, an idea was hatched by Al Clifton to start a company providing live-in care to the elderly. His vision was to provide a 24/7 live-in service for those who wanted to remain at home during their twilight years. Twenty years, and thousands of clients and caregivers later, Personal Homecare Services is still going strong. When you can’t be at home to care for your family member, you want peace of mind knowing that the person who is there will treat your loved one with the same level of care and concern that you would.
Personal Homecare Services is one of the first non-medical services specializing in live-in care and working in conjunction with doctors, healthcare providers, and hospices to provide continuous around-the-clock care without the worry and expense of hourly services. They’ve built a solid reputation with word-of-mouth referral, evidence of the trust their clients have in their caretakers and services. Services include meal preparation, help with personal hygiene, medicinal reminders, light housekeeping, transportation to/from appointments and companionship. To learn more, visit PersonalHomecare.net or call 877-336-8045.
Community Health Centers
DePaul Community Health Centers
Need a doctor? Consider DePaul Community Health Centers, formerly known as Daughters of Charity Health Centers, for all of your health care needs. DePaul’s work is inspired by its founders, the Daughters of Charity, who possess a 185-year history of providing excellent health care services in New Orleans and surrounding areas.
DePaul operates ten state-of-the-art health centers throughout metro New Orleans, offering primary care for children, adults and seniors, women’s health (OB/GYN and prenatal services), pharmacy, and behavioral health services under one roof. They also offer dental, optometry, and podiatry services at select locations.
DePaul Community Health Centers accepts most commercial insurances like Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Health Commercial, Humana, Peoples Health and WellCare, as well as Medicaid and Medicare. A sliding fee scale is also available for those who qualify. To schedule a virtual appointment or an in-person appointment at any of their health centers, or for more information, visit DePaulCommunityHealthCenters.org or call 504-207-3060.
Se habla Espanol.
Pharmacy & Medical Equipment
Patio Drugs
Patio Drugs has a full-service retail pharmacy including compounding and medical equipment services. Seniors in the community benefit from the services offered in their long-term care pharmacy.
In business since 1958, Patio Drugs has a unique awareness of their customers’ needs and gears their services accordingly. Free prescription delivery is offered in certain areas. They offer unit dose medication and multi-dose drug packaging cards to assist patients with remaining adherent and independent with their drug therapies. With their medication synchronization program, they coordinate with patients to have all their prescriptions filled on the same day, avoiding running out of medication or forgetting to call in refills.
Patio Drugs pharmacists offer a comprehensive medication review with patients to discuss any questions about medications, diet, and overall health. Their team works collaboratively with your physician to ensure you are receiving the highest quality care and the clearest understanding of your medication therapies.
Retirement Living
Chateau Living Center
Chateau Living Center in Kenner offers more than just residential care—they become a family for you or your loved ones in a nurturing, holistic environment. With their rehab-to-home facility, The Atrium, Chateau provides new admissions with skilled, multidisciplinary nursing services including IV administration, cardiac recovery, stroke recovery, and more so that patients can quickly return to the comforts of their homes. For more information, visit chateaulivingcenterkenner.com or call 504-464-0604.
St. Joseph of Harahan
At St. Joseph of Harahan, residents can find the care they need in a welcoming, beautiful environment on the banks of the Mississippi River. Their short-term rehabilitation wing, The Sanctuary, uses state-of-the-art treatments and therapies so patients can reach their maximum potential and return to the comforts of their everyday lives. St. Joseph goes beyond physical healing by fostering an environment of compassion to rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit. For more information, visit stjosephofharahan.com or call 504-738-7676.
Vista Shores
Vista Shores is a luxury senior living community offering the highest quality assisted living and memory care in the New Orleans area. The community, located on Bayou St. John, is now welcoming new residents. Vista Shores delights residents with chef-prepared meals in the bistro and quaint dining rooms, its relaxing lounge for coffee or cocktails, and a wrap-around porch perfect for sunset.
Vista Shores diverse social and cultural activities and fitness programs keep residents active and engaged, while weekly housekeeping, laundry, and transportation services ensure that residents can relax and focus on living their best lives.
Vista Shores residents are provided with 24-hour personal care and individualized assistance plans. The Filmore Neighborhood is an entire floor dedicated to Memory Care residents. The care team has been rigorously trained in Alzheimer›s/dementia care to enrich the lives of memory care residents.
If you have a loved one living with Alzheimer›s or Dementia, find support at Vista Shores’ free Alzheimer›s Association Caregivers Monthly Support Group on the second Saturday of every month at 11 a.m.
For more information, visit vistashores.com or call 504-584-4913.
Retirement Planning
Crescent City Retirement Group, LLC
Since 1992, Anthony J. Cangemi has provided trusted counsel, valuable advice, and financial solutions to people across Greater New Orleans. As an Investment Advisor Representative (IAR) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor with Crescent City Retirement Group, LLC, Anthony is dedicated to helping people increase their wealth, minimize their taxes, protect their assets, and most importantly, maintain their independence.
In an effort to provide reliable retirement information during these uncertain times, Anthony has begun providing free topical webinars this summer for both clients and the community, which cover different aspects of the five keys to securing your retirement: legacy planning, investment strategy, income planning, healthcare planning, and tax planning. Interested participants can view the schedule of webinars and register for Anthony’s sessions at RetirementSeminarRegistration.com. Additionally, Anthony continues to offer time every Sunday on WRNO 99.5FM’s Financial Focus Radio from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Anthony works hard to ensure that his clients and the people he consults with enjoy retirement and feel comfortable financially by creating customized strategies offering principal protection and a lifetime income. Schedule a free consultation by calling 800-830-0655.
Scrubs & Uniforms
Scrub Stop
Scrub Stop is your locally owned, one-stop shop for the latest styles and fabrics of the uniform industry. The properties of today’s fabrics offer anti-microbial features, are stain resistant and moisture wicking, allow spandex movement, and have colorfast qualities. Even Scrub Stop’s professional-wear shoes offer fashion and comfort for your feet with lively prints and solids to add variety to your uniform. The Scrub Stop team believes that looking good and loving what you wear will uplift not only your appearance but also your spirit.
Other products offered at Scrub Stop include chef wear, medical accessories, slip-resistant shoes, hosiery, nursing school uniforms, medical-themed jewelry, embroidery, and logo services. A local company, Scrub Stop is competitively priced with online sellers and offers the customer service and product knowledge they cannot.
Located in Slidell, Scrub Stop makes office calls and has serviced Greater New Orleans, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes, and parts of Mississippi since 2004. Hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Call 985-661-8998 and email scrubstop@bellsouth.net for more info. Like Scrub Stop on Facebook for monthly specials.
Swim Lessons
Love Swimming
There’s nothing like splashing or relaxing in cool waters under the summer sun, and knowing how to swim is paramount to your family’s safety in the water. Through safe, small classes, Love Swimming provides swimmers with a strong foundation for a lifetime of love and respect for the water. Students of all ages are taught by a team of professionals who are passionate about teaching swimming in a way that is fun and confidence-building.
As Love Swimming returns to the water post-quarantine, please know that its team has your family’s safety in mind and is taking every precaution and protocol advised by the CDC, USA Swimming, The American Swimming Coaches Association, and numerous other reputable sources.
Please remember that swimming is the best exercise for babies, kids, and adults. Love Swimming offers year-round classes unaffected by rain and uses heated pools that keep swimmers warm and comfortable. Comfort is key to accelerating the learning process and developing strong safety skills safely and quickly. Begin your swimming adventures by starting lessons now. Call 504-891-4662 or visit LoveSwimming.com.
Weight Loss
Every Body Wellness
After pursuing her own journey in weight loss and experiencing remarkable success, Registered Nurse Peggy Rodriguez became passionate about helping others get and stay healthy. Since founding EveryBody Wellness in 2008, Peggy has built lifelong relationships with clients by educating them on how to both lose weight and maintain it.
“Losing weight is intimate and can be an intimidating process. There is no single path that works for everyone, and everyone’s goals are different,” says Peggy.
The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method at Everybody Wellness is scientifically proven—it is dependable, repeatable, and predictable. Based on the principles of being a low calorie, low carb, low fat, and “right amount of” protein protocol, the program helps clients lose fat pounds while maintaining muscle mass. Everbody Wellness’s team of registered nurses, dieticians, nutritionists and certified weight loss coaches educate clients in the understanding of the impact food has on the body, the mechanism that helps lose fat, and the food combinations that may lead to fat storage.
To learn more and read success stories, visit EverybodyWellnessNola.com. Mention this article and receive a complimentary consultation and body composition analysis.
