Terrebonne Parish Update on Nursing Home Residents Returning

Terrebonne Parish has released information regarding nursing home residents’ return to their homes. “Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove understands the importance of getting our nursing home residents back to Terrebonne Parish to be with their family and friends,” the statement said.

Mr. Dove’s administration is in daily communications with the local hospitals regarding their progress to initiate inpatient care within the community. As per the Louisiana Department of Health – Health Standards Section, which has established procedures for the repatriation of patients, residents, and clients of nursing homes, the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness along with coordination with the Louisiana Department of Health will determine each nursing homes access to the community service infrastructure, including hospitals, transportation, physicians, professional services and, necessary supplies.

After speaking to Ms. Phyllis Peoples, CEO of Terrebonne General Health Systems, and Mr. Tim Allen, CEO of Oschner Chabert, they have advised that there are no inpatient services at either hospital in Terrebonne Parish at this time. With nursing homes being a medical institution, if a nursing home resident needs to leave the nursing home to get medical care at a hospital, it is most likely that the nursing home resident will need inpatient services. The next closest hospital is Thibodaux Regional Medical Center in Thibodaux, which is capable of inpatient beds, but they are covering for Lady of the Sea Hospital, Oschner St. Ann, Oschner Chabert and Terrebonne General Health System. Along with limited hospital healthcare, Terrebonne Parish is still dealing with COVID patients.

The statement said TPCG, Office of Homeland Security, and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, are monitoring the healthcare situation for the nursing home residents. They said they will move the nursing home residents back to their respective homes as quickly as they can, but only when the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospital, Terrebonne General Health Systems, and Oschner Chabert feel the well-being and healthcare for these residents can be done safely. They will initiate moving the residents back as quickly as humanly possible as soon as these vital services are restored to the extent that these nursing home patients can be cared for with all proper medical facilities in operation.