Hospice of Acadiana Selected as 1 of 15 Sites in Country to Assist with Understanding of Advanced Care Planning

Hospice of Acadiana has been selected as one of 15 research sites across the country to join in a nationwide project to conduct a community game event, The Hello Project. The event will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Broussard, in May. The project will engage participants about what matters most when it comes to making decisions about critical health issues.

Karl Broussard, CEO of Hospice of Acadiana, shared the significance of this event. “In utilizing a game concept, people are immediately more at ease. This format takes what can be a challenging topic for many and breaks it down into practical questions that often arise when discussing advanced care planning – ultimately making it more meaningful.”

Advance care planning can be difficult, but it is necessary. The Hello game day event will bring people together for an enjoyable discussion about living well, and quality end-of-life care. It is the perfect first step to advance care planning, and every participant will leave with information that gives them the opportunity to continue the conversation with their family, friends and loved ones.

This Hello event, and others across the country, is supporting a study led by Lauren Jodi Van Scoy, M.D. at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, through her research program, Project Talk.  Hospice of Acadiana will also host a focus group following the game activity as part of the research project.

“Our goal is to educate the community and help get the conversation started,” according to Mary Bergeron, Project Manager and Director of Public Relations for Hospice of Acadiana.  “These decisions can sometimes be quite challenging. The game format puts people at ease and helps build confidence in having these hard conversations.”

Hospice of Acadiana, established in 1983, is Louisiana’s oldest hospice and palliative care provider, and the only non-profit provider in Acadiana.  As a non-profit provider, patients receive all of the care they need, regardless of the cost or their ability to pay. HOA also offers several programs and services to the community at-large free of charge, including:  Grief Counseling, Loss and Transition Workshops, Camp Brave Hearts, Pet Peace of Mind, and the “We Honor Veterans” Program. For more information contact Mary Bergeron, 337-232-1234 or [email protected].