Heritage Healthcare sits at 1300 Derek Drive in Hammond, LA, and sometimes you see these places and expect a lot of flash, but here what you'll get is simple, skilled nursing care for people who need extra support after they've been in the hospital or gone through surgery or illness, or for those who need long-term help, and the nursing staff covers 12 to 16 hour shifts with full supervision all day and night, with a 24-hour call system in case anything happens. The place helps people who can't walk, need help with bathing, dressing, or getting in and out of bed, and it takes care of medication management so no one has to worry about missing their pills, plus they help folks with serious or complicated medical needs and can offer respiratory care and even hospice care for those who need it. Physicians stop by to check on folks, the staff does resident assessments and care plans, and there's specialized Alzheimer's care available, and people who have to stay for rehab get the physical care and activities to help them recover, and there's housekeeping and laundry so you don't have to fuss with your own chores.
You'll find a mix of rooms, both private or shared, usually furnished and with their own bathrooms, plus things like cable TV, a phone, air conditioning, kitchenettes, and Wi-Fi internet for those who want it. Most meals get served in a dining room, with restaurant-style options and a chef who can make food for special diets or allergies, and the kitchen keeps all-day dining hours, so no one gets stuck hungry between meals. There's a fitness room, outdoor paths, a garden spot for sitting, and a spa or wellness room, and folks who live here can join movie nights, music programs, or pick from activities sponsored by the staff or organized by other residents, since there's an active resident council that discusses what's working and what isn't. For those who like to stay busy, the facility has a library, activity room, and common outdoor spaces, with transportation and parking for those who go out, and family support services so relatives can stay involved in their loved one's care.
Heritage Healthcare holds a total of 108 certified beds, keeps an average of 81 residents per day, and has been managed by Kimberly Delatte since February 2011, operating under Plantation Management Company as a for-profit limited liability company. The facility accepts both Medicare and Medicaid, so that helps when sorting out costs, and though there are recorded deficiencies-2 related to infection and a total of 17 from inspections-it's worth knowing, since no place is perfect, and nurse turnover sits at 48.2%, just under the state average, with nurse hours per resident at 3.41 a day, which is a bit lower than what's typical statewide at 3.8. The facilities were recently remodeled to try for a warmer, more welcoming feel, and there's an aim to give care that looks after physical, spiritual, and emotional needs, not just the medical side, believing that older folks deserve a setting where the mind, body, and spirit get some attention. Heritage Healthcare supports both short rehabilitative stays and longer-term living, and overall, the place aims to help folks live with as much dignity and comfort as can be managed, while families and residents have a say in what goes on.
