TERREBONNE PARISH, La. (BRPROUD) — Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove has outlined a plan for nursing home residents who evacuated ahead of Hurricane Ida to return.

Parish officials said procedures put in place by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) will ensure the repatriation of nursing home patients, residents and clients. Additionally, LDH will work with the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to assess logistics regarding infrastructure such as access to hospitals, transportation, physicians, professional services and supplies.

Terrebonne Parish officials have communicated with local health systems. Leaders from Terrebonne General Health Systems and Oschner Chabert currently do not have inpatient services. However, the Thibodaux Regional Medical Center has told parish officials that they have beds but they remained limited due to COVID-19.

As nursing home residents anticipate returning home, officials state:

“We, TPCG, Office of Homeland Security, and Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, are monitoring the healthcare situation for the nursing home residents. We will move the nursing home residents back to their respective homes as quickly as we 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. We 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.”