Capitol House FAQs

If you have a question about The Carpenter Health Network, feel free to contact us or browse the Frequently Asked Questions using the categories on the left.

Capitol House

What is an advanced directive?

An Advanced Directive is a document that provides a person the opportunity to give directions about future medical care. It can also serve as a legal document designating another individual (proxy or health agent) to make decisions for you if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. This document will express your wishes if you become incapacitated. It covers your specific preferences for the kind of medical treatment you want or don’t want. It contains how you want people to treat you, and what you want your loved ones to know. NOTE: Advanced Directives are not necessary for a patient to receive AIM Palliative Home Health.

What types of advanced directives are there?

  • A Medical Power of Attorney for Health Care: This type of advanced directive allows you to name an individual to make health care decisions when you are not able to do so. This person may also be referred to as a proxy or health care agent.
  • Living Will: A living will specifies whether you would like to be kept on artificial life support if you become permanently unconscious or dying and unable to speak for yourself.
  • Do Not Resuscitate/DNR Order: A DNR order exists in a written order from a doctor or in a living will, and states that resuscitation should not be attempted if a person suffers a cardiac or respiratory arrest. A DNR order is commonly created when a person who has an inevitably fatal illness wishes to have a more natural death without painful or invasive medical procedures that will not reverse the outcome of the terminal illness.
  • LaPOST document: Created with input from health care and legal professionals across the state and approved in 2010 by the Louisiana Legislature as Act 954, the Louisiana Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (LaPOST) document is a best-practice model for patients with serious, advanced illnesses to state their preferences for end-of-life treatment in a physician’s order. Learn more about LaPOST at http://www.lhcqf.org/.

If a room is not available at Capitol House when I am ready, may I transfer at a later date?

Yes, you may transfer to Capitol House from your home, hospital, or from another nursing home as soon as a room is available. Please continually stay in contact with us for your planned date of arrival so we can have your room accommodated to your requests and staff familiar with and ready to meet your individual needs.