Ambulatory services above self

The Rotarian Burokers closed out the month of August by presenting talks on a new ambulance service in Ville Platte and on council on aging services in the parish.
Leading off the programs last Tuesday on August 18, was Rotarian Barbara Buroker who brought guests from MedExpress. The ambulance company was recently granted permission by the Ville Platte City Council to operate inside the city.
Nathaniel Majors, the son of the company’s founder, gave a brief history of how the company was founded.
According to Majors, MedExpress began in the rural areas around his native Melville where it was a 30-minute ride to the nearest hospital. “I could see what it was like living in a community with one paramedic, and he was my dad,” he said.
“I was about 14-years-old when I started responding on calls with my dad,” Majors continued. “I started learning how to take blood pressure, blood sugar, and little things like that as he took the more important problems into consideration.”
As Majors got older, his father gave him more responsibilities such as doing his own assessments and making his own decisions about the patients.
“I hope coming into the City of Ville Platte and eventually the rest of Evangeline Parish will allow us to provide the best level of care in the shortest amount of time,” said Majors.
He added he believes the company will be allowed to expand to other areas of the parish, but approval has to come from the Evangeline Parish Police Jury.
Majors, along with Jane McGlone and Grant Ancelet, went on to explain services provided by the company and benefits of becoming a member.
A week later, on August 25, Rotarian Bob Buroker presented Lisa Derouen, who is the director of Evangeline Council on Aging.
According to Derouen, the council on aging here in the parish was created in 1971 and is a private non-profit organization that receives funding from state and federal sources.
“Our parish is lucky that it also has a property millage which provides for services for the elderly,” said Derouen.
The best known service of the council on aging is providing meals to clients 60-years-old or older. Of the approximate 900 parish residents who receive services, roughly one third receive hot meals daily from the program. Derouen explained the meals are home delivered and there is also a congregate option where “clients can come in and eat and visit.”
The parish’s council on aging also provides transportation services to residents regardless if are a member or not. “Anyone can ride with us,” Derouen said. “All you have to do is call in and make an appointment.”
The transportation services provide rides to doctors visits, non-emergency medical procedures, or anywhere else the client needs to go. There are eight vehicles on the road, and funding for the vehicles comes from grants through the state Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).
Other services provided are homemaker services, telephoning, in-home respite, and sitter services.
Derouen also explained there is a senior center located inside Village de Memoire in Ville Platte where “anyone 60 and over can participate.” She added, “We offer a meal and speakers, birthday parties, bingo games, and other activities just to keep our 60 and over people stimulated and healthy.”
She concluded, “Our purpose is to help keep 60 and over people in their homes and to be able to live in their homes as long as they possibly can.”