Father of 3 stages 'Grief Photo Shoot' to remember wife who died of cancer (exclusive): CJ Infantino and his late wife Ariana were high school sweethearts 
People; by Jordan Greene; 2/13/25 
There are many moments forever etched in CJ Infantino’s memory, but one stands out above the rest. It was Sept. 5, 2020, when CJ and his wife, Ariana, sat their three kids down at the kitchen table in their California home and told them that Ariana, 35, was going to die. ... Ariana was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2015 — coincidentally, on CJ’s 30th birthday. "We spent the next five-and-a-half years trying to live as much life as we could. We wanted to pack 30 years into 10," CJ says. ... After her last breath, he recalls that everyone "just went silent." ... Right away, the father of three felt isolated, as if no one could relate to his experience. He found that the things people said were often unhelpful and, at times, unintentionally harmful.  ... "I really just wanted to show my kids that, even though she’s not physically here, it’s okay to talk about her. We’re still allowed to laugh, even when we’re in so much pain," he says. "I remember the first moment I laughed or felt a hint of joy, and I thought, 'Are we allowed to do this?' " ... [Click on the title's link for the inspirational story and family photos before and after Ariana's death.] 

Aging for Amateurs: Valentine's Day brings out the poetry of aging in love 
The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC ; by Bert Keller; 2/10/2 
The week of Valentine’s Day breathes love. Many elders have lived through love’s changing seasons consciously, experiencing what an alive, evolving, hazardous and soul-satisfying thing love is. ... In every long love, the emotional part undergoes a change as the stages of life are lived through. Marriage begins like a bonfire that melts and merges us: our togetherness wants no separation. Then it eases into a practical fire for cooking meals and washing dishes — those years of getting up with the baby, balancing the books, taking out the garbage. ... And then in old age ... love is less a feeling alongside other feelings, and more a shared sense of being with the other. My wife calls it “with-ness.” ... What was transactional in an earlier stage has become grace. After retirement I volunteered to do chaplaincy with a local hospice. I recall a moment sitting at the bedside of a 93-year-old man whose memory was erased by Alzheimer’s disease. He was now dying ... His wife, who also had Alzheimer’s and was no longer capable of much conversation, sat in a wheelchair by his bed and held his hand. She kept repeating to me, tears flowing, “We’ve been married for 73 years, you know.” It was a kind of mantra. How could I know what it’s like to be at the deathbed of a partner with whom you’ve intimately shared 73 years of life? All the stories, all the peaks and valleys, of such a lifetime? ... 
Editor's note: May we listen and learn.

Teleios announces completion of Boomer End-of-Life Care Survey 
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN), Hendersonville, NC; by Tina Gentry; 2/12/25 
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) announced the completion of its survey titled “What Baby Boomers Want in End-of-Life Care.” This survey aimed to gain insights into the healthcare preferences and needs of the Baby Boomer generation as they age, transition into retirement and seek end-of-life care. On February 5th, TCN’s Visioneering Council, which comprises member CEOs, C-Suite staff, and marketing managers, gathered to discuss the survey results and explore the best ways to utilize this information to enhance patient care. Before reviewing TCN’s survey findings, Matthew Wilkinson from NPHI and Bill Keane from Emergence presented results from NPHI’s “Aging and End of Life Care Survey.” Additionally, Dr. Terry Fulmer provided insights from the John A. Hartford Foundation’s survey titled “What Older Adults Want from Health Care.” TCN President and CEO Chris Comeaux said, “Over my career, we have been honored to care for the greatest generation. Now that we are at the dawn of the baby boomers being the majority of those we will be honored to care for as they enter their twilight years. Knowing what they expect, what they care about, what they do not want to worry about, all of this is such important data to ensure hospice over the next 30 years is providing an even greater service to patients and families. That’s what this study was looking to accomplish. It’s a great start in that direction.” 

This 1970s TV actor left his entire – surprisingly large – fortune to the state that made him world famous 
Celebrity Net Worth; by Paula Wilson; 2/12/25 
When you pass away, what will be your legacy? ... For 1970s actor Jack Ward, greatness meant leaving behind a gift. A surprisingly large gift that would keep on giving for many years after he was gone, benefitting the people of the state that made him famous… and rich… In 1968, he began appearing as Steve McGarrett on the cop show, "Hawaii 5-0." The popular cop show ran for the next twelve years. ... By the time Jack died in 1998, they had given the [Hawaii Community Foundation] $750,000. ... [Among the foundation's recipients ...] Hospice Hawai'i and St. Francis Hospice have been bolstered by the Lord Fund, .... The stable annual support has helped hospice programs expand outreach and grief counseling services for island residents. 

Our Hospice Jennings County Gala nets $65K 
Bridge - WKJD, North Vernon, IN; by LND Staff; 2/12/25 
The 27th Annual Our Hospice Jennings Gala, held last Saturday in the Barn at Willow Crossing, raised over $65,000 to support compassionate hospice care services for Jennings County residents. The evening’s success marks a significant milestone for Our Hospice to provide the highest quality compassionate, end-of-life care to community members regardless of their ability to pay. Over 200 community members, healthcare professionals, and business leaders attended this year’s event. “The overwhelming generosity displayed at this year’s gala reflects our community’s deep commitment to ensuring that every family in Jennings County has access to dignified hospice care when they need it most,” said Steph Cain, President of Our Hospice.

Hodges remembered as hospice founder 
The News-Gazette, Lexington, VA; by Scotty Dransfield; 2/12/25
Helen Hodges, the last living founder of what is now Connections Plus Hospice + Healthcare, died on Feb. 1, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and dedication, and a lasting impact on health care in Rockbridge County. Her work helped shape end-of-life care in the area, ensuring that those facing their final days could do so with dignity and comfort. Hodges was one of the four women ... who set out in the late 1970s to bring hospice care to the community. They were a grassroots team with no paid staff and no established structure — just a vision of providing comfort and support for terminally ill patients and their families. By 1983, their efforts had formalized into an official organization, and in 1984, Rockbridge Area Hospice was officially chartered. ... A stone plaque in the hospice gardens now bears her name, a quiet but permanent reminder of the foundation she built. ...

St. Croix Hospice opens new location in La Crosse 
News 8 Now, La Crosse, WI; by Corey Peters; 2/12/25 
St. Croix Hospice held a ribbon cutting for their new location in La Crosse on Wednesday. St. Croix Hospice originated back in 2009 in Oakdale, Minnesota, and have now expanded to 18 locations around Wisconsin. St. Croix Hospice held a ribbon cutting for their new location in La Crosse on Wednesday. St. Croix Hospice originated back in 2009 in Oakdale, Minnesota, and have now expanded to 18 locations around Wisconsin.

How to help caregivers of patients with dementia 
Physician's Weekly; by Linda Girgis, MD, FAAP; 2/13/25 
Dr. Linda Girgis discusses how physicians can assist caregivers of patients with dementia, helping these critical caretakers avoid experiencing burnout. ... As doctors, we all have witnessed caregiver burnout. Often, it was a family member who bore the brunt of the responsibility, one for whom there were no vacation days or sick time available. Whatever specialty we practice, we know patients with dementia can present a significant problem. ... How can we assist caregivers of patients with dementia?

• Diagnose them early. ...
• Listen to the patients. ...
• Arrange visiting nursing service. ...
• Arrange hospice. ...
• Discuss options such as adult daycare and respite care. ...
• Prescribe meds for behavioral issues. ...
• Be empathatic. ...

Hospice advocates push bill for a third time despite two Hochul vetoes 
Spectrum News 1, New York State; by susan Arbetter; 2/12/25 
Last spring, Capital Tonight sounded an alarm about for-profit hospice care. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had just issued public warnings about for-profit hospice fraud in four states; it was alerting consumers to a scam in which patients were being enrolled without their knowledge by recruiters who were “selling” hospice to people who weren’t eligible. Hospice fraud like this has also been extensively reported by The New Yorker and Pro Publica. After Gov. Kathy Hochul twice vetoed a bill preventing the expansion of for-profit hospice in New York, a new bill (S.3437/ A. 565) is being introduced by the chair of the state Senate Finance Committee, Liz Krueger, and chair of the state Assembly Health Committee, Amy Paulin. “If a family is faced with a loved one that is dying, they should not also be faced with the possible incentive of money,” Assembly member Paulin told Capital Tonight. There are a variety of drawbacks to for-profit care, and there is clear data that shows profit motives drive for-profit hospice to neglect patient care and prioritize volume over quality.

Dealbook: HouseWorks completes 2 acquisitions; Family Resource Home Care acquires Beneficial In-Home Care 
Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 2/12/25

• Choice Health at Home (CHH) has acquired Devotion Hospice, based in Conroe, Texas, enhancing the company’s commitment to delivering comprehensive post-acute care services throughout the Southwestern U.S. ... The company also recently acquired Family Tree Private Care and Accentra Home Health and Hospice. ...
• HouseWorks Holdings, LLC has formed partnerships with two well-established home care organizations in Massachusetts: O’Connell Care at Home and Best Home Care.  ...
• Family Resource Home Care has announced the acquisition of Eastern Washington’s Beneficial In-Home Care Inc., which operates six locations in Spokane, Colville, Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Pullman and Omak. ...

432 rural hospitals at risk of closure, breakdown by state 
Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Andrew Cass; 2/12/25 
There are 432 rural hospitals vulnerable to closure, according to a Feb. 11 report from Chartis, a healthcare advisory services firm. Chartis analyzed 15 vulnerability indicators and found that 10 were statistically significant in predicting hospital closures, including: Medicaid expansion status, average length of stay, occupancy, percentage change in net patient revenue and years of negative operating margin. Of the 48 states with rural hospitals, 38 have at least one at risk of closure, according to the report. The states with the highest number of vulnerable hospitals are: 

1. Texas: 47
2. Kansas: 47
3. Mississippi: 28
4. Oklahoma: 23
5. Georgia: 22

Arkansas (50%) has the highest percentage of rural hospitals at risk of closure, followed by Mississippi (47%) and Kansas (47%). The percentage of rural hospitals at risk of closure by state is as follows: [Click on the title's link for the list of all 50 states.] 

UC professor seeks to make death care more inclusive: Equal Deathcare offers resources for the LGBTQIA+ community 
University of Cincinnati News (UC News); by Kyle Shaner; 2/12/25
Jennifer Wright-Berryman, PhD, an associate professor of social work in UC’s College of Allied Health Sciences, is one of the founders of Equal Deathcare, a web-based resource where LGBTQIA+ individuals can find inclusive and affirming end-of-life and death care (funerals, memorials and pre-planning). “Groups that are at risk or marginalized, such as sexual and gender minorities — groups that I’m particularly interested in outcomes for — those voices weren’t included in these conversations around death care, especially when we talk about transgender individuals whose bodies and identities are often maligned in society,” Wright-Berryman said. ...

Avow completes $35,000 training grant provided by FutureMakers Coalition 
Florida Weekly - Fort Myers Edition, Fort Myers, FL; 2/12/25 
Avow recently completed the Healthcare Leadership course as part of a $35,000 grant awarded by FutureMakers Coalition at Collaboratory. Made possible by nearly $23 million in federal funding from the Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge, FutureMakers Coalition connects those who need to reskill and/or upskill any, including underemployed and unemployed, Southwest Florida residents with training for industry-recognized credentials and, ultimately, careers with local employers committed to this partnership.

Executive Personnel Changes - 2/14/25

• Becker's Hospital Review reports "13 recent hospital, health system CEO moves"; this page was created Jan. 8 and updated Feb 5
  
  
• MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, NH has named Tricia G. Costigan, MBA, FACHE, as its new President. 
  
  
• Memorial Health in Springfield, IL has selected Mandy Eaton, PhD, as the organization's next president and CEO. Dr. Eaton will join Memorial Health on April 1, succeeding Ed Curtis, who previously announced plans to retire after a 50-year career with Memorial. Memorial Health is a non-profit regional healthcare organization serving central Illinois. Memorial also serves a broad region with home health, hospice and behavioral health services.

In the flush of love’s light, we dare be brave. And suddenly we see that love costs all we are, and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free. ~ Maya Angelou
Honoring Black History Month 2025