Literature Review

5 books to make caregiving a little more manageable DNYUZ; 8/19/24Tina Sadarangani, a geriatric nurse practitioner in New York City, has spent years working with older adults and their families. She counsels patients on the medications they should take, the eating habits they should change and the specialists they should see. But it wasn’t until her own father became seriously ill — requiring a slew of medications, deliveries, physical therapy and more — that she understood the experience from what she calls “the other side of the table.” ... Here are five titles, recommended by health care providers and other experts, to help those who help others.

Transforming hospice care: The evolving role of medical directorsCHAPcast podcast; by Jennifer Kennedy, Daniel Maison; 8/21/24How have federal regulatory changes reshaped the role of hospice medical directors from mere formalities to key players in patient care and organizational leadership? Join Jennifer Kennedy and our esteemed guest, Dr. Daniel Maison, as we unpack the historical "three S's" and explore the significant transformations driven by CMS regulations. You'll gain valuable insights into the evolving responsibilities of hospice medical directors, highlighting their integral contributions to both operational and clinical aspects within hospice organizations.

‘Lean into your superpowers’: Bayada COO champions women in home health leadership Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 8/20/24 Heather Helle, president and chief operating officer of Bayada Home Health Care, believes that home-based care could benefit from having more women in leadership roles. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Moorestown, New Jersey, Bayada provides in-home clinical care and support services for children and adults, including hospice, behavioral health, and rehabilitation in 21 states and five countries. ... In 2022, women accounted for approximately 80% of workers in health care occupations, a figure higher than the percentage of women in all other employment sectors, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. ... However, women are underrepresented in leadership roles, comprising only 25% of health care leadership positions in 2022. ... Gender equity is crucial for developing resilient health systems and gender-transformative health and social care policies, according to The World Health Organization. 

Norway Savings Bank donates $5,000 to Hospice of Southern Maine Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME; by BDN Community; 8/19/24 ... Norway Savings Bank is proud to be a longtime, major donor to Hospice of Southern Maine and its compassionate work, including a $5,000 contribution this month and over $180,000 in donations since 2018. “The work of the Hospice of Southern Maine staff and the dignity and comfort they provide to those they encounter commands respect and admiration,” said Dan Walsh, president and CEO of Norway Savings Bank. ... “These gifts are reflections of compassion and caring, which are the very things that center all our actions and decisions at Hospice of Southern Maine,” said Daryl Cady, CEO.

Mortuaries get a modern-day makeover The Hustle; by Sara Friedman; 8/20/24 When window shopping in a city, it’s often an aesthetic storefront that captures your attention and pulls you inside. But what if the handcrafted vase that caught your eye was actually an urn for human remains? That’s the business model for the crop of trendy, modernized mortuaries popping up around the world, per The New York Times. ... Pretty enough to be spas or nightclubs, these new mortuaries bring some levity to customers looking for something different. In a Co-Op Funeralcare study of 4k people in the UK, 68% said they see funerals as celebrations of life, not sad occasions. [Examples given] ... These new mortuary models are tapping into a lucrative industry: The average funeral costs ~$6.6k in London, while the median cost of a US funeral is $8.3k.

Molina Healthcare of Ohio donates $125,000 to address shortage of home care and hospice nurses Business Wire; by Ben Jackey; 8/21/24 Molina Healthcare of Ohio ("Molina") awarded a $125,000 grant to the Center for Community Based Care (CCBC), the nonprofit foundation arm of the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice (OCHCH). The investment will fund efforts to address the shortage of nurses in home care and hospice settings and support a new hotline aiding Ohioans managing serious illnesses from home. ... "Molina believes all individuals should have access to high-quality care and our support of CCBC will help create greater capacity for Ohioans to receive care from home," said Ami Cole, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Ohio. "CCBC is reducing gaps in health equity and we are proud to invest in their work."

Credit Unions of Maui raise $38,000 at annual golf tournament to benefit hospice Maui The Maui News; 8/21/24  The Credit Unions of Maui hosted their 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournamenton Aug. 10, 2024, at The Dunes at Maui Lani. This year’s annual event brought together 144 golfers and community supporters, resulting in a remarkable $38,000 raised to benefit Hospice Maui, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to providing compassionate end-of-life care for Maui residents. The tournament exceeded expectations, with participants enjoying a day of friendly competition, prizes, and philanthropy. The funds raised will directly support Hospice Maui’s mission to offer comprehensive hospice and palliative care, including medical services, emotional support, and grief counseling, to individuals and families in need.

Interim HealthCare Welcomes Rexanne Domico as President and Chief Operating Officer Business Wire, Sunrise, FL; by Interim HealthCare; 8/20/24 Interim HealthCare Inc., [a national] network of home care, senior care, home health, hospice and medical staffing services, announced today the appointment of Rexanne Domico as President and Chief Operating Officer. "We’re excited to welcome Rexanne to Interim HealthCare to help champion our mission and shape our operational strategies," said Paul Mastrapa, CEO of Interim HealthCare. "Her hands-on leadership style, deep industry knowledge, and proven track record of fostering growth and excellence make her exceptionally well-suited to lead our regional teams and guide our franchisees nationwide to provide the high-end care we are known for."

Elder abuse is unreported. City employees will now be trained to recognize it. San Antonio Report, TX; by Iris Dimmick; 8/21/24 City of San Antonio employees will soon be trained on how to identify and report elder abuse thanks to a collaborative effort to increase awareness of the underreported “crisis” gripping the community. City Council’s Public Safety Committee greenlit the policy Tuesday, which directs the city’s Department of Human Services and Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) to develop training curricula for staff. ... The largest share of elderly abuse cases in Bexar County is reported by medical personnel, followed by relatives, community agencies and the victims themselves. In 2022, a woman died in a local hospital after her three adult children allegedly neglected her hospice care. In 2018, a caretaker in San Antonio was charged with several felonies after police found an elderly, disabled woman was languishing in soiled clothes for months at a time.Editor's Note: What elder neglect and abuse training do you require for your hospice and palliative care interdisciplinary team members and volunteers? What incident reporting and follow-up systems do you have in place? The CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation requires the patient's comprehensive assessment to include "a thorough evaluation of the caregiver's and family's willingness and capability to care for the patient." Subpart A, § 418.3 

Future trends in aged care careers Intelligent Living; by Jennifer Barns; 8/21/24Medical advances have increased the average life expectancy. By 2050, older people—or those above 60 years—are expected to comprise 22% of the global population, almost twice compared to 2015, according to the World Health Organization. As the population ages, the demand for skilled professionals in the aged care sector is also going through the roof. ... Editor's Note: This article provides statistics and user-friendly language that might be helpful for your employee recruitment strategies.

5 DEI expectations organizations should have of all leaders Forbes; by Julie Kratz; 8/18/24 Without leadership support, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts do not work. ... For organizations wrestling with holding leaders accountable for DEI, consider these questions: 

​​Bioethicists scrutinize Pontifical Academy for Life’s new guidance on withdrawing food, water The Catholic World Report; by Jonah McKeown; 8/16/24 After the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAFL) last month issued a booklet summarizing the Church’s teaching on a number of bioethical issues, the section on “artificial nutrition and hydration” (ANH) has some observers concerned about what they see as a departure from previous Church teaching. ... The Church’s teaching on this issue was recently in the news in the United States because of the ongoing case of Margo Naranjo, a disabled Texas woman whose parents, who are Catholic, announced last month that they had decided to allow Margo to die by starvation in hospice. They were prevented from doing so after a judge intervened. ... What does the Pontifical Academy's new document say? ... “[T]he doctor is required to respect the will of the patient who refuses them with a conscious and informed decision, also expressed in advance in anticipation of the possible loss of the ability to express himself and choose,” the PAFL wrote. he PAFL noted that Pope Francis has emphasized the importance of considering the whole person, not just individual bodily functions, when making medical decisions.Editor's Note: This "guidance" and discussion is much more complex than the summarized information above. Click on the title's link to read more.

Deals reached to keep some Steward hospitals in Massachusetts open, Gov. Healey says Boston 25 News; by Colin A. Young, State House News Service; 8/16/24 Gov. Maura Healey announced late Friday morning that Massachusetts will take St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton by eminent domain in order to keep the hospital open while it transitions to a new owner. ... The governor said deals in principle have been struck to transition operations at the other four for-sale Steward Health Care hospitals – Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, the Holy Family Hospitals in Methuen and Haverhill and Morton Hospital in Taunton – to new operators. ...