Literature Review

Followup: Helene and hospice care in the western North Carolina mountains Hospice & Palliative Care Today; summary from a meeting between Vern Grindstaff (CEO, Compassionate Care Western North Carolina), Chris Comeaux and Tina Gentry (Teleios Collaborative Network), Cordt Kassner and Joy Berger (this newsletter); 1/28/25 Hospice recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina's mountains have been massive, with extensive longterm needs ahead. Vern Grindstaff, CEO of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina described the "new normal" they are experiencing.  Photos of this hospice and its service vividly demonstrated the state before, soon after flood waters receded, and current recovery status. Key topics included unthinkable patient care challenges with practical, creative solutions, financial implications amounting to a $350,000 deficit for repairs, and the trauma experienced by staff—both professionally and personally. Discussions highlighted the importance of long-term recovery strategies, including the involvement of larger trusts for sustained funding, while also recognizing community support efforts by organizations like Cajun Navy and Samaritan's Purse. Additionally, Chris Comeaux is presenting to hospice organizations about Emergency Disaster Management, equipping leaders to learn from this tragedy. Editor's note: Click here (or the title's link) for a map of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina's service area (CCWNC). Click here to donate to their ongoing recovery. We thank our readers for your previous support to this other hospices affected by emergency disasters. Additional resources: CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule; Wisconsin's CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule Toolkit: Hospices; "Community Crisis and Grief" public service education, designed for hospice organizations. Disclosure: CCWNC is member of Teleios Collaborative Network and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, both sponsors for our newsletter. "Community Crisis and Grief" is from our sponsor Composing Life Out of Loss.

Leading nursing facility cuts turnover by 50% with DailyPay Benefit for employees HealthCareDive, New York; Press Release from DailyPay; 1/30/25 The Springs Arkansas, the leading skilled nursing provider across Arkansas, is celebrating three years of partnership with DailyPay – a worktech platform and leading provider of earned wage access. Throughout this partnership, The Springs Arkansas is empowering employees with the ability to access their earned pay on their own timeline. ... Since implementing DailyPay into their benefits offerings, they have seen a 74% participation rate, and in 2024 reduced turnover by 50%. Headquartered in Little Rock, AR, The Springs Arkansas operates over 20 skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, offering a wide range of care services, including skilled rehab, long-term care, memory care, and hospice care. ... The Springs Arkansas introduced DailyPay in January 2022 to better support its dedicated workforce. 

Caring for a dying spouse at the end of life Inspiyr; 1/25/25 ... In this article, we will explore the various aspects of caring for a dying spouse, including trends, common concerns, and expert insights. Trends in Caring for a Dying Spouse:

Abigail E. Keller Foundation's Teddy bear drive brings Valentine's cheer to young patients CBS Austin, TX; by We Are Austin; 1/23/25 Valentine's Day is getting a little sweeter for children spending the holiday in the hospital, thanks to the Abigail E. Keller Foundation's annual teddy bear drive. Now in its sixth year, the initiative aims to spread love and comfort through cuddly companions. Melissa Keller, co-founder and president of the foundation, said the drive [describes,] "Abby passed away in February of 2019, ... Abby was full of life and joy, and she brought so much life and joy to everyone that she met. We decided on that first anniversary, we were going to collect teddy bears and take them to the hospital. And we did." ... Keller says "We support medically fragile children and their families throughout their journey and at end of life, we, support our foundation, supports them in, a couple of ways. We we help them through financial assistance. We do care baskets for families going into hospice. We do birthday boxes for children in hospice."

Stories of bereavement: Examining medical students’ reflections on loss and griefOmega-Journal of Death and Dying; by Johanna Shapiro, Nicholas Freeman, Alexis Nguyen, Nancy Dang, Yasaman Lorkalantari; 12/24Medical students in this study reported similar reactions to personal and professional loss, with some expected differences, such as students who experienced professional loss more often noting compassion for others and more frequently discussing managing the feelings of others, the importance of skill acquisition, processing personal emotions and team support. Students experiencing personal loss understandably appeared more focused on their own grief and more often commented about feelings of helplessness and numbness. Students in both groups reported little about how they coped with their grief or about receiving either informal or institutional support. The similarity of the essays, while due to many factors, may suggest internalizing pressures to conform to socially desirable narratives. Medical educators and clinical supervisors should help students develop effective coping skills in response to loss, provide better institutional support, and encourage students to tell authentic stories about their experiences of loss and grief. 

Teleios announces addition of Hospice of Davidson County Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Tina Gentry; 1/24/25 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) announced the addition of Hospice of Davidson County as an associate member. Established in 1985, Hospice of Davidson County is an accredited end-of-life healthcare provider in North Carolina serving residents with hospice care in the greater Davidson County community, from Lexington, Thomasville, Welcome, Midway, Arcadia, and other surrounding counties, including Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, and Rowan. Notable mentions: Laura Owen, Hospice of Davidson County CEO and Chris Comeaux, Teleios Collaborative Network President/CEO

Former hospice physician alleges retaliation against nonprofit healthcare provider Northern California Record; by Northern California Record State Court; 1/23/25 In a gripping legal battle that raises questions about medical ethics and employee rights, a former hospice physician has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation.  ... [The physician] claims he was wrongfully terminated after raising concerns about the organization's practices regarding patient care. Specifically, he alleges that he was pressured to keep patients in hospice care even when it was not medically justified. ...

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor but without folly. ~Jim Rohn

[UK] Identifying challenges related to the management of comorbidities in people with dementia in residential care: Expert delphi consensus exerciseJournal of Applied Gerontology; Serena Sabatini, Frances Hawes, Kelechi Eluigwe, Eugene Y. H. Tang; 1/25Improving early detection, management, and treatment of comorbid conditions to dementia in residential care could slow down cognitive and functional decline, and increase residents’ quality of life. ... Mental illnesses, delirium, and sensory impairments were identified as the most difficult comorbidities to dementia to deal with. Medication management, symptom management, shortage of staff, lack of training among staff, and limited resources from the broader healthcare system were identified as the most difficult issues when dealing with dementia comorbidities. To address disparities between different residential care homes there is the need of mandatory standards of care across UK residential care homes, and of clear guidelines on topics such as pathways of care for residents’ medical problems, staff to resident ratios, and minimum wages.

Well-being and choosing the best job for youJAMA Internal Medicine; Jamile A. Ashmore, PhD; J. Michael DiMaio, MD; 1/25Well-being is emerging as the catch-all term describing the field dedicated to understanding and addressing the way in which the health care system, work environment, and individual interact to influence the fulfillment and meaning that health care workers derive from their work. Clinician well-being is often led by a chief wellness officer (CWO) or other executive leader who is compensated to focus on well-being. In addition to strategic planning and oversight, the CWO’s role is to ensure that well-being is considered in administrative and operational decisions including in those related to governance, rewards systems, and culture. Health care systems’ moving from the triple to the quadruple aim are signaling that they are committed to taking care of those that care for the patients. Indeed, health care systems cannot have optimal patient care without a healthy and fulfilled workforce. 

Digital meditation to target employee stress-A randomized clinical trialJAMA Network Open; Rachel M. Radin, PhD; Julie Vacarro, MA; Elena Fromer, BA; Sarah E. Ahmadi, BA; Joanna Y. Guan, BA; Sarah M. Fisher, MS; Sarah D. Pressman, PhD; John F. Hunter, PhD; Kate Sweeny, PhD; A. Janet Tomiyama, PhD; Lauren Tiongco Hofschneider, PhD; Matthew J. Zawadzki, PhD; Larisa Gavrilova, PhD; Elissa S. Epel, PhD; Aric A. Prather, PhD; 1/25Mental health is at an historic low in the US, and work stress may be a primary contributor. Work stress is associated with poorer emotional and physical well-being, as well as high absenteeism and low presenteeism. Participants were randomized 1:1 to a digital meditation program or the waiting list control condition. Participants in the intervention group were instructed to complete 10 minutes of meditation per day for 8 weeks. The findings suggest that participating in a brief digital mindfulness-based program is an effective method for reducing general and work-related stress in employees.