Literature Review

Pets can improve health outcomes for older adults living at home, overseas study findsMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 1/3/24Pet ownership may be linked to slower cognitive decline among adults aging in place, according to a recent study conducted in England. “Older adults living alone are at high risk for developing dementia,” the researchers wrote in the study published by JAMA Network Open. “Pet ownership might completely offset the association of living alone with faster rates of decline in verbal memory and verbal fluency among older adults.”Editor's Note: What happens when the senior adult becomes to ill to take care of their pet? Explore one  program, Banfield's "Peace of Mind: Keeping Pets and People Together During Hospice Care."

Terminally ill Connecticut woman ends her life on her own terms, in VermontAP US News, by Lisa Rathke; 1/4/24A Connecticut woman who pushed for expanded access to Vermont’s law that allows people who are terminally ill to receive lethal medication to end their lives died in Vermont on Thursday.

7 health tech predictions for 2024McKnights Home Care, by Patrtick Tarnowski; 1/4/24

Home health agencies grapple with 'acuity creep' as patient needs become more complexHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/5/24As the demand for home-based care continues to rise, so does the need for more intensive care plans as patients continue to be sicker and more complex. Home health agencies are feeling this “acuity creep,” and they’re adjusting. But at times, it’s hard to keep up. “When I’m talking about acuity creep, I’m thinking about how much need do the patients in our care models require?” Michael Johnson, president of home health and hospice at Bayada Home Health Care, said. “It’s not just medical needs, either — there’s a social need as well."

The income gap jeopardizing retirement for millionsThe New York Times, by Paula Span; 1/6/24Paula Span explores the unprecedented challenges posed by a rapidly aging population.

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. ~Albert Einstein, 1952

Bank employees go above and beyond—Donations exceed $100,000 in 2023PRNewswire; 12/28/23Lake City, FL—First Federal Bank is pleased to announce the success of its 2023 First Federal Way campaign, which received contributions of $50,430 from employees. With the bank’s match, a total of $100,900 is being donated to local non-profit agencies who make a significant difference in their communities.

New residential end-of-life facility opens in central PAPatriot-News (Harrisburg, PA); 12/26/23Chambersburg, PA—Mercy House of Chambersburg has opened at 730 Norland Ave. in Chambersburg. Mercy House was formed last year and partners with local hospice agencies in providing care for those who need 24-hour assistance and who are unable to remain at home.

Hospice patient enjoys fishing adventureHickory Daily Record; 12/30/23Carolina Caring’s compassionate hospice and palliative care empowers patients to make the most of each day as they navigate serious illness. One patient, Barbara, has been under hospice care with Carolina Caring and has shared ... with her nurse, Kelly Avery, and social worker, Megan Elmore ... that her fondest memories were of fishing with her family on Lake Hickory. After being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure, Barbara’s symptoms were getting increasingly harder to manage. She went from fishing once a week to once a month, to not having fished in over two years. ... Thanks to multiple visits a week from her Carolina Caring care team, Barbara was able to build the confidence to once again cast her line and enjoy the great outdoors. ... Kelly and Megan coordinated with the Carolina Caring Volunteer and Foundation Departments to secure fishing licenses and gather together a spread of Barbara’s favorite foods at Dallas Park & Recreation ponds. For just the second time in the past year, Barbara left the house.

Rosalynn Carter’s impact on caregiversKevin MD Blog, by R. Lynn Barnett; 12/25/23... As caregivers, we are the voice for others, but we also need to be a voice for ourselves. ... I wasn’t prepared, as many people aren’t, for the fiscal and physical aspects of caregiving. ... The toll that caregiving can take is often underrated, understated, and under-appreciated. ... Rosalynn Carter was known as a “Steel Magnolia,” showing the same inner fortitude and mettle, combined with grace, of the main characters in the film of the same name. I think all of us caregivers become steel magnolias. It’s not that we deserve a medal for our actions; we just deserve a little peace.[Editor's Note, Joy Berger for Hospice and Palliative Care Today: Rosalynn Carter founded the Institute for Caregiving 35 years ago, preparing for the surge of Baby Boomers' aging and caregiving needs. Her memorable quote lives on: "There are only four kinds of people in the world--those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers." Visit www.rosalynncarter.org for more information.]

Impact and sustainability of a palliative care education module in patients with heart failureAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Shelley L. Thompson, DNP; Allison Lindgren, MSPAC; Jaime McDermott, DNP; Stephanie G. Barnes, MSN; Carolina D. Tennyson, DNP; Bradi Granger, PhD; 12/23Approximately 6.7 million American adults are living with heart failure (HF). Current therapies are geared toward preventing progression and managing symptoms, as there is no cure. Multiple studies have shown the benefit of including palliative care (PC) in patients with HF to improve symptoms and quality of life. Heart failure guidelines recommend the inclusion of PC in therapy, but referrals are often delayed. A previous pilot project demonstrated increased involvement of PC when targeted education was given to patients with HF. This sustainable project again demonstrated education on PC increases utilization of PC but does not statistically impact mortality, re-admissions, or transfers to higher levels of care.

Racial and ethnic differences in hospice use among Medicaid-only and dual-eligible decedentsJAMA Health Forum, by Julie Robison, Noreen Shugrue, Ellis Dillon, Deborah Migneault, Doreek Charles, Dorothy Wakefield, Bradley Richards; 12/23Hospice care enhances quality of life for people with terminal illness and is most beneficial with longer length of stay (LOS). Most hospice research focuses on the Medicare-insured population. Little is known about hospice use for the racially and ethnically diverse, low-income Medicaid population.