Literature Review

Kansas Senate president says he’s open to discussing medical marijuana—but not recreationalKCUR-FM (Kansas City, MO)December 14, 2023During the upcoming legislative session in Kansas, medical marijuana is expected to be back for debate. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican from Andover, fought the bill last year because he said it was too close to fully legalizing marijuana in the Sunflower State. However, Masterson told KCUR’s Up To Date on Wednesday that he is open to a discussion. 

Family caregiving doesn’t always mean poor mental health, study findsMcKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 15, 2023Caregiving may be stressful for some people, but it can have mental health benefits for others, according to a new study. The author said people should not automatically categorize caregiving as a chronic stressor and would like to see more balance in the way it’s portrayed. 

‘Tougher Every Day’—Nursing Home Operators, CCRCs Weigh in on Future of Skilled NursingSkilled Nursing NewsDecember 14, 2023Operating a skilled nursing facility today is considered a “tough business” with regulations and reimbursement woes making the space “tougher every day.” Other operators say they regularly budget a loss for skilled nursing services, and if it weren’t for other lines of business, skilled nursing would be unsustainable. 

Falling short—99% of Mississippi nursing homes don’t meet new staffing regsMississippi TodayDecember 13, 2023... In Mississippi, all but two of the 200 skilled nursing facilities—those licensed to provide medical care from registered nurses—would need to increase staffing levels under federal regulations the Biden administration proposed in September, according to data analyzed by Mississippi Today, USA TODAY and Big Local News at Stanford University. That’s in line with the national trend: Over the first quarter of 2023—from January to March—less than 1% of skilled nursing facilities in the U.S. met the draft rule’s two core standards of provider care. 

Greener nurses enter field as workforce demand continues to spikeMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 15, 2023Job openings in healthcare and social services have risen sharply in the last several years, and healthcare providers are taking on less-experienced registered nurses to handle the pressure. At the beginning of 2018, the average nurse’s tenure was more than six years of experience, according to a recent workforce report by the ADP Research Institute. In the five years since, however, high turnover rates and a corresponding abundance of job opportunities deflated a nurse’s average tenure to about five years of experience. 

Funerals Are More Expensive Than Last YearNewsweekDecember 12, 2023The cost of nearly everything is rising in the U.S., but economic circumstances are grim enough that even funerals are more expensive. Funeral costs surged 4.8 percent since last year, according to Consumer Price Index data released Tuesday, another indication the impact inflation is having on Americans. ... Since funerals and items like coffins are already expensive, this adds to the burden grieving families carry. 

‘You can continue a conversation’—Letters to the dead arrive at this P.O. box in L.A.Los Angeles TimesDecember 14, 2023Mail gets sent to the dead all the time—ads, renewal notices, unpaid bills. But if you want to send a letter to someone you’ve lost with the chance that they’ll actually receive it, there’s a box at a Los Angeles post office that carries a mysterious power. Postal Service for the Dead, started by artist Janelle Ketcher, provides the living with a way to physically send letters to those who have exited this realm. The letters are stored, and if so desired, shared with the public. 

Missouri legislation would allow doctor-assisted suicide for terminal patientsKFVS-TV (Cape Girardeau, MO)December 13, 2023Jefferson City, MO—A bill that’s been pre-filed in the Missouri House of Representatives would open the door to medically-assisted suicide for patients who have been diagnosed with terminal diseases. The legislation, nicknamed the ‘Marilyn Teitelbaum Death with Dignity’ Act, was named after a St. Louis-area women who traveled with family members to Denver as she suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and was seeking to end her life. 

Baptist Health Baptist Hospital Launches Inspirational Space for Patients and VisitorsSouth Florida Hospital NewsDecember 14, 2023Baptist Health Baptist Hospital launched the Inspiration Hall, powered by national leader in hospice and palliative care services, VITAS Healthcare. Located on the first floor near the hospital’s imaging center waiting room, the Inspiration Hall is an immersive experience where patients, visitors and hospital team members can submit, read or watch messages of comfort and support that will inspire others in their health journey. 

Hospice care—the power of timely supportBy Kathleen Moskowitz, RN, BSN, MBADelaware County (PA) Daily TimesDecember 13, 2023Hospice means giving up. Hospice is depressing. Hospice is only available in a hospital. Misunderstandings like these cause people to avoid the topic of hospice until it becomes inevitable. However, limited knowledge and reluctance to engage in challenging conversations with family members and loved ones only result in delayed referrals. 

Monroe Clinic & Hospital Foundation Supports Hospice with Financial GiftMonroe (WI) TimesDecember 14, 2023Monroe, WI—Monroe Clinic & Hospital Foundation, a member of SSM Health, has presented the SSM Health Monroe Hospice Home with a donation of $120,000. ... This gift is primarily comprised of dollars raised at the annual “Little Golf” & Grill event as well as memorials and other hospice gifts throughout the year.

NAHC President Bill Dombi—History Repeating Itself on Hospice Program IntegrityHospice NewsDecember 14, 2023Issues of fraud in the hospice industry echo events that previously affected the home health space, and providers can learn from that prior experience. This is according to Bill Dombi, president of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, who spoke Thursday in a Relias webinar. ... “What I’m seeing is history repeating itself. Back in the 1990s, the microscope ended up focusing on the Medicare Home Health Program. 

Board hears comment on noise ordinance, EPH home healthcareEstes Park (CO) Trail GazetteDecember 14, 2023Estes Park, CO—The Estes Park Board of Trustees held their regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, where they heard ... [an] update from Estes Park Health about home health care, hospice and non-medical home care. ... EPH Board of Directors Chairman David Batey described the hospital’s decision to no longer provide in-home hospice care, highlighting that there are four licensed providers of hospice care other than EPH, and that EPH will continue to provide inpatient hospice care at the facility.