Literature Review

Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Comorbid depression in patients with head and neck cancer compared with other cancersJAMA Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery; Marina C. Martinez,; Andrey Finegersh, MD, PhD; Fred M. Baik, MD; F. Chris Holsinger, MD; Heather M. Starmer, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S; Lisa A. Orloff, MD; John B. Sunwoo, MD; Davud Sirjani, MD; Vasu Divi, MD; Michelle M. Chen, MD, MHS; 10/24This cohort study found that patients with HNC were twice as likely to screen positive for depression on a validated survey than those with other cancers, despite having similar rates of self-reported depression and depression medication use. These findings suggest that self-reporting of depression may result in underreporting and undertreatment in this population and, thus, a need for further work in developing interventions to improve identification of and optimize treatment for patients with HNC and comorbid depression.

Cancer caregiver anxiety over time: The influence of palliative careJournal of Palliative Care; Laura A Siminoff, PhD; Maureen Wilson-Genderson, PhD; Marcin Chwistek, MD, FAAHPM; Maria D Thomson; 10/24Our analysis detected 3 distinct cancer caregiver groups reporting low, elevated, and very high levels of anxiety. Caregivers with elevated or high anxiety also demonstrated increasing anxiety overtime; however increases were attenuated with patient receipt of palliative care. For cancer caregivers with elevated and high levels of anxiety, palliative care buffers further deterioration of their mental health. Caregivers with the lowest level of anxiety were more likely to be Black, report fewer symptoms of depression or caregiver burden and higher self-rated physical health. Caregivers who were younger reported higher anxiety.

Alzheimer Disease—What’s in a name?JAMA Neurology; Ronald C. Petersen, PhD, MD; Elizabeth Mormino, PhD; Julie A. Schneider, MD, MS; 11/24Back in 2018, the National Institute on Aging (NIA)–AA [Alzheimer Association] group proposed a biological definition of AD [Alzheimer Disease] stating that if a person had the biomarker evidence of brain amyloid (A) and tau (T), the pathologic hallmarks of the disease, the patient had AD irrespective of the person’s clinical state. In their recent 2024 revision, they maintain a biological definition but have extended it to incorporate more recent biomarkers for AD; ... positivity on core 1 biomarkers that indicate the crossing of a specific amyloid threshold on amyloid positron emission tomography (PET), cerebrospinal fluid, and foreseeably, plasma biomarkers. A major question pertains to the requirement for tau in the definition [as] the AA group argues that the vast majority of individuals who have amyloid-positive PET scans have some tau pathology. Furthermore, the AA group proposes a clinical staging scheme that provides a framework to define the frequent mismatch between AD biomarker positivity (and underlying neuropathology) and the clinical expression of the disease, often an indicator of mixed pathologies or resilience. Importantly, although the AA group does base the AD diagnosis on biomarker positivity, they do not currently advise testing in asymptomatic persons in a clinical setting.

End-of-Life health care service use and cost among Medicare decedents with neurodegenerative diseasesNeurology; by Whitley W Aamodt, Chuxuan Sun, Nabila Dahodwala, Holly Elser, Andrea L C Schneider, John T Farrar, Norma B Coe, Allison W Willis; 11/24We conducted a retrospective study of Medicare Part A and B beneficiaries with Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who died in 2018. Decedents diagnosed with malignant brain tumors or pancreatic cancer served as non-neurodegenerative comparators... Persons with neurodegenerative diseases in the United States are more likely to visit the ED and less likely to use inpatient and hospice services at EoL than persons with brain or pancreatic cancer. These group differences may stem from prognostic uncertainty and reflect inadequate EoL care practices, requiring further investigation to ensure more timely palliative care and hospice referrals.

Solo but not alone: An examination of social and help networks among community-dwelling older adults without close familyJournal of Applied Gerontology (J Appl Gerontol); by Jane Lowers, Duzhi Zhao, Evan Bollens-Lund, Dio Kavalieratos, Katherine A Ornstein; 11/31/2022... Nearly one in four adults is at high risk for aging without a spouse or children ... Previous descriptions of adults aging solo have focused on social isolation (Chamberlain et al., 2018; Roofeh et al., 2020), yet diverse, non-kin social networks can provide robust emotional and instrumental (task-oriented) support and such networks are becoming more common over time (Suanet & Antonucci, 2016; Verdery et al., 2019), although the type and intensity of support may vary by the type of relationship (e.g., kin vs non-kin) and factors including frequency of interaction (Wellman 1990). ... Therefore, as a first step, we sought to define the population of adults aging solo and compare its social networks and sources of help to adults with close family nearby. Editor's note: Though this article is from 2022, we are posting it due to our post on 11/13/24, Older Americans living alone often rely on neighbors or others willing to help, and our readers' frequent "most read" articles about seniors' challenges with isolation, depression, and caregiving challenges. 

Timing of palliative care, end-of-life quality indicators, and health resource utilizationJAMA Network Open; Sarah J. Mah, MD, MSc; Daniel M. Carter Ramirez, MD, PhD; Kara Schnarr, MD, PhD; Lua R. Eiriksson, MD, MPH; Anastasia Gayowsky, MSc; Hsien Seow, PhD; 10/24In this cohort study of 8,297 individuals with ovarian cancer decedents, initiating palliative care earlier than 3 months before death was associated with lower rates of death in the hospital, late chemotherapy, intensive care unit admission, and aggressive care at the end-of-life. Implementation strategies for early palliative care initiation are needed to optimize care quality and health resource utilization at the end of life.

Unity Hospice to open East Side Resale Shoppe on November 18th The Chamber, Manitowoc County, De Pere, WI; Press Release; 11/13/24 Unity, Northeast Wisconsin’s pioneering nonprofit healthcare provider, is excited to announce the expansion into a second Resale Shoppe location at 1302 S. Broadway in De Pere. This east side location, scheduled to open 10:00 am Monday, November 18, 2024, will provide a meaningful place for the community to donate or purchase cherished household goods and clothing. This new location will allow even greater convenience for customers and donors located on the east side of De Pere. 

Executive Personnel Changes - 11/15/24

CMS to surveyors: Keep eyes open for hospice fraud Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/14/24 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a memo to accreditation bodies and state agencies advising surveyors to watch out for potential hospice fraud. The memo directs surveyors to refer issues to CMS if they suspect fraudulent activity. These actions were spurred by a rash of fraudulent hospices that have emerged primarily in California, Texas, Nevada and Arizona. “While the primary purpose of [state agencies and accreditation organization] surveys is to determine compliance with the Medicare Hospice CoPs, there are several elements of the survey process that can uncover concerns that would necessitate a referral to CMS for potential fraud,” CMS indicated in the memo. 

Annual Golf Marathon raises $120K to benefit Hope Hospice The Independent, Livermore, CA; 11/14/24 Hope Hospice, a nonprofit that provides support services for patients with terminal illnesses and their caregivers, reported raising almost $120,000 during the 10th annual Hope 100 Golf Marathon last month at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton. Event organizers said 28 golfers took on the challenge of playing 100 holes in one day on the club’s Valley Course, while another 20 participated in an inaugural skills competition that included putting, trick shots and long drives. “The Hope Hospice team is deeply grateful to all the players, sponsors and donors who made this event a success,” said Jennifer Hansen, Hope Hospice senior vice president. 

HomeCare & Hospice receives Renodin Grant Olean Times Herald, Allegany, NY; 11/14/24 HomeCare & Hospice announces it has received a generous grant from the Dr. Lyle F. Renodin Foundation to support its comfort care basket initiative for hospice patients. This funding will enable HomeCare & Hospice to provide comfort care baskets filled with thoughtfully selected items that promote relaxation, comfort and dignity for those facing end-of-life care. Each basket is designed to offer a bit of respite, bringing a sense of warmth and care to patients during a vulnerable time. The Dr. Lyle F. Renodin Foundation, affiliated with the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, is committed to supporting projects that uplift individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness, food insecurity and other vulnerabilities. “We are deeply grateful to the Dr. Lyle F. Renodin Foundation for their support,” said Melissa Sullivan, CEO of HomeCare & Hospice. “This grant will allow us to provide meaningful and comforting items to our hospice patients, helping to ease their journey and providing support that reflects the compassion and respect at the heart of our mission.”