Literature Review

Best small footprint design of 2024: PACE Center with homelike charm Senior Housing News; by Andrew Christman; 1/27/25 Healthcare and social connections blend seamlessly in a new Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) location in Winchester, Virginia. The organization behind the project, Blue Ridge, was inspired by the “community village” concept in its new concept, which is a PACE center that conjures a more homelike than clinical atmosphere. The program resides within a compact footprint of 15,540 square feet, according to SueAnn Myers, executive director and project lead for Blue Ridge Independence at Home. Prioritizing accessibility and ease of movement, the location features wide hallways, ramps and “thoughtfully placed” handrails. Recessed carpets reduce issues for visitors with wheelchairs and the building features a warm contemporary aesthetic that draws inspiration from the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Blue Ridge Independence at Home’s PACE center design in a small package snagged it the top spot in the small footprint category of the 2024 Senior Housing News Architecture and Design Awards.

Bettis Academy instills leadership skills with Eagles L.E.A.D. Program The Post and Courier, North Augusta, SC; by Bianca Moorman; 1/27/25 Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy is helping to build the next generation of leaders with its new Eagle's L.E.A.D. Initiative. Eagle's L.E.A.D. – which stands for Learn through Experience, Excel in Academics, Aspire to Inspire and Drive for Change – aims to teach students the skills needed to become leaders through hands-on service projects. The school officially launched the program on Oct. 28, 2024. ... Each grade level has selected a unique service project for the program. ... First-graders are partnering with Gentiva Hospice to learn about the work of first responders. Second-graders are collaborating with heart doctors to raise awareness about childhood heart disease. Third-graders are creating "little libraries" to place in various locations throughout the community. [Click on the title's link for grades 4-8.]

[Hospice of the Western Reserve Volunteer] WWII veteran celebrates 100th birthday, years of service Fox 8 WJW-TV Cleveland, OH; 1/24/25 What were you doing on this day 100 years ago? Well, if you were World War II Veteran Bob Zonneville, you were saying “hello” to the world! On Thursday, many of his friends and family got together at David Simpson Hospice House to celebrate this incredible accomplishment. Hospice of the Western Reserve hosted the event, which had a very special meaning to both the organization and Zonneville.  Over the years, not only has this World War II veteran offered tireless support to the Hospice program, but he’s also responsible for raising nearly $100,000. Zonneville has been a passionate Hospice volunteer for decades. According to Hospice of the Western Reserve, Zonneville received the prestigious Chair’s Award for his extraordinary contributions to the hospice community in 2008. ...

Hospice rationale should be reassessed, says ethicist Medscape; by Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, Medical Ethics at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine; 1/23/25 ... Decades ago, I first found out about the idea that came from England and a nurse, Cicely Saunders, to change the setting in which people die. ... I think that was a wonderful idea, and it has revolutionized end-of-life care. We have many excellent, superb hospice programs. ... The hospice institution is decades old, and it’s time to take another look at what’s going on there.  ... Private equity is all over this area, buying up hospice chains and home care hospice — looking to make big profits but not looking to maintain the quality requirements that ought to be there or to do more than is minimally required to set up and staff hospice. ... ... For reasons of serving the best interests of hospice patients, we should be rechecking the fairness of reimbursement, not overburdening families with care that ought to be provided by hospice programs, and making sure that those who are dying are monitored adequately and receiving checkups regularly. ...

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 complaint was lodged by Kamaldip Ghei in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on January 10, 2025, targeting Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice dba Sutter Care at Home. ... Ghei 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. ...

Tracking layoffs, closures in healthcare nationwide Modern Healthcare; 1/24/25 Modern Healthcare is tracking closures and layoffs from health systems, digital health companies, insurers and other related businesses nationwide to better understand how labor costs and concerns are impacting the industry in rural communities and cities alike. Check back regularly for updates. [Topics in the post include:]

Palliative care is essential for seriously ill patients—at any ageAMA (American Medical Association); by Kevin B. O'Reilly; 1/27/25 The AMA House of Delegates has adopted new policies outlining physicians’ ethical obligation to provide or seek optimal palliative care for patients with serious illnesses who can benefit from comprehensive management of pain and other distressing symptoms—not only those with terminal illnesses or on the precipice of death. “Physicians have clinical ethical responsibilities to address the pain and suffering occasioned by illness and injury and to respect their patients as whole persons,” says one of the new policies adopted at the latest AMA Interim Meeting, held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. “These duties require physicians to assure the provision of effective palliative care whenever a patient is experiencing serious, chronic, complex or critical illness, regardless of prognosis.” 

New hospice center in Missoula prepares for grand opening Times-Leader, Missoula, MT; by Taylor Richardson; 1/24/25 The Partner Hope Foundation has completed construction on its new hospice center in Missoula, offering critical services to the region. This facility is only the second of its kind in Montana and aims to provide high-quality care for elders in western Montana. ... The center features 12 patient care rooms equipped with amenities such as a spa, a full kitchen, and a space for spiritual practices. Melro highlighted the design of the patient rooms: "We tried to make them oversize so that family could gather here and stay with the patient as needed. We tried to encompass some things that will help make the patients more comfortable, such as additional storage and their own refrigerator. ... The center's creation was made possible by a $15.4 million fundraising campaign which is 95% funded so far. 

Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought. ~ Pope John Paul II

Patrick Mahomes' grandfather enters hospice care ahead of Chiefs' AFC championship game The Sporting News; by Andrew Katz; 1/25/25 Two days before Patrick Mahomes is set to lead the Kansas City Chiefs into battle against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game, the three-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback has received devastating news. Mahomes' grandfather, Randy Martin, entered hospice care Friday morning, according to Mahomes’ mother. This news comes as the Chiefs prepare to play Sunday with the aim of reaching their third Super Bowl in a row and become the first NFL team to win three consecutive championships in Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9. [Update: The Chiefs won and will play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. Likely, this hospice story will gain traction in various news outlets.]

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

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."