Literature Review

Visiting Nurses Foundation awarded $132,000 in grant funding to Assured Hospice for comfort therapies in 2024 The Chronical, Centralia, WA; by The Chronicle; 1/22/25 The Visiting Nurses Foundation awarded $132,000 in grant funding to Assured Hospice in 2024 to deliver essential comfort therapies to end-of-life patients across Washington state, the foundation announced Wednesday. "Since the partnership began in 2002 with a $600 grant, the program has expanded significantly, reaching hundreds of patients and their families each year," the Visiting Nurses Foundation said in a news release. Comfort therapies — including acupuncture, massage, music therapy, guided imagery and animal-assisted therapy — are proven to reduce pain, foster relaxation and enhance overall quality of life, the news release stated.

Stillwater Hospice CFO: A winning recipe for improving rural hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/23/25 Montana-headquartered Stillwater Hospice has found a successful rhythm to strategic rural-based growth and sustainability. The strategy hinges on building culture, staffing resources and a reputation for quality, according to CFO and Co-founder Chris Graham. Launched in 2017, the hospice company serves predominantly rural-based populations in Montana, northern Wyoming and South Dakota. ... What are the most significant concerns among rural-based hospice providers currently? How have the challenges of rural care delivery evolved in recent years? "Staffing is very hard. You’ve got to find staff who are willing and like to travel because they have a lot of windshield time. It’s also the logistics of remote care. We have patients that live 75 miles or more outside of a town, then once you get there it’s another 20 miles on a dirt road that could be covered in snow and ice. ..." [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Operator of home health care company sentenced to 12 years in prison for multimillion dollar health care fraud schemeDOJ press release; 1/23/25[Massachusetts] Faith Newton, 56, was sentenced... to 12 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Newton was also ordered to pay a fine of $250,000 and restitution in the amount of $99,734,517. In July 2024, Newton was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of health care fraud and three counts of money laundering. The jury found the defendant not guilty on one count of money laundering conspiracy... “Ms. Newton used the home health care agency she operated to perpetrate a massive, years-long fraud scheme that siphoned over $100 million from a program designed to support our most vulnerable residents."

Lamont proposes legislation to rein in private equity in health care CT Mirror; by Katy Golvala; 1/23/25 Connecticut officials gathered at the state Capitol Thursday to announce a proposal backed by Gov. Ned Lamont enhancing state oversight of major mergers, acquisitions and asset transfers in the health care sector. The proposal aims to “modernize” state regulation of health care deals. It would broaden the scope of transactions that require Attorney General review, establish a review process for both the Office of Health Strategy and the Attorney General’s Office and allow the Attorney General to impose conditions to prevent harm to the state’s health care system.

Red Cross urging blood donations amid severe weather, wildfires ABC News 27 WKOW, Madison, WI; by Chad Thompson; 1/22/25 The American Red Cross is encouraging donors to give blood or platelets as winter storms and California wildfires have impacted blood supply. Donors of all blood types – particularly type O negative blood donors and those giving platelets – are needed to help save lives this month, according to a press release. "As dangerous snow and ice continue to sweep across the country, and wildfires in Southern California continue to burn and impact air quality, Red Cross blood drive cancellations have grown into the hundreds," the release stated. Red Cross said those events have resulted in more than 12,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations in January. More winter storms are forecast for this week could further strain the blood supply.Editor's note: Does your agency partner with your local Red Cross? The hospice I served regularly used our Community Room for Red Cross blood donations, a couple of times each year. These interactive experiences fostered great morale and humanity across all roles--side-by-side--giving "life" in a practical, affordable, meaningful way.

AHHC joins other state hospice advocates in legal challenge to Special Focus Program The Association for Home and Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHCNC); Press Release; 1/23/25The Association for Home and Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHCNC) has joined a multi-state coalition of hospices and hospice associations in challenging the federal government's implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP), deeming it unlawful and arbitrary. The challengers are seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the SFP, citing patient safety concerns, misrepresentation of compliance records, and jeopardized access to high-quality end-of-life care. Congress directed CMS to establish the SFP to enhance enforcement for noncompliance hospices, but the Final Rule includes unrelated measures, heavily relying on survey data and other information not related to hospices’ compliance with Medicare requirements. Tim Rogers, President and CEO of AHHCNC, states:  "The approach CMS uses disadvantages well-established hospices and ignores Congress’s intent." [Click on the title's link to continue reading.] 

Navigate a smooth transition from hospital to home care Health Medicine Network; 1/17/25 When discharged from hospital, a high proportion of people face emotions such as anxiety and fear, which can make the transition from hospital care to safe and appropriate home care difficult. But it doesn’t have to feel that way if you develop an effective strategy before you leave the hospital. ... 

Advance care planning among diverse U.S. older adults with varied cognition levelsAlzheimer's & Dementia; by Zahra Rahemi, Swann Arp Adams; 1/25Older adults from minority groups often experience elevated rates of chronic diseases and cognitive impairment, coupled with lower rates of engagement in advance care planning (ACP) and comfort care as they approach end of life... Our study revealed that individuals facing cognitive impairments exhibited lower rates of engagement in ACP. Notably, among the variables examined, race, ethnicity, rural residence, education, and age emerged as significant predictors of ACP in a national sample of older adults in the U.S. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating these sociodemographic factors into the design of interventional studies aimed at enhancing ACP and mitigating disparities.

The Alliance on CMS Hospice Special Focus Program Implementation: “Doubling down on a dangerous decision, eager to work with incoming administration to fix” National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/16/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to the news of hospice providers filing litigation against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) over their flawed implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The Alliance and the broader hospice community, who have been engaged on this program since its inception, have repeatedly shared concerns directly with CMS staff at all levels. They warned that this approach would inflict unnecessary harm to patient care, cause confusion to families when selecting a hospice provider to care for their loved ones at the end of life, and will cause some providers to sustain irreparable damage. These concerns have been echoed by lawmakers, providers, and the leading national hospice trade organizations. “With CMS doubling down on a dangerous course of action by proceeding with the Hospice SFP in its current state—and offering no due process or administrative recourse to address or mitigate its flaws—some hospice providers will suffer irreparable harm and have no choice but to seek justice through the courts on behalf of their patients and mission,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the Alliance. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Nonprofit opens home-based care facility for hospice patients Fox KNWA-24/KFTA, Lowell, AR; by Justin Trobaugh; 1/17/25 A nonprofit organization introduced a new resource Jan. 17 for those in Northwest Arkansas who need home-based care. Circle of Life provides hospice and in-and-out patient care services, and it opened its Joey Feek Center for Home-Based Care in Lowell. The facility will serve 93% of the non-profit’s patients and was donated by the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. 

Transition to hospice: how it impacts the mental health of caregivers of persons with dementiaAlzheimer's & Dementia; by Oonjee Oh, Debra Parker Oliver, Karla Washington, George Demiris; 2024In this study, we aimed to examine caregivers’ mental health indicators and their correlation structure based on the timing of hospice transition... In the context of dementia care, our results highlight that caregivers who just entered hospice are undergoing a challenging transition that often finds them in a mentally vulnerable position. To develop and implement effective strategies for caregivers of persons with dementia, we need to understand the needs and vulnerabilities of caregivers during hospice transition and identify the best timing for the delivery of supportive tools.

‘Those who have made death their life’ Part 2: Family The Daily Yonder - Keep It Rural; by Hannah Clark; 1/16/25 Hannah Clark spent six months riding along with the nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) of Hearth Hospice who provide in-home care to those living in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. These hospice workers often drive up to a hundred miles a day to visit a handful of patients scattered across the Appalachian landscape in both rural towns and urban centers. What will follow this introductory essay is her photo reportage in three parts, documenting what she has witnessed accompanying these caregivers. The intimate portraits and vignettes show tender moments at different stages towards the end of one’s life. Their beauty lies in the companionship Clark captured in moments of need and vulnerability. Editor's note: Click here for the Introduction, that we posted 1/16/25, and click here for Part 2: Hospice, that we posted 1/17/25.

Transforming care: Spencer Health Solutions and Pharmerica partner to simplify medication management and improve lives The MarCom Journal, Morrisville, NC; by Leigh White, PharMerica and Daphne Earley, Spencer Health Solutions; 1/21/25In a move set to redefine how medication is managed, Spencer Health Solutions (SHS), a leader in innovative healthcare technology, and PharMerica, one of the nation’s largest and most trusted long-term care pharmacy services provider, are joining forces. This transformative partnership aims to make managing medications easier and more reliable for individuals with complex medication needs, senior living communities, and payers nationwide. ... Spencer Health Solutions (SHS) is dedicated to transforming medication management through innovative healthcare technology. ... PharMerica ... serves the long-term care, senior living, hospital, home infusion, hospice, behavioral, specialty and oncology pharmacy markets.