Literature Review

Rising suicide risk among seniors due to loneliness, mobility, financial insecurity, study finds McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/5/24As the number of adults over 65 continues to grow, suicide rates among older adults have also been rising, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Between 2008 and 2017, the share of suicide-related emergency department visits among adults 65 years and older more than doubled. These older adults face age-related stressors that can negatively affect mental health, such as declining physical health, reduced mental sharpness, or the loss of friends or loved ones, which can heighten the risk of suicide. 

Perceptions of palliative care: Demographics and health status among the general population in Florida and the United StatesAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Brenda W. Dyal, PhD, DNP; Saunjoo L. Yoon, PhD; Keesha L. Powell-Roach, PhD, RN; Derek M. Li, MSc; Sheri Kittelson, MD; Michael Weaver, PhD, RN, FAAN; Janice L. Krieger, PhD; Diana J. Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN; 4/24Palliative care (PC) helps maintain quality of life for seriously ill patients, yet, many Americans lack knowledge of PC. Young adults compared with adults, middle-adults, and older-adults were less likely to agree that the goal of PC is to help friends and family cope with a patient’s illness, and that the goal of PC is to manage pain and other physical symptoms compared with adults, middle-adults, and older-adults. Participants with greater rural identity were more likely to agree that accepting PC means giving up. Increased knowledge of PC might be influenced through targeting educational interventions and educating the general population through social media use.

Social model hospice: Providing hospice and palliative care for a homeless population in Salt Lake City, UtahJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, by Jensen, Francine Bench, PhD, RN; Thorpe, Deborah PhD, APRN; 4/24Health care for the homeless population is a complex challenge and represents a significant gap in care, particularly for those at the end of life. Hospice care may be desired but is rarely an option for people without residences, social support, and payment sources. Social model hospice is a unique paradigm of care delivery that offers a viable solution to make hospice and palliative care possible for this population.

Saturday Newsletters: Research literature is the focus of Saturday newsletters - enjoy!

Evaluation of a novel hospice-specific patient decision aidAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Channing E. Tate, PHD, MPH; Gwendolyn Mami, JD; Monica McNulty, MS; Deborah J. Rinehart, PhD; Robin Yasui, MD; Nicole Rondinelli, FNP; Jonathan Treem, MD; Diane Fairclough, PhD; Daniel D. Matlock, MD, MPH; 4/24[Randomized Controlled Trial] We tested a novel hospice-specific patient decision aid to determine whether the decision aid could improve hospice knowledge, opinions of hospice, and decision self-efficacy in making decisions about hospice... The intervention demonstrated significant improvements in decision self-efficacy but not in hospice knowledge or hospice beliefs and attitudes.

Social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life: A population-based surveyPalliative Medicine, by Louis Plourde, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin, Pierre Gagnon, Johanne Hébert, Robert Foxman, Pierre Deschamps, François Provost, Marianne Masse-Grenier, Jean-François Stephan, Katherine Cheung, Yann Joly, Jean-Sébastien Fallu, Michel Dorval for the P3A Study Group; 2/24Internationally, there is a growing interest in the potential benefits of psilocybin-assisted therapy to treat existential distress at the end of life. However, the social acceptability of this therapy is not yet well known. The social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life is rather high in Canada. These findings may contribute to efforts to mobilise resources and improve access to this emerging therapy in palliative and end of life care settings.

A death doula keeps legacies alive in rural OregonJefferson Public Radio, by Justin HIgginbottom; 3/13/24 print and audioRudd is an end-of-life doula, sometimes called a death doula, specializing in rural care. In that role she provides non-medical support to those in their last stage of life. ... She helps with practical things like funeral arrangements, helping someone donate their body, or planning for what happens to their property after death. She’s been helping one 83-year-old client with that recently. 

Data breach affects more than 2,000 Texas hospital patients Becker's Health IT, by Madeline Ashley; 3/13/24Dallas-based UT Southwestern Medical Center has been hit with a data breach that is affecting 2,094 patients, according to a data security breach report on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's website. ... The type of patient information breached includes addresses, medical information, health insurance, date of birth, and "other." "The incident involved internal use of unapproved software and did not involve a cyberattack or external exposure of data," a spokesperson for UT Southwestern Medical Center said in a statement shared with Becker's. 

Heart failure staging and indications for advanced therapies in adults with Congenital Heart DiseaseHeart Failure Clinics / Elsevier, by Alexander C Egbe and Heidi M Connolly; pre-publish 4/24 via onlineSummary: Heart Failure (HF) is common in adults with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), United States, and it is the leading cause of death in this population. Adults with CHD presenting with stage D HF have a poor prognosis, and early recognition of signs of advanced HF, and referral for advanced therapies for HF offer the best survival as compared with other therapies. The indications for advanced therapies for HF outlined in this article should serve as a guide for clinicians to determine the optimal time for referral. Palliative care should be part of the multidisciplinary care model for HF in patients with CHD.

Healthcare execs need to 'iterate faster' for success, says CIO Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 3/13/24 Baton Rouge, LA-based Franciscan Ministries of Our Lady Health System embarked on a journey last year to incorporate more artificial intelligence into its operational and clinical systems. Will Landry, senior vice president and CIO of the system, said while the organization doesn't want AI making decisions, there is a lot of value in supporting caregivers and team mates. He joined the "Becker's Healthcare Podcast" to share the health system's strategy for governance and his push for more innovative thinking around AI applications.

Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Implementation: Answers to Frequently Asked QuestionsLCW, California Public Agency Labor & Employment Bolg; 3/13/24With the enactment of [California] Senate Bill (“SB”) 553, the legislature amended Labor Code section 6401.7 and added Labor Code section 6401.9, requiring employers to adopt and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (“WVPP”) and corresponding training for their employees by July 1, 2024. ... Since the enactment of the bill, employers have had questions regarding the WVPP and the training requirements. Below are some common questions and the responses to them: ... [Click on the article's title to view]

Radiothon raises over $32,000 for Quiet Oaks Hospice House WJON Radio News; 3/14/24The St. Cloud radiothon held on Tuesday was a huge success for a local nonprofit. ... The radiothon is the kickoff to the fundraising campaign for Quiet Oaks Hospice House. ...

Private equity sets sights on home care, hospice, new report findsMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/14/24The home care segment increasingly has become an attractive target for private equity buyers, particularly personal care and hospice, according to the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit financial watchdog organization.