Literature Review

‘Profound’ financial, workforce challenges persist for senior living providers as 2024 beginsMcKnights Senior Living, by Lois Bowers; 1/2/24Senior living operators will continue to face inflationary pressures and capital market challenges in 2024, but some effects may lessen before the year is out, according to industry experts.

Man 'accidentally' fires gun in Iowa hospital: policeBecker's Clinical Leadership, by Mackenzie Bean (Twitter); 1/2/24 Police are investigating an incident in which a gun was discharged at MercyOne Waterloo (Iowa) Medical Center Dec. 29, according to NBC affiliate WHO 13 News. Authorities found damage from a single gunshot in a restroom after responding to a report of a gun being fired at the hospital around 9:40 a.m. CST. No injuries were reported.

South Carolina NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough has diedPost and Courier, by Chris Day; 12/13/23 South Carolina racing legend Cale Yarborough died the morning of Dec. 31 at McLeod Hospice House in Florence. The Timmonsville native is closely linked to historic Darlington Raceway where he made his big-league debut. ... Yarborough was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012 as part of the stock-car shrine’s third class of inductees. NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim France called Yarborough one of the toughest competitors ever to compete in NASCAR.

Seniors are embracing marijuana, which offers relief — and riskThe Washington Post, by Fenit Nirappil; 1/2/24

A medication mistake cost a Lockport woman her life. A new grant aims to help others avoid same fateThe Buffalo News, by Scott Scanlon; 1/2/24 In a perfect health care system, patients who ended up in the hospital would start to feel better soon and go home with a recovery plan, along with any medications designed to help in that process. ... “All medications have side effects, and some are especially harmful in older adults,” UB officials said in announcing a four-year, $1.95 million grant focused on improving medication prescribing.

Hospice patient enjoys fishing adventureHickory Daily Record; 12/30/23Carolina Caring’s compassionate hospice and palliative care empowers patients to make the most of each day as they navigate serious illness. One patient, Barbara, has been under hospice care with Carolina Caring and has shared ... with her nurse, Kelly Avery, and social worker, Megan Elmore ... that her  fondest memories were of fishing with her family on Lake Hickory. After being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure, Barbara’s symptoms were getting increasingly harder to manage. She went from fishing once a week to once a month, to not having fished in over two years. ... Thanks to multiple visits a week from her Carolina Caring care team, Barbara was able to build the confidence to once again cast her line and enjoy the great outdoors. ... Kelly and Megan coordinated with the Carolina Caring Volunteer and Foundation Departments to secure fishing licenses and gather together a spread of Barbara’s favorite foods at Dallas Park & Recreation ponds. For just the second time in the past year, Barbara left the house.

The future of claims management: How payers can maximize payment integrityBecker's Payer Issues; 12/29/237 to 10 cents of every dollar spent on healthcare goes toward paying for fraudulent claims. Learn the latest strategies for boosting payment integrity here.

Continuum Of CareTallahassee Magazine, by Steve Bornhoft; 12/31/23Leaders seek seamless approach to services. In the United States, health services are delivered based on what Mark O’Bryant sees as a “reverse model.” Some might even call it a perverse model.

Is healthcare ready to embrace more young nurses?Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 12/31/23In conversations about the nursing shortage, healthcare leaders often underscore the importance of building a pipeline by stirring interest among younger generations, and getting in front of high schoolers and middle schoolers. But is the industry fully ready to embrace more young nurses? ... Generally speaking, anyone under the age of 18 would not be able to secure full-time employment as a hospital nurse, but in the coming years, healthcare organizations could see a rise in the number of nurse applicants who've earned their degrees in their late teens or early 20s, particularly as they ramp up efforts to market the profession to especially young populations.

Executives detail UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health's growth plansModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 12/28/23At its annual investor conference, company executives provided an update on how the healthcare behemoth has sought to minimize the financial impact of Medicare Advantage rate changes, its progress hiring physicians and its use of technology to improve the patient, provider and payer experiences. The company said it projects 2024 revenue to hit $400 billion, a 9.1% increase over 2023's anticipated revenue, after accounting for Medicare funding reductions. The company's insurance arm expects revenue of $302 billion to $304 billion next year.

Death doulas a growing trend in end-of-life careAlbany Times-Union, by Wendy Liberatore; 12/31/23SARATOGA SPRINGS — As a young woman lay dying, one of her last acts was to write several cards to each of her small children. Each held a special message to be opened on a special day – graduation, wedding, the birth of their first child. But the young mother might not have been able to do this without the inspiration of a death or end-of-life doula – a person who helps their terminal clients reach their final goals, as a way to die peacefully.

I didn't know anything about aging in place-here are some important lessons I learned about caregivingMorningstar.com, by Lisa B. Samalonis; 12/29/23From being an advocate to finding peace, here's what I learned during my family's journey with aging parents.