Literature Review

San Diego County’s first class of physician assistants graduates, seen as key to easing staffing shortagesSan Diego Union-TribuneDecember 18, 2023... Point Loma Nazarene University minted its first 28 physician assistants Friday, injecting a fresh set of trained troops into an ongoing battle to keep up with the increased demands for health care caused by an aging population and an exodus of burnt-out medical providers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first graduating class of the university’s new physician assistant program and the first crop of locally trained PAs for any institution in San Diego County. 

Knitting and crocheting group gets social, donates to projects in St. Clair ShoresSt. Claire Shores (MI) SentinelDecember 19, 2023St. Claire Shores, MI—The Senior Activity Center’s knitting and crocheting group makes projects for those in need, and also provides much needed social time for its members. Judy Wendler, a member of the group, said the group makes lap robes for two hospice groups: Grace Hospice and Compassus Hospice. ... Wendler said it takes a couple weeks to make a lap robe. ... “The feeling that somebody made it for them is the highlight,” Wendler said.

A plea before dying—on behalf of those who might need itBy Burt RiskedahlTwin Cities Pioneer PressDecember 19, 2023I am so grateful for many of the important legislative bills approved in the 2023 session of the Minnesota Legislature, particularly those that protect reproductive health rights, ensure LGBTQ access to needed care and treatment, and provide significant funding for increased access to education. ... Regretfully, the Legislature failed to enact another important measure, the Minnesota End-of-Life Options Act, that would have also provided important rights to people. 

Dying without needless pain is a human right—just not in VirginiaBy Ryan GarnowskiRichmond Times-DispatchDecember 19, 2023As I sat beside my mother in hospice for 11 somber days, I couldn’t help but wonder if this supposed pinnacle of “comfort care” was truly the humane end many insisted it to be. ...There’s plenty of speculation one could make as to why MAID isn’t more widespread. ... Regardless of the reason, the fact remains: States without MAID policies are condemning the terminally ill to unnecessary anguish. ... Still, it’s precisely because our medical community can’t predict the time, manner or conditions of one’s death that MAID should be a no-brainer. Nearly all end-of-life reform advocacy groups make clear that a self-managed death isn’t the same as suicide or euthanasia, and is instead a peaceful, humane and seemingly preferable alternative to the horrible conditions some in their final days endure.

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El Dorado hospital announces new inpatient hospice care serviceKTVE-TV (El Dorado, AR)December 18, 2023El Dorado, AR—South Arkansas Regional Hospital has announced that their new services of hospice inpatient service. The hospital has partnered with Arkansas Hospice, the state’s largest non-profit provider of hospice care. 

VITAS® Healthcare Wins Award for Best-in-Class Employee Experience Across Healthcare in North AmericaNews ReleaseDecember 18, 2023Miami, FL—VITAS Healthcare is once again setting the standard for employer excellence within the healthcare and hospice community. The nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care for 45 years achieved the Best-in-Class Award in the category of employee experience in healthcare for North America, presented at the 2023 HRO Today Association Conference on December 1, 2023. 

Announcing the Winners of the 2023 SHN Architecture & Design AwardsSenior Housing NewsDecember 18, 2023Senior Housing News, an Aging Media Network publication, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Senior Housing News Architecture & Design Awards. Communities across the United States and the globe submitted new construction and renovation/repositioning projects this year, vying for top honors across 17 categories.Hospice

Christmas tree dedicated to those who died in hospice care in 2023 stolen in EllensburgSource One (Columbia River Basin, WA)December 18, 2023Ellensburg, WA—In an unfortunate turn of events, a treasured Christmas tree, integral to a local hospice care volunteer group’s annual remembrance event, was reported stolen this past weekend. Hearts & Hands of Kittitas County, formerly known as Hospice Friends, has been a beacon of compassion and support in Ellensburg, dedicating their time to assist those in hospice care. The stolen tree, a centerpiece for their “Tree of Love” event, was intended to honor individuals served by the organization who passed away in 2023. This significant event, originally scheduled for January 25, 2024, not only serves as a memorial but also plays a crucial role in fundraising efforts for the group.

Berkshire VNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Reach Tentative Agreement on First MNA Contract to Stabilize Staffing and Improve Patient CarePRNewswireDecember 18, 2023Pittsfield, MA—The nurses and healthcare professionals of the Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, reached a tentative agreement on December 15 with Berkshire Health Systems, agreeing on contract terms that give BVNA clinicians a wage step scale and tackle some productivity issues to help with recruitment and retention and address patient care access problems. 

Caregivers Are Invisible. They Shouldn’t BeBy Emma Nadler, LPCCNewsweekDecember 18, 2023Eight years ago, I unexpectedly joined the other 38 million unpaid caregivers in the United States. The AARP estimates that 11.5 percent of the U.S. population are caring for family members in 2023. We are many, and somehow, we are still grossly overlooked and under supported in nearly every way. My daughter, Eden, now in second grade, was born with a rare genetic deletion—so rare it does not have a name. She lives on a feeding tube, endures various chronic medical challenges, cognitive impairment, severe autism, and requires around-the-clock care. 

Study uncovers racial, geographic disparities in LTSS accessMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 19, 2023Disparities in access to long-term services and supports (LTSS) create greater financial and health-related challenges for people of color, according to new research by healthcare research firm ATI Advisory. Using data from a University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, the ATI study sampled 6,232 people aged 55 years old and living in home- or community-based settings.