Literature Review
“Trying to find North”: Fathers voice the nature of their bereavement
04/06/24 at 03:00 AM“Trying to find North”: Fathers voice the nature of their bereavementOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, by Christine Denhup; 3/24Fathers' lived experience of bereavement is not well understood. ... Findings amplify fathers' voice so nurses gain a deeper understanding of their experience.
When dying does not go well: a qualitative study
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMWhen dying does not go well: a qualitative studyBMC Palliative Care, by Christof Breitsameter; 3/24Several studies deal with the question of what constitutes a "satisfactory death". A smaller number of studies deal with unsatisfactory dying processes. And only a few shed light on unsatisfactory deaths that take place in hospices and palliative care units, which see themselves as places conducive to a "good" death. What also remains largely undiscussed are the ethical aspects that accompany the observation of an unsatisfactory course of death.
Today's Encouragement
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMIt’s the truth I’m after, and the truth never harmed anyone. What harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance. ~Marcus Aurelius
Too soon or too late: Rethinking the significance of six months when dementia is a primary diagnosis
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMToo soon or too late: Rethinking the significance of six months when dementia is a primary diagnosisThe Hastings Center Report, by Cindy L. Cain, Timothy E. Quill; 1/24In the case of people living with advanced dementia, six months is both too early in the trajectory to facilitate conversations and too late in the trajectory to ensure decision-making capacity. This essay encourages scholars and policy-makers to consider how cultural narratives may limit what they think is possible in care for people living with dementia.
Association of frailty and cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcomes in older U.S. Veterans
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMAssociation of frailty and cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcomes in older U.S. VeteransAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Dominique M Tosi, MD; Marlena C Fernandez, MD; Shivaan Oomrigar, MD; Lorena P Burton, MD; Iriana S Hammel, MD; Andrew Quartin, MD; Jorge G Ruiz, MD; 4/24CPR outcomes were not different depending on frailty status in our Veteran population. With these results, we cannot use frailty - as measured by the VA-FI - as a prognosticator of CPR outcomes in Veterans.
Wide variation in differences in resource use seen across conditions between Medicare Advantage, Traditional Medicare
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMWide variation in differences in resource use seen across conditions between Medicare Advantage, Traditional MedicareHealth Affairs, by Jeah Jung, Caroline S. Carlin, Roger Feldman, Ge Song; 9/23Medicare Advantage (MA) is a rapidly growing source of coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. Examining how MA performs compared with traditional Medicare is an important policy issue. We analyzed national MA encounter data and found that the adjusted differences in resource use between MA and traditional Medicare varied widely across medical conditions in 2019.
Do end-of-life outcomes differ by assisted living memory-care designation?
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMDo end-of-life outcomes differ by assisted living memory-care designation?Journal of the American Geriatric Society, by Xiao Joyce Wang, Portia Y Cornell, Emmanuelle Belanger, Kali S Thomas; 4/24Residential care/assisted living (RC/AL) is an increasingly common place of end-of-life care for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD), who have unique care needs as their health declines. Approximately 22% of RC/ALs provide specialized memory care (memory-care RC/AL). Understanding how end-of-life outcomes differ by memory care among residents with ADRD could facilitate aging/dying in place for this population. The objective of this paper is to examine if end-of-life outcomes (i.e., mortality, hospice use, and number of days receiving hospice in the last month of life) differ between residents with ADRD who moved to memory-care RC/AL, compared with residents with ADRD who moved to RC/AL without memory care (general RC/AL).
Saturday newsletters
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMSaturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!
HPNA and HPNF President's message : My path to leadership
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMHPNA and HPNF President's message : My path to leadershipJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, by Lynn Reinke; 4/24Reflecting on my professional life, I recall several seminal experiences that made me believe I possessed basic leadership skills and that encouraged me to develop them. I advanced my skills in 3 ways:
Where you begin is not necessarily where you end: the mental and physical health trajectories of cancer caregivers over time
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMWhere you begin is not necessarily where you end: the mental and physical health trajectories of cancer caregivers over timeSupportive Care in Cancer, by Maureen Wilson Genderson, Maria D. Thomson, Laura A. Siminoff; 10/23Cancer caregiving, a critical component in the cancer-care model, has deleterious effects on the caregiver’s physical and mental health. The degree to which these negative effects are uniformly experienced by caregivers is unclear; effects may be exacerbated at the end of life when caregiving is intensified. Not all caregivers have the support of an additional involved support person (secondary caregiver). The impact of the secondary caregiver’s absence on the primary caregiver’s well-being is understudied.
Neuropsychiatric effects associated with opioid-based management for palliative care patients
04/06/24 at 03:00 AMNeuropsychiatric effects associated with opioid-based management for palliative care patientsCurrent Pain and Headache Reports, by Alan D Kaye, Kylie Dufrene, Jada Cooley, Madeline Walker, Shivam Shah, Alex Hollander, Sahar Shekoohi, Christopher L Robinson; 4/24The abundance of opioids administered in the palliative care setting that was once considered a standard of care is at present necessitating that providers evaluate patients for unintentional and deleterious symptomology related to aberrant opioid use and addiction. ... By having an increased understanding and awareness of potential opioid neuropsychiatric effects, patient quality of life can be improved, healthcare system costs can be decreased, and patient outcomes can be met and exceeded.
World's Strongest Firefighter from Toledo lifts spirits of woman at hospice care facility
04/05/24 at 03:30 AMWorld's Strongest Firefighter from Toledo lifts spirits of woman at hospice care facility CBS TV WTOL 11; 4/3/24 Marcus Waugh from TFRD went bak to a nursing home to visit a woman after she recognized him as the "World's Strongest Firefighter" during a lift assist last month.
Community Hospice & Palliative Care recognizes National Volunteer Month
04/05/24 at 03:15 AMCommunity Hospice & Palliative Care recognizes National Volunteer MonthJAX Chamber, Press Release; 4/3/24 As April marks National Volunteer Month, Community Hospice & Palliative Care reaffirms its dedication to promoting and celebrating the invaluable contributions of volunteers. Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization, providing companionship and a compassionate presence to patients and their families during challenging times. Throughout the month, Community Hospice & Palliative Care will spotlight individual volunteers and their inspiring stories through various social media platforms. These narratives will highlight the profound impact that volunteers have on the lives of those they serve and showcase the diverse ways in which they enrich our community. Editor's Note: Use this spark your own planning and recognition for your all-important hospice and palliative care volunteers!
Today's Encouragement: ... teamwork is a lot like being part of a family ...
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMTo me, teamwork is a lot like being part of a family. It comes with obligations, entanglements, headaches, and quarrels. But the rewards are worth the cost. - Pat Summit
Mortality, hospice use rates differ in assisted living communities depending on whether memory care is offered
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMMortality, hospice use rates differ in assisted living communities depending on whether memory care is offeredMcKnights Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 4/4/24Assisted living communities that provide memory care services may attract residents closer to the end of life or promote hospice use at the end of life compared with assisted living communities without such services, according to the findings of a new study. ... Researchers from the Brown University School of Public Health, the University of Melbourne and the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing examined whether end-of-life outcomes — mortality and hospice use — differed between assisted living facilities with and without memory care services among 15,152 residents who moved into larger communities between 2016 and 2018.Editor's Note: Click here for the source article, "Do end-of-life outcomes differ by assisted living memory-care designation?"
Ohio’s Hospice celebrates Spring Spectacular Treasures of Time: Raises over $36k
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMOhio’s Hospice celebrates Spring Spectacular Treasures of Time: Raises over $36kCarroll County Messenger, by Thomas Clapper; 4/2/24Ohio’s Hospice celebrated its Spring Spectacular Treasures of Time March 16 with food, entertainment, silent and live auctions and as always, celebrity servers. Celebrity servers have become the mainstays of the annual event which raised funds for local hospice care. 2024 celebrity servers, who raised a total of $36,671, included Gary and Nicole Chaddock, Brad Eick, Rick and Holly Morgan, Matt Kishman, Kate Offenberger, Janet Smith, Katie DeLane, Allan Furbee, Tom James, Grant Bake and Cedar One, Mark Scott, John Weyand and Bill and Barb Newell.
American Airlines: Make-A-Wish® and Disney host Wish Flight in support of 28 children battling critical illnesses
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMAmerican Airlines : Make-A-Wish® and Disney host Wish Flight in support of 28 children battling critical illnesses MarketScreener; 4/3/24American Airlines, Make-A-Wish and Disney will grant the wishes of children battling critical illnesses in celebration of World Wish Month. On April 17, 28 wish families will board the Wish Flight and fly on a one-of-a-kind, chartered plane from Dallas-Fort Worth to Orlando, Florida, to fulfill their wishes to go to Walt Disney World Resort®.
Dana-Farber’s new push to integrate palliative, behavioral services in cancer care
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMDana-Farber’s new push to integrate palliative, behavioral services in cancer careHospice News, by Audrie Martin; 4/2/24Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has launched the Neuro-Inclusive Oncology Care and Empowerment Program, a psychosocial oncology initiative focused on adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). ... Patients with disabilities are largely underserved, but they represent a growing need as well as an untapped market for providers. More palliative care and hospice companies are developing programs to meet the specific concerns of these patients to improve access to care.
Central Dauphin football building connections with residents at Grane Hospice
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMCentral Dauphin football building connections with residents at Grane Hospice ABC TV 27 WHTM, Harrisburg, PA; by Amber Charnoff; 4/2/24 Volunteering is a cornerstone of the Central Dauphin football team and over the past 15 years the team has donated their time to Grane Hospice. ... Central Dauphin seniors Kannyon Miller and Elijah McDonald have enjoyed interacting with the residents at Grane. ... Coach McNamee enjoys stepping back and watching these relationships develop. ... “It’s so much fun watching them in action and seeing that room with the interactions between the players and the residents,” McNamee said. “There’s no doubt it’s a win-win. The residents are really enjoying it and our players are really enjoying it.”
The operational advantages of hiring seniors to provide home care
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMThe operational advantages of hiring seniors to provide home care Home Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 4/1/24Seniors Helping Seniors has long distinguished itself from other home care companies by hiring active seniors to serve as caregivers. Josh Obeiter — an owner of one of the company’s franchise locations — has seen even more added value from this strategy as the industry at large combats labor shortages. At Seniors Helping Seniors, the average age of an employee is around 70 years old, and 80% of caregivers are in their 60s and 70s, according to Obeiter.
Other Business Headlines of Interest, updated 4/4/24 per nasdaq.com
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMOther Business Headlines of Interest, updated 4/4/24 per nasdaq.com
Integration of palliative care across the spectrum of heart failure care and therapies: considerations, contemporary data, and challenges
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMIntegration of palliative care across the spectrum of heart failure care and therapies: considerations, contemporary data, and challengesCurrent Opinion in Cardiology, by Sarah Chuzi and Katharine Manning; online ahead of May 1, 2024 printRecent findings: Patients with chronic heart failure [HF], as well as those who are being evaluated for or who have undergone advanced HF surgical therapies such as left ventricular assist device or heart transplantation, have a number of palliative care [PC] needs, including decision-making, symptoms and quality of life, caregiver support, and end-of-life care. ... PC skills and teams may also help address preparedness planning, adverse events, and psychosocial barriers in patients who have had HF surgeries, but more data are needed to determine association with outcomes.
ASCO Congratulates 2024 Special Awards Recipients
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMASCO Congratulates 2024 Special Awards RecipientsThe ASCO Post, by ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc.); 4/2/24 ASCO and Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, recognized researchers, patient advocates, philanthropists, teachers, and global oncology leaders who have reshaped cancer care around the world with the Society’s highest honors at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting. [Click on the title's link for ASCO's 2024 Special Award Recipients.
Hospice update: March goes out like a lion
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMHospice update: March goes out like a lion Morgan Lewis - Health Law Scan, by Howard J. Young; 4/2/24 The old adage—March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb—didn’t quite hold true for the hospice sector, which experienced a late-month flurry of activity. The government gave the hospice sector a lot to consider, from MedPAC’s suggested freeze on hospice rates to CMS’s 2025 Proposed Hospice Rule (public comments due May 28, 2024) that, if finalized as is, would include a 2.6% payment bump. CMS’s Proposed Hospice Rule lays the groundwork for the long-anticipated Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) quality measures data collection instrument, which will be used to collect data at various points during the hospice stay, not just at admission and discharge.
RNs are moving away from home health and hospice, federal survey reveals
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMRNs are moving away from home health and hospice, federal survey reveals McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 4/2/24 Though the number of registered nurses continues to grow, fewer are working in home healthcare and hospice compared to years past, according to the latest national sample survey collected by the Health Resources & Services Administration. In 2018, there were 179,509 RNs working in home health and hospice, representing about 6% of the nursing workforce, according to an earlier national survey. HRSA’s latest count estimated that there were 173,808 RNs in home health and hospice in 2022, or only 5% of the workforce.