Literature Review

How AccentCare is using communication, career development to address caregiver burnoutHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/28/24As the home-based care industry continues to evolve, enhancing the well-being of employees and addressing caregiver burnout remains a top priority for providers. It’s not uncommon for caregivers to experience moments of feeling unsupported or undervalued. That can often lead to a sense of disconnection within the company from the bottom to the top. To help that disconnect, providers like AccentCare have focused on retention initiatives that are based around communication within the organization.

Avow Kids awarded grant for children experiencing lossFlorida Weekly - Naples Ediition; 1/25/24Avow has been awarded a $55,300 grant from Champions for Learning as part of a multi-agency Future Ready Collier collaboration project to fund resiliency programming. Funds are designated to Avow Kids, which provides support to children ages 5-17 who are experiencing grief or loss in any capacity. The grant will ensure the continued availability of the program and its resources, which are offered at no cost to participants

Criteria for enrollment of patients with COPD in palliative care trials: A systematic reviewJ Pain Symptom Manage, by Natalia Smirnova, Allison V Lange, Amanda Glickman, Kristen Desanto, Cara L McDermott , Donald R Sullivan, David B Bekelman, Dio Kavalieratos; 1/25/24Context: Use of palliative care interventions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has increased in recent years and inclusion criteria used to identify patients with COPD appropriate for palliative care vary widely. We evaluated the inclusion criteria to identify ways to improve enrollment opportunities for patients with COPD.

Alzheimer’s Association calls for federal involvement to increase dementia care workforce, training in assisted livingMcKnights Senior Living, by Lois A. Bowers; 1/29/24“Congress should consider the steps it can take at the federal level, including expanding the necessary workforce and improving dementia training standards and access,” as part of efforts to “help ensure a quality direct care workforce that can meet the unique needs of our nation’s growing number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia” in assisted living communities and elsewhere, the Alzheimer’s Association and its advocacy affiliate, the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, said in comments submitted to the US Senate Special Committee on Aging for the record of the hearing it held Thursday, titled “Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults.”

For people with dementia and their caretakers, Phoenix-area groups ease challengesazcentral / Arizona Repblic, by Alexis Waiss; 1/28/24Several Season for Sharing nonprofits provide support for people experiencing memory loss and respite for caregivers, including:

Despite need, adequate dementia care severely lacking among adult day service providersMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 1/29/24... More than a quarter of adult day service patients have been diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, according to a recent National Health Statistics Report by the HHS and CDC. ... Roughly 23% of adult day service center (ADSC) patients with dementia are enrolled in a center that lacks the capabilities to adequately care for their condition.

Petoskey hospice center to close with transition to community-based care Interlochen Public Radio, by Ed Ronco; 1/26/24A hospice center in Petoskey will shut down, despite earlier statements by officials that there were no plans to do so. McLaren Health Management Group said Friday that it “will no longer continue operations” at the seven-bed Hiland Cottage, effective March 1. McLaren Hospice says it’s transitioning its care to community-based services. A statement from McLaren says patients and staff at Hiland Cottage will be moved to other facilities “in coordination with patient family, caregivers, and providers.”

Most US adults fail to recognize heart disease as leading killer of Americans, study findHCP Live, by Patrick Campbell; 1/24/24The American Heart Association's annual report on heart disease and stroke statistics for 2024 sheds new light on the impact and level of public education surrounding the impact of heart disease and stroke in the US and abroad.

'What my terminal cancer diagnosis taught me about life' BBC News, by Nicola Bryan; 1/27/24Forget striving for a bigger home and a better car. Slow down, be grateful for what you have and take time with the people you love. This is the advice from Megan McClay, 30, who is living with terminal cancer. ...  Megan's story is one of several being told at 'What matters most?', an exhibition at Senedd Oriel at the Senedd, or Welsh Parliament in Cardiff Bay [Wales]. Through photographs and short films the exhibition shares the perspectives of people with terminal illnesses, their families and those who work in palliative care.Editor's Note: Click here for this exhibition's "What matters most?" website, film, and many video storie.s

Use of complementary health approaches overall and for pain management by US adultsJAMA, by Richard L. Nahin, MPH, PhD; Amber Rhee, MHS; Barbara Stussman, BA; 1/25/24Millions of US adults use complementary health approaches (CHAs) each year; ... Previously, the safety and efficacy of many of these approaches lacked rigorous clinical trials. Over the past 2 decades, increasing evidence has supported the safety and efficacy of selected approaches for pain management. We examined trends in CHA use among US adults at 3 time points: 2002, 2012, and 2022.

Steward Texas medical center closing campusBecker's Hospital CFO Report, by Madeline Ashley; 1/25/24Port Arthur-based the Medical Center of Southeast Texas, part of Dallas-based Steward Health Care, is closing its Beaumont campus, including its emergency department and all hospital-related services, effective Feb. 2.

Changing payment dynamics are forcing home-based care providers to level up in value-based careHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/24/24When home-based care professionals were tasked with providing the “greatest challenge” facing them in the new year, 58% responded staffing. After that, 31% said changing payment dynamics, while 7% and 4% said consolidation or non-payment regulatory changes, respectively. Those findings come from a recent survey conducted by Home Health Care News and Homecare Homebase.

Minnesota lawmakers kick off debate on joining other states that permit physician-assisted suicideThe Associated Press, by Steve Karnowski; 1/25/24The Minnesota Legislature kicked off debate Thursday on whether the state should join the list of those that allow physician-assisted suicide.