Literature Review

Fostering respect and appreciation seen as keys to retaining direct care workersMcKnights Online Forum, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 3/27/24 Expressions of appreciation and respect can go a long way in addressing senior living’s direct care workforce crisis, according to a panel of direct workers and employers who addressed what makes employees want to stay — or go. ... Nate Hamme, president and executive director of the Ceca Foundation, ... said that the most important part of employee recognition is listening to people. ... He added that there is a science to recognition backed by research into what motivates people and implementing programs around that. ... Recognition programs, Hamme added, should focus on IMPACT: inclusive, mission-aligned, public, authentic, consistent and timely. 

Mortality, 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?"

Neuropsychiatric 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.

Wide 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.

“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.

Association 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.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

HPNA 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:

Community 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!

FDA approves AI Tool that can detect sepsis Forbes, by Cailey Gleeson; 4/3/24 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an AI tool that can diagnose sepsis, Prenosis, the company behind the software, announced Wednesday, the latest in a series of agency approvals for AI diagnostic tools. ... At least 350,000. That’s how many adults who develop sepsis die from the condition or are discharged to hospice annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

American 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®.

Central 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.”