Literature Review

How to live: What the dying tell usPsychology Today, by Tasha Seiter; 1/2/24Subtitle: The top regrets of the dying and how we can use them to better our lives.Bronnie Ware, a hospice nurse, asked the dying what they regretted most. While it may have been too late for her patients, their answers can tell us about how we should be living while we still have the chance. Here are the top five regrets of the dying, according to her research (both qualitative and quantitative):

The silent battle: Addressing depression among cancer patientsBNN, by Mazhar Abbas; 1/2/24 Dr. Michelle King, a specialist psychiatrist, expounded on the psychological tribulations cancer patients endure, including grief, depression, and anxiety. ... [Cancer survivors] find themselves on an emotional rollercoaster, oscillating between hope and despair, underlining the necessity for balanced mental health management. Dr. King advocates for early referral to palliative care services, delivering holistic support, symptom relief, and assistance with treatment decisions. Palliative care, designed to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families, is beneficial at any stage of the illness.

Young paperboy volunteers for hospice in memory of grandparents BNN, by Ayesha Mumtaz; 1/3/24Jack Hartley, a 14-year-old paperboy, has taken up a noble cause close to his heart. Channeling personal loss into community service, Jack is volunteering his time to distribute leaflets for the East Cheshire Hospice, an organization that holds deep significance for him and his family. Both of Jack’s grandparents, Philip and Olwen Hobson, received care at the hospice before their demise just three months apart in 2015.Editor's Note: I wish the word "demise" had not been used, as it has (to this reader) negative connotations similar to the word "expired," for life's natural processes of dying and death. Otherwise, this story might spark ideas for creative ways to involve younger volunteers--with appropriate parental / adult supervision--for other meaningful ways to contribute toward your hospice mission.

Medical assistance in dying: What are we talking about?University of Oxford Practical Ethics, by Alberto Giubilini; 1/2/24Medical assistance in dying  – or “MAID”,  to use the somehow infelicitous acronym – is likely to be a central topic in bioethics this year. That might not be true of bioethics as an academic field, where MAID has been widely discussed over the past 40 years. But it is likely true of bioethics as a wider societal and political area of discussion. There are two reasons to think this.  First, the topic has attracted a lot of attention the last year, especially with “slippery slope” concerns around Canada’s policies. Second, MAID has recently been in the news in the UK, where national elections will take place in 2024.  It is not hard to imagine it will feature in the heated political polarization that always accompanies election campaigns.

Palliative care providers can enhance care coordination Hospice News, by Rachel Edwards; 1/2/24Fragmented health care has significant ties to adverse outcomes in patients with chronic or serious illnesses. Palliative care providers’ ability to navigate the health care system, coordinate the delivery of care, interact regularly with patients and facilitate communication between providers can reduce this fragmentation. This type of coordination can improve outcomes, decrease costs and offer patients a better quality of life.

The impact of Artificial Intelligence on healthcare and medicineMedium/Technology Buzz, by Mark R.; 1/3/24... Artificial intelligence, or intelligence dominated by machines and algorithms, has a growing significance in multiple industries. From finance to education and healthcare, AI has completely reformed the ways of working. One of the significant contributions of AI is to the healthcare and medical industry. From improving diagnostic accuracy to personalizing the treatments for patients, AI has revolutionized the structure of healthcare facilities. By analyzing complex human data and drawing accurate conclusions without much human intervention, AI technology can help medical researchers make new discoveries. AI applications are primarily centered on 3 main investment areas: diagnostics, engagement, and digitization.Editor's Note: For pro's and con's of AI in hospice and palliative care, examine other articles about AI posted in our newsletter (past and future).

Pennant and John Muir Health enter into a home health joint venture in the Bay Area, CaliforniaGlobe Newswire; 1/2/24The Pennant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNTG), the parent company of the Pennant group of affiliated home health, hospice, home care and senior living companies, today announced that it has closed on a home health joint venture with John Muir Health, a leading nonprofit integrated health system that serves communities throughout San Francisco’s East Bay Region. ... "Muir Home Health will bring together the deep experience of one of the Bay Area’s premier health systems with Pennant’s deep experience in managing and supporting the delivery of life-changing home health services, ..." said Brent Guerisoli, Pennant's Chief Executive Officer.

Should patients be allowed to die from anorexia?DNYUZ; 1/3/24The doctors told Naomi that she could not leave the hospital. She was lying in a narrow bed at Denver Health Medical Center. Someone said something about a judge and a court order. Someone used the phrase “gravely disabled.” Naomi did not think she was gravely disabled. Still, she decided not to fight it. She could deny that she was mentally incompetent — but this would probably just be taken as proof of her mental incompetence. Of her lack of insight. She would, instead, “succumb to it.” [Read more of Naomi's story, followed by this examination of palliative care.]The field of palliative care was developed in the 1960s and ’70s, as a way to minister to dying cancer patients. Palliative care offered “comfort measures,” like symptom management and spiritual guidance, as opposed to curative treatment, for people who were in pain and would never get better. Later, the field expanded beyond oncology and end-of-life care — to reach patients with serious medical illnesses like heart disease, H.I.V. and AIDS, kidney failure, A.L.S. and dementia. Some people who receive palliative care are still fighting their diseases; in these cases, the treatment works to mitigate their suffering. [Read more of this discussion of emerging issue.]

New Year: a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours.  Alex Morritt 

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.

Marin hospice merges with 2 others in Bay AreaMarin Independent Journal, by Kari Brenner; 1/2/24 The Marin hospice organization By the Bay Health is merging with two other Bay Area hospices to create the largest independent not-for-profit network in Northern California. ... The other parties in the merger are Mission Hospice and Home Care in San Mateo and Hope Hospice in Dublin.

How dog saved from euthanasia sparked movement to help terminally ill petNewsweek, by Alice Gibbs; 1/1/24A very special dog who was saved from euthanasia has sparked a heartwarming movement to help terminally ill pets. Opie, a 9-year-old terrier with cancer, was facing imminent euthanasia due to the weather, a harsh Texas winter. Austin Pets Alive! (APA) was called. ... The situation opened the eyes of staff at Austin Pets Alive to the need for specialized care for dogs with terminal illnesses. Opie's original foster, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, established the shelter's "fospice" program—offering end-of-life care to animals in similar situations.