Literature Review

Donations helping Solvay Hospice House ABC News WDIO, Duluth, MN; by WDIO; 12/11/24 One of the donations you may have seen on pin pads at Super One [Food] locations within the last few weeks, was in support of the National Hospice Month Campaign. On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Miners Incorporated presented a check to the Solvay Hospice House. The check was for a donation of $43,705.91 collected from the various Super One locations across the state. What started as purchasing one dollar paper houses has turned it into a donation drive driven on the pin pads at checkout. And with that small change in the last few years, donations have doubled to support the cause. This donation will help continue their mission to provide compassionate care provided at Solvay Hospice House for patients and their families. Susie Marshall, Digital Media Manager at Minors Incorporated, expressed their gratitude to continue their tradition and the efforts from consumers. 

Early successes, untapped potential, lingering questions: AI Adoption in Healthcare Report 2024 Medscape; by Jon McKenna; 12/6/24 ... For this report, Medscape partnered with Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a global professional society that includes an interest group focused on AI-related issues. ... Data came from a jointly managed survey to practicing physicians and other clinicians, practicing nurses, IT professionals, clinical leadership, and executive leadership at medical organizations. All respondents were in the U.S. 

Why introverted leaders outperform extroverts by 28% Forbes; by Cynthia Pong, JD; 12/8/24 Move over, charismatic showboats—introverted leaders drive 28% higher productivity from proactive, engaged teams compared to their extroverted counterparts, according to research by Adam Grant from Wharton, Francesca Gino from Harvard Business School and David Hofmann from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Business School. The finding runs counter to conventional wisdom about what makes an effective leader. While extroverts often steal the spotlight at work, introverted leaders are quietly revolutionizing modern workplaces by demonstrating how thoughtful competence can outshine performative leadership any day of the week. ... The secret sauce to introverted leaders’ success? They’re mastering:

Coaching and caring for others with Meredith Damore Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux; 12/11/24 In this episode of the Anatomy of Leadership podcast, Meredith Damore, Elevate’s SVP of Organizational Effectiveness and Managing Director, Consulting for Elevate Talent, and Chris discuss various topics related to leadership and organizational effectiveness. Meredith has spent a large portion of her career taking coaching and leadership into the private equity world to help start ups be more successful.  A great quote from their time together was a definition of culture that Meredith uses from Carolyn Taylor, “Culture is the patterns of behavior that are encouraged, discouraged, tolerated and not tolerated, most often starting with a leadership team and exhibited broadly by people and systems within an organization over time.” Editor's note: Telios Collaborative Network (TCN) is a sponsor of our newsletter.

A centenarian thrives living alone, active and engaged California Healthline - originally published by The Washington Post; by Judith Graham; 12/10/24 “The future is here,” the email announced. Hilda Jaffe, then 88, was letting her children know she planned to sell the family home in Verona, New Jersey. She’d decided to begin life anew — on her own — in a one-bedroom apartment in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. Fourteen years later, Jaffe, now 102, still lives alone — just a few blocks away from the frenetic flashing lights and crowds that course through Times Square. ... She’s an extraordinary example of an older adult living by herself and thriving. ... I’ve spoken with dozens of seniors this past year for a series of columns on older Americans living alone. Many struggle with health issues. Many are isolated and vulnerable. But a noteworthy slice of this growing group of seniors maintain a high degree of well-being. What might account for this, particularly among people in the farthest reaches of old age? [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Helping Korean Americans with end-of-life planning is her passion Penn Medicine News; by Daphne Sashin; 12/10/24 Eunice Park-Clinton, DNP, MSN, MBE, is standing before a crowd of Korean American senior citizens, and she wants to talk about the end of life. ... Park-Clinton, a nurse case manager in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Emergency Department and an assistant nursing professor at West Chester University, is undeterred. Speaking in Korean, she takes a kind but frank approach as she walks the seniors through life-sustaining treatments they might be offered in their final days and the need to decide what they will—and won’t—want for a dignified end of life.  ... As a Korean American herself, Park-Clinton’s passion for culturally sensitive planning comes from her personal familiarity with the community and its norms. In her work as a nurse, she has personally witnessed older Korean and other Asian immigrants experience health disparities due to their lack of knowledge of the concept.

CareTrust REIT expands in the Midwest with $97M deal Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 12/10/24 CareTrust REIT has acquired a 46-facility skilled nursing and senior housing portfolio in the Midwest for $97 million. The San Clemente, California-based real estate investment trust said in a Monday news release the facilities include more than 3,800 beds and were purchased through a bankruptcy sale of the assets from an unnamed debtor. It did not disclose the names or specific locations of the facilities.

[Wales] Man fulfils dying wish accompanying daughter down aisle BBC Wales News, Wales, United Kingdom; by Jenny Rees; 12/10/24 A terminally ill man was able to fulfil his dying wish to accompany his daughter down the aisle just six days before he died. Wayne Wharton, a 61-year-old father-of-six had terminal cancer but was taken from hospital in Carmarthen to the wedding, 30 miles (48km) away in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He was accompanied by volunteer paramedics, who stayed by his side the whole day, even sitting to eat with guests, before returning Mr. Wharton to hospital. ... "The paramedic pushed dad down the aisle and I held his hand," said bride Jess Lewis, who married her partner Matthew ... "Obviously people cry at weddings because of the emotion, but every single member of the family was there and for a lot of them it was their last time to see him. It was a wedding but also a goodbye."

Edward D. Viner, celebrated chief physician and medical pioneer, has died at 89 The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA; by Gary Miles; 12/10/24 Edward D. Viner, 89, of Haverford, retired and celebrated acting chief of medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital, chief of medicine emeritus at Cooper University Hospital, hospice and inpatient care pioneer, expert in hematology and oncology, longtime physician to the Philadelphia Orchestra and Philadelphia Flyers, mentor, and veteran, died Sunday, Dec. 1, of acute myeloid leukemia at his home. ... He established the nascent hospice program at Pennsylvania Hospital in 1975 after facing his own catastrophic medical situation in 1972 and became its chief advocate and fundraiser. ...  In 2015, Dr. Viner established and directed the Center for Humanism at the Cooper Medical School of Rowan to “foster the development of humanistic and professional health care practitioners.” In July 2024, center officials renamed it the Edward D. Viner Center for Humanism. [Click on the title's link to continue reading Dr. Viner's significant contributions to end-of-life care.]

Caring for emotional and spiritual needs of ICU families Medical Xpress; by Regenstrief Institute; 12/10/24 Family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients often experience psychological and spiritual distress as they deal with serious illness and potential death. A new paper authored by a national team of experts at the intersection of health and spirituality highlights the critical role of the spiritual care provided by chaplains in supporting family members of ICU patients. ... "Our model describes three important ways that chaplain care supports ICU family members and helps them when faced with difficult decisions," said study co-author and chaplain-researcher George Fitchett, DMin, Ph.D., professor of religion, health and human values at Rush University Medical Center. "Chaplains provide family members with spiritual and emotional support. They also facilitate conversation with the medical team and help family members process the information from those conversations. Significantly, our study highlights the care provided by chaplains to ICU patient families and its impact on important outcomes." Editor's note: Click here for Improving Outcomes for for ICU Family Members: The Role of Spiritual Care, published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, Oct 2024.

Hospice artisans combine talent and heart to raise $750k for Hospice of the Calumet Area over the years GreatNews.Life; by Hospice of the Calumet Area; 12/9/24 For years, Hospice of the Calumet Area has been blessed by angels in its corner, including a group with a passion for art and philanthropy. The Hospice Artisans, a dedicated team of volunteers, host their annual Holiday Market to showcase elevated, carefully curated gift items, all handmade with love. This year’s event, held on Nov. 9 at St. Maria Goretti Church in Dyer, attracted more than 700 shoppers, a testament to the community’s support for the mission. Since its inception, this initiative has raised over $750,000 to support Hospice of the Calumet Area in Munster, assisting patients and families during life’s most delicate moments. ... Volunteers range in age from as young as eight to their 70s and beyond, each contributing unique skills.

Psyence Biomed executes binding agreements with Optimi Health Corp GlobeNewsWire, New York; Press release; 12/10/24 Psyence Biomedical Ltd. (Nasdaq: PBM) ("Psyence Biomed" or the "Company") today announced that it has progressed beyond the previously-announced non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) and executed binding agreements with Optimi Health Corp. Under the terms of the agreements, Optimi becomes the exclusive supplier of GMP-certified, nature-derived (non-synthetic) psilocybin extract for Psyence’s global drug development and commercialization initiatives for FDA-approved uses in the Palliative Care context.

Ambitious PACE organizations expand services under CalAIM California Health Care Foundation; by J. Duncan Moore, Jr.; 12/9/24 If given the choice, most older adults would prefer to age in place. That’s what organizations within the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are set up to help people do. ... Today, some ambitious PACE organizations in California are expanding beyond their traditional scope. They’re working with Medi-Cal managed care plans to provide services to a different population. All this is done through California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), the comprehensive state initiative to broaden Medi-Cal, California’s state Medicaid program, to encompass a wider range of social supports for enrollees. ... What do PACE organizations need to succeed in CalAIM? [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]