Literature Review



Sunday newsletters

07/20/25 at 03:00 AM

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!

Read More

Today's Encouragement

07/19/25 at 03:55 AM

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. ~Oscar Wilde

Read More

Complications of gastrostomy tube placement in patients with dementia: A national inpatient analysis

07/19/25 at 03:45 AM

Complications of gastrostomy tube placement in patients with dementia: A national inpatient analysisSurgical Endoscopy; Spencer R. Goble, Thomas M. Leventhal; 6/25Gastrostomy tubes have not been shown to improve long-term outcomes in patients with dementia, yet the risk of short-term complications have not been well characterized in this population. Conclusions: Gastrostomy tube placement complications do not appear to be increased in patients with dementia. However, those who undergo gastrostomy tube placement are less likely to discharge to home which has important quality of life implications.

Read More

Exploring a collective grief experience in the U.S.: Qualitative findings from older parents whose only child has died

07/19/25 at 03:40 AM

Exploring a collective grief experience in the U.S.: Qualitative findings from older parents whose only child has diedOmega; Yongqiang Zheng, Leslie G Wuest, Jeongah Kim, Rebecca A Rodriguez; 6/25Despite its profound physical and mental health impacts, research on the loss of an only child in later life among older U.S. adults remains scarce. This phenomenological qualitative study explores the lived experiences and meanings older bereaved parents attribute to their loss. Inductive thematic analysis revealed 6 themes: the enduring intensity of grief, significant secondary losses, feelings of isolation and alienation, the role of social support in coping, and spirituality and religion's influence on their journey. By amplifying these parents' voices, the study lays a foundation for understanding their unique grief and underscores the gaps in U.S. policy and mental health services. These findings deepen insight into an understudied population, highlighting the need for enhanced resources for older bereaved parents.

Read More

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment in rural Virginia

07/19/25 at 03:35 AM

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment in rural VirginiaSage Open Aging; Pamela B Teaster, E Carlisle Shealy; 6/25Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) arose in 1991 to improve end-of life-care for patients with advanced, chronic, and progressive illnesses whose death is imminent within a year. POLST attempted to address problems inherent in advance directives (e.g., poor completion rates, confusing form language, dismal communication with a surrogate). POLST exists in all U.S. states, although each is unique and uptake is inconsistent, particularly in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to investigate current practices and barriers around POLST in a rural area using an online survey and interviews with practitioners. Findings included the need for consistent funding, clarification of goals, and greater and varied opportunities for staff training.

Read More

Effectiveness of an educational intervention in enhancing end-of-life care understanding and decision-making in African Americans

07/19/25 at 03:30 AM

Effectiveness of an educational intervention in enhancing end-of-life care understanding and decision-making in African AmericansPalliative & Supportive Care; Delicia Pruitt, Megan Reilly, Stephen Zyzanski, Neli Ragina; 7/25AA [African American] patients are more likely than other ethnic groups to choose life-sustaining measures at the end of their lives, leading to patients not receiving care to help them die peacefully. This decision is partly based on lack of knowledge of the available EOL [end of life] care options. An educational tool like the one developed in this study may be helpful and lessen the time of education so that physicians can answer questions at the end of the session and empower individuals and communities to take an active role in creating a culture of wellness at the EOL and decreasing morbidity.

Read More

Parental authority and the weight of assent: Navigating moral dilemmas in adolescent end of life care

07/19/25 at 03:25 AM

Parental authority and the weight of assent: Navigating moral dilemmas in adolescent end of life careJournal of Bioethical Inquiry; A. L. Heifner, M. M. Ortiz, T. L. Major-Kincade, C. O’Connor; 6/25 In the current era of moral pluralism, medical decisions must account for much more than clinical considerations: they must abide by legal standards of decision-making which usually prioritize parental preferences. Conflict abounds between the parent or other legal decision-maker and healthcare team in situations where the parent prefers not to disclose the severity of the adolescent’s illness or the healthcare team believes continuing lifesaving therapies are not in the adolescent’s best interest. These dilemmas challenge how we solicit adolescents’ preferences (assent) and their options for refusal (dissent). We explore the moral distress healthcare workers face navigating conflict amongst various stakeholders involved in the adolescent’s end-of-life care. Strategies to minimize moral distress are also provided.

Read More

Palliative video consultation and symptom distress among rural inpatients-A randomized clinical trial

07/19/25 at 03:20 AM

Palliative video consultation and symptom distress among rural inpatients-A randomized clinical trialCritical Care Medicine; Marie A. Bakitas, DNSc, RN; Shena Gazaway, PhD, RN; Felicia Underwood, MSW, MPS, LICSW-S; Christiana Ekelem, BS; Vantrice T. Heard, PhD; Richard Kennedy, MD, PhD; Andres Azuero, PhD; Rodney Tucker, MD, MMM; Susan McCammon, MD, PhD; Joshua M. Hauser, MD; Lucas McElwain, MD; Ronit Elk, PhD; 7/25The triple threat of rural geography, racial inequities, and older age has hindered access to high-quality palliative care for many people in the US. Only 70% of the deep South vs 85% to 94% of the rest of the US has palliative care despite the deep South having the greatest needs due to suboptimal health care access and elevated morbidity and mortality. In this RCT [randomized clinical trial] among Black or African American and White chronically ill hospitalized adults, culturally based specialist palliative care video consultation was not associated with statistically significant reduced symptom distress compared with usual care, but there was a clinically meaningful difference ... between groups. Contrary to our hypotheses, intervention participants’ QOL [quality of life] and resource use (secondary outcomes) also were not improved. Assistant Editor's note: This study reminds us that palliative care delivered virtually, as opposed to in-person, may not be of benefit to some individuals. It also reminds us that palliative care, at its best, is delivered on an ongoing basis by a known, trusted professional, as opposed to a one-time session with a consultant. 

Read More

Quality indicators and patient outcome measures for palliative care in cancer patients: A systematic review

07/19/25 at 03:15 AM

Quality indicators and patient outcome measures for palliative care in cancer patients: A systematic reviewEcancermedicalscience; Chase Peng Yun Ng, Moira Hegyi, Grant Lewison, Tania Pastrana, Eve Namisango, James Cleary, Barbara Hasties, Eric Kabisa, Helena Musau, Kathryn Spangenberg, Paola Ruiz, Zipporah Ali, Mertixell Mallafre-Larrosa, Alfredo Polo, Julie Torode, Ajay Aggarwal, Richard Sullivan, Mevhibe Hocaoglu; 6/25With the exponential rise in global cancer incidence, the surge in demand for palliative care has outstripped capacity, limiting patients' access to quality and holistic palliative care, especially in low- and middle-income countries. There is an overall lack of standardisation of QIs [quality indicators] and POMs [patient outcome measure], as well as variability in evidence of palliative care research. We recommend that stakeholders collaborate to develop a standardised repository of metrics for monitoring and evaluating palliative care services at both individual and system levels, with a particular focus on structural and process indicators. Incorporating validated, patient-centred measures and selecting key items as quality indicators will enable meaningful tracking of changes, guiding resource allocation and driving improvements in patient-centred care.

Read More

Collective leadership in home-based palliative care: Advancing APRN roles to enhance success

07/19/25 at 03:10 AM

Collective leadership in home-based palliative care: Advancing APRN roles to enhance successHome Health Care Management & Practice; Nicole DePace, MS, APRN, GNP-BC, ACHPN; Rebecca Souza, DNP, ANP-BC, ACHPN; Therese Rochon, MA, MS, FNP-C; Paula Rego, DNP, AGPCNP-BC; Constance Dahlin, MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN; 6/25Palliative advanced practice registered nurses are instrumental in responding to the opportunities and challenges in home-based palliative care through advocacy, practice, education, program development, and leading interprofessional teams. Collective leadership is proposed as a framework to address these tensions in home-based palliative care. Two cases are presented to compare and contrast collective and traditional leadership models, illustrate the role of the palliative advanced practice registered nurse leader, demonstrate how to avoid the pitfalls of a traditional leadership model, and build sustainable success through collective leadership principles. Finally, strategies to engage advanced practice registered nurses in leadership roles and address the tensions of the policy gaps in home-based palliative care are provided.

Read More

[Canada] Electronic decision support for deprescribing in older adults living in long-term care-A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial

07/19/25 at 03:05 AM

[Canada] Electronic decision support for deprescribing in older adults living in long-term care-A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trialJAMA Network Open; Emily G. McDonald, MD, MSc; Justine L. Estey, MSc; Cody Davenport, MSc; Émilie Bortolussi-Courval, RN; Jeffrey Gaudet, MSc; Pierre Philippe Wilson Registe, MSc, MPH; Todd C. Lee, MD, MPH; Carole Goodine, PharmD; 5/25Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) occurs when medications that carry a higher risk of harm than benefit are prescribed. It occurs more often among older adults in the setting of polypharmacy (taking multiple medications) and is costly and harmful. PIP and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) contribute to excess adverse drug events, such as falls, fractures, cognitive decline, hospitalization, and death [and] the problem is more pronounced for older adults living in nursing homes (long-term care [LTC] homes). Depending on the screening criteria used, in some studies, the prevalence ranges from 67.8% to 87.7% of nursing home residents. Electronically generated, individualized reports that contained prioritized opportunities for deprescribing in older adults were paired with preexisting quarterly medication reviews [and] this study found that electronic decision support paired with the usual workflow could render the deprescribing process scalable and effective.

Read More

End-of-life symptoms in persons dying with advanced dementia in the community setting: Findings from IN-PEACE

07/19/25 at 03:05 AM

End-of-life symptoms in persons dying with advanced dementia in the community setting: Findings from IN-PEACEJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Kurt Kroenke, Sujuan Gao, Susan E. Hickman, Alexia M. Torke, Nina M. Johnson, Amy Pemberton, Andrea Vrobel, Minmin Pan, Laura R. Holtz, Greg A. Sachs; 8/25This article characterizes symptom burden in persons with advanced dementia dying in the community who were enrolled in a 2-year trial of home-based palliative care. Symptoms did not generally worsen from enrollment to time of death and symptom severity was similar to persons with dementia dying in a nursing home.

Read More

Saturday newsletters

07/19/25 at 03:00 AM

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Read More

Utilization of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections in end-of-life patients

07/19/25 at 03:00 AM

Utilization of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections in end-of-life patientsAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Abigail Thomas, Lacey Davis, Allie Dolan, Rebecca Prewett; 8/25The use of antibiotics for end-of-life patients is controversial; currently there is limited guidance on the use of antibiotics in hospice patients... The purpose of this project is to examine the utilization of antibiotics for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in hospice patients... The prescribing of antibiotics in end-of-life patients is not always appropriate regardless of the PPS. This may indicate that antibiotics are initiated in asymptomatic hospice patients, and the utilization of unnecessary medications presents the risk of adverse effects.

Read More

[Norway] iLIVE volunteer study: Volunteer and healthcare professional perceptions of newly developed hospital end-of-life-care volunteer services, in five countries

07/19/25 at 03:00 AM

[Norway] iLIVE volunteer study: Volunteer and healthcare professional perceptions of newly developed hospital end-of-life-care volunteer services, in five countriesPalliative Medicine; Tamsin McGlinchey, Stephen Mason, Grethe Skorpen Iversen, Dagny Faksvåg Haugen, Inmaculada Ruiz Torreras, Pilar Barnestein Fonseca, Miša Bakan, Berivan Yildiz, Ruthmarijke Smeding, Anne Goossensen, Agnes van der Heide, John Ellershaw; 5/25Volunteer services that provide direct support to patients receiving palliative and end-of-life care in hospitals are new and developing, but little is known about the use and experience of such services from key stakeholders. 20 Volunteers and 20 healthcare professionals were recruited. Three overall themes were generated: (1) Volunteers provided 'unique, distinct, 'community' support' bringing familiarity to an unfamiliar, medically focussed environment. (2) Volunteers were able to 'establish a connection centred on 'being there' within the acute hospital environment' despite the fast paced and highly changeable environment. (3) Through 'relational interactions adapted to the individual person' volunteers attended to patients' existential and emotional needs. These services confer benefits that are transferrable across cultures and countries, 'fusing' formal care with the informal visiting of family or friends, attending to patients' existential needs.

Read More

Homewatch CareGivers president on moving into clinical care, building partnerships of the future

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Homewatch CareGivers president on moving into clinical care, building partnerships of the future Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwal 7/16/25 ... Denver-based Homewatch CareGivers operates in over 30 states and has 234 locations. The personal care franchise employs over 4,500 caregivers. The company’s goal to continue “filling the white space” has resulted in 20 new franchisees since 2023. Plus, Homewatch CareGivers is expanding into the clinical care space with the launch of a nursing services vertical, and through its partnerships with health systems and hospitals. Home Health Care News recently caught up with Homewatch CareGivers President Todd Houghton. During the conversation, he explained why hospitals benefit from home care partnerships, how Homewatch CareGivers is building out its clinical capabilities and how the company is utilizing AI tools.

Read More

Executive Personnel Changes - 7/18/25

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Executive Personnel Changes - 7/16/25 

Read More

Today's Encouragement: Friday is like a green light ...

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Friday is like a green light; you speed ahead until you hit the weekend! ~ Anonymous

Read More

Medicare telehealth trends: Information on telehealth use by Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Medicare telehealth trends: Information on telehealth use by Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries Data.CMS.gov; Centers for Medicaree & Medicaid Services; 7/16/25 Data update frequency: Quarterly Latest data available: Q4 2025The Medicare Telehealth Trends dataset provides information about people with Medicare who used telehealth services between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2024. The data were used to generate the Medicare Telehealth Trends Report.

Read More

AI in action: Exploring how AI is helping hospices do things in new ways

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

AI in action: Exploring how AI is helping hospices do things in new ways Husch Blackwell; podcast by Meg S.L. Pekarske with Dina Yankelewitz; 7/16/25 Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by Dina Yankelewitz, CEO of Vitalis Care, a technology company that is harnessing AI technology to reduce staff burden and allow more time for patient care. Dina shares her vision and passion for the hospice space, discussing how she applied her background in education and learning methods to inform not only what tools to develop but importantly how they work for the end user. Dina and Meg explore what AI is good at as well as its limits and why scheduling optimization, compliance, and reimbursement were the first areas Vitalis tackled.

Read More

Charlie’s Angels Quilting Group donates 2,000th quilt to hospice

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Charlie’s Angels Quilting Group donates 2,000th quilt to hospice MIdland Daily News, Midland, MI; by Jhyrah DeLapp; 7/17/25 Charlie’s Angels Quilting Group has donated its 2,000th handmade quilt to United Hospice Service of Aspire Rural Health System. Since 2007, every quilt made by the group has been uniquely designed, featuring a wide variety of colors, patterns and textures. Each quilt bears a thoughtful label that reads: “May this blanket bring you peace and comfort.” ... The group is made up of dedicated men and women from Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties. It was founded 18 years ago by Brenda Miller of Bad Axe in memory of her brother, Charlie Kiehl, who received care at the Hospice Residence in Marlette. After Charlie’s passing in 2007, Brenda and her family were deeply touched to receive a handmade quilt from the hospice team. Inspired by that act of kindness, she began gathering friends and family to create quilts for future patients, launching what would become Charlie’s Angels Quilting Group.

Read More

Major health groups push Congress to keep protecting state medical marijuana laws from federal interference

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Major health groups push Congress to keep protecting state medical marijuana laws from federal interference Marijuana Moment; by Kyle Jaeger; 7/16/25 A coalition of 45 marijuana advocacy and medical groups—including Americans for Safe Access (ASA), U.S. Pain Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Epilepsy Foundation of America and more—are calling on congressional lawmakers to ensure that state medical cannabis programs remain protected under spending legislation that’s advancing. ... The rider that protects state medical cannabis laws from federal interference, meanwhile, has been part of federal law since 2014 but requires renewal on an annual basis as part of appropriations legislation. 

Read More

Silver tsunami brings new challenges for end-of-life care

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Silver tsunami brings new challenges for end-of-life care NPR Network, KANW New Mexico Public Radio; by Jenny Kinsey; 7/16/25 ... Inhora isn’t a hospice but it describes itself as a social model hospice house that provides a place to be. The nonprofit opened in April and contracts with several local hospice providers to provide end of life support. ... Inhora gets its support through donations and volunteer help which enables their guests to stay for free. That’s the idea behind Inhora, said Miles Gloetzner, RN, Inhora’s founder and Executive Director. ... Investigating the idea led him to the Omega Home Network, a national network of comfort care homes, and other communities with the same mission bringing comfort and caring to those at the end of life . That’s when he realized his dream was not his alone. A comfort care home or social model hospice house provides free room and board for patient/guests and a family member or friend while they receive hospice care. ... Comfort homes like Inhora are found across Mountain West states, including Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. The idea isn’t new. For instance, the Omega Home Network was founded in 2003 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is a national organization of 50 comfort care homes – and growing rapidly with 79 in development.

Read More

Understanding the influence of culture on end-of-life, palliative, and hospice care: A narrative review

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Understanding the influence of culture on end-of-life, palliative, and hospice care: A narrative review Cureus; by Veena Hira, Sainamitha R. Palnati, and Saajan Bhakta; 7/15/25 ... This narrative review included 25 relevant publications related to influence of culture and patient demographics on end-of-life care, hospice, and palliative care. As each culture has its own unique views on death and dying, it is crucial to note these cultural differences when assisting with end-of-life care to best align with patients’ beliefs and values. Themes such as cultural barriers, communication preferences and family roles emerged from the publications. ... This narrative review offered a snapshot of how culture influences end-of-life decisions worldwide, specifically in East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America, while highlighting themes of 1) truth disclosure and communication preferences, 2) patient autonomy and family involvement, and 3) perception of illness and death. ... Central to providing effective end-of-life care is open, culturally tailored communication that respects patients’ and families’ values, facilitated through shared decision-making discussions. ... Ultimately, integrating cultural understandings of death and dying into end-of-life care planning is not simply a matter of sensitivity, but it is a matter of quality and equity. Health systems must not only provide choices but ensure those choices are intelligible, meaningful, and respectful within the patient’s worldview.Editor's Note: Pair this today's post, My health and my politics walk into a doctor’s office …

Read More

Agrace opens western Wisconsin office in La Crosse

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Agrace opens western Wisconsin office in La Crosse WisBusiness, La Crosse, WI; Press Release; 7/16/25 Agrace continues its rapid growth across the state of Wisconsin with the opening of a new office in La Crosse, a western-Wisconsin city of 52,000 located along the Mississippi River. Since its founding in Madison, Wis., in 1978, Agrace has provided exceptional care for the state’s residents who are in the final months of life. The new Agrace location gives residents of La Crosse County greater choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. County residents can enroll with Wisconsin’s largest nonprofit hospice to receive hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home.

Read More