Literature Review

Talking about death and dyingThe Saturday Evening Post; by N. West Moss; 1/19/24Last summer, my 88-year-old mother was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer and opted for in-home hospice. She died three months later. Talking about death can be difficult. It can bring up feelings of fear, anxiety, and sorrow. It can also feel awkward as it requires acknowledging one’s own (or a loved one’s) mortality. 

The most exciting breakthroughs of the 21st century will not occur because of technology but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human.  - John Naisbitt 

'Snow was up to my knees': Iowa hospice nurse walks through blizzard to reach patientKETV (NE), by Maddie Augustine; 1/20/24Iowa — Communities across Nebraska and Iowa have felt the impact of recent snowfall and below-zero temperatures, but that weather didn't stop one Iowa hospice nurse. Tiffany McArdle, hospice nurse for St. Croix Hospice, told KETV that in her seven years of working as a hospice nurse, she never imagined she would be walking through a blizzard to reach a patient, but she said she never doubted she would find a way to make it to the family in need on Sunday.

Teleios announces addition of Emmanuel Hospice to networkPress release; 1/19/24Hendersonville, NC   January 11, 2024:  Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) announced the addition of Emmanuel Hospice to its clinically integrated network, expanding the nonprofit’s resources, tools and expertise in order to grow its presence and services in West Michigan.

Cambia Health Foundation announces 10th cohort of the Sojourns Scholar Leadership ProgramCambia health foundation; 1/18/24Each Sojourns Scholar receives $180,000 in funding ($90,000 per year over a two-year grant) to carry out an innovative and impactful project in the field of palliative care and execute a leadership development plan designed to support the individual's growth as a national leader in the field. ... Each grantee is a member of an interdisciplinary palliative care team or is otherwise working to advance the field.Click on the link above for descriptions, and then on "Meet Our Cohorts"

Healthcare ranks second among industries with workers frustrated by low pay: survey McKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 1/19/24Healthcare workers rank second among those frustrated about their industry’s pay, according to a recent analysis from USA Today Blueprint. ... The research included 3 million Glassdoor reviews of 500 large employers in 25 industries. ... Only workers in the education field are less satisfied with their pay than are workers in healthcare, according to the findings.

Advance care planning reaches underserved across U.S. recruitment continues for National Institutes of Health (NIH) ResearchHospice Foundation of America; 1/18/24Community outreach leaders and liaisons are urged to apply to serve as hosts for the Project Talk Trial, a national, 5-year research project funded by National Institutes of Health that seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of advance care planning conversations and whether those discussions result in advance care planning actions. ... The project is specifically focused on underserved communities of people who historically have the poorest access to healthcare services and the lowest engagement in advance care planning, which include racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and rural populations.

Nothing can dim the light which shines from within. ~Maya Angelou

The importance of emotional support services in mental healthYonkers Times, 1/8/24... ROLE IN HOSPCE CARE: In hospice settings, emotional support is crucial for helping both patients and their families manage the complex emotions associated with terminal illness. This support includes providing a safe space for expressing feelings like fear, grief, and anxiety and offering coping strategies. It aims to ease the emotional burden and improve the quality of life ..., recognizing the profound impact that a terminal diagnosis can have on both patients and their loved ones.

Provider partnerships driving palliative care growthHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 1/8/24An increasingly diverse base of health care providers have taken an interest in the palliative care space, a trend that could be indicative of how strategic growth is taking shape in the field. ... A range of palliative care joint ventures, care collaborations and partnerships have evolved in recent years as more health care providers work to address the needs of a swelling aging population.

Federal scientists conclude there is credible evidence for certain medical uses of marijuanaPolitico, by Natalie Fertig; 1/12/24The Department of Health and Human Services concluded that marijuana is less harmful than other dangerous drugs and that there is some evidence of its medical benefits in recommending loosening federal restrictions on the drug. For the last 60-plus years, cannabis has been classified as a Schedule I drug — the same as heroin — under the Controlled Substances Act, which means it’s a substance of high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Bloomberg first reported in August that HHS had recommended marijuana be moved to Schedule III, and the release of these documents on Friday confirms that.Publisher note: The full FDA report can be found here.

CDC map shows dramatic increase in illness nationwide: See where it’s worstNexstar Media Wire News / The Hill, by Alix Martichoux; 1/5/24What a difference a week can make. New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday shows an 18% jump in people testing positive for influenza last week. The number of people going to the doctor with symptoms of respiratory illness — whether it be the flu, COVID, RSV, or none of the above — also continues to trend upward. Now, according to the CDC, 21 states and New York City are experiencing “very high” levels of sickness.

Journal of Aid-in-Dying MedicineAmerican Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying has begun a new journal; 12/23.The Journal of Aid-in-Dying Medicine is an independent, peer-reviewed journal focused on the clinical aspects of aid-in-dying care in the United States. Articles published in the Journal cover a wide range - from academically-detailed investigations to editorials and review articles, from poetry to photography/art. Authors will include clinicians ranging from doctors to doulas, pharmacists to chaplains, nurses to trained end-of-life volunteers.