Literature Review

Matters of life and death: Our health (and lack thereof) is worth talking aboutPsychology Today; by Samantha Stein; 8/29/24In his book Being Mortal, Dr. Atul Gawande, a practicing surgeon, discusses how having the hard conversations about end-of-life medical interventions (or not) may lead to a shorter life but a more fulfilling one. In his book Telltale Hearts, Dr. Dean-David Schillinger, a physician and public health advocate, discusses how accurate diagnosis, treatment, and true healing come from listening deeply to patients and their stories. Medical advances in the past century have been astounding. We live significantly longer and are able to survive repeated health crises that once would have killed us. Nearly everyone would agree that in many, if not most, cases that’s a positive thing. However, many would argue that our hyperfocus on prolonging life at all costs, along with our tendency to treat symptoms rather than looking for underlying causes, has caused us to lose sight of the importance of quality of life and true health.

A tale of two leaders: What leadership has taught meBaker Women Newsletter; 8/24Showcasing how leaders come in various shapes and sizes is the common thread throughout this issue. We interviewed two Baker Donelson women leaders – Martha Boyd, chair of the Firm's Labor & Employment Group, and Jennifer Dunlap, vice-chair for the Firm's Labor & Employment Group – to see how they approach leadership, empower others, and what they have learned about themselves within their leadership roles.

I wonder if my first breath was as soul-stirring to my mother as her last breath was to me. ~ Lisa Goich-Andreadis, 14 Days: A Mother, A Daughter, A Two-Week Goodbye

Monday is for people with a mission. ~ Cristina Imre

I can't change you and you can't change me, but together we can work to change the world!  ~ Germany Kent

If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one. ~ Dolly Parton

If you want to be the best you have to do things that other people aren't willing to do. ~ Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Click here for his post-Olympic Foundation, with its vision "to save lives and help build healthier families."

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. ~  Aristotle

Back to school: Let us remember - One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world. ~ Malala Yousafzai 

Everyone breathes in air, but it's a wise person who knows when to use that air to speak and when to exhale in silence. ~ Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Queen of Dreams

What is Death?GeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Winston Chiong, Sean Aas; 8/22/24We’ve talked about Brain Death before ... and in many ways today’s podcast is a follow up to that episode. Why does this issue keep coming up? Why is it unresolved? Today we put these questions to Winston Chiong, a neurologist and bioethicist, and Sean Aas, a philosopher and bioethicist.

Sophisticated caregiver training remains an underutilized retention, ROI tool Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 8/22/24 ... [Only] 43.8% of home-based care staff and 55% of home health and hospice staff feel prepared to care for new clients, according to the 2024 Activated Insights Benchmarking Report. As a possible result, the annual care staff turnover rate has climbed 14% in the last two years to almost 80%. Organizations demonstrating a commitment to continuing education improve employee satisfaction by allowing caregivers to hone their skills and grow in their careers. Investing in employees’ long-term success will impart a sense of purpose and possibility within a role known for turnover and burnout. “The average home-based care provider offers five hours of orientation and eight hours of ongoing training,” the report read. “Those who offer at least eight orientation hours and 12 hours of ongoing training see an increase of $1,103,291 in revenue. However, while establishing a clear path is one of the top strategies to retaining long-term employees, only 39% of providers have one.”

Hospices facilities launch, renovate with growth in mind: Julia Hospice & Palliative refuels de novo plans Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 8/23/24 Pennsylvania-based Julia Hospice & Palliative (JHPC) has reignited plans to launch a de novo after experiencing pandemic-related setbacks. Dubbed Julia House, the facility will provide inpatient hospice and serve as an outpatient palliative care clinic. It will be the first hospice center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, the provider indicated. The new location will allow for improved support for serious and terminally ill patients that lack caregiver support or need higher levels of care, said Dr. Christopher Strzalka, medical director at Julia Hospice & Palliative Care. “For people who don’t have a caregiver in their home, we can put them in our facility and they can live there until their natural death, and they’ll have access to specially trained caregivers in end-of-life care,” Strzalka told local news.