Literature Review

Location of pediatric deaths in the US JAMA Network - JAMA Pediatrics; by Sarah H. Cross, PhD, MSW, MPH; Khaliah A. Johnson, MD; Maura A. Savage, MSW; Dio Kavalieratos, PhD; 11/11/24Historically, most seriously ill children in the US have died in hospitals despite a presumed preference for home death. Among the general population, home and hospice facility deaths have increased in the past 2 decades, whereas hospital and nursing facility deaths have decreased; however, recent patterns in location of pediatric deaths are unknown.

Elderly man sat with injuries for days after his mobile home burned and collapsed WCBD Charleston, South Carolina; by Tim Renaud; 11/11/24 An elderly Colleton County man sat injured in his yard for days after his mobile home burned and collapsed. Colleton County Fire Rescue said 9-1-1 received a call reporting the fire and injured man around 10 a.m. Friday. Crews arrived to find the single-wide mobile home had already collapsed with the injured man sitting in his yard. The man told firefighters that the home burned down “one or two days ago,” fire rescue said. He suffered burns to his face and hands and was not able to call for help. “He sat injured in the yard since that time,” the agency said. The man’s hospice nurse stopped by to check on him, and that’s when she discovered the fire. She provided initial aid and called 9-1-1. Emergency crews took the elderly man to the burn center at the Medical University of South Carolina for treatment. His condition is unknown. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Community carolers share love with Bartlesville's 'Santa' on his final journey home Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters - Bartlesville, Oklahoma; by Nathan Thompson; 11/9/24 He's been known as Bartlesville's very own Santa for more than three decades, and on Saturday night dozens of community members showered Ron Adams with the blessing of love and Christmas carols as he faces the final moments of his life.  Earlier this year, Adams was diagnosed with stage-four liver cancer. His health has rapidly deteriated and he is in hospice care at The Journey Home between Bartlesville and Dewey. Debbie Neece, a friend of the family, says she received a phone call from Adams' daughter, Lindsey, Saturday morning with a special request.  Neece made it happen as a fitting tribute to a Bartlesvile icon and his family. ... Saturday's love from the community gathering and singing more than 20 minutes of Christmas carols had a profound impact on Ron, his wife Debi and his daughter Lindsey. Lindsey came outside and in tears, thanked the gathered crowd. A small blessing of Christmas music. A large outpouring of love from the community. But not as large as Ron Adams' heart and his devotion to bringing joy as Bartlesville's Santa.

After Hurricane Helene, the VA in Western NC is making sure that no veteran is left behind  Southern Living; by Abigail Wilt; 11/11/24The agency has contacted 100% of the high-risk veterans they identified before the storm—some visits requiring mile-long hikes up unstable mountainous terrain. As Western North Carolina continues to pick up the pieces on a long road to recovery following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, teams from the local VA are going above and beyond to care for veterans. ... That service extended deep into the mountains. Prior to the storm, the VA identified over 2,600 vulnerable veterans at highest risk, including patients going through chemo treatments and those with spinal cord injuries, mobility issues, and home oxygen needs. When the floodwaters hit, the Emergency Department never closed. Immediately following Helene, the VA began addressing the oxygen needs of 1200 vulnerable veterans, Young shared, and a task force was mobilized to perform wellness checks. But as many roads were washed out and phone and internet service inconsistent, these wellness checks often took the form of compassion on foot. “We contacted 100% of the high-risk veterans, either by phone or in person at their homes,” Young said. “Some visits required mile-long hikes up unstable mountainous terrain to reach veterans, including those determined to stay in their homes."

Arrest warrant issued gor a California hospice care executive PRLog - Press Release Distribution, Los Angeles, CA; 11/8/24 The Superior Court of California in Los Angeles has issued a Bench Warrant for the arrest of Darline Singh, owner of Zola Hospice LLC, and associated with numerous other hospice companies throughout the state. Singh failed to appear in court on 9/12/2024 and on 10/24/2024 for a judgment debtor exam stemming from a $15MM judgment against Singh, Zola Hospice LLC, and E&E Hospice, LLC. Darline Singh's resume indicates she has a degree in Chemical engineering from UC Davis, AI Machine learning at MIT, as well as Harvard University. Her work experience highlights consulting and executive roles at Brookdale Senior Living, ACE Hospice, Suncrest Healthcare, Vitas Healthcare, Kindred Healthcare, and Bridge Hospice. In March of 2022 Acting California State Auditor, Michael S. Tilden, reported in a letter to the Governor, "my office conducted an audit of the State's licensure and oversight of hospice agencies and found that the State's weak controls have created the opportunity for large-scale fraud and abuse. We identified numerous indicators of such fraud and abuse by hospice agencies."

Signs and symptoms of end-of-life kidney failure Health; by Lindsay Curtis; 11/8/24 Kidney failure, or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. As toxins and fluid build up in the body, other health problems can develop, increasing the risk of life-threatening complications. ...

Enhabit to shutter handful of home health locations, ‘close’ to new deal with UnitedHealthcare Home Health Care News; by Andrew Donlan; 11/7/24 Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) has a new CFO and a somewhat new strategy. It still faces a lot of the same problems. On Thursday, CEO Barb Jacobsmeyer said the company would be closing or consolidating certain locations that are underperforming, specifically when it comes to traditional Medicare business in home health care. While its payer innovation strategy is still intact, that’s largely a departure from its goal of moving more toward Medicare Advantage (MA) revenue over the last couple of years. Specifically, the company has been trying to diversify its revenue mix to become a better partner to referral sources and adjust to a more MA-dominated future. But now, after a strategic review and a battle with the activist investor AREX Capital, it seems to be re-focusing on fee-for-service revenue from traditional Medicare. ...

$1M state grant awarded to fund Erie’s first residential hospice center WJET Erie, Erie, PA; by Nicole Lee; 11/7/24 A state grant injects new life into a plan to build Erie County’s first residential hospice center. The palliative care clinic, which will be built in McKean Township, just received a $1 million state grant. Now, its planners are looking for community support to bring the plan to the finish line. “On Friday we got a call from Representative Banta saying that we got a $1 million RACP grant,” said Julia Strzalka, executive director of the Julia Hospice & Palliative Care. [Click here for Julia Hospice & Palliative Care.]

It’s been weeks since I watched Elizabeth Olsen's His Three Daughters, and there's one thing I still can't shake CinemaBlend; by Heidi Venable; 11/10/24 There is a seemingly never-ending list of great options to binge on Netflix, and while I do love to actually make a trip to the theater, there’s no denying the convenience of streaming. After hearing some positive things about His Three Daughters — an offering on Netflix’s 2024 schedule — I decided to check it out, despite knowing the subject matter might hit a little close to home. It’s now been weeks since I watched the movie about three sisters navigating their father’s final days, and I still cannot shake how true it felt to my family’s own experiences with end-of-life care. ... Old wounds and a complicated family dynamic are quickly revealed as they all deal with his impending death in their own ways. The story really stuck with me, and here are a few reasons it felt so real.

Cynder Sinclair: Calling nonprofits and donors to prepare for Giving Tuesday [Dec 3] Noozhawk, Santa Barbara, CA; by Cynder Sinclair; 11/7/24 Giving Tuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving and the internationally recognized day to contribute to charity, is upon us. It’s time for all nonprofits and donors to get ready. Unlike Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday invites us to improve our community by donating to causes that resonate with us. ... Preparing for Giving Tuesday can significantly boost a nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. Here are some key steps to get ready:

Column: Norbert Peiker, architect and marathon runner finishes his life’s raceRichland Source; by Carl Hunnell; 11/7/24Norbert Peiker was never a cancer survivor. He was a cancer thriver. And when he left this earth Oct. 28 at the age of 84, it wasn’t because he finally lost a heroic 28-year battle with bone cancer. Losing was never in his mentality during his long and accomplished life. Nor was it a part of his death. Cancer took his body. It never touched his mind. Or his heart. I first met Norbert Peiker during his brilliant tenure as a long-distance runner when I came to Mansfield in 1990 as a reporter at the Mansfield News Journal. ... Norbert then called me each evening to tell me how many miles he had run that day. ... He covered the distance in 12 days, averaging 38 miles a day, and raising $50,000 along the way. [Through the years he] completed 47 marathons, including five Boston Marathons. [That] would merely scratch the surface of Norbert Peiker, the man. ... In September, however, he told me, “My Friend, fighting pain, immobility and mental stress for years, my focus deserves to be reconnection with quality of life; therefore, I have decided on joining hospice home care. With a strong loving family on my mind I’m truly blessed.” [Click on the title's link to read this inspiring story.]

The dozen phrases doctors warned never say to patients, including ‘everything is going to be fine’ What's New 2Day; by Alexander; 11/8/24 “Everything is going to be okay.” No doubt you or someone you know has heard those words from a doctor, but doctors are now being warned to stop doing so because it could raise false hope. A new report has identified 12 “never phrases” that doctors should never use with patients with serious illnesses, such as heart failure, cancer and lung disease. They explain that these “isolated words or phrases not only lack benefits but can also cause emotional harm and accentuate power differences.” If a patient is seriously ill, for example, a doctor should never mention the words “withdraw care,” as this implies that the medical team is “giving up.” While “everything will be okay” may seem like a comforting phrase, researchers say this could offer false hope when dealing with a serious illness and a better expression might be “I’m here to support you through this whole process.” [Click on the title's link for the dozen phrases they identify, with alternative language and rationale.]

Meijer donates $10,000 in memory of longtime employee WoodTV.com, Algoma Township, MI; by Kyle Mitchell; 11/1/24 A longtime employee at the Rockford Meijer store who died earlier this year was honored Friday with a $10,000 donation made in her name. The store director presented a check to representatives of Faith Hospice in honor of Pat Julien. Julien, the mother of WOOD TV8 engineer Michael Julien, died in July following a battle with breast cancer. She worked at the Rockford Meijer for 15 years. The impact she made inspired the employees to select a charity for the store to support in her memory. ... The store selects a charity to donate to every year through the Meijer Team Gives program. This year, the employees wanted to do something in Pat Julien’s memory. The store originally planned to donate $5,000, but decided to donate the full $10,000 amount on behalf of the company, assistant store director Kurt Guarisco said. “We voted on that as a team within the store and what happened is we chose Faith Hospice,” Guarisco said. Editor's note: Click here for Faith Hospice, in Byron Center, Michigan.