Literature Review

Respiratory virus activity remains 'high' in US and will 'continue for several more weeks': CDC ABC News; by Mary Kekatos and Youri Benadjaoud; 1/20/25 Respiratory viruses are continuing to spread across the United States, sickening millions of Americans. Overall respiratory illness activity -- including flu, COVID-19 and RSV -- continues to be listed as "high" nationwide and is causing people to seek health care "at a high level," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Jan. 17, two states -- Hawaii and New Hampshire -- are listed as having "very high" activity while another 15 states are listed as having "high" activity, CDC data shows. 

Nonprofit opens home-based care facility for hospice patients Fox KNWA-24/KFTA, Lowell, AR; by Justin Trobaugh; 1/17/25 A nonprofit organization introduced a new resource Jan. 17 for those in Northwest Arkansas who need home-based care. Circle of Life provides hospice and in-and-out patient care services, and it opened its Joey Feek Center for Home-Based Care in Lowell. The facility will serve 93% of the non-profit’s patients and was donated by the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. 

DeKalb library to host memorial pillow workshops Jan. 25 Shaw Local News Network, Dekalb, IL; by Kate Santillan; 1/19/25 The DeKalb Public Library will partner with Northern Illinois Hospice to host two workshop sessions for patrons to create pillows out of a loved one’s shirt. ... Participants can create up to two pillows out of a T-shirt or button-down shirt. Seamsters will be available to assist. Attendees should not bring jackets, thick fabrics or denim. Bereavement support and information will be provided.Editor's note: Do you know that healing grief actually begins with "accepting realities" and its later, ongoing "Task of Mourning" is to develop "enduring connections" or "continuing bonds" with the person or thing that has been lost? [J. William Worden, Grief Counseling & Grief Therapy; 5 editions since 1982] Similar memorials have been created by other hospices using the deceased person's clothing (ie., teddy bears, etc.). This simple, practical method can be adapted easily, with years of meaningful connection and generations of storytelling ahead.

New data reveals the hidden costs of workplace violence in healthcare Perceptyx; by Ellen Lovell, PhD and Stephanie Schloemer, PhD; 1/17/25 Workplace violence has become an impossible-to-ignore crisis in healthcare, threatening the safety of medical professionals, patients, and institutions. The severity and frequency of these incidents have reached alarming levels, demanding immediate attention and action. ... The human cost is staggering.  ... While our research confirms the widespread nature of safety concerns in healthcare, a deeper analysis reveals significant variations across different healthcare environments and roles. This granular view helps us understand where intervention is most urgently needed. Editor's note: Although "hospice settings reported the lowest agreement at 54%," this statistic should be considered too high for comfort. Actions need to be taken to reduce it. From your professional leadership role, examine the importance of protecting hospice professionals' safety--typically in home settings--and through moments such vulnerable, emotional, conflicted times within families. What can your agency improve?

Hospice agency changes of ownership: An analysis  of publicly available ownership data Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation: Office of Behavioral Health, Disability, and Aging Policy; 1/10/25 ... Over time, the number of both Medicare enrollees receiving hospice care and hospice providers has grown. Between 2010 and 2022, the number of Medicare enrollees receiving hospice care grew by approximately 50%, while the number of hospice agencies grew by 69%. Growth in the hospice provider market was driven predominantly by a 125% increase in for-profit hospices, which represent a growing share (approximately three-quarters in 2021) of the hospice provider market. The shift toward for-profit ownership in the hospice industry has been driven not only by newly enrolling hospices, but also changes of ownership. For example, acquisitions of nonprofit hospice agencies by publicly traded corporations and private equity firms have contributed to the increase in market share of for-profit hospices.

Medicare spending, insurance claim denials top concerns: KFF poll Modern Healthcare; by Hayley Desilva; 1/17/25 A majority of individuals, regardless of their political leanings, say the federal government needs to spend more on healthcare programs, according to a KFF Health Tracking Poll released Friday. The survey of 1,310 people earlier this month highlights several areas in healthcare where the public would like to see things done differently. The results were published three days before a new administration is set to take over in Washington, D.C. 

‘No One Dies Alone': How KMOX's Dave Glover turned personal loss into a mission of hope NBC 5, St. Louis, MO; by Mike Bush; 1/19/25 For 25 years, Dave Glover's voice has been a familiar presence on KMOX radio, but it was a personal tragedy that led him to his most meaningful role yet – as a volunteer bringing comfort to those in their final hours. ... While spending countless hours at his mother's bedside, Glover discovered something remarkable – an organization called NODA (No One Dies Alone). When his family was exhausted from their bedside vigil, the nursing staff told them, "You need to go home. And we have this organization of volunteers, called NODA." Julie Strassman, manager of Support Services with Bethesda Hospice Care, explains NODA's mission: ...

Community rallies to bring 12-year-old cancer patient homeNBC 26, Green Bay, WI; by Ezekiel Telemaco; 1/18/25 Hadley Baker returns home to a community welcoming her with open arms. 

Woman reveals terminally ill mom asked for just 'one thing' before passing Newsweek; by Jack Beresford; 1/17/25 A terminally ill woman asked for "one thing" from her adult daughter before she died: to let her be her mom one last time. ... "I had a torn meniscus in my knee that I had been putting off, hoping it would improve, but it was only getting worse," Johnson said.  ... [The mom] told her daughter: "I'm going downhill, and I know the end is coming, and if you don't hurry up and take care of this knee, then I'm gonna miss taking care of you in your recovery." ... "She didn't want me going through it without her," Johnson said. "She had already gone on hospice, and all treatments for her cancer had stopped. So, I called my orthopedic surgeon and told him I was ready to get it fixed. I was scheduled just a few days later." [Johnson's mom] cooked and cleaned despite being in a considerable amount of pain herself. She even slept in a chair by her daughter's bedside. That was her way of showing she cared.

US dementia cases projected to double within 40 years Medscape Medical News; by Pauline Anderson; 1/13/25 The number of US adults who will develop dementia each year is projected to increase from approximately 514,000 in 2020 to about 1 million in 2060, new research shows. In addition, the lifetime risk of developing dementia after age 55 is estimated at 42%. The research showed that the relative growth in dementia cases is particularly pronounced for Black adults. These new findings researchers say, “highlight the urgent need for policies that enhance healthy aging, with a focus on health equity.”

Johnson & Johnson swallows another drugmaker in $14.6 billion dealSherwood News; by J. Edward Moreno; 1/13/25J&J has spent at least $56.5 billion on acquisitions in the past five years. Johnson & Johnson announced Monday that it would acquire drugmaker Intra-Cellular Therapies for $14.6 billion, marking its latest bid for growth via swallowing a smaller company. Intra-Cellular Therapies makes Caplyta, a drug that treats schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. The deal comes right as generics for J&J’s blockbuster psoriasis drug Stelera are set to enter the market.

Lobbying groups unite to form US Cannabis Roundtable MJBiz; by MJBizDaily Staff; 1/16/25 The National Cannabis Roundtable and the U.S. Cannabis Council – two large lobbying groups that advocate on behalf of the state-regulated marijuana industry in Washington, D.C. – are merging to form the US Cannabis Roundtable. The unified group represents marijuana multistate operators such as Cresco Labs, Curaleaf Holdings, Green Thumb Industries, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Verano Holdings as well as single-state operators, according to a [recent] news release. 

Navigate a smooth transition from hospital to home care Health Medicine Network; 1/17/25 When discharged from hospital, a high proportion of people face emotions such as anxiety and fear, which can make the transition from hospital care to safe and appropriate home care difficult. But it doesn’t have to feel that way if you develop an effective strategy before you leave the hospital. ...