Literature Review

“I finally feel like I have help. Before, I was completely alone” : A grounded theory of community-based hospice transitionsJournal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Catherine M. Mann, Hannah Maciejewski, Suzanne S. Sullivan; 10/24Little is known about community-based transitions to home hospice care... Our results generated an emerging grounded theory of the hospice care transition processes rooted in maintaining personhood and autonomy. There were 5 contemporaneous steps: (1) recognizing futility and pursuing comfort; (2) seeking help and input as health declines; (3) shopping for the right services, overcoming obstacles, and self-referring to hospice care; (4) attending to the business of dying while living; and (5) processing and expressing emotions. Although not central to the care transition process, an additional step was identified that occurred after the transition to hospice care: planning for an uncertain future. The hospice care transition process identified in the study reveals important mechanistic targets for the development of interventions that promote patient-centered hospice care transitions in the home setting.

Leading causes of death in the US, 2019-2023JAMA Network; by Farida B. Ahmad, Jodi A. Cisewski, Robert N. Anderson; 8/8/24The annual mortality burden, the causes of mortality, and the changes over time are key indicators of population change. In the US, mortality statistics are derived from death certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System. These data provide both the annual mortality burden in numbers and by cause of death. Herein, we summarize the key findings from the newly released report from the National Center for Health Statistics on the leading causes of death in the US from 2019 to 2023. [Top 10 leading causes of death in 2023, which are trended over the past five years, include: heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries / COVID-19, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer disease, diabetes, kidney disease, influenza and pneumonia, and suicide.]

How to celebrate veterans in hospice on Veterans Day 3HC, Goldsboro, NC; by 3HC; retrieved from the internet 10/31/24 Some served our country in foreign lands while others dutifully protected us on our home shores. All of them demonstrate commitment and courage, helping secure the rights and freedoms we so often take for granted. These brave men and women should be celebrated every day—not just on Veterans Day. ... Do you have a relative or loved one in hospice care who is a veteran? Read more to discover great ways to celebrate veterans in hospice on Veterans Day. ...

Aging studies researchers receive $1.8M to educate dementia care providers on palliative care University of South Florida - College of Behavioral and Community Sciences; by School of Aging Studies; 10/30/24Faculty in the School of Aging Studies have been awarded $1.8 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH): National Institute on Aging to support their work of implementing and analyzing the impact of a palliative care education intervention for staff in assisted living facilities caring for people living with dementia. Debra Dobbs, PhD, is the principal investigator on the project, and Lindsay Peterson, PhD, Hongdao Meng, MD, PhD, MPH, and William Haley, PhD, will serve as co-investigators. The team will also be collaborating with investigators from UNC-Chapel Hill, Miami University, Penn State, University of Iowa, Workforce & Quality Innovations, and community hospices from Chapters Health Systems and Empath Health.

How to initiate goals of care discussions with familyExpertClick, Denver, CO; by Pamela D. Wilson; 10/30/24 ... While many adults set these conversations aside until a health diagnosis or other situation occurs, having goals of care discussions early in life allows more effective planning.

I'm a palliative care nurse and I look after patients on their deathbeds - these are the top 5 regrets I hear from people in their final days DailyMail.com; by Ellen Coughlan; 10/30/24 When people are faced with their own mortality they experience a variety of emotions and gain perspective on their lives. A palliative care nurse, who works at Old Colony Hospice in Massachusetts, wrote a blog post, which has since resurfaced, revealing the top five regrets people express on their deathbed.  ...

Microsoft update warning—400 million Windows PCs now at risk Forbes; by Zak Doffman; 10/30/24 Here we go again. Previously fixed Windows vulnerabilities are back to haunt users. And with perfect timing, there’s also a serious new warning for at least 400 million users, all of whom need to act to keep their PCs and data safe from attack. This is all about timing. The public interest advocacy group PIRG is now campaigning for Microsoft to extend the Windows 10 support extension now available to schools to other users. “In one year, Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10,” they warn, “potentially rendering up to 400 million computers obsolete overnight. This decision could trigger the single largest surge in junked computers in history, with dire consequences for both consumers and the environment.” 

4 Leadership strategies to motivate disengaged team members Forbes; by Julie Kratz; 10/30/24Disengagement often stems from a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities, poor communication and ineffective leadership. When employees don’t understand how their work contributes to the organization’s goals, or when they feel undervalued or undercompensated, they are more likely to disengage. When a culture doesn’t prioritize respect, trust and inclusion, it can lead to feelings of isolation or alienation. Disengagement can also be exacerbated by leaders who fail to commit to decisions or who don’t model the behaviors they expect from their teams. To motivate disengaged team members, consider these strategies: ...

Healthcare billing fraud: 10 recent casesBecker's Hospital Review; by Andrew Cass; 10/28/24

National Care at Home Month 2024: Celebrating Care at Home in November National Alliance for Care at Home (formerly NAHC and NHPCO); 10/31/24 National Care at Home Month celebrates and supports paid and unpaid caregivers and builds on the existing work of National Family Caregivers Month. Customizable templates are available now. ... The National Alliance for Care at Home brings together two legacy organizations – the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization – representing, advocating for, educating, and connecting providers of care in the home for millions of disabled, elderly, and dying Americans who depend on that care. ... To represent this strength in unity, the Alliance is introducing National Care at Home Month, an annual observance recognized each November to inspire outreach to communities, media, and policymakers, recognize the valuable contributions of provider staff and volunteers, and continue building awareness of the home care continuum. To this end, we are paying special attention to different types of care at different points throughout November.

Cemeteries no longer just for the dead: Spaces have a new life of their own USA Today; by Phaedra Trethan; 10/27/24 It all began with Rudolph Valentino. The silent movie star, one of cinema's first sex symbols, is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery, one of many celebrities interred there. Showing his movies for the devoted fans who showed up to remember him decades after his sudden and shocking death in 1926 at just 31, the cemetery's operators noticed the gathering grew year after year. Why not host more movie nights, especially in the final resting place of Hollywood royalty: Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille, Mickey Rooney, Tyrone Power and Douglas Fairbanks, to name a few, they thought? ... Hollywood Forever isn't the only cemetery offering programs beyond the usual historic tours and talks. Visitors at many U.S. cemeteries can check out movie screenings, market days, concerts, art installations and dance and theater performances. Some are even finding ways to change the conversation around death itself − and bringing life to spaces previously thought of only for the dead. Editor's note: Happy Halloween!

I told my colleagues, "I'm coming in Halloween as a ghost. I'll be here. You just won't see me." ~ Happy Halloween!  

Hands On Medicine says goodbye as independent clinics struggle to break even The Lund Report; by Jake Thomas; 10/29/24  After 18 years of operating her northeast Portland primary care clinic, Shelda Holmes decided it would be better to close Hands on Medicine than prop up what she calls the “medical industrial health complex.” Her story shows the predicament faced by independent primary care clinics, and sheds light on why so many are shutting down or selling out to hospital systems or private equity owned chains — even passionate, devoted providers like Holmes. “You hear the anthem: ‘We need more primary care providers,’” Holmes, a nurse practitioner, told The Lund Report. “You feel it in your heart. But the obstacles are nearly unsurmountable. We can’t answer the call.” Research shows that robust primary care can reduce health care spending by treating patients' medical problems before they become more expensive. Holmes’ story spotlights what critics say are worrying trends that are eroding providers’ independence and clinical decision-making while increasingly putting primary care —a service that policymakers want more of — out of reach.