Literature Review

Creating a workplace violence safety committee [free webinar 5/22/25]CHAP free webinar; 5/15/25The focus of this webinar is on the critical role of a multidisciplinary Safety Committee in proactively addressing workplace violence within home-based care... Participants will gain practical strategies for implementing proactive safety measures, including risk identification, technology integration, and fostering a culture of safety and accountability to empower staff and mitigate the risks inherent in the unique challenges of providing care in patients' homes.Editor's note: This hot-topic's significance is evidenced in recent posts.

Best Places to Work in Healthcare - 2025 Modern Healthcare; 5/12/25 Modern Healthcare is proud to present the 150 companies and organizations that have been named to its Best Places to Work in Healthcare for 2025. The recognition program honors employers that empower workers to provide patients and customers with the best possible care, products and services. An alphabetical list is provided ... Modern Healthcare will reveal the ranked order Oct. 8 at the Best Places to Work in Healthcare Gala in Nashville and also in an Oct. 13 magazine supplement. [Hospice organizations include the following:]

[UK] An exploration of perceived impact of receiving complementary therapies on service users during the palliative and end-of-life care phaseInternational Journal of Palliative Nursing; Jason Vickers, Brian Nyatanga, Hayley Holden; 4/25Background: To explore and understand the narratives of service users in the hospice setting regarding the value they place on complementary therapies and their perceived impact on overall wellbeing. The benefits derived from complementary therapy sessions include managing anxiety and stress, developing better sleep strategies and devising coping techniques for personal situations and contexts through guided discussions and personal reflection. 

A practice model for palliative radiotherapyCureus; Alina Zheng, Alec Zheng, Alan Zheng, Xiaodong Wu, Beatriz Amendola; 5/25Despite well-recognized challenges in implementing palliative radiation therapy (PRT), progress remains slow, and conventional approaches have yielded limited success. A specialized certification track within radiation oncology residency programs is proposed, enabling palliative care physicians to obtain limited PRT licenses under the supervision of fully licensed radiation oncologists. Dedicated PRT facilities-affiliated with comprehensive radiation therapy centers (CRTCs) and integrated into hospice settings-will enhance accessibility by reducing logistical and financial burdens. These facilities will utilize cost-effective infrastructure, including refurbished linear accelerators, modular construction, and remote physics and dosimetry support, ensuring operational costs remain significantly lower than those of conventional radiotherapy centers. Systematic studies with a PRT-oriented mindset should establish PRT-specific treatment recommendations and recommendations, moving away from conventional radiation therapy protocols. While requiring initial investment and regulatory adjustments, it has the potential to improve end-of-life care for terminally ill cancer patients, ensuring greater dignity and comfort while establishing a robust foundation for future reimbursement models.

Impact of an inpatient telepalliative care consult service in rural hospitals: One state storyJournal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Anup Bhushan, Scott D Hurley, Patrick J Coyne; 2/25Palliative care has become a standard of care for patients with serious illnesses. However, many rural hospitals do not have access to specialized palliative care consultation. This article describes the journey taken by a palliative care team to improve access to palliative care and overall patient outcomes at rural hospitals throughout the state of South Carolina by using the telehealth modality. The impact, challenges, and benefits of the program are discussed.

Palliative care consults in the Southeast: Lower readmissions despite increased length of stayJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Hillary E Davis, Heather Reed-Day, Erin W Jackson, R Eric Heidel, Justin Wolfe, Adam J Tyson; 3/25We aimed to understand how PC consultations in a southeastern program, affected by pandemic-related care delays, impacted common clinical performance metrics. Our cohort study using MS-DRG matching indicates that despite increased LOS, PC consultations were associated with significantly lower readmission rates. This suggests their potential to improve resource utilization, especially in regions affected by pandemic-deferred care.

Perspectives on the challenges of planning for and accessing long-term dementia care services through Medicaid and Medicaid WaiversJournal of Applied Gerontology; Justine Scattarelli, Kelly Moeller, Dana Urbanski, Marguerite DeLiema; 4/25 Formal long-term services and supports (LTSS) are essential to support older Americans with chronic conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). However, few older adults have saved enough to pay for LTSS, and navigating Medicaid eligibility criteria presents significant challenges. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with aging services professionals and caregivers of older adults with ADRD to assess challenges to planning for and accessing LTSS coverage through Medicaid and Medicaid waivers. Using concept mapping, three main themes were identified: (1) Proactive planning, (2) decision points, and (3) the application process. Participants described misconceptions about LTSS coverage, challenges with enrollment, and lack of information about eligibility affecting the LTSS planning trajectory. Results demonstrate a critical need for resources that help caregivers estimate costs and guide them through the eligibility determination, application, and spend down processes for Medicaid programs.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

[Taiwan] Spiritual well-being of terminally ill patients and next-of-kin caregivers in hospice care: A quantitative and qualitative approachPalliative and Supportive Care; Er-Jung Hsueh, Shu-Chun Tsai, Jun-Hung Lai, Chi-Yu Lu, Tsai-Wei Huang, Made Satya Nugraha Gautama; 4/25Terminal cancer patients often endure significant distress, impacting their quality of life. Spiritual well-being provides peace and meaning during this challenging period. This mixed-methods study included 30 terminally ill patients and 17 next-of-kin caregivers in hospice care. Spiritual well-being was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12), and symptom distress with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. Patients showed a significant improvement in spiritual well-being over time, ... [and] symptoms such as shortness of breath ... , drowsiness ... , and anxiety ... were negatively associated with spiritual well-being. Caregiver spiritual well-being positively influenced patient scores, especially with female caregivers ... Qualitative findings supported these results, revealing themes of spiritual adjustment, the impact of physical symptoms on spiritual well-being, and the crucial role of caregivers in providing emotional and spiritual support.

Music as medicine: Jenny Chen, Tyler Jorgensen, & Theresa AllisonGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith; 5/22/25As you know, dear listeners, I love music. We start each podcast with a song in part to shift the frame, taking people out of their academic selves and into a more informal conversation. Well, today’s guests love music at least as much if not more than me, and they each make a strong case for music as medicine. Jenny Chen is a palliative care fellow at Yale who regularly sings for her seriously ill patients... Tyler Jorgensen not only plays music for his patients, starting out with just pulling up a tune on his iPhone, he and others at UT Austin and Dell med now wheel a record player into patients rooms and play vinyl, taking patients back to the sounds and routines – think taking the record out of the sleeve, placing the needle in the groove – of younger days... And Theresa Allison is a geriatrician and ethnomusicologist who studies the role of music for people with dementia.

First FDA-cleared Alzheimer's blood test could make diagnoses faster, more accurate NPR; by Jon Hamilton; 5/21/25 A new blood test that detects a hallmark of Alzheimer's is poised to change the way doctors diagnose and treat the disease. The test, the first of its kind to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, is for people 55 and older who already have memory problems or other signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's. The results show whether the brain of a person with cognitive symptoms also has amyloid plaques, clumps of toxic proteins that build up in the spaces between brain cells. The presence of plaques in a person with cognitive symptoms usually confirms an Alzheimer's diagnosis.Editor's note: Game-changer!

Finding Solutions: Local group makes flowers for everyone WRDW-12 & WAGT-26, Augusta, GA; by Zayna Haliburton; 5/21/25 Flowers are something that can put a smile on someone’s face, whether you’re receiving or giving them. For one local group, they’re making bouquets to bring to nursing homes, shelters and hospitals. They’re now finding solutions in asking the community to consider donating their leftover flowers from weddings and events in order to brighten someone else’s day. “These are going to go to hospice patients that a part of Enhabit Augusta, ..." said Patricia Proctor, co-owner of El Rey and founder of non-profit Corazón Bonito ... which translates to "beautiful heart" in English.