Literature Review

[KY] Attorney General Russell Coleman files lawsuit against Optum Rx for role in opioid epidemic Northern Kentucky Tribune - Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism; 12/1/24 The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office has announced its latest lawsuit against a corporation behind the worst man-made epidemic in modern medical history. Attorney General Russell Coleman added Optum Rx and its affiliates to the list of those responsible for the opioid crisis. ... According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Optum Rx played a central role in the reckless promotion, dispensing, and oversupply of opioids. ... “Defendants have hidden their conduct through non-transparent business practices and by requiring each entity with whom they conduct business, such as opioid manufacturers, to enter into confidentiality agreements or otherwise keep their agreements confidential,” said the lawsuit. “No state has been harder hit by the drug crisis than Kentucky. Last year alone, nearly 2,000 Kentuckians died of a drug overdose,” Attorney General Coleman said. “These groups pushed a profit-fueled agenda at the expense of Kentucky families, who are left with empty seats at the dinner table. Our Office will continue to hold those behind the drug crisis accountable for their devastating actions.”

Senior living organizations press senators for passage of Elizabeth Dole Act McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 12/2/24 Senior living advocacy groups are pressing Senate Veterans Affairs Committee leaders to seek a unanimous consent agreement on the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, to expedite its passage. ... The advocates noted that the House of Representatives had passed the act Nov. 18 under suspension of the rules. The House overwhelmingly supported the bill, passing the legislation by a vote of 389–9. ... As McKnight’s Senior Living previously has reported, the pilot program would enable 60 veterans to receive assisted living services via a three-year test that also would measure their satisfaction with the effort. The legislation would require that participating facilities be located in geographically diverse regions, with at least one test site serving veterans in a rural or highly rural area and at least one being a state home.

Hospice of the Valley and CLS bridge the generation gap Arcadia News, Phoenix, AZ; by Cliff Summerhill; 12/1/24 Hospice of the Valley (HOV) and Christ Lutheran School (CLS) are entering the second year of a partnership that connects students with individuals at the Dementia Care and Education Campus. As part of HOV’s Adult Day Club, fifth-grade students visit individuals living with dementia to bridge intergenerational divides and spread enrichment, support, and joy that lasts long after the day’s activities have ended. ... Students partake in various meaningful activities with club members, including painting, coloring, gardening, and activities like cornhole, catch, and shuffleboard. The most important activity, however, is conversation. “Even though there is an age gap, both the Adult Day Club members and the students have the opportunity to learn from each other as they share stories and various interests,” CLS Service Learning Coordinator Mandi Schnepf said.

Michael Dowling: We've revolutionized care for aging adults, but is America's health system ready for the senior population boom? Becker's Hospital Review; by Michael J. Dowling, President and CEO, Northwell Health; 12/2/24 Like many baby boomers and those from earlier generations, I have vivid memories from my younger years of my grandparents and other aging adults struggling with an assortment of ailments that their doctors told them were just an inevitable part of growing old. ... The transformative advancements made over the past half-century in meeting the physical and emotional health needs of the nation's rapidly aging population are remarkable — and that's especially important because more Americans are turning age 65 now than in any other time in our history (4.1 million in 2024, or 11,200 a day). And as we move toward a new year, every healthcare executive must examine whether we are collectively prepared to care for them in the years and decades ahead and take steps to recruit the medical specialists we need to meet burgeoning demand. ... Lastly, all clinicians must embrace palliative care as part of their standard practice in managing the health of aging adults with serious illness. ... 

40 largest health systems in the US | 2024 Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 11/27/24 Some large health systems grew while others shrunk over the last year, and more consolidation could be ahead. But changes were minimal in either direction, and the largest health systems this year remain relatively similar to previous years. Becker's compiled a list of the largest health systems in the U.S. based on the number of hospitals reported on the system's website. ... Note: The list below is not a ranking. Data includes all hospitals within the system. [Click on the title's link for the full list of 40 health systems.]

This Scottsdale art class helps adults with memory loss 'live in the moment' AZCentral, Scottsdale, AZ; by Alexandra Hardle; 12/1/24 ... Anne Halvorson and her mother, Nancy Halvorson, have been attending Memory Lounge since 2022. Nancy was diagnosed with Alzheimer's the year prior, Anne said. Nancy lives in an assisted living facility, but she spent much of her career as a music therapist working with children with special needs in the public school system, Anne said. Since her mother was already naturally drawn to art, the two became frequent attendees of Memory Lounge after hearing of the program through Hospice of the Valley. "It's been a lifesaver for us. It has given my mother an outlet for all of her creativity, which she has in abundance," Anne said. Memory Lounge also allows Anne's mother the chance to use a different part of her brain and to learn something new. It's also a space for her to simply socialize and talk about something other than her doctor's appointments and where she's living, Anne said.

Thanksgiving tradition brings meals to hospice families in Northeastern Pennsylvania  ABC News 16 WNEP, Scranton, PA; by Jack Culkin; 11/28/24 It's become a holiday tradition for many volunteers to fill their cars at Mansour's Market in Scranton on Thanksgiving morning, delivering meals to those in hospice care. Ray Gillette, a long-time volunteer, shared, "We've been doing this for a long time, and we've taken the boys with us. Our oldest grandson is 14. This is his 14th year that he's come to deliver with us." ... [Diane Baldi, CEO of Hospice of The Sacred Heart] says the event began as an idea. Quickly growing to not just caring for their patients, but their families too.  "19 years ago, in our very first, we may have had 20 patients. Today we have 200. So it has grown exponentially," said Baldi. ... Along with classic holiday staples like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, each meal includes a hand-made card. "I like it because it has like a turkey on the front and it has like all the stuff that you would eat," Said nine-year-old Olivia Catalano. She and her classmates made dozens of these cards, each featuring a Thanksgiving message or drawing. ... With each card placed and each meal delivered, workers successfully brought more than 600 meals to hospice families across Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Tidewell Foundation volunteers give back during Thanksgiving Observer, Sarasota, FL; by Jay Heater; 11/29/24Those in the parking lot of the Tidewell Hospice administration building the day before Thanksgiving in Lakewood Ranch weren't focused on the "being thankful" part of the holiday. They were concentrating on the "giving back" part. The Tidewell Foundation's fifth annual Meal Drive provided more than 500 meals that were delivered through Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties to provide, in many cases, what might be the last holiday meal a couple or family would be able to share. Morton's Gourmet Market, the Venice Yacht Club and Michael's on East made the meals possible and then volunteers packed and delivered the meals Nov. 27. Among those in the parking lot was Bradenton's Terry Dale, who was volunteering in the event for the first time. "I am trying to give back," Dale said as she was busy handing out meals to other volunteers who drove up to take care of the delivery. "Two years ago, these people (Tidewell Hospice) were a godsend." Her husband of 47 years, Bill Dale, died at that time and Terry Dale doesn't know how she would have made it through without Tidewell Hospice. She knew the importance of the food that was being sent out with the volunteers.

Carolina Caring Robin Johnson House welcomes new patient in aftermath of Hurricane Helene Hickory Daily Record, Hickory, NC and Carolina Caring; by Carolina Caring; 11/27/24 A hospice patient seeking immediate safety after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene received vital care thanks to the newly established partnership between CaroMont Health and Carolina Caring. ...  Among those affected was 84-year-old Grace, a hospice patient requiring critical medications and oxygen. She was airlifted from her hometown of Burnsville, NC, to temporary shelter at the Catawba Valley Community College Tarlton Complex in Hickory, NC. In dire need, Catawba County Emergency Medical Services reached out to Carolina Caring for assistance, as Grace was rapidly depleting her medication and oxygen supplies. Within 48 hours of the initial call, Grace was successfully transferred to hospice care at the Carolina Caring Robin Johnson House. Though she felt anxious upon her arrival, Grace was comforted by the attentive support of Carolina Caring staff. When asked about the quality of care that she received, Grace described her experience as “wonderful.” “I don’t like being away from home even when I’m sick,” she shared. “... I felt wanted and loved. If I could say anything to the nurses, it’s that I love and appreciate what they’ve done.” This accommodation was made possible by a recent partnership established between CaroMont Health and Carolina Caring. On October 1st, CaroMont Health and Carolina Caring launched a strategic partnership, with Gaston Hospice now operating under the name Carolina Caring. ...

Seen Health invests $22m for PACE Care Centers HomeCare, Los Angeles, CA; by Seen Health; 11/26/24 Seen Health, a health care organization focusing on aging-in-place services and culturally-focused care models, announced it has invested $22 million in funding to expand access to its culturally-focused care centers for eligible seniors. The company said [its] first center is set to open in California and will be built upon the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model. The PACE model aims to deliver comprehensive medical and social support for seniors with chronic conditions who are covered by Medicaid or Medicare. The care model intends to provide an alternative method of care to nursing homes by enabling seniors to stay in their homes and age in place. ... The first Seen Health center, which is set to open in Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Valley, intends to serve the local Asian and Pacific Islander community.

Ensuring equity in access to palliative care AJMC - The American Journal of Managed Care; by Laura Joszt, MA and Alexandra Gerlach; 11/28/24 Palliative care provides high-quality care that can provide relief from the symptoms of a serious illness, but just as there are issues to accessing cancer treatments, there are barriers to palliative care, as well as racial disparities in access, explained Nadine J. Barrett, PhD, MA, MS, FACCC, senior associate dean for community engagement and equity in research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health, and current president of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC). ... There are misconceptions about what palliative care is that may limit the utilization of it, but also existing disparities mean fewer Black and Hispanic individuals access these services compared with their White counterparts.

Breaking free from self-doubt: A guide to authentic leadership and communication Forbes - Leadership; by Lynn Smith; 11/27/24 In my years of coaching hundreds of top executives, entrepreneurs and CEOs, I've noticed a persistent challenge that holds many back from their full potential as leaders and communicators: self-doubt. This inner critic—what I call the "Brain Bully"—creates a constant stream of negative self-talk. Even the most accomplished leaders wrestle with thoughts like "What if I say the wrong thing?" or "What if I don't sound smart?" These are exact quotes from some of my clients. The larger issue is that inner dialogue was preventing those leaders from communicating clearly and concisely. The self-doubt in their head was reading all across their faces and through their body language. In a time when 93% of communication is weighed by nonverbal cues, we had to do something about this. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]