Literature Review

Hollywood's portrayal of cancer in movies fuels misconceptions, new study findsPR Newswire; 1/17/24... Researchers reviewed more than 100 films released between 2010-2020 and found several key findings about films' lasting impact on public perception of cancer treatment, prevention and care options. Key findings from the study include:

Increasing longevity, decreasing health quality: A close look at American health trendsBNN, by Ayesha Mumtaz; 1/16/24Recent data paints a concerning picture of Americans’ health despite an increase in longevity. While people are living longer, the quality of their health during these extended years is deteriorating. 

Palliative telecare improves quality of life for those with chronic illnesses, and results last for months: StudyMedical Xpress, by CU Anschutz Medical Campus; 1/16/24Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that a team intervention, provided by phone, leads to persistent improvements in depression, anxiety, and quality of life for people managing chronic illnesses. Additionally, researchers found that the improvement in quality of life results last months after intervention concludes.

Moving beyond death anxiety to reflections on mortalityPsychology Today, by Shoba Sreenivasan and Linda E. Weinberger, reviewed by Lybi Ma; 1/15/24For the healthy, it may be considered macabre to contemplate their mortality; it may seem fatalistic, negative, and something that pulls one away from the present joy of living today. Yet, it can also remind us of the inevitable and consider how we want to spend today as well as whatever time we have left.

Maine governor dedicates $2.5 million to support elderly population through innovative programBNN, by Saboor Bayat; 1/9/24In an unprecedented move, Governor Janet Mills is allocating $2.5 million of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to bolster support for Maine’s aging population. Aiming to enhance the lives of older adults and their caregivers, this initiative pioneers the establishment of community-based navigator roles for a more efficient connection to essential resources.

Bringing peace and joy: Evensong performs familiar music for hospice patientsThe Ellsworth American, by Jess Cummings; 1/8/24Evensong, a group of choral singers operating under the Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, has spent the last 15 years singing for individuals nearing the final moments of their lives. The group specializes in hospice and palliative care, traveling upon request all over Hancock County to sing at the bedsides and homes of patients in need. ... “Music is a huge thing,” [musical director] Cookie Horner says. “It goes to a different part of your brain than everything else…we’ve seen that firsthand.” Evensong’s repertoire includes music like spiritual and secular hymns, familiar folk songs and even popular special requests.

Financial hardship drives unhappiness in people living with dementia, study findsMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kristen Fischer; 1/4/24A new study is uncovering just how tough it can be financially to live with dementia. The report, published Dec. 29 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that nearly 56% of people with dementia face financial hardships. Those financial challenges are linked with worse reported satisfaction with life and healthcare. ... The study examined data from 534 participants with dementia who shared details on satisfaction with their lives and their healthcare. The researchers compared that data to information from questionnaires from 576 people who were newly diagnosed with cancer and receiving treatment.

How to live: What the dying tell usPsychology Today, by Tasha Seiter; 1/2/24Subtitle: The top regrets of the dying and how we can use them to better our lives.Bronnie Ware, a hospice nurse, asked the dying what they regretted most. While it may have been too late for her patients, their answers can tell us about how we should be living while we still have the chance. Here are the top five regrets of the dying, according to her research (both qualitative and quantitative):

Palliative medicine helps stage IV melanoma survivor reclaim her life after treatmentAtrium Health; 1/1/24After a stage IV malignant melanoma diagnosis, brain surgery, radiation therapy and immunotherapy, Kate Crawford, 45, has reclaimed her quality of life thanks to palliative medicine at Atrium Health Levine Cancer. ...  While she has a vibrant, positive energy, the cancer treatments and disease itself led to numerous side effects and symptoms that drastically affected her quality of life. But thanks to palliative medicine at Levine Cancer, Kate says she feels more clear than she has in years. And her family says: “Kate is back.”

I Promised My Sister I Would Write About How She Chose to DieBy Steven Petrow, Guest ColumnistNew York TimesDecember 28, 2023On the day before my sister Julie died, I lay down on her bed and held her gingerly in my arms, afraid that any pressure would hurt her. She had lost so much weight that she looked like a stick figure I might have drawn when we were kids. 

Hospice care—the power of timely supportBy Kathleen Moskowitz, RN, BSN, MBADelaware County (PA) Daily TimesDecember 13, 2023Hospice means giving up. Hospice is depressing. Hospice is only available in a hospital. Misunderstandings like these cause people to avoid the topic of hospice until it becomes inevitable. However, limited knowledge and reluctance to engage in challenging conversations with family members and loved ones only result in delayed referrals. 

Moving through the holidays with grief—crafting a plan can helpMorgan Messenger (Berkeley Springs, WV)December 12, 2023Christmas and winter holidays are portrayed as festive, bright and jolly times to celebrate and enjoy life. But the holidays can look and feel different for someone who has lost a loved one, is in the midst of major illness, or for someone who has suffered a traumatic event that’s brought significant change to their lives. Navigating the balance between celebration and grief is unique for everyone. Grief Counselor Deanna Rudy of Hospice of the Panhandle said acknowledging the change in life is an important step in making this holiday season manageable for families.  

‘Hospice is more about living better’ transitional care director says of misunderstood programTribune-Review (Pittsburgh, PA)December 11, 2023... There is an assumption a patient entering hospice care is not expected to live beyond six months, a guideline that is tied to Medicare coverage. But the experience of individual patients can vary widely, as evidenced by [senior living residents] the Pattersons [Robert, 97, and Joyce, 90,] and by former president Jimmy Carter and his late wife, Rosalynn. Like many who elect to receive hospice care, Rosalynn Carter entered the program toward the very end of her life—just days before her death Nov. 19, at 96. But it’s also possible for patients to beat the odds and have hospice care extended. Jimmy Carter was 98 when he entered hospice in February and continues to endure.