Literature Review

Aging population requires ‘bold leadership’ to protect human dignity—LeadingAge to House SpeakerMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 11, 2023The growing population of older adults requires “bold leadership” to ensure aging with dignity, as well as access to care and support, according to an open letter from LeadingAge to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA). The changing demographics and need to support older adults where they live and receive services presents a unique opportunity for Johnson to demonstrate leadership and commitment to “protecting human dignity,” according to the letter from LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan. ... “The US healthcare system is navigating a new and unfamiliar landscape in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency,” Sloan wrote. “Three years of sustained stress and increasing workloads have caused a dramatic shift in staffing patterns and an alarming rise in burnout across health professions.”

Mass. lawmakers approve measure allowing more home health care workers to unionizeWBUR-FM (Boston, MA)December 7, 2023Thousands of home health care workers in Massachusetts are newly eligible to organize and join a union under legislation passed by the state legislature this week. Union officials estimate the change will allow some 4,000 home health care workers to unionize. About 58,000 personal care attendants paid by MassHealth are already unionized and represented by SEIU 1199. 

Nursing home palliative, hospice care provide CNAs new opportunitiesMcKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 7, 2023A lack of end-of-life training may leave certified nurse assistants unprepared to work with patients receiving palliative or hospice care, but nursing homes must do more to cross-train and build their confidence. That was the message this week from Karl Steinberg, MD, CEO of Stone Mountain Medical Associates, and certified nurse aide Telisa Green, who addressed barriers to quality, end-of-life care during a webinar hosted by the National Association of Health Care Assistants. The speakers recognized that education in this care area can be hard to come by for CNAs, who are broadly trained in vitals and other care-taking tasks. “Almost all of the palliative care skills that CNAs learn are on-the-job training,” Steinberg acknowledged. “I absolutely will advocate for increasing the availability of palliative care training for nursing assistants.” ... Both presenters emphasized the importance of prioritizing a patient and their family’s comfort over too much devotion to a formalized care plan, as well as being an advocate for the patient’s well-being—especially in end-of-life and hospice settings.

Insights on Exposing, Resolving Chronic Underfunding of Nursing HomesSkilled Nursing NewsDecember 5, 2023As nursing homes grapple with a tough economic and labor environment—which has forced closures and created access issues—patient and nursing home advocates underscored the emotional toll of care, calling upon the federal and state governments to do more to address new and emerging generational challenges to care. 

Labor challenges slowing nonprofit hospital recovery—FitchModern HealthcareDecember 5, 2023Nonprofit hospitals and health systems are recovering financially but more slowly than expected, according to a report Fitch Ratings published Tuesday. Much of the sector has broken even in operations on a month-to-month basis in 2023, but it happened later in the year and to a lesser extent than analysts anticipated, the credit ratings agency reported. Labor costs, although softening, remain the top pressure point. Fitch is keeping the nonprofit hospital sector in the “deteriorating” category. Downgrades have outpaced upgrades by about 3-to-1 so far in 2023. Negative rating outlooks grew from 8.9% in 2022 to 10.7% this year. ... In 2024, operational success will largely hinge on how well hospitals recruit and retain employees, Fitch concluded.

Hospice Clinician Wages Rising at Slower Rate; Turnover FallingHospice NewsDecember 1, 2023Wages for hospice clinicians continue to go up amid widespread staff shortages, but they grew at a slower rate in 2023 compared to the prior year. The national average hourly rate for Hospice registered nurses rose 4.58% in 2023, down from a 5.95% increase in 2022, according to a new report by the Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service in cooperation with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. Meanwhile, turnover rates declined in 2023, representing the first drop in several years, the report indicated.

Hospice Providers Developing New Strategies for Recruitment, Retention