Literature Review

Patients are everyday heroes The Andalusia Star News, Andalusia, AL; by Vickie C. Waster; 9/2/24 One of my favorite songs is by Mariah Carey. The communication of the chorus speaks to what we in hospice and other areas of healthcare experience every day. This song always invokes empathy in my heart, and I believe many of you can truly resonate with the lyrics, as we share a common experience in our roles in healthcare. ... The heroes we encounter are our patients, families, and their caregivers. They show heroism in their resilience, their ability to find hope in difficult circumstances, and their unwavering support for each other. As hospice professionals, we acknowledge that we are entrusted to provide medical, spiritual, and emotional support to those in our care. We do this with a deep sense of humility and humbleness, always mindful of the respect our heroes deserve.  “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure despite overwhelming obstacles.” Christopher Reeve

Grief Memoir: ‘It was my turn to do everything for her We Are The Mighty; by Jessica Hall; 8/28/24 ... I joined the phone call with the doctor where he told us all the worst news. The cancer was growing everywhere along the spine. ... He told us that it was time for hospice. ... Even though I had been preparing for this for months, I was truly not ready to go from child to caretaker. ... For my entire life, my mom had cared for me. She had been there when I was sick or hurt. She cleaned my house (sometimes to my chagrin). She cooked my favorite meals and she let me take breaks. Now it was my turn to do everything for her. It hit me like a ton of bricks, but I also just knew that I had to do it. We all had to do everything for her to make her final days easy for her. Hospice came by to get everything set up. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading this beautiful, personal story.]Editor's Note: Calling all hospice executive leaders who do not have clinical, direct patient care experience--read this article to grasp common family dynamics, decisions, actions, emotions, and life-changing moments for each patient you serve. Multiply this out for the many family members of each patient you serve. How do your hospice services tune into and support these family members?

Hospice patient publishes first poetry book BBC News, Derby, United Kingdom; by Jude Winter; 8/26/24 A woman receiving end-of-life care has fulfilled an ambition by publishing a book of poems. Sarah Colina started writing the poems more than 40 years ago but never got round to getting her work published despite encouragement from friends and family. The 60-year-old has been receiving care at Ashgate Hospice since being admitted to its Inpatient Unit in Old Brampton, Chesterfield. ... he added staff at the hospice had been "so supportive" and is selling 50 of her books to raise money to support their work. "I’m hoping it will be nicely received and people will enjoy reading my poems", said Ms Colina. She added: "Some of the poems are very dark, but some make you laugh. "I'm hoping it gives people an insight into their inner person." 

Crafting holiday joy for Hernando Pasco Hospice patients Hernando Sun, New Port Richey, FL; by Megan Hussey; 8/26/24 It is the mission of Hernando Pasco Hospice and HPH Hospice Women of Giving to make this coming holiday season a brighter one for all patients served by HPH, and for HPH staff and team members, with the help of beautiful, jubilant holiday cards custom-made for them. It is their goal, in fact, to create at least 1,000 cards for these deserving individuals based in Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties through the Crafty Christmas Campaign. ... “This is our second year for Crafty Christmas,” said Andrea Arflack, Director of Philanthropy Chapters Health Foundation In support of HPH Hospice. “It was created by one of our staff members in the spirit of giving. We made more than 1,000 cards last year for HPH patients and workers and plan to do the same thing this year.”Editor's Note: Now's the time to adapt this easy, meaningful community engagement with your volunteers and community partners. 

Bonners Ferry Class of 1991 celebrates classmate in hospice care Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press, Coeur d'Alene, ID; by Staff Report; 8/26/24 No amount of time or distance can weaken the bonds of true friendship. The Bonners Ferry High School Class of 1991 proved that recently when they gathered at Hospice of North Idaho’s Schneidmiller House for a surprise reunion. Teresa Skeen, 52, is battling terminal cancer, ... buoyed by the support of family and friends who have visited day and night since she was admitted to hospice care at Schneidmiller House. She often spoke fondly of her high school years, reminiscing about the close-knit Bonners Ferry community and the cherished friendships she forged at school. “When we heard about her diagnosis, we knew we had to do something special for her, something that would remind her of how much she means to us,” said Laura, a friend and classmate. ... Unbeknownst to Skeen, her classmates worked with Schneidmiller House staff to plan a special celebration. ...

TN church helps pay off $8M in medical debt WKRN.com, Johnson City, TN; by Kenzie Hagood and Jayonna Scurry; 8/22/24 A Tennessee church paid off around $8 million in community members’ medical debt in partnership with a national program. The Altar Fellowship Church is changing many lives across the Tri-Cities by helping people relieve medical debt. ... Senior Pastor Mattie Montgomery cast the vision to his church years after losing his father. “The story meant so much like to our senior pastor, Pastor Matty, because [he lost] his father to cancer at the young age of eight,” Morrison [another pastor] said. “And while he was on hospice care at home, a businessman from their town bought Christmas gifts for their entire family. And so that was an inspiration for him ..." The church raised about $50,000 in one day, unknowingly helping to pay off the debts of some of its own congregation.

Project Linus brings comfort to children in need through handmade blankets and quilts Concho Valley, College Station, TX; by Zoria Goodley; 8/21/24 Project Linus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing handmade blankets and quilts to children facing serious illness, trauma or other needs, continues its impactful mission across the United States. There are 17 chapters in the state of Texas alone. Patricia Perry, the Brazos Valley Chapter Coordinator, highlights the broad spectrum of needs the organization addresses.

Virtual reality tech takes hospice patients to faraway places Yuma Sun; by Alex Ebrahimi; 8/18/24 Hospice patients take trips to those faraway places they never got to visit or simply see the faces of family again no matter where in the world they are. These "trips" are made possible with the use of free virtual reality headsets offered by Southwestern Palliative Care and Hospice. The first patient to wear the VR headset had worked all his life out in San Diego as a crane operator. The paychecks didn't go beyond the roof over his family's head. Now he's able to see some of the places he never got to see in real life.Editor's Note: To read more examples, click on the title's link.

Becoming time rich with physician moms: Sarah Wittry and Nicole Perrotte MarketScale - Ripple of Change; by Todd Otten; 7/30/24 In today’s high-stress healthcare environment, physician mothers face the formidable challenge of balancing demanding careers with their personal lives. The conversation on work-life balance is more relevant than ever, with more women in medicine seeking ways to manage these dual responsibilities effectively. How can physician moms navigate this landscape to reclaim time for themselves without guilt? What strategies can physician moms employ to achieve a healthier work-life balance? This pressing question lies at the heart of today’s discussion on the Ripple of Change podcast. ... Key points of discussion:

Video: Former MLB pitcher placed on hospice throws one last pitch at grandson's game Fox23 News, Tulsa, OK; 7/26/24 A former major league baseball pitcher, who was placed on hospice, threw one last pitch at his grandson's game in Owasso on Thursday. ... [Click on the title's link for this inspiring video.]

Edinburgh 2024: "One Sugar, Stirred to the Left" guest blog BroadwayWorld, UK; by Jon Lawrence / Kat Mokrynski; 7/27/24 Jon Lawrence guest blogs for BroadwayWorld about bringing One Sugar, Stirred to the Left to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. ... "The play is set in a hospice like the one my father was in before he passed away. I wanted to change people’s ideas of what a hospice is. For me, I learned more about life and love in the hospice than I did about death, such was the kindness and compassion of those who worked there. But I also wanted the show to ask people to think about different approaches to death, such as those from other cultures." ... "Hopefully, you’ll find the same truth in humanity that I saw in the eyes of the nurses and doctors who cared for my father during his last days; Hopefully, you’ll find a little of the love I have for my mother and father in the lines. Most of all, I hope you see a little of yourself in all of the characters in the play. If you do, then it will have all been worth it." 

I though my love for climbing died with my husband. I was wrong. Climbing; by Olivia Jordan Cornelius; 7/18/24 What do you do with someone’s climbing shoes when they die? I hadn’t thought about it. After all, my husband, Cam, was 34 and still should have had many years of climbing ahead of him. ... On the shoe rack, they sat as a reminder of the future I had imagined we’d have. Too intimate to give away and too painful to keep, I wrapped them in newspaper and put them in the garbage outside. Then I came back to our apartment and hid my pair in the hallway cupboard. ... Our once-adventurous life together ended in a stuffy hospice room. ... [Click on the title's link for this powerful story of navigating young widowhood.]

‘I never thought I’d live to see it’: Veterans honored at WTRC’s Hospice of the Big Country thank you dinnerKTAB/KRBC Abilene, TX; by Noah McKinney; 7/19/24 Fellowship and reverence filled the West Texas Rehab’s Hospice of the Big Country boardroom Thursday evening. The organization opened its doors once more to local Veterans for its annual ‘We Honor Veterans’ thank-you dinner. ... Veterans of every branch spanning the decades showed up to sit with each other and break bread. The evening started with the Dyess Honor Guard presenting the flag and the singing of the national anthem. Following that, a POW/MIA or “Missing Man table” was set as a tribute to those who never returned. The attendees were then served dinner, and lively conversations filled the room. Notable Mention: Angie Lane, Director of Hospice Services, Hospice of the Big Country