Literature Review

Taking over affairs for an aging parent in mental decline U.S. News & World Report; by Lisa Esposito and Elaine K. Howley; 12/17/24 ... Taking over affairs for an aging parent is a vast undertaking that must focus on several areas of the individual’s life and health simultaneously. Here is a step-by-step guide to approaching this process:

Mom in hospice opens up after video of her dancing with son at wedding goes viral ABC News - GMA; by Yi-Jin Yu; 12/16/24A New York mom is opening up after a video of her dancing with her son at his wedding went viral. In the clip shared on TikTok, which has already picked up over half a million views since it was posted on Nov. 3, Olivia Armao hugs her son Sal Armao as they share a dance on his wedding day. But as the text overlaid on the video explains, what viewers see isn't your typical mother-son wedding dance. The difference is that Olivia Armao is in hospice care. She told "Good Morning America" she was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time in 2021. Olivia Armao said the special memory with her 30-year-old son was "really sweet" and one she can't put into words. "I was just happy that I was there and I was able to wait to dance with him. ..." the 62-year-old mom of four told "GMA."

Supporting grieving kids during the holiday season: Susan Hamme Cleveland.com, Cleveland, OH; Guest columnist Susan Hamme, director of grief services for Hospice of the Western Reserve ... Childhood grief is tricky no matter the time of year, but the holidays can be a time of especially heightened emotion. The sights and sounds of the season can be triggers for children and adults alike. Combine that with an awareness that things will be very different without your special person, and you have the perfect recipe for emotional meltdowns and miscommunication all around. While it may be impossible to avoid this altogether, there are things you can do to lessen the stress and build in moments of peace and celebration.

Families value flexibility and compassion in end-of-life care for children with cancer Hematology Advisor; by Megan Garlapow, PhD; 12/12/24 Bereaved families of children who died of cancer expressed a strong desire for high-quality end-of-life care that balanced comfort with continued treatment efforts, particularly chemotherapy, according to results from a study published in Cancer. Families did not perceive a conflict between comfort care and the pursuit of chemotherapy, seeking both as integral parts of their child’s final days. Despite variations in race and location, there was no clear preference for home or hospital deaths, ... Instead, decisions surrounding the location of death were often driven by the child’s preferences, medical needs, the impact on other family members, and prior experiences with death. ... Family decision-making was centered on maintaining hope, avoiding harm, and doing what was best for their child and themselves, with religious beliefs playing a significant role.

Watch: ‘Going It Alone’ — A conversation about growing old in AmericaKFF Health News; by Judith Graham; 12/11/24 KFF Health News’ “Navigating Aging” columnist, Judith Graham, spent six months this year talking to older adults who live alone by choice or by circumstance — most commonly, a spouse’s death. They shared their hopes and fears, challenges, and strategies for aging solo. Graham moderated a live event on Dec. 11, hosted by KFF Health News and The John A. Hartford Foundation. She invited five seniors ranging in age from 71 to 102 and from across the country — from Seattle; Chicago; Asheville, North Carolina; New York City; and rural Maine — to talk candidly about the ways they are thriving at this stage of life.

[Wales] Man fulfils dying wish accompanying daughter down aisle BBC Wales News, Wales, United Kingdom; by Jenny Rees; 12/10/24 A terminally ill man was able to fulfil his dying wish to accompany his daughter down the aisle just six days before he died. Wayne Wharton, a 61-year-old father-of-six had terminal cancer but was taken from hospital in Carmarthen to the wedding, 30 miles (48km) away in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He was accompanied by volunteer paramedics, who stayed by his side the whole day, even sitting to eat with guests, before returning Mr. Wharton to hospital. ... "The paramedic pushed dad down the aisle and I held his hand," said bride Jess Lewis, who married her partner Matthew ... "Obviously people cry at weddings because of the emotion, but every single member of the family was there and for a lot of them it was their last time to see him. It was a wedding but also a goodbye."

What adult children should know when discussing their parents’ end-of-life care StudyFinds; by StudyFindsStaff, reviewed by Christ Melore; 12/8/24 Talking about death can be difficult for anyone at any time. For adult children who need to know their parents’ final wishes, it can be excruciating. A new survey is revealing the stark disconnect between our beliefs and actions when it comes to end-of-life planning. While an overwhelming 90% of adults recognize the importance of these critical conversations, half have yet to take the first step with their closest loved ones. ... The numbers tell a revealing story. Twenty-six percent of respondents simply keep putting off the conversation, while 23% admit they don’t know how to approach the topic. Sixteen percent are outright scared to broach the subject, creating a wall of silence around a universal human experience. ... When people do open up, the conversations prove surprisingly rich and multifaceted.

How to support loved ones experiencing cognitive decline while securing their financial well-being Nasdaq, Peronsal Finance; by Deanna Ritchie; 12/6/24 Supporting a loved one with cognitive decline can be one of life’s most challenging challenges. Those with cognitive impairments, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s, often need to be emotionally resilient and make practical adjustments. However, proactive financial planning to secure their well-being is frequently overlooked. The reason? The Wall Street Journal reported that those with undiagnosed memory loss are prone to significant financial declines. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that people without knowledge of their memory problems lost an average of $31,000 in net worth, while people with knowledge lost $5,400. Keeping this in mind, here’s a guide for providing compassionate care while protecting their savings and financial stability. [Click on the title's link for more.]

Holiday joy for children in hospice: Inside the North Pole ‘Fantasy Flight' at Dulles NBC Washington News4; by Joseph Olmo; 12/7/24 Early on Saturday morning, the crowd of almost 100 kids was buzzing with excitement as they waited to board their "North Pole"-bound flight out of Dulles International Airport. Some of the kids wore masks. Others were in wheelchairs, walked with crutches, or had lost their hair. Many are patients with Alexandria nonprofit Children's Hospice International (CHI) -- and all, though they may not know it, were celebrating what could be their last holiday with their families. It's a sobering fact that seems at odds with the joy and enthusiasm aboard the Boeing 777 airplane. But as United Airlines said in the press release, that's exactly the point of the flight. "Come join us as we fly some magic into the lives of children who need it most this holiday season," United said. And magic was provided. Flight attendants and pilots took their job very seriously as they guided passengers to their seats for the flight to NTP: North Pole International, of course. "Did we already write our letters to Santa?" asked one flight attendant, as she walked a family through the tinsel-decorated tunnel to the plane. "Yes," a tiny voice replied. The flight, begun at Dulles 34 years ago in 1990, is an annual event for children battling life-threatening illnesses, and their families. [Click on the title's link to continue reading this story.]

Dallas’ Analog Informatics emerges from stealth to modernize patient engagement in over 150 languages Dallas Innovates, Dallas, TX; by Lance Murray; 12/4/24 AIC aims to "bridge the communication gap" between healthcare providers and patients worldwide by leveraging secure AI and modern communication tools. CEO Philip Lieberman created the platform based on his experiences in caring for his hospitalized mother-in-law during the COVID pandemic. ... Shocked that he knew “more about his Amazon packages” than the state of his loved one, Lieberman vowed to use the experience and resources he’d gained from the previous multinational companies he created “to bring compassionate yet automated continuous communication to every patient and their families.” ... AIC aims to "bridge the communication gap" between healthcare providers and patients worldwide by leveraging secure AI and modern communication tools.  ... AIC said its platform “bridges the communication gap” between healthcare providers and patients, offering continuous automated logistical support in more than 150 languages. 

Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave & Job Protection - Final Legislative Report University of Washington, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance; Lead investigator Heather D. Hill, MPP, PhD, with Tom Lindman, MPP, Diane Rucavado, MPA, and Elizabeth Ford, JD; 12/1/24 This research was funded by ESSB 5187. Additional support for data access and analyses for this research came from the UW Data Collaborative funded by the UW Population Health Initiative, UW’s Student Technology Fee program, the UW’s Provost’s office, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development research infrastructure grant, P2C HD042828 to the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology at the University of Washington. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors.

Softly into the night - An end of life love story Billings Gazette, Billings, MT; by Joseph Scheller; 11/29/24 This is a picture story about life — of joys and sadness, of challenges and struggles and sacrifice. It’s a story about dementia and caregiving. It’s a story about souls and spirit and deepening devotion. Mostly, though, this is a love story. It begins with Wayne Roberts, a big and burley guy with a Harley but as personable and approachable as they come. ... It was simple, really. When he wasn’t at work, he was caring for his wife, Lynne, who had onsets of dementia. When he was at work, he was thinking of her. I wasn’t looking for a story about caregiving but there was a warmth and openness about Wayne and Lynne that tugged me to tell one through my camera. ... [With] their comfort and trust, I became part of their world, in a way, and was able to photograph most anything. They were mostly simple scenes of daily living and caring, some sensitive, some not, and as dementia stole more and more of Lynne’s mind, her world got smaller and Wayne was her only gateway to it. He paved it with tenderness. ... [Click on the title's link to see photos and read this inspirational story.] 

Nurse diagnosed with blood cancer fulfills dying wish to see new ‘Wicked’ movie Fox 13 Tampa Bay, FL: by Jennifer Kveglis; 11/26/24 A Tampa Bay area nurse who was diagnosed with blood cancer had one dying wish – to see the new movie "Wicked" in theaters. With the help of friends and family, that wish was fulfilled on Monday. Misty Steffen is a wife and mother, and she was also HCA Florida South Shore's chief of nursing. "I've loved every day of my life being a nurse," she said. "Twenty-six years that I got to be one and serve and love and decrease anxiety and increase trust and explain." ... [Description of her serious illness trajectory ...] "It's not what I thought would be the end of my story, but I'm at peace knowing whether I live or whether I die," she said. Steffen said she, her daughter and her husband always sang songs from "Wicked" in the car. Together, they've seen the musical on Broadway twice. Her last wish was to see the new movie in theaters. "The next thing I know he's [her husband] rented out the whole room in the theater," she said. HCA Florida Brandon paramedics, where Steffen worked too, as the assistant chief of nursing, transported her in their ambulance at no charge. "He's like we've got people who are going to come take you in an ambulance to ‘Wicked,’" she said. "I just started balling and I go...'what? Why am I so deserving of that?'" Steffen will spend the coming days surrounded by loved ones, many of whom flew in from all over the country. Editor's note: While this story appears to be focused on the movie "Wicked," it's more about relationships, meaning-making, quality of life, and ... her husband rented out the "whole room in the theater"! If you--like I--enjoy this movie weekend, Misty Steffen's story gives a new meaning to giving thanks, creating new memories from old for now and ahead. From Part 2 of Wicked, "... because I knew you, I have been changed for good."