Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Clinical News | Caregivers - Caregiving.”
How to help caregivers of patients with dementia
02/14/25 at 03:00 AMHow to help caregivers of patients with dementia Physician's Weekly; by Linda Girgis, MD, FAAP; 2/13/25 Dr. Linda Girgis discusses how physicians can assist caregivers of patients with dementia, helping these critical caretakers avoid experiencing burnout. ... As doctors, we all have witnessed caregiver burnout. Often, it was a family member who bore the brunt of the responsibility, one for whom there were no vacation days or sick time available. Whatever specialty we practice, we know patients with dementia can present a significant problem. ... How can we assist caregivers of patients with dementia?
Aging for Amateurs: Valentine's Day brings out the poetry of aging in love
02/14/25 at 03:00 AMAging for Amateurs: Valentine's Day brings out the poetry of aging in love The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC ; by Bert Keller; 2/10/2 The week of Valentine’s Day breathes love. Many elders have lived through love’s changing seasons consciously, experiencing what an alive, evolving, hazardous and soul-satisfying thing love is. ... In every long love, the emotional part undergoes a change as the stages of life are lived through. Marriage begins like a bonfire that melts and merges us: our togetherness wants no separation. Then it eases into a practical fire for cooking meals and washing dishes — those years of getting up with the baby, balancing the books, taking out the garbage. ... And then in old age ... love is less a feeling alongside other feelings, and more a shared sense of being with the other. My wife calls it “with-ness.” ... What was transactional in an earlier stage has become grace. After retirement I volunteered to do chaplaincy with a local hospice. I recall a moment sitting at the bedside of a 93-year-old man whose memory was erased by Alzheimer’s disease. He was now dying ... His wife, who also had Alzheimer’s and was no longer capable of much conversation, sat in a wheelchair by his bed and held his hand. She kept repeating to me, tears flowing, “We’ve been married for 73 years, you know.” It was a kind of mantra. How could I know what it’s like to be at the deathbed of a partner with whom you’ve intimately shared 73 years of life? All the stories, all the peaks and valleys, of such a lifetime? ... Editor's note: May we listen and learn.
Father of 3 stages 'Grief Photo Shoot' to remember wife who died of cancer (exclusive)
02/14/25 at 02:00 AMFather of 3 stages 'Grief Photo Shoot' to remember wife who died of cancer (exclusive): CJ Infantino and his late wife Ariana were high school sweethearts People; by Jordan Greene; 2/13/25 There are many moments forever etched in CJ Infantino’s memory, but one stands out above the rest. It was Sept. 5, 2020, when CJ and his wife, Ariana, sat their three kids down at the kitchen table in their California home and told them that Ariana, 35, was going to die. ... Ariana was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2015 — coincidentally, on CJ’s 30th birthday. "We spent the next five-and-a-half years trying to live as much life as we could. We wanted to pack 30 years into 10," CJ says. ... After her last breath, he recalls that everyone "just went silent." ... Right away, the father of three felt isolated, as if no one could relate to his experience. He found that the things people said were often unhelpful and, at times, unintentionally harmful. ... "I really just wanted to show my kids that, even though she’s not physically here, it’s okay to talk about her. We’re still allowed to laugh, even when we’re in so much pain," he says. "I remember the first moment I laughed or felt a hint of joy, and I thought, 'Are we allowed to do this?' " ... [Click on the title's link for the inspirational story and family photos before and after Ariana's death.]
As I held my dying daughter’s hand, what did I feel? Immense pride in a young woman who – despite a lifetime of complex special needs – taught us that perfection comes in many different guises
02/11/25 at 03:15 AMAs I held my dying daughter’s hand, what did I feel? Immense pride in a young woman who – despite a lifetime of complex special needs – taught us that perfection comes in many different guises Express Digest - DailyMail.co.uk; 2/7/25 As I held my dying daughter's hand, what did I feel? Immense pride in a young woman who – despite a lifetime of complex special needs – taught us that perfection comes in many different guises. ... There is no doubt that without her, our own lives might have been easier and much less of an emotional roller-coaster – yet they would also have been so much poorer. For she introduced us to the richness of worlds and wonderful people that we might never have encountered without her. ... Iona showed that life was for living, despite her disabilities and health struggles. She fuelled my compassion, smoothed my sharper edges and gave me courage ...
'We’re seeing these struggles.' Rainbow works to support end-of-life caregivers
02/11/25 at 03:00 AM'We’re seeing these struggles.' Rainbow works to support end-of-life caregivers Daily Jefferson County Union, Jefferson, WI; by Hannah Brock; 2/10/25 Rainbow Community Care is facing a growing need in Dodge and Jefferson counties: the overwhelming burden placed on caregivers, both family members and healthcare workers, as they navigate end-of-life care. “There’s this need in the community to support caregivers, where whoever they are,” said Carol Brown, president and CEO of Rainbow Community Care. The backbone of the healthcare system isn’t just hospitals or insurance plans—it’s the unpaid, often invisible labor of family caregivers. ... The newest initiative, the respite care program, is being designed to give caregivers much-needed breaks. Many family caregivers go months—or even years—without a full night’s rest, a doctor’s visit for themselves, or even an afternoon off, according to Rainbow Community Care. To help address this, Rainbow Community Care secured the necessary funding for the program.
What we talk about, or not, when talking about death
02/11/25 at 03:00 AMWhat we talk about, or not, when talking about death Enumclaw Courier-Herald; by Wire Service; 2/9/25 Death is a guarantee for everyone, so why do people shy away from talking about it and using words like death and dying? ... As a death doula and grief coach, Kathleen Putnam hopes that providing care to those who are grieving can help change the language surrounding death. ... Putnam explains that in present society, people want to avoid grief and pain. With medical advancements and industries and marketing systems focusing on keeping people alive, the rhetoric surrounding dying has become negative. Putnam also pointed out that instead of using phrases like “they died” or “they’re dying,” other phrases like “pass away” and “they went to sleep” have become popular when talking about a loss.
Family caregivers who support older relatives are on the rise due to aging-in-place preferences
02/07/25 at 03:00 AMFamily caregivers who support older relatives are on the rise due to aging-in-place preferences HousingWire; by Chris Clow; 2/5/25 The number of family caregivers who support older relatives in either home-based or residential care settings increased by 32% between 2011 and 2022 ... Researchers also say this could be partially tied to rising preferences for aging in place. This is according to a joint study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. Additional support came from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The raw number increase went from 18.2 million in 2011 to 24.1 million in 2022. The study also found that the number of care hours provided by family and other unpaid caregivers increased by 50% during that time. The average number of weekly hours for such care stood at 21.4 in 2011, but it jumped to 31 in 2022, nine hours short of what is widely considered a full-time weekly work schedule.
New report details financial, emotional toll of Parkinson’s on family caregivers
02/07/25 at 03:00 AMNew report details financial, emotional toll of Parkinson’s on family caregivers McKnights Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 2/4/25 A new report sheds a light on the unique challenges faced by family caregivers who care for loved ones with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The report, Parkinson’s Disease Caregiving in the US, features insights from secondary analysis and supplementary interviews with 10 PD caregivers. These caregivers average 31 hours of unpaid care per week; half of interviewed caregivers exceed 100 hours each week, according to the report. The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), with support from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) and Arcadia University, released the report.
No one should die alone. A Cape Fear Valley initiative aims to make that true for patients
02/06/25 at 03:00 AMNo one should die alone. A Cape Fear Valley initiative aims to make that true for patients The Fayetteville Observer, Fayetteville, NC; by Lizmary Evans; 2/5/25 No one should take their last breath alone, and the mission of a new volunteer group at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center will make sure that doesn't happen. The No One Dies Alone program, an internationally recognized initiative that began in 2001 at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon, provides trained companions to sit with dying patients who do not have loved ones available during their final moments, according to a news release. ... "Sitting at the bedside of another human being, keeping awake and alert — it’s a vigil," [Mary Draughn, the hospice patient care manager at Valley Hospice House in Fayetteville] said last week. "This vigil provides comfort, meaning, resolution and peace to both the dying person and the companion."
How to prepare children for hardships and tragedies
02/06/25 at 03:00 AMGarlock: How to prepare children for hardships and tragedies The Citizen; by Dr. Victor Garlock; 2/4/25 All of us must face hardships and tragedies. How well we are able to get through difficult times is a major factor affecting the overall quality of our lives. Sometimes these challenges arrive individually, as in a sudden serious illness, an accident, or the death of a loved one. Sometimes — as in last fall’s devastating floods in North Carolina or the recent wildfires in Southern California — entire communities must find a way to move forward. ... Resilience is the capacity to recover from challenges and adversity. Tragic optimism is the determination to remain optimistic and find meaning and purpose in the face of tragedy. [With children:]
Advice on navigating complex caregiving
02/05/25 at 03:00 AMAdvice on navigating complex caregiving Philadelphia Corporation for Aging; by Jay Nachman; 2/3/25 The biggest challenge for someone taking care of a parent or loved one is “accepting your loved one for who they are now. Not who you knew them to be,” said Dr. Kiplee Bell, an internal medicine physician who has created a practice focused on caregiving. ... It’s not uncommon, according to Bell, for minority community members to live in multi-generational households. Additionally, in some homes, grandparents are raising grandchildren. Then there is the flipside, where young children are helping to take care of their older family members. And when English is not a native tongue, language barriers can preclude an adequate understanding of how to navigate the social service and health care systems. ...
Shameless star Justin Chatwin had a pivotal Law & Order role in a heartbreaking episode
02/04/25 at 03:10 AMShameless star Justin Chatwin had a pivotal Law & Order role in a heartbreaking episode NBC; by Jill Sederstrom; 1/30/25 Attorney Nolan Price found himself at odds with his brother, played by Chatwin, as the siblings were forced to make a painful decision. ... Justin Chatwin — who rose to fame on the hit comedy-drama series Shameless — took on the role of Thomas Price, the brother of Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price, in “The Hardest Thing" episode, which premiered on January 30, 2025. The siblings disagreed about how to handle their father’s failing health. ... The brothers had to decide whether they wanted to put in a feeding tube, which could prolong their dad’s life by a few months, or “manage his pain levels” to “make his passing as comfortable as possible," a doctor explained.
Behind the scenes: Caring for the caregivers
01/31/25 at 03:00 AMBehind the scenes: Caring for the caregivers Harvard Magazine; by Lydialyel Gibson; 1/30/25 When I was in seventh grade, my best friend’s father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. He was in his late 50s. ... My sharpest memories from that time are of my friend’s shock and grief as her father deteriorated, and of her mother’s incredible stamina. ... That was more than 30 years ago. ... [When] I heard about the work of Christine Ritchie, a geriatrician and palliative care physician who studies the caregiver experience, I knew I wanted to talk to her. Ritchie directs the Dementia Care Collaborative at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and teaches at Harvard Medical School, and has been doing this research for decades. ... The caregivers are the heart of this story. Across the country there are more than 11 million other people like them, who continue to fill these difficult, precious, necessary roles. [Click on the title's link to continue reading this important article.]
The Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care, 2nd edition
01/31/25 at 03:00 AMThe Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care, 2nd edition Review in Ageing & Society, published online by Cambridge University Press; book authored by Kimberly D. Acquavia, review authored by Luis Stoisser; 1/23/25 The Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care is a comprehensive guide to providing inclusive palliative and hospice care to everyone, regardless of their self-identification. Following the author's belief that LGBTQIA+ hospice and palliative care requires change at three levels - individual, institutional and systemic - the book extends state-of-the-art palliative and hospice practices (US focused) by including LGBTQIA+ perspectives. Such a rethinking educates hospice and palliative care practitioners on how to provide person-centered care, how to be self-reflexive on a daily basis and how to handle their own stereotypes and stigmas. [This book is available via Columbia University Press and Amazon.]
Caring for a dying spouse at the end of life
01/28/25 at 03:00 AMCaring for a dying spouse at the end of life
Concurrent Care Collaborative a safety net for pediatric patients
01/28/25 at 03:00 AMConcurrent Care Collaborative a safety net for pediatric patients Noozhawk, Santa Barbara, CA; by Easter Moorman; 1/26/25 Partners for Kids has initiated Santa Barbara County’s first Pediatric Concurrent Care Collaborative designed to offer comprehensive, compassionate, and coordinated care to seriously ill children from birth to 21 years of age. Spearheaded by Kieran Shah, president/CEO of VNA Health, and Rebecca Simonitsch, Quality Initiatives Program manager for Cottage Health, nine local organizations have joined to create a safety net for pediatric patients and their families to help them receive care close to home. The groups are: CenCal Health, Central Coast Home Health & Hospice, Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Dignity Health, Hearts Aligned, Herencia Indígena, Hospice of Santa Barbara, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, and VNA Health.
Hospice of Savannah awarded grant for safety improvements
01/28/25 at 03:00 AMHospice of Savannah awarded grant for safety improvements NBC WSAV Savannah News, Savannah, GA; by Eric Dorsch; 1/27/25 Hospice of Savannah Inc. (HSI) has announced it has been awarded a grant for repairs and home modifications. HSI will receive $1,999,111 in Older Adults Home Modification Program grant funding to complete safety and functional home modifications and limited repairs in the primary residences of two hundred eligible homeowners and renters over age 62 with low income. The work aims to improve general safety, increase accessibility, reduce falls, and improve residents’ functional abilities in the home for their safe and successful aging in place.
Children’s book written by Manheim Township mother finally published 3 years after she died of cancer [video]
01/28/25 at 02:00 AMChildren’s book written by Manheim Township mother finally published 3 years after she died of cancer [video] LNP Lancaster Online, Lancaster, PA; by John Walk; 1/27/25 As she battled a rare sarcoma cancer over the last two years of her life, Manheim Township resident Ginny McCreary struggled to find a children’s book she could read to her two young daughters to help them better understand what she was going through. So McCreary wrote the book herself, sometimes on a smartphone while laying in bed late at night, ... McCreary died Aug. 15, 2021. She was 34. She left behind a self-published manuscript of the children’s book that sat idle for about two years but was not forgotten. ... The book has also made its way inside four Hospice & Community Care locations in Lancaster as well as Penn Medicine’s Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in East Hempfield Township. [Video with Ginny's mother] "I'd love to get it to some cancer centers and hospice centers ..." [Click on the title's link for more information.]
Abigail E. Keller Foundation's Teddy bear drive brings Valentine's cheer to young patients
01/27/25 at 03:00 AMAbigail E. Keller Foundation's Teddy bear drive brings Valentine's cheer to young patients CBS Austin, TX; by We Are Austin; 1/23/25 Valentine's Day is getting a little sweeter for children spending the holiday in the hospital, thanks to the Abigail E. Keller Foundation's annual teddy bear drive. Now in its sixth year, the initiative aims to spread love and comfort through cuddly companions. Melissa Keller, co-founder and president of the foundation, said the drive [describes,] "Abby passed away in February of 2019, ... Abby was full of life and joy, and she brought so much life and joy to everyone that she met. We decided on that first anniversary, we were going to collect teddy bears and take them to the hospital. And we did." ... Keller says "We support medically fragile children and their families throughout their journey and at end of life, we, support our foundation, supports them in, a couple of ways. We we help them through financial assistance. We do care baskets for families going into hospice. We do birthday boxes for children in hospice."
Dying at home: A family guide for caregiving
01/25/25 at 03:10 AMDying at home: A family guide for caregivingJohn Hopkins University Press; by Andrea Sankar with CM Cassady; 2/24A comprehensive guide for those caring for a loved one nearing the end of life. Many people seek the comfort and dignity of dying at home. Advances in pharmacology and hospice care allow the dying to remain at home relatively free of pain and symptoms, but navigating professional services, insurance coverage, and family dynamics often compounds the complexity of this process. Extensively updated and revised, this third edition of Andrea Sankar's Dying at Home: A Family Guide for Caregiving provides essential information that caregivers and dying persons need to navigate this journey.
Transforming care: Spencer Health Solutions and Pharmerica partner to simplify medication management and improve lives
01/23/25 at 03:00 AMTransforming care: Spencer Health Solutions and Pharmerica partner to simplify medication management and improve lives The MarCom Journal, Morrisville, NC; by Leigh White, PharMerica and Daphne Earley, Spencer Health Solutions; 1/21/25In a move set to redefine how medication is managed, Spencer Health Solutions (SHS), a leader in innovative healthcare technology, and PharMerica, one of the nation’s largest and most trusted long-term care pharmacy services provider, are joining forces. This transformative partnership aims to make managing medications easier and more reliable for individuals with complex medication needs, senior living communities, and payers nationwide. ... Spencer Health Solutions (SHS) is dedicated to transforming medication management through innovative healthcare technology. ... PharMerica ... serves the long-term care, senior living, hospital, home infusion, hospice, behavioral, specialty and oncology pharmacy markets.
Free Death Cafés provide a venue for difficult conversations
01/22/25 at 03:00 AMFree Death Cafés provide a venue for difficult conversations The Northern Virginia Daily. Stephens City, VA; by Brian Brehm; 1/20/25... Blue Ridge Hospice, in partnership with Bowman Library, wants to spark the death-related conversations that many people want to have but are comfortable initiating. Starting this month, the two organizations will be hosting a Death Café on the fourth Thursday of every other month. ... According to a media release from Blue Ridge Hospice, “Death Café is not a grief support group or a counseling session, but rather a casual and welcoming space for people to reflect on death-related topics, with the aim of helping us live life more fully. Whether you’re curious, thoughtful or seeking meaningful conversation, come as you are and engage in this judgment-free, agenda-free discussion.”
DeKalb library to host memorial pillow workshops Jan. 25
01/21/25 at 03:00 AMDeKalb library to host memorial pillow workshops Jan. 25 Shaw Local News Network, Dekalb, IL; by Kate Santillan; 1/19/25 The DeKalb Public Library will partner with Northern Illinois Hospice to host two workshop sessions for patrons to create pillows out of a loved one’s shirt. ... Participants can create up to two pillows out of a T-shirt or button-down shirt. Seamsters will be available to assist. Attendees should not bring jackets, thick fabrics or denim. Bereavement support and information will be provided.Editor's note: Do you know that healing grief actually begins with "accepting realities" and its later, ongoing "Task of Mourning" is to develop "enduring connections" or "continuing bonds" with the person or thing that has been lost? [J. William Worden, Grief Counseling & Grief Therapy; 5 editions since 1982] Similar memorials have been created by other hospices using the deceased person's clothing (ie., teddy bears, etc.). This simple, practical method can be adapted easily, with years of meaningful connection and generations of storytelling ahead.
New data reveals the hidden costs of workplace violence in healthcare
01/21/25 at 03:00 AMNew data reveals the hidden costs of workplace violence in healthcare Perceptyx; by Ellen Lovell, PhD and Stephanie Schloemer, PhD; 1/17/25 Workplace violence has become an impossible-to-ignore crisis in healthcare, threatening the safety of medical professionals, patients, and institutions. The severity and frequency of these incidents have reached alarming levels, demanding immediate attention and action. ... The human cost is staggering. ... While our research confirms the widespread nature of safety concerns in healthcare, a deeper analysis reveals significant variations across different healthcare environments and roles. This granular view helps us understand where intervention is most urgently needed. Editor's note: Although "hospice settings reported the lowest agreement at 54%," this statistic should be considered too high for comfort. Actions need to be taken to reduce it. From your professional leadership role, examine the importance of protecting hospice professionals' safety--typically in home settings--and through moments such vulnerable, emotional, conflicted times within families. What can your agency improve?
Sovereign Hospice empowering young adults to understand hospice
01/21/25 at 03:00 AMSovereign Hospice empowering young adults to understand hospice Fox-40; Press Release by Sovereing Hospice; 1/20/25 Sovereign Hospice ... in Aubrey, Texas, is shedding light on the essential role young adults play in understanding and supporting hospice and palliative care services. Through their latest blog, “Spreading Insight: What Young Adults Should Know About Hospice & Palliative Care,” the organization aims to debunk myths, explain key differences between hospice and palliative care, and emphasize why early awareness is critical for families navigating complex health journeys. Many young adults assume caregiving responsibilities earlier than expected, often balancing personal and professional commitments. Studies show that nearly 1 in 4 adults aged 18–34 provide care for a loved one, underscoring the need for awareness about hospice and palliative care.