Literature Review

What is a good death? End-of-life doulas can help the dying have one.Boston Globe, by Sherrie Dulworth; 2/9/24... Home hospice agencies offer vital services for terminally ill people who wish to die at home, assisting with, among other things, pain management and helping the terminally ill avoid needless medical procedures. ... But while it is often thought that home hospice workers are the primary caregivers for the dying, this is not so. Instead, it is loved ones who often do the heavy lifting, both physically and emotionally, that comes with tending to the dying. ... This is where a death doula comes in, and the work they do speaks to the nonmedical, more spiritual side of what it means to have a good death.

The Last Portrait: Local photo exhibition captures different takes on dyingUtica Observer Dispatch, by Amy Neff Roth; 2/9/24... The 26 black-and-white photos, taken by local photographer Mark DiOrio, all capture moments in the life of someone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness.  “I wanted to photograph them because they’ve been given news that nobody wants to hear,” DiOrio explained. “They’ve been given the news that it’s going to be their time soon. And when you’re given that kind of news, you have choices to make on how you handle it. I felt that these people, what they had to say and the emotions that they communicated in that moment were invaluable.”

Using patient narratives to evaluate a hospice serviceNursing Times - Patient Experience, by Val Stangoe and Steve Mee; 2/12/24Questionnaire surveys at a hospice proved ineffective as a tool to identify areas for service improvement, but narrative inquiry with patients and their families identified important deficits that offered clear guidance for service development. This method needed a careful, respectful approach, as well as significant time and resources, but proved to be invaluable. Many of the patients enjoyed having an opportunity to tell their stories, while nursing staff could be involved in the project, thereby enhancing their skills and raising their ambitions.

Patient navigator intervention to improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients with serious non-cancer illness a randomized clinical trial JAMA Intern. Med, by Stacy M. Fischer, MD; Sung-Joon Min, PhD; Danielle M. Kline, MS; et al; 2/212/24Importance: Disparities persist across the trajectory of serious illness, including at the end of life. Patient navigation has been shown to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations.Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a lay patient navigator intervention, Apoyo con Cariño, in improving palliative care outcomes among Hispanic patients.

AAHPM Annual Presidential CitationsAAHPM email (no link); 2/7/24American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) announced their three Presidential Citations of 2024 to be presented at Annual Assembly taking place from March 23-25 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Clinicians and caregivers must keep pace with new pacemaker tech available for seniors: studyMcKnight's Senior Living, by Aaron Dorman; 2/6/24As new pacemaker and implantable heart technology becomes available, it has become increasingly important for caregivers to keep track of the different models. A new survey classifies cardiac implantable electronic devices, or CIEDs, according to both their function and where in the heart their components are placed. The various categories also overlap, the study indicates, as CIEDs can be leadless — that is, have no wires connecting heart implants to the battery — and can include defibrillator shock capabilities.Editor's Note: Dying with an defibrillator can be traumatic for the patient and the family if the implanted defibrillator attempts to shock the person back to life, even after the heart has given out. Examine this with your Medical Director, physicians and nurses, and Policies and Procedures.

NHPCO Publishes Culturally Sensitive Communications to Enhance Care Delivery: A resource guide for healthcare professionalsNHPCO Press Release; 1/30/24The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s (NHPCO) Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) published Culturally Sensitive Communications to Enhance Care Delivery: A Resource Guide for Healthcare Professionals. ... It contains information from a multitude of NHPCO resources, such as the Hospice Through The DEI Lens report, Inclusion and Access Toolkit, Black and African American Outreach Guide, Chinese American Resource Guide, Latino Outreach Guide, and LGBTQ+ Resource Guide, as well as information from additional external research sources.

How does care coordination promote senior health & longevity?MediaFeed.org, by Kara Lewis; 2/2/24... Care coordination offers several fundamental benefits to seniors, according to an American Nurses Association report:

Cancer facts & figures 2024American Cancer Society; 2024Cancer Facts & Figures 2024 is an educational companion for Cancer Statistics 2024, a scientific paper published in the American Cancer Society journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. These annual reports provide:

Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services World Health Organization; 2/1/24Ahead of World Cancer Day, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s cancer agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), released the latest estimates of the global burden of cancer.  ... Three major cancer types in 2022: lung, breast and colorectal cancers

Hospices struggle to balance costs, patient needs in medication deprescribingHospice News, by Jim Parker; 1/30/24When deprescribing medications for hospice patients, providers have to navigate a complex web of factors. But according to some clinicians, the prospect of cost savings often takes precedence over clinical outcomes. Medication costs are among hospices’ biggest expenses, and deprescribing some medications deemed “curative” or “unrelated” to the patient’s terminal diagnosis is a standard practice. However, even in the context of providing comfort care at the end of life, many patients do not receive medications that could benefit them, including those for pain management.

Worcester hospital nurses file complaints over 'dangerous conditions' MassLive.com, by Susannah Sudborough; 1/30/24Nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester have filed official complaints with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other state agencies over “dangerous conditions” they say are jeopardizing patient safety, the state’s largest nurse’s union announced Tuesday. The complaints are based on over 500 reports made by nurses over the last six months that detail issues such as staffing deficiencies and poor allocation of technology, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), which represents the nurses, said in a press release.