Literature Review

Reflection on the Potomac River Crash Hospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger, Editor in Chief; 1/30/25We are absorbing the heartbreaking news about Wednesday night’s tragic plane and helicopter crash over the Potomac River. Like many of you, I’m flooded with memories of flying into this same airport--delighting in the beautiful river and DC’s historic sites, the diversity among fellow travelers, and the city's adventures ahead. Many of these Washington DC trips were to be with our hospice and palliative colleagues at the NHPCO Conferences (now The Alliance). Today, I’m grateful for our many safe journeys and the rich connections we made in meetings, meals, spontaneous greetings, and our shared purpose. And, these current Potomac River tragic deaths can stir currents of our own traumatic losses. For me, I remember the pains of a beloved family in my childhood’s home church, whose adult son was killed in the January 1982 Potomac River plane crash. I easily feel the loss of my grandfather from when he was killed by a drunk driver. What are these for you? What truths do we glean from our hospice work? As news unfolds, may we treasure anew the unknown measures of our time on this earth. May we cherish our connections and treat each other with respect across our differences. May we, in our work and in our lives, sensitively tune into the often silent, life-altering traumas carried by others. May we learn, live, and give. Humbly, Joy

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:]

Owners of McHenry Village restaurant have partnered with nonprofit [hospice] to open Modesto cafe The Modesto Bee, Modesto, CA; by Dominique Williams; 2/3/25 ... Cafe Verona opened to the public Monday inside Community Hospice & Health Services, a Modesto nonprofit. It is operated by executive chef Jaime Alderete and his wife, Edwarda, owners of Verona Cucina Italiana in McHenry Village and Verona18 in Copperopolis. ... The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch. Its business hours are weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Editor's note: Click here and scroll down to view Community Hospice & Health Services' use of this partnership to host "Coffee & Conversations With Community Hospice & Health Services."  Consider the ease and effective cost-management of providing hospice employees and volunteers with this accessible food service.

Grief and bereavement books for kids and teens Evermore; list developed in collaboration with Dr. Donna Gaffney; 2/1/25... How can a young person grasp the enormity, meaning, and consequences of an occurrence that brought death, injury, or harm into their life? ... Because books can be such a powerful balm during a time of grief, here’s our list of favorite books for kids and teens that explore the difficult experiences of death, grief, loss, and bereavement. [Click here for the full article with book descriptions, photos, and links.]

Follow-up: Helene and hospice care in the western North Carolina mountains Hospice & Palliative Care Today; summary from a meeting between Vern Grindstaff (CEO, Compassionate Care Western North Carolina), Chris Comeaux and Tina Gentry (Teleios Collaborative Network), Cordt Kassner and Joy Berger (this newsletter); 1/28/25 Hospice recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina's mountains have been massive, with extensive long-term needs ahead. Vern Grindstaff, CEO of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina described the "new normal" they are experiencing.  Photos of this hospice and its service area vividly portrayed this hospice before, soon after Helene, and in its current recovery. Key topics included unthinkable patient care challenges with creative problem-solving, financial implications amounting to a $350,000 deficit for repairs, and the trauma experienced by staff—both professionally and personally. Discussions highlighted the importance of long-term recovery strategies, including the involvement of larger trusts for sustained funding, while also recognizing community support efforts by organizations like the Cajun Navy and Samaritan's Purse. Additionally, Chris Comeaux is presenting to hospice organizations about Emergency Disaster Management, equipping leaders to learn from this tragedy. Editor's note: Click here for a map of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina's service area (CCWNC). Click here to donate to their ongoing recovery. We thank our readers for your previous support to this and other hospices affected by emergency disasters. Additional resources:

Top news stories of the month January 2025 Teleios Collaborative Network; Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 2/5/25 In this episode of TCN Talks, Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner, PhD, publisher of Hospice & Palliative Care Today and CEO and Founder of Hospice Analytics, begin a new format for the “Top News Stories of the Month.” ... Chris and Cordt explore key trends in Hospice news, challenges in reimbursement, competition, workforce issues, and the impact of technology on the field.  They also touch on demographic trends, regulatory issues, and predictions for the future of Hospice Care. Their dialogue highlights the challenge of filtering vast information and the excellent service provided to Hospice and Palliative Care leaders.  This podcast and Hospice & Palliative Care Today are for the leaders in the Hospice and Palliative Care field.

Man pleads guilty in connection with $17m Medicare hospice fraud and home health care fraud schemes Office of Public Affairs - U.S. Department of Justice; Press Release; 2/3/25A California man pleaded guilty today to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $17 million through sham hospice companies and his home health care company. According to court documents, Petros Fichidzhyan, 43, of Granada Hills, engaged in a scheme with others to operate a series of sham hospice companies. Fichidzhyan, along with co-schemers, impersonated the identities of foreign nationals to use as the purported owners of the hospices — including using the identities to open bank accounts and sign property leases — and submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and not provided. In submitting the false claims, Fichidzhyan and his co-schemers also misappropriated the identifying information of doctors ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Best small footprint design of 2024: PACE Center with homelike charm Senior Housing News; by Andrew Christman; 1/27/25 Healthcare and social connections blend seamlessly in a new Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) location in Winchester, Virginia. The organization behind the project, Blue Ridge, was inspired by the “community village” concept in its new concept, which is a PACE center that conjures a more homelike than clinical atmosphere. The program resides within a compact footprint of 15,540 square feet, according to SueAnn Myers, executive director and project lead for Blue Ridge Independence at Home. Prioritizing accessibility and ease of movement, the location features wide hallways, ramps and “thoughtfully placed” handrails. Recessed carpets reduce issues for visitors with wheelchairs and the building features a warm contemporary aesthetic that draws inspiration from the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Blue Ridge Independence at Home’s PACE center design in a small package snagged it the top spot in the small footprint category of the 2024 Senior Housing News Architecture and Design Awards.

Healthcare under siege: Defending hospitals from ransomware threats Cylera; by Maureen Sahualla; 1/22/25 Hospitals today are very concerned about ransomware attacks - and rightly so. A recent research report from Comparitech, Ransomware Roundup: 2024 End-of-Year Report (published on January 9th, 2025) found:

[Sweden] The process of pain assessment in people with dementia living in nursing homes: A scoping reviewPalliative Care and Social Practice; Caroline Kreppen Overen, Maria Larsson, Adelheid Hummelvoll Hillestad, Ingela Karlsson, Siren Eriksen; 1/25Studies have documented a pain prevalence in people with dementia living in nursing homes of 35%–43%, but a possible prevalence of 60%–80%. Self-reported information is the most appropriate when assessing pain, as symptom experience is subjective and highly personal. However, for people with dementia living in nursing homes, self-reporting represents a challenge due to cognitive impairment, including difficulties with language and communication. People with dementia might express pain with different behavioural expressions or signs, such as agitation, apathy, restlessness or wandering. Numerous observational assessment tools targeting pain in people with dementia have been developed and evaluated and systematic use of standardized observational tools has been recommended.

Medical professionals’ perceptions of and experiences with terminally ill Orthodox Jewish patientsAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Moshe C. Ornstein, David Harris; 1/25Orthodox Jewish patients with terminal illnesses have unique goals and desires, often driven by halakha (Jewish law and ethics) and cultural norms. Compared to the general population, Orthodox Jewish patients with terminal illnesses are more likely to request aggressive measures at end-of-life and are less likely to have completed advanced directives and health care power of attorney documentation. They also do not always have a rabbinic authority involved in decision-making. Health care professionals highlighted strong religious and community support as positive elements of caring for this population and recommend that medical teams establish early and direct communication with rabbinic authorities for those patients for whom a rabbi’s involvement is desired.

Stillwater Hospice CFO: A winning recipe for improving rural hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/23/25 Montana-headquartered Stillwater Hospice has found a successful rhythm to strategic rural-based growth and sustainability. The strategy hinges on building culture, staffing resources and a reputation for quality, according to CFO and Co-founder Chris Graham. Launched in 2017, the hospice company serves predominantly rural-based populations in Montana, northern Wyoming and South Dakota. ... What are the most significant concerns among rural-based hospice providers currently? How have the challenges of rural care delivery evolved in recent years? "Staffing is very hard. You’ve got to find staff who are willing and like to travel because they have a lot of windshield time. It’s also the logistics of remote care. We have patients that live 75 miles or more outside of a town, then once you get there it’s another 20 miles on a dirt road that could be covered in snow and ice. ..." [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Jan. 27, 2025, International Holocaust Remembrance Day [click here for link 1]--paired with--A little-known story about a Jewish refugee and Cicely Saunders [click here for link 2]Compilation by Joy Berger, editor; for 1/27/25Do you know? Today's modern hospice movement was born out of the terminal illness of a Polish, Jewish ghetto refugee and his lasting influence on the young Cicely Saunders. Upon his death in 1948, he left money for her to create a new place for peaceful dying. She opened St. Christopher's Hospice in 1967.