Literature Review

What It’s Like Watching My Friends Die in PrisonBy Martez JohnsonVeraDecember 7, 2023I work in hospice at a maximum-security prison. The question I get the most is, “How can you do that?” Honestly, it’s not easy. We are literally sitting with death. Hospice is a program that we sign up for, where we sit with another prisoner while he dies. That’s not all we do; there’s far more to it than that. But for now, that’s what I’ll say. When someone who is sick and has signed a “do not resuscitate” order gets to the point of no return, they call us in. I or one of my comrades sit with them while they die. When I started hospice, I didn’t really know what it meant. I understood how to do the job itself, but I didn’t really understand its gravity in full. The toll it takes on you. How mental it is. How much love it takes. How much forgiveness you have to give to the man who’s dying in front of you, even when it’s not yours to give. How much it makes you want forgiveness for your past actions. I go into each room knowing that death is on the other side of that door. By the time I show up, there’s no more hope. Can you imagine being in prison without any hope? I don’t think it’s right for any human to die in prison, but I’ve seen it so many times. I walk with death. I sit with death. ... So, to answer that question I get most: I do this because my friends need me to.[Editor’s Note: an advocate for prison reform, a writer, a hospice volunteer, and a mentor.]

New Jersey Passes Community-Based Palliative Care Medicaid BillPalliative Care NewsDecember 8, 2023A New Jersey state bill recently passed that establishes community-based palliative care benefits under Medicaid. The new legislation includes coverage for specialized medical care, emotional and spiritual support, as well as pain and symptom relief for Medicaid beneficiaries with advanced illnesses, including both adult and pediatric populations.

Why health systems are dropping their IT teamsModern HealthcareDecember 7, 2023The digital transformation is underway at health systems but it increasingly doesn’t involve in-house IT departments. Health systems are transitioning their analytics and tech employees to managed service companies as they look to scale virtual care, artificial intelligence and analytics initiatives. By moving the work out-of-house and the employees with it, a process called rebadging, health systems struggling with razor-thin margins say they can deploy IT projects more efficiently while saving on costs. ... In November, consulting firm Guidehouse surveyed health system CEOs and chief financial officers about their top three IT investment priorities in 2024. A third of respondents said they have expanded relationships with IT outsourcing partners ... But there are downsides to the strategy. The transition of employees can be bumpy. Also, by offloading IT employees, the quality of work can be worse when the outside company doesn’t understand the system as well. 

NPA Says House of Representatives’ Passage of Bill to Provide Veterans Additional Access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Will Improve Their Lives; Urges Swift Senate PassagePRNewswireDecember 6, 2023Washington, DC—On the second anniversary of the passing of the Honorable Bob Dole (R-KS), the National PACE Association praises the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act (H.R. 542) by a vote of 414-5, which will give veterans increased access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly across the nation. We urge the Senate to pass this bill soon so more veterans can enjoy the highest quality of life possible as they age by receiving any care needed at home or in the community. The legislation would establish formal partnerships between Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and nearby Veterans Affairs Medical Centers located within their geographic service areas. This policy change would broadly increase access for veterans to the innovative PACE model of care so they may continue to live at home, despite needing a nursing home level of care.

More people with dementia opting to age in place over senior livingMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 7, 2023People living with dementia are more likely to choose aging in place over an assisted living or a continuing care retirement community, according to a new study. A research letter in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that over the last two decades, a variety of factors have shifted where people with dementia live, including family caregiver availability, declining marriage and birth rates, alternative residential care arrangements, Medicaid expansion of home- and community-based services and the long-term care workforce crisis. Researchers said their study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic noticeably altered living arrangements for individuals living with dementia, increasing the number of those opting to age in place. ... What concerned researchers was increasing functional impairment and levels of unmet needs among those living alone or in a residential care setting, including assisted living and CCRCs, “given the limited regulatory oversight and lack of uniformity in services available in these settings.”

Lessons in CaregivingBy Lisa B. SamalonisNext AvenueDecember 4, 2023... When my parents, in their late 70s, became ill with several chronic and terminal health ailments, my sisters and I worked to support them and honor their wishes to age in their home. ... Like many adult children and family friends new to this process, we were unaware of everything we did not know about the complexity of safely aging in place and the available resources. ... Often, coordination of care is very challenging. ... Being a vocal advocate can help your loved one immensely. ... Yet, taking care of oneself allows one to care for others.[Editor’s Note: The author is a writer and editor based in New Jersey. She writes about health, parenting, books and personal finance.]

Models can predict when older adults with dementia may need nursing home careMcKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 5, 2023It often can be difficult to determine when a person with dementia may need to go to a nursing home or receive that level of care. A new study created models to help people determine when older adults living with dementia will require nursing home-level care. The results can give people and their loved ones evidence-backed data if it comes time to make that decision. The study was published on Dec. 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

News about the Upcoming Hospice News Today Transition  Two long-time hospice advocates and entrepreneurs will be assuming publication of Hospice News Today on January 1, 2024, which will be renamed Hospice and Palliative Care Today, LLC.  Leading the effort will be Cordt Kassner, PhD, who, as many of you know, is the brains and number-cruncher behind Hospice Analytics. Cordt will be bringing on an editor, who is well known in the hospice community. We’ll be announcing that name in a week or two.  Cordt and his editor are committed to maintaining—and building upon—the Hospice News Today goal of ensuring that hospice leaders have the information and background necessary to navigate the ever-changing, ever-challenging healthcare landscape to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the hospice model of care.  They will be making some exciting changes in the newsletter format as they roll out Hospice and Palliative Care Today. You’ll still receive a daily email. Monday through Friday the email will digest the day’s news. Weekend and Holiday editions will present some deeper looks at areas like clinical news.  You’ll soon be able to customize your daily newsletter to the topics and issues of interest to you—although given my personal interest in issues management, I encourage you to cast as broad a net as you’re comfortable.  The newsletter will be dynamically linked to an incredibly interactive website where you can manage your profile, search archives, and more.  And, perhaps most significantly, Hospice and Palliative Care Today will convert to a free-subscription model, relying into the future on the support of advertisers and sponsors to bring this valuable tool to the hospice community.  As hospice leaders, you understand that change is always a challenge. I encourage you to approach the new newsletter with an open mind. Cordt and his editor will be experimenting with various features and options from day one, so be patient. The newsletter you receive on January 1 will not be the same as the newsletter you receive on April 1 or July 1. It will be an invigorating journey of discovery for all of us!  In the next week or two, you’ll start seeing a link in Hospice News Today to take you to the Hospice and Palliative Care Today website to register for your free subscription commencing January 1. Please be sure to respond—and please share the link freely with anyone and everyone who might be interested.  It’s been a rewarding journey for me since 2012 to build this tool for my friends and colleagues in the hospice community. Cordt was one of my first subscribers, so it’s especially gratifying to be able to hand the newsletter to him.  As a reminder, this transition for Hospice News Today has no bearing on the respected online trade publication, Hospice News.  Look for more transition information in the days ahead.  In the meantime time, you can learn more about Cordt here.  Thanks for your continued readership and interest.Mark CohenEditor & Publisher, Hospice News Today