Literature Review

Cooper Farms holds Turkey Trot [and raises more than $20,000 for EverHeart Hospice] Watt Global Media, Press Release, Oakwood, OH; 11/18/24 Cooper Farms recently held its 17th annual Turkey Trot 5K on November 2, welcoming over 400 participants in Oakwood, OH. This annual event has become a meaningful tradition, raising more than $20,000 cumulatively for EverHeart Hospice [in Greenville, OH]. In addition to promoting health and wellness among employees, the Turkey Trot has expanded to include families and the broader community, showcasing Cooper Farms' commitment to community engagement and charitable support.

‘Like Christmas to me’: Parade of classic cars celebrates hospice patient in Hudson WJW, Hudson, OH; by Rex Smith; 11/16/24 A parade of classic cars made its way through Hudson Saturday to pass by one particular house on Boston Mills Road. They were there for James Gay, a lover of classic cars who also collects miniature classics. He is receiving end-of-life care. “I think this is more like Christmas to me. Whoever can’t get out has to leave the cars here,” he said with a laugh. Gay had the chance to get a close-up look at some of the cars he remembers so well because, in his words, he was around when they were made. Surrounded by family and friends, it was an emotional but special moment. This was all possible because of the “Gift of a Day” program provided by Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care. For the “Give of a Day,” the question is: if you had one day to live, what would that day look like? “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to make somebody smile, and thinking that may be their last time to enjoy this with their family,” said Rhonda Kissner, the coordinator of the program.

Stella Maris raises $110K at 40th annual Crab Feast and Hospice Day of Giving Maryland Daily Record; 11/18/24 The 40th annual Stella Maris Crab Feast and Hospice Day of Giving raised approximately $110,000 in support of Stella Maris hospice care Oct. 13 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. More than 100 individuals and businesses donated to the auctions, game wheels, raffles and more. Ninety bushels of crabs were steamed on site by Conrad’s Crabs & Seafood Market. There were 50 sponsors (individuals and organizations), including M&T Bank, the presenting sponsor. Stella Maris is one of the first facilities established in Maryland providing compassionate care for terminally ill patients. It services patients in Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties as well as the city of Baltimore.

The health care job that's most in demand in each state, based on data MSN; by Paxtvn Merten; 11/17/24 ... The job? Home health and personal care aides. The U.S. expects to add close to a million jobs in this profession over the next decade. ... After COVID-19 devastated nursing homes, surveys have found fewer Americans are willing to live in them as they age. As a result, even more families may discover ways to use full-time or part-time in-home aides for end-of-life care. An analysis including more than 70 other health care jobs projected all but three states to add home health and personal care aides in the highest numbers. In just three states—Colorado, Florida, and South Dakota—did registered nurse job growth outpace home health. ... Medical Technology Schools identified the health care positions expected to add the most jobs in each state and Washington D.C. from 2020 to 2030, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled by Projections Central. States are listed in alphabetical order, and the top three health care positions by the number of new jobs are provided. ...Editor's note: Click here for the US Department of Labor's "Projections Central" for state-specific data and projections.

LECOM Health opens Erie County's first specialty hospice unit Erie Times-News, Erie, PA; by David Bruce; 11/15/24 Erie County will soon have its first specifically designed medical unit for end-of-life care when LECOM Nursing and Rehabilitation Center opens its Visiting Nurses Association Specialty Hospice Unit later this month. Until now, local hospice patients who require a higher level of medical care than what can be provided at home usually lived their final days at a nursing home or hospital. The reluctance to open a dedicated hospice unit in Erie County is due to operating costs, Lin said. State laws require each unit to have a medical director and registered nurses, and the reimbursement for hospice care makes it difficult to cover those costs if there are fewer than four or five patients at a time. "Since this unit is part of the Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, we can share the medical director and registered nurses," Lin said.

Area hospice starting new charitable tradition CBS News 6, Wichita Falls, TX; by Cecil Witherspoon; 11/15/24 Complete Hospice & Palliative Care of Wichita Falls is hoping to kickstart a new holiday tradition to help those in need. The organization is hosting its first annual Winter Coat Drive and is asking community members to donate coats, gloves, scarves and other warm winter apparel. Donations can be dropped off at the Homeless Lives Matters building at 921 7th St., Wichita Falls. From there, donations will be handed out to those in need on Dec. 9. That day will also feature a chili cookoff.Editor's note: Beautiful. Thank you Complete Hospice & Palliative Care of Wichita Falls for engaging your community and giving back in such an easy, meaningful, practical way. May your "new charitable tradition" spark similar ideas and actions by other hospice organizations.

Beacon Hill resident contributes to success of VNA Care’s annual Gala Patch, Beacon Hill, MA; by Deborah Corkum; 11/14/24 Sold-out Heroes in Health Care raised essential funds for home health and hospice care. VNA Care, the first organized visiting nurse association in the United States, raised $220,000 for patient care services during the sold-out annual Heroes in Health Care Gala at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston. Heroes in Health Care is VNA Care’s signature fundraising event and has raised nearly $4.5 million in essential funding for home health and hospice care in Massachusetts. 

Annual Golf Marathon raises $120K to benefit Hope Hospice The Independent, Livermore, CA; 11/14/24 Hope Hospice, a nonprofit that provides support services for patients with terminal illnesses and their caregivers, reported raising almost $120,000 during the 10th annual Hope 100 Golf Marathon last month at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton. Event organizers said 28 golfers took on the challenge of playing 100 holes in one day on the club’s Valley Course, while another 20 participated in an inaugural skills competition that included putting, trick shots and long drives. “The Hope Hospice team is deeply grateful to all the players, sponsors and donors who made this event a success,” said Jennifer Hansen, Hope Hospice senior vice president. 

Mom of 4 is placed in hospice care 2 weeks before son's wedding. On his big day, she's on the dance floor with a smile (exclusive) People; by Jordan Greene; 11/14/24 ... In October, before entering hospice care, Liv recalls how her mom was in the hospital, and all she could talk about was attending the wedding. With Olivia's health deteriorating, Liv says her brother Salvatore and his fiancée Kelsey had even considered holding the wedding ceremony in the hospital room if necessary. But that contingency plan quickly became unnecessary. On Nov. 2, their mom defied expectations and arrived at Basilica Hudson in Hudson, New York, alongside the other 105 guests to watch her son walk down the aisle — turning the hopes of her kids and everyone else in attendance into a reality. In fact, Liv says her mom exceeded even the best-case scenario the family had imagined. ...

VITAS seeking large acquisitions in hospice CON states Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/13/24 As it considers potential acquisitions, VITAS Healthcare is focused on large assets in certificate of need (CON) states. VITAS is a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). The company this year made its return to the M&A market after a hiatus of several years. In April, VITAS acquired Covenant Health and Community Services’ hospice operations as well as one assisted living facility in an $85 million deal. With that transaction under its belt, more are likely on the way, according to Mike Witzeman, vice president and CFO for Chemed. “We are fairly optimistic on a pipeline of potential Covenant-size deals, but there are a few hurdles from an internal perspective that we would certainly want to keep in mind. First is we like CON states or states where there are restrictions on barriers of entry,” Witzeman said during a presentation at the UBS Healthcare Conference. “The second would then be locations that, generally speaking, have some size to them. That’s important, obviously, from a patient flow perspective, but also from a staffing perspective.” The third major consideration is the price tag. The Covenant deal was sealed at a multiple of 6x to 8x EBITDA. ...

Aroostook Hospice Foundation achieves $150,000 matching grant campaign goal The County, Presque Isle, ME; 11/13/24 The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is thrilled to announce the success of its recent Matching Grant Campaign, which raised an astounding $150,000 for the Aroostook House of Comfort. This achievement was made possible through the community’s generosity and a $75,000 match pledged by an anonymous donor. Launched in June, the campaign quickly gained momentum, with individuals and organizations coming together to meet the matching goal. These funds will directly support the Foundation’s mission to provide compassionate, inpatient hospice care when patient needs exceed what home hospice care can offer. Established in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aroostook Hospice Foundation was created to establish and sustain an inpatient hospice facility for the region. After years of dedicated fundraising and  community support, the Aroostook House of Comfort opened its doors in 2018, becoming one of only four inpatient hospice facilities in Maine. Since then, it has delivered quality end-of-life care to approximately 1,000 individuals and their caregivers in partnership with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, a Medicare-certified hospice provider. Together, they ensure patients receive comfort, dignity and compassionate support on one’s journey through  hospice, serving both the patient and their caregivers.  

Onslow Caregivers Inc. donates $400,000 to Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville for hospice care WITN, Jacksonville, NC; by Olivia Dols; 11/12/24 One eastern Carolina hospital received a donation to help it continue serving the community with hospice services. Healthcare centers like Onslow Memorial Hospital are used daily for a plethora of services, including hospice care. That’s why Onslow Caregivers Incorporated donated $400,000 to the hospital to continue helping the community. Thomas Giffin who is the Executive Director for the Onslow Memorial Hospital Foundation says this gift is all about the community. “It’s more than just a great $400,000 gift,” said Giffin. “It opens up a number of doors in a number of different directions.”

TCN Anatomy of Leadership: Caring for Others with David Levy - Every interaction is an opportunityTeleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux; 9/11/24In this episode of the Anatomy of Leadership podcast, David Levy, Professor of Management at the United States Air Force Academy, explores the concept of leadership and the importance of every interaction as an opportunity. The dialogue delves into an array of intriguing subjects such as the Air Force Academy's unique design, the “Masters of the Air” series, and Malcolm Gladwell's book, The Bomber Mafia. David Levy also discusses the importance of belonging, agency, and efficacy in leadership and how these concepts can contribute to the well-being of individuals and organizations. The conversation explores the importance of competence and context in performance, as well as the critical need for belonging in organizations. It introduces the concept of the Lens X, which consists of the needs of belonging, agency, and efficacy, and the narratives that shape our experiences.Editor's note: Continuing to honor this week's Veterans Day awareness, we thank David Levy for his service and leadership. Teleios Collaborative Network is a sponsor for our newsletter.