Literature Review

Delaware Hospice to move to scattered bed model at Saint Francis in Jan. Delaware Live; by Jarek Rutz; 12/19/24 Just two months after celebrating its 100-year anniversary, Wilmington’s Saint Francis Hospital is making a logistical shift for its hospice patients. This week, Delaware Hospice announced it will shift its Saint Francis-based operations from a centralized In-Patient Unit (IPU) to a scattered bed model.  The move is to increase both patient and hospital flexibility as well as create more financial and operational efficiency. A scattered bed model involves distributing General Inpatient (GIP) Hospice Care across various rooms within the hospital rather than maintaining a centralized unit. Closing the IPU means Delaware Hospice continues to live its mission of providing compassionate, expert care without the costs of maintaining a centralized unit. 

The Denver Hospice delivers holiday meals to 347 Coloradans; initiative ensured Coloradans facing hardship can celebrate with a holiday meal GlobeNewswire, Denver, CO; by The Denver Hospice; 12/20/24 The Denver Hospice, in collaboration with dedicated staff, provided 76 meals to patients and their families facing hardship during the holiday season. Over 347 people will enjoy a festive dinner as a result of the nonprofit’s healthcare organization’s holiday initiative. “At this time of the year, it can be especially hard for people to admit that they need help,” stated Susan Finke, director of clinical services at The Denver Hospice. “I want to thank everyone who helped deliver dinners today as we are caring for more people than just our patients. Hundreds will now have the opportunity to gather next week and enjoy being with their loved ones.” ... This is an annual event held by The Denver Hospice in support of their hospice and palliative care patients. Working in tandem with social workers, clinical and administrative staff, the nonprofit identifies and supports vulnerable patients across the Denver metropolitan area. The holiday season can be an especially difficult time of year for those facing life-limiting illnesses. 

EverHeart Hospice expands and offers growth in the community Mercer County Outlook, Mercer County, OH; 12/19/24 EverHeart Hospice is thrilled to announce the opening of its newly expanded Inpatient Care Center. This significant milestone marks a new chapter in their commitment to providing compassionate care to patients and families experiencing life-limiting illnesses. The grand opening event, held in their new space on the 3rd floor of Wayne HealthCare, was a resounding success, bringing together community members, healthcare professionals, and local dignitaries. Attendees had the opportunity to tour the new space, which featured enhanced patient rooms, advanced medical equipment, and comfortable family areas designed to create a serene and supportive environment.

Mom, 26, dies days after choosing to enter hospice following 13 years of living with kidney failure (exclusive) People; by Zoey Lyttle; 12/18/24 Though she left behind a 4-year-old daughter, Sara Long told PEOPLE her feelings about death were "more certain" than they'd ever been when she started end-of-life care. “I think a lot of people spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to have a good life. And don't get me wrong, I did that too,” Sara Long, 26, told PEOPLE over the phone just shy of a week before she died at the hospice facility into which she had just recently moved. ... Long said she’s spent “the last two or three years” deliberating about her idea of a “good death.” She decided that it wasn’t just about how she would experience these last expected few weeks of her life in hospice. What Long really wanted was to be surrounded by her most precious loved ones — including her husband Justin, 32, and their 4-year-old daughter Riley Jean — but she didn't want them to watch her die while intubated and attached to hospital equipment as she was half of her life. “I just feel like if I pushed it any harder, then I was going to get to a place where it was going to be outside of my control,” said the mom of one. “I was going to wind up dying in a hospital alone, afraid, full of tubes, scared. My daughter wouldn't be able to be part of the process, and it would just be really lonely, and that's really not the goal.” Detached from the familiar yet foreign medical equipment, Long told PEOPLE she was freed from fear knowing she would only survive another couple of weeks in hospice. (She died with a week less than anticipated.) Editor's note: This another follow-up post to this profound young woman's story that we post on 

What Gen Z wants from employers Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 12/16/24 Each new generation entering the workforce brings unique challenges for management, and Generation Z is no exception. Leaders may find themselves puzzled by what Gen Z workers want from their employers and what drives their retention. This generation includes individuals born between 1997 and 2012, making the oldest members 27 years old. [Here] are 16 common priorities of Gen Z workers, as reported by Becker's in 2024: 1. Company culture ... 2. Team dynamics ... 3. Career paths ... 4. Mental health resources ... 5. Student loan repayment options ... 6. Full-time commitment ... 7. Wise feedback ... 8. Work-life balance ... 9. Purpose-driven roles ... 10. Flexible work ... 11. Growth opportunities ... 12. Feedback and validation ... 13. Retention by role ... 14. AI skepticisim ... 15. Timely pay ... 16. Authenticity ...

Cherish Hospice celebrates new location in Springfield Springfield News-Sun; by Brooke Spurlock; 12/17/24 Cherish Hospice celebrated its new headquarters location at 1929 E. High St. in Springfield [OH] on Tuesday. Cherish officials said that since 2021, they have served hundreds of patients in Southwest Ohio, with a staff of more than 25 caregivers and a volunteer program. “This is a great symbol of us, how we’ve grown,” said Jason Casto, administrator for Cherish Hospice. “This is a ribbon cutting event to celebrate our growth and the fact that we plan to remain here in Springfield as a staple.”

VITAS Healthcare unveils inpatient hospice unit at Lee Memorial Hospital South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report, fort Myers, FL; by cfelixcpa; 12/16/24 Residents of Lee County now have access to dedicated end-of-life care at the new VITAS Healthcare Inpatient Hospice Unit at Lee Memorial Hospital, offering expert, patient-centered hospice services in the comfort of a homelike setting. This inpatient unit (IPU) is the only hospital-based hospice facility in the county and is the first VITAS IPU in Lee County and second in Southwest Florida. It is expected to serve more than 400 patients annually. ... The VITAS hospice unit at Lee Memorial features eight private patient rooms with internet access, flatscreen TVs, private bathrooms and overnight accommodations for loved ones. A shared family room provides space for visiting guests, and children’s activities keep little ones occupied.

Mom in hospice opens up after video of her dancing with son at wedding goes viral ABC News - GMA; by Yi-Jin Yu; 12/16/24A New York mom is opening up after a video of her dancing with her son at his wedding went viral. In the clip shared on TikTok, which has already picked up over half a million views since it was posted on Nov. 3, Olivia Armao hugs her son Sal Armao as they share a dance on his wedding day. But as the text overlaid on the video explains, what viewers see isn't your typical mother-son wedding dance. The difference is that Olivia Armao is in hospice care. She told "Good Morning America" she was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time in 2021. Olivia Armao said the special memory with her 30-year-old son was "really sweet" and one she can't put into words. "I was just happy that I was there and I was able to wait to dance with him. ..." the 62-year-old mom of four told "GMA."

Hospice utilization rebounds to pre-pandemic levels, but fraud casts a shadow Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/17/24 The nation’s hospice utilization rate among Medicare decedents has once again surpassed 50%, for the first time since the pandemic. However, fraud issues in the space create questions around the quality of care patients are receiving. Hospice utilization reached 51.7% in 2023, up more than two percentage points from the prior year, according to recent data from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). This is the highest rate since 2019. MedPAC observed increases in utilization across the board, even when stratified into subgroups by age, sex, race and rural or urban location. ... Despite these positive trends, an influx of new hospices continued in states considered hotbeds for Medicare fraud, including Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. Many of these new additions came in areas where additional hospices were likely not necessary based on the needs of the patient population. Georgia also saw a large spate of new providers emerge in 2023.

Stabilizing local hospice and home health services celebrated as a gift at holiday gathering Juneau Empire, Juneau, AK; by Mark Sabbatini; 12/14/24 Heather Richter says she’s optimistic about the long-term prognosis for hospice and home health services in Juneau, a little more than two years after they were on life support when the agency that had provided them for 20 years suddenly shut down and sent officials into a lengthy struggle to establish a new program. Richter, director of the Home Health and Hospice Program at Bartlett Regional Hospital, said 68 families have been participants since the hospital officially took over the program in July of 2023. Funding for the program, a key concern raised this spring due to a massive budget shortfall at the hospital, now appears more stable due to Juneau Assembly members supporting a five-year operating plan and support from the Juneau Community Foundation. “We’re in the clear,” she said during a “Light Up a Life” Community Celebration hosted by the program at the hospital on Friday evening. ...

Teleios announces Teleios University graduates Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN), Hendersonville, NC; by Tina Gentry; 12/16/24 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) announced its 2024 Teleios University (TU) graduates. Nine individuals successfully completed the year-long program, earning their certificates in leadership excellence. TU’s Leadership Excellence program is unlike any other. This one-year course is provided through monthly webinars, experiential monthly activities, quarterly challenges and more. It culminates with a capstone project and earns each participant who completes the assignments a certification in leadership excellence. This year’s graduates include the following leaders in the Hospice and Serious Illness Sector:

Embracing life when nearing death The Aspen Times - Snowmass Sun; Aspen, CO; by Allison Daily; 12/13/24 Receiving a terminal diagnosis is one of life’s most profoundly difficult moments — a collision of disbelief, fear, and uncertainty. With some diseases, there’s a glimmer of hope for a miracle; with others, the focus shifts to navigating the process ahead. When Rita Hunter first asked to meet with me, I had no idea she had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. As we settled into my office, she got straight to the point: “I want you to help me with this last part of my life.” I left our first session rattled, but we established a clear understanding over time. She needed someone with whom she could be brutally honest — someone to discuss, without judgment, what she was willing and unwilling to endure. ... In her final days, her body let her know when it was time, and she showed extraordinary grace. She was a gift to this community, and she was a gift to me. She taught me more than I could ever give to her. Rita had become a model of how to live fully, even in the face of an unchangeable reality. Editor's note: Click on the title's link to read this inspirational story, and to learn this clinician's "treehouse" imagery intervention.