Literature Review

Being present is one way to help dying friendAsk the Doctors; by Elizabeth Ko, MD and Eve Glazier, MD; 7/5/24Dear Doctors: My friend was diagnosed with multiple myeloma 10 years ago. His chemo is no longer working, and his doctors say there’s nothing else to be done. He has accepted whatever is coming. He has lost weight, and sometimes the pain is bad. How can I help him?Dear Reader: No matter how long someone has been dealing with a serious illness, the cessation of active treatment can be devastating. This is true not only for the person approaching the end of their life, but also for family and friends. The response to this transition often includes a rotating mix of grief, sorrow, fear, anxiety, dread and anger. However, people also often feel acceptance, peace, hope and even relief. Again, these are experienced not only by the individual who is ill, but also by the people around them. When spending time with someone with a terminal illness, you are looking for balance. That is, you want to be supportive and helpful, but not overwhelm them with your attentions. Hospice care professionals say this can be achieved by asking the person what they need. ... Always check with the person before starting a new task or a project. This keeps them in control of the events around them, which bolsters mental and emotional well-being. [Italics and bold are from this newsletter's editor.]Editor's Note: Calling all hospice and palliative leaders, in the midst of carrying out our professional roles most of us experience the dying and deaths of family, friends, and acquaintances. This article gives meaningful, practical ways to both be present and do simple things that can empower and support the person who is dying. We invite you to pair this article with our newsletter's "Today's Encouragement: We are human beings ..."

Our Hospice Decatur Golf Tourney generates $28K Local News Digital, Greensburg, IN; by LND Staff; 7/2/24 The 30th Annual Our Hospice Decatur Golf Tournament in late June raised about $32,500, with an estimated net revenue of $28,000, thanks to the Greensburg community. Over 60 golfers participated in the annual fundraiser, benefiting Our Hospice of South Central Indiana patients and families in Decatur County. The first-place team this year was DC Integrated Medicine. Our Hospice Event and Volunteer Services Manager Julie Davis said, “Over the past 30 years, including this year, we have raised over $778,000. This would not be possible without the support of sponsors, golfers, and everyone who contributes so generously. 

[Certificate of Need] Diagnosis for 6.26.24: Checking the pulse of Florida health care news and policy Florida Politics, scroll down to "Death and Dying"; 6/26/24 Florida health care regulators this week announced they tentatively denied 21 Certificate of Need (CON) applications for new hospice programs and approved 9 others. Heavily populated Broward and Hillsborough counties drew the most interest, with seven providers wanting to establish new hospice programs in each area. [For details, click on the title's link and scroll down to "Death and Dying."]

CHAPcast: Top 10 Deficiencies for Home Health and Hospice[Podcasts] Email; 7/3/24CHAP's Clinical Nurse Educator, Keri Culhane, dissects the top 10 deficiencies for 2023 in home health and hospice care. Keri highlights trends, issues, and practical strategies to improve care planning and compliance.

The hidden advantages of having an older workforce in home health care Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 7/2/24In home health and hospice, the amount of nurses who are at retirement age are set to surpass new RNs, according to data from the American Medical Group Association. St. John has noticed that working with more experienced nurses has meant less turnover. "Our highest turnover is in first-year nurses," she said. Another benefit of having a workforce full of mostly seasoned nurses is that they are better equipped to handle burnout, according to Barnett.

Green Bay Packers Foundation awards $1.75 million in grants [$125k to Agrace Hospice Care Foundation] Philanthropy News Digest; 6/29/24 The Green Bay Packers Foundation has announced 10 grants totaling $1.75 million to support organizations serving Wisconsin’s Brown, Dane, and Milwaukee counties. Recipients include ... ; Agrace Hospice Care Foundation, which will receive $125,000 to expand dementia and Alzheimer’s services throughout Wisconsin; ... “The Packers Foundation is pleased to award a record amount in impact grants to 10 organizations doing critically important work in their communities,” said Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy. “From education, mentoring, and community building programs to providing care and support for our most vulnerable neighbors, the grant recipients will create direct and lasting impacts throughout the state of Wisconsin.”

 Recognized for seven consecutive years as a Great Place to Work® Cision PRWeb; by Chapters Health System, Temple Terrace, FL; 6/18/24 Chapters Health System is proud to announce its certification for the seventh consecutive year as a Great Place to Work® in the Aging Services category by the independent analysts at the Great Place to Work® Institute. ... "We are incredibly grateful to our team members for their invaluable feedback, which enabled us to achieve this milestone for seven consecutive years," said Andrew Molosky, MBA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer for Chapters Health. "Their commitment and dedication are the cornerstones of our success, and it is their insights that help us continuously improve our work environment and culture." Team member feedback helps benchmark our progress as we continue to focus on engagement and move input into action." ... In 2024, 76 percent of team members said Chapters Health is a great place to work compared to 57 percent of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.

Monroe Clinic & Hospital Foundation celebrates record-breaking mini golf event The Monroe Times, Monroe, WI; 6/30/24 The Monroe Clinic & Hospital Foundation’s “Little Golf” and Grill event, held on June 11, was an afternoon of mini golf that led into a night full of generous giving for a great cause. ... The event raised a record-breaking more than $79,600 from countless heartfelt donations provided by community members and businesses. This brought the total raised over the event’s 32 years to over $1,005,000. “Three decades of commitment from our healthcare team and the community to support and grow local hospice care is an incredible achievement,” shared Jane Sybers, Executive Director of Monroe Clinic & Hospital Foundation, a member of SSM Health. “I have the privilege to share gratitude stories with donors whose loved ones walked through hospice with us. To surpass one-million-dollars is such an incredible milestone and shows how much our community values this meaningful service.” The evening program walked attendees through the hospice patient journey. During the program, different staff members shared their role in patient care and the impact their patients have on them. 

Community Hospice & Palliative Care, a subsidiary of Alivia Care, Inc., becomes last remaining not-for-profit hospice provider [in North Florida] PR.com - Alivia Care, Inc. Press Releases, Gainesville, FL; 6/29/24 With recent changes in end-of-life care, North Florida residents may notice a shift as Haven, a long-standing provider in the region, transitions due to acquisition by a for-profit health care company, BrightSpring Health Services. As this transition takes place, Community Hospice & Palliative Care, a subsidiary of Alivia Care, Inc., wishes to express its continued dedication to providing compassionate, community-based care to individuals and families in the community. "We understand that transitions in healthcare can be challenging for our community," said Phillip Ward, President, and CEO of Community Hospice & Palliative Care. "However, we want to reassure everyone that our dedication to serving our neighbors with compassion, dignity, and unwavering commitment remains as strong as ever."

Memorial outing raises $15,000 for McLaren Hospice MyFenton.com - tctimes.com; Fenton, MI; 6/28/24 The 27th annual Nancy Streber Memorial Golf Classic held May 11 at Heather Hills Golf Course in Romeo raised more than $15,000 for McLaren Hospice’s end-of-life care services —breaking its fundraising record previously reached in 2023. The event, founded by Dave Streber and his family, honors the memory of his mother, Nancy, and the care her father received as a McLaren patient. In addition to the fundraising milestone, the event hosted 140, making it one of the largest, most successful events in the memorial outing’s history. “We are profoundly grateful for the 27 years of dedication from Dave Streber and his family, as well as the numerous organizations and all of individuals who have contributed to this event and supported McLaren Hospice over the years,” said Cindy Tomlinson, MSN, RN, vice president of hospice at McLaren Health Management Group.

Families, volunteers share stories of finding peace through hospice Salina Post; by Cristina Janney, Hays Post; 6/29/24 This is a two-part series on hospice care in northwest Kansas. Dalene Juenemann and her father, Dean, had to make the difficult decision to enter hospice care after he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. “He was just such a social guy and someone was in a couple times a week,” she said. “They were checking in on him and it was that security blanket he had.” ... He didn’t want to go through aggressive chemo and he didn’t qualify for a bladder removal because of his age. “He chose quality of life,” she said. "It was that final decision that we are done with everyone wanting a piece of me. I'm just going to enjoy life," she said. Dalene's father, Dean Shearer, was a patient of NWKareS, Hospice of Northwest Kansas, which serves 16 counties from Interstate 70 to the Nebraska border and Trego County to the Colorado border. ... She said the extra care hospice offered allowed her to just be a daughter to her father as he was dying. [Click on the title's link to continue reading stories from families and volunteers at NWKAreS.]

The best staff retention strategies: Poll Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 6/24/24 Increased schedule flexibility remains one of the most effective strategies for staff retention, a recent Becker's poll found. The poll, posted on LinkedIn in mid-June, asked participants to vote on which of three options would have the greatest effect on staff retention at their organization. Becker's has no insights into respondents' organizations or roles. Of 832 votes received, 62% of respondents said increased schedule flexibility, 29% said hiring more staff, 4% said wellness initiatives and 6% said other. 

Navy veteran in hospice care in Stark County made a final birthday wish. It came true. The Repository, Massillon, OH; by Steven M. Grazier; 6/26/24 Robert "Bob" Patterson's final birthday wish came true on Tuesday. He said he wanted it loud, festive and full of life. It appeared to be all that and more. The U.S. Navy veteran has been a Harley-Davidson buff and avid motorcycle rider for 62 years. He's called Rose Lane Nursing & Rehabilitation Center home the past couple of months and is in hospice care. Friday is Patterson's 85th birthday, but his last biker bash was celebrated Tuesday with hundreds of folks, which included family, friends, Rose Lane workers and fellow residents.  He was amped for the festivity. "I'm excited — really pumped up!" Patterson said moments before about 190 motorcycles rolled into Rose Lane.