Literature Review

Nonprofit hospice to add 12-bed inpatient floor at its Colorado Springs headquarters The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO; by Debbie Kelley; 6/26/24 Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care — which holds the titles of the region’s only nonprofit hospice and the only inpatient provider of end-of-life services — is adding 12 family suites for inpatient care at its headquarters in Colorado Springs. “The benefit of us being able to design something on our own is it removes that hospital-type setting and makes it a homelike experience,” said Andy Petersen, executive director of the Pikes Peak Hospice Foundation, the organization’s separate fundraising arm. “It’s going to be a great service for the community.” The first floor of the organization’s large two-story building at 2550 Tenderfoot Hill St. off Lake Avenue will undergo an $8.5 million renovation and be transformed into an Inpatient Care Center.

Royal Marines musicians play for dying bandmate Verified News Explorer Network, from the United Kingdom; 6/25/24 Musicians from the Royal Marines laid on a poignant performance at a hospice for their dying bandmate. Newlywed Sophie Ward, 27, was joined by her husband Richard, patients, staff and volunteers for the emotional final performance. Sophie was moved in her bed on to the patio adjoining her room to listen and watch her beloved band for one last time, accompanied by her husband - a fellow Royal Marines musician. Sophie, who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease, has been an inpatient at the hospice in Winsley near Bradford-upon-Avon, Wiltshire, since mid-June. Sophie was moved in her bed on to the patio adjoining her room to listen to her beloved band. ... Her colleagues, dressed in the uniform, marched and performed songs chosen by Sophie. 

Aroostook House of Comfort hosts 11th Annual Golf Classic: Raises over $80kThe Aroostook Hospice Foundation proudly hosted its 11th Annual Golf Classic on Saturday, June 15 at the Presque Isle Country Club, successfully raising over $80,000 for the Aroostook House of Comfort. This remarkable achievement was made possible through the generous contributions of 162 sponsors, 46 teams, 60 in-kind donors and 32 dedicated volunteers. ... The unwavering generosity of community members and partners allows them to maintain a 9,800-square foot, state-of-the-art facility where individuals and families receive compassionate care, comfort, and support during their hospice journey. Editor's Note: The Aroostook House of Comfort is an inpatient hospice and respite care facility owned by the Aroostook Hospice Foundation and staffed by Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, in South Portland, Maine.

Reflections: Three ways to think about death and dyingPost Alley, Seattle, WA; by Anthony B. Robinson; 6/21/24Our book group had a wrap-up session on our “Aging and Mortality” series last night. We invited everyone to share their own take-aways from our six books. What did we learn? What was comforting? Challenging? How might this effect your planning and decision-making? Before I share my own take-aways from the series, I would note one general theme in what we read: the more we isolate death and the dying, the more we fear death. Here my three take-aways from the series and our conversations:

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Bristol Hospice enters Mississippi market with Mid-Delta Hospice acquisitionHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/21/24Bristol Hospice has acquired Mississippi-based Mid-Delta Hospice, a move that marked its entry into the state.

Hospice care company owner sentenced on health care fraud charges United States Attorney's Office - Western District of Louisiana; Press Release; 6/20/24 United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Kristal Glover-Wing, 51, formerly a resident of Broussard, Louisiana, and now living in California, has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud. United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Glover-Wing to 72 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  She was also ordered to pay $3,675,948.42 in restitution. ... Glover-Wing was the owner of Angel Care Hospice (“Angel Care”), a Louisiana corporation that purported to provide hospice services in Lafayette Parish and other parishes in the Western District of Louisiana. Through evidence presented at trial, jurors learned that from approximately 2009 through 2017, over 24 patients were placed on hospice by Angel Care without meeting the criteria required by Medicare. During the time period that the patients were on hospice and under the care and supervision of Angel Care, none of them had been diagnosed with a terminal condition. In fact, many of the patients themselves, who are still alive and thriving many years later, as well as family members of other patients, testified that they never knew that they had been placed on hospice. 

How health equity impacts hospices’ bottom lines Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/18/24More hospices nationwide have increasingly recognized the value proposition of expanding their reach into untapped and underserved populations and geographic markets. Aside from increased access, census volumes and quality, health equity’s return on investment can also include a better recruitment and retention outlook, according to David Turner, vice president of special projects and initiatives at St. Croix Hospice, which serves 10 Midwest states. Turner is also CEO and partner of Nashville-based Heart’n Soul Hospice. Hospices stand to benefit from recruiting and retaining a more ethnically diverse base of interdisciplinary workers and c-suite executives, Turner said at the Hospice News Elevate conference in Washington D.C.

Tapestry Hospice settles healthcare kickback claims for $1.4 million United States Attorney's Office - Northern District of Georgia; Press Release; 6/20/24 Tapestry Hospice of Northwest Georgia, LLC, and its owners and managers, David Lovell, MD, Stephanie Harbour, Ben Harbour, and Andrew Nall (collectively “Tapestry”), agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by entering into kickback arrangements with medical directors in exchange for referrals of hospice patients to Tapestry. “By entering into kickback arrangements, health care providers can cause doctors to make medical decisions that are motivated by financial gain, rather than the patient’s best interest,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to ensuring the accountability of health care providers who put their own financial needs ahead of their patients.” “The False Claims Act settlement in this case will hopefully be a deterrent to those who selfishly evade our federal healthcare programs for their own benefit,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The message is clear, the FBI will not tolerate companies operating corporate-wide schemes to illegally line their pockets.” 

Boy, 7, takes on 145-mile challenge for hospice BBC News, Peterborough, United Kingdom; by Shariqua Ahmed; 6/15/24 A seven-year-old boy has taken on a mythical-themed challenge to raise funds for a hospice. Isaac Yates from King's Cliffe in Northamptonshire is scooting, walking and cycling 145 miles (233km) through a Lord of the Rings Virtual Conqueror Challenge for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough [United Kingdom]. His mum, Zoë Hopkinson, works as a physiotherapist at the hospice which inspired Isaac's mission as he wants to “help people who are suffering and dying.” 

Our Hospice collects food in employee-led drive The Republic; by Staff Reports; 6/20/24 Our Hospice (OHSCI) and Palliative Care collected 500 pounds of food for patients and families in need in an employee-led food drive. “The efforts, enthusiasm, and passion displayed by everyone at Our Hospice is truly astonishing!” said Chealsy Parr, a social worker who led the food drive. “Thanks to the participation of teammates from Greensburg, Columbus, the Hospice Center, Palliative Care, and North Vernon, we’ve significantly impacted those facing food insecurity.” “The employee – led food donations will go a long way to support those in our care who are in need,” said Steph Cain, president, Our Hospice and Palliative Care. [Located in Indiana] Editor's Note: Hospice leaders, how might you replicate this with your employees and volunteers, for the patients you serve? Forward this to the right person who can take this great initiative and make it happen.

Hospice of Marion County trains first responders to care for dementia patients Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/18/24 Florida-based Hospice of Marion County, an affiliate of Empath Health, is training first responders in its community on how to treat dementia patients. For several years, the nonprofit hospice has been educating family caregivers and others in their community about the experiences of dementia patients and how to better interact with them. More recently, Hospice of Marion County [Ocala, Florida] has been expanding that training to include local law enforcement and fire departments, as well as medical students and staff at assisted living facilities, among others. The training uses a series of tools to simulate symptoms of dementia, related to visual, tactile, auditory senses, their ability to process information and perform certain tasks. The education helps first responders address the unique challenges associated with caring for dementia patients, according to Dr. Mery Lossada, chief medical officer of Hospice of Marion County.Editor's Note: Bravo, Hospice of Marion County!

Man living with ALS for the last 24 years knocks off an item on his bucket list: Skydiving CBS KCTV 5, Waldron, Missouri; by Joe Hennessy; 6/14/24 One of the longest-living people with ALS, 66-year-old Mark Johnson, achieved his dream of skydiving ... His passion for the skies started at a young age with his dad being an airline pilot. ... “I used to fly airplanes when I was a kid, I always wanted to jump out of one,” he said. “Being up there, being able to see everything. All of God’s creation out there.” Johnson is one of the longest survivors of ALS, living with the disease now for almost 25 years, getting assistance from the team at Shirkey Hospice in Richmond, Missouri. He’s traveled to Washington D.C. to raise awareness and pass bills to help those impacted too. ...  How did we get here ...? He was asked by the hospice care workers a while back what is one thing he wants to do and he said skydiving so they managed to find a place that would allow for that dream to come true.