Literature Review

Attorneys general challenge Trump’s deportations, citing impact on home health workforce McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 4/16/25 Nineteen state attorneys general filed an amicus brief Monday challenging President Donald Trump’s deportation policies. Among their arguments, they contended that deportations would have an outsized, negative impact on the home health industry’s ability to deliver care. “From a public health perspective, [states] depend on noncitizen healthcare workers who, like other immigrants, are forced to live in a climate of fear — nationwide over 1 million immigrants work in healt hcare, including 40% of home health aides and 18% of nursing home staff,” the brief said. The brief aims to block the administration’s so-called “ideological deportation policy,” established by executive orders 14161 and 14188. These orders intimidate workers, impair healthcare delivery and harm states’ economies, the attorneys general argued. 

Without support, seniors aging in place may elect facility-based care, study finds McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 4/16/25 Older adults aging in place may rethink whether they want to receive care at home if they do not receive certain aging-in-place supports from their care providers and loved ones, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The researchers interviewed nearly 300 older adults receiving care at home and in long-term care facilities. ... The first theme was participants’ personal health experiences. ... Similarly, loss of health of loved ones and friends may also influence where patients want to receive care. ... The final factor influencing older adults’ aging preferences was time, the study found. 

Why cameras are popping up in eldercare facilities The New York Times; by Paula Span; 4/7/25 Roughly 20 states now have laws permitting families to place cameras in the rooms of loved ones. Facility operators are often opposed. ... The assisted-living facility in Edina, Minn., where Jean H. Peters and her siblings moved their mother in 2011, looked lovely. “But then you start uncovering things,” Ms. Peters said. Her mother, Jackie Hourigan, widowed and developing memory problems at 82, too often was still in bed when her children came to see her in mid-morning. So Ms. Peters bought an inexpensive camera at Best Buy. She and her sisters installed it atop the refrigerator in her mother’s apartment, ... Monitoring from an app on their phones, the family saw Ms. Hourigan going hours without being changed. They saw and heard an aide loudly berating her and handling her roughly as she helped her dress. ... Though they remain a contentious subject, cameras in care facilities are gaining ground. By 2020, eight states had joined Minnesota in enacting laws allowing them, according to the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care: Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. [Continue reading ...]

Senior living demand hits all-time high: NIC McKnights Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 4/3/25 The demand for senior living is at an all-time high, with the first quarter seeing a record number of occupied units, almost 621,000, the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care said Thursday afternoon [4/3]. Senior living occupancy rates increased 0.3 percentage points to 87.4% in the first quarter, up from 87.1% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the latest NIC MAP Senior Housing Market Fundamentals report. Independent living occupancy rose to 89%, up from 88.6% in the fourth quarter, whereas assisted living rates increased to 85.8% compared with 85.5% in the fourth quarter.

Strong social connections improve older adults’ well-being regardless of setting, study finds McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 4/7/25 Social connections, trust in others in their community and community cohesion significantly improve elderly well-being whether seniors live at home or in nursing facilities, according to a new comparative study published in BMC Public Health. However, researchers found that nursing home residents generally reported lower subjective well-being compared to their community-dwelling counterparts, even after accounting for health status and demographic factors. ... According to the authors, these findings “indicate the necessity for tailored interventions that address the unique needs of each care environment to promote healthier aging experiences. [Continue reading ...]

Primary palliative care in assisted living and residential care-A metasynthesisJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; David, Daniel PhD, MS, BSN; Jimenez, Vanessa MPH, BS; Brody, Abraham A. PhD, RN, FAAN; 3/25Assisted living (AL) and residential care (RC) settings are experiencing substantial growth as older adults with lower care needs seek alternatives to nursing homes. Despite this trend, there is a lack of skilled nursing care to support palliative care (PC) in these environments. Studies highlighted challenges and opportunities for delivering primary PC in these environments, emphasizing the importance of addressing physical symptoms, psychological distress, social isolation, and spiritual needs among residents with serious illnesses. The metasynthesis underscores the critical role of primary PC in enhancing quality of life and care continuity for older adults residing in AL/RC settings. It also identifies gaps in current practices and emphasizes the need for tailored interventions and training to support care providers in delivering comprehensive PC to this population. By integrating qualitative research findings with the National Consensus Project guidelines, this metasynthesis provides a comprehensive overview of primary PC in AL/RC settings.

The most personal column I’ve ever written The Times, United Kingdom; by Professor Tanya Byron; 3/31/25 ... This column will be more personal than any other I have written in my now 20 years writing for The Times. I write it four days after my sister Katrina and I lost our beloved mum, Elfie, who ... had advanced end-stage dementia. Where do we start when trying to describe the many moments of heartbreak and the challenges that come with the long goodbye we have faced with our parents? Dementia is unpredictable. We say goodbye more than once and so the pain of bereavement does not begin at the time of death. Instead it is a prolonged pain marked by gradual losses. Watching a loved one slowly fade away over months or years brings grief, exhaustion and deep emotional turmoil. Amid all this is the experience of being on a rollercoaster of loss and hope, an experience that creates huge lurches between perceptions and emotions. There are moments of clarity and regression, ... [Continue reading ...]

White House cuts $12B in health funds: 5 updates Becker's Hospital Review; by Madeline Ashley and Kristin Kuchno; 3/26/25 HHS has abruptly canceled more than $12 billion in grants to state health departments that supported efforts to track infectious diseases, expand mental health services and modernize outdated systems, according to The New York Times. Late March 25, state health departments started receiving notices that $11.4 billion in grants from the CDC and roughly $1 billion in funds from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration were being canceled immediately. “No additional activities can be conducted, and no additional costs may be incurred, as it relates to these funds,” the notices said, according to the Times. [Continue reading ...]

Trellis Supportive Care to host day of support for caregiversThe Chronicle, Winston-Salem, NC; by WS Chronicle; 3/22/25 Trellis Supportive Care is hosting a day of support for caregivers, free of charge and open to the public.  The program, “Caring for You: A Day of Support for Family Caregivers,” is set for Friday, April 4, from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness in Winston-Salem. This full-day program is both a retreat and educational day for caregivers. “We understand that caregivers are often unable to attend events such as this, therefore, we are removing that barrier,” shared Jacob Gordon, director of community programming with Trellis Supportive Care. For those responsible for caring for an adult family member, Trellis is arranging respite care in coordination with local partner agencies so that caregivers can attend.   ... “We hope this provides an opportunity for people to regroup, rejuvenate, and leave with valuable tips for moving forward as a caregiver,” shared Gordon.   

Weinstein Hospice launches innovative VR initiative: The program will allow residents to enjoy "bucket list" experiences Atlanta Jewish Times; by AJT Staff; 3/12/25 Jewish HomeLife and Weinstein Hospice are pioneering a new way to bring joy, comfort, and meaningful experiences to hospice patients through the groundbreaking Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative. This transformative program harnesses the power of virtual reality (VR) to fulfill unforgettable “bucket list” experiences, offering patients moments of joy and cognitive stimulation that transcend their physical limitations. For Vicki and Ed A., this initiative has been nothing short of miraculous. ... One of the most profound moments for Ed came when he was able to experience Scuba diving again—virtually. ...

Medicaid’s role in health and in the health care landscape: LDI expert insights and key takeaways from select publications Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, PA; by Julia Hinckley, JD; 3/17/25... Medicaid accounts for one-fifth of U.S. health care spending and covers more than a quarter of Americans. LDI researchers have examined the services it provides in supporting aging adults, people with disabilities, and children, as well as its role in health crises such as chronic disease and suicide. ... Below are select key findings from recent peer-reviewed research, along with expert insights for policymakers considering changes to Medicaid funding in the federal budget.

Revamped tool can reliably assess pain symptoms in dementia patients: researchers McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Zee Johnson; 3/17/25 ... A team of researchers reconstructed the End-of-Life Dementia-Comfort Assessment in Dying, or EOLD-CAD, after a multifacility study showed that caregivers could adequately and reliably address a host of pain symptoms seen in end-of-life dementia patients. ... When clinicians working in the SNFs that were part of the trials used the EOLD-CAD, they were able to detect patterns in more than 600 residents that fell into four categories: physical distress, symptoms of dying, emotional distress, and well-being. Common symptoms observed across these categories were restlessness, shortness of breath, choking, gurgling, difficulty in swallowing, fear and anxiety. ...