Literature Review

Expanding horizons: New palliative care services introduced in Valparaiso ABNewswire; 3/14/24 South Valparaiso Immediate & Urgent Care Clinic is proud to announce the expansion of its healthcare services with the introduction of comprehensive palliative care. ... The South Valparaiso palliative care team consists of highly skilled professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains, who work collaboratively to develop personalized care plans for each patient. 

Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Implementation: Answers to Frequently Asked QuestionsLCW, California Public Agency Labor & Employment Bolg; 3/13/24With the enactment of [California] Senate Bill (“SB”) 553, the legislature amended Labor Code section 6401.7 and added Labor Code section 6401.9, requiring employers to adopt and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (“WVPP”) and corresponding training for their employees by July 1, 2024. ... Since the enactment of the bill, employers have had questions regarding the WVPP and the training requirements. Below are some common questions and the responses to them: ... [Click on the article's title to view]

Home Care costs continue to increase, outpacing other long-term care settings Home Health Care News, by Andrew Donlan; 3/12/24 The pricing increases in home care have again outpaced other long-term care sectors, according to Genworth’s annual cost of care report. 

Navigating Aging: Does our society simply not care about our vulnerable older population? KFF Health News, by Judith Graham; 3/10/24 ... The pandemic made things worse. Prejudice against older adults is nothing new, but “it feels more intense, more hostile” now than previously, said Karl Pillemer, 69, a professor of psychology and gerontology at Cornell University. “I think the pandemic helped reinforce images of older people as sick, frail, and isolated — as people who aren’t like the rest of us,” he said. “And human nature being what it is, we tend to like people who are similar to us and be less well disposed to ‘the others.'" 

Carolina Caring House Calls breaks down traditional medical care barriers Salisbury Post, by Julie Brooks; 3/20/24 County residents now have more access to healthcare providers than ever thanks to Carolina Caring House Calls, a home-based medicine program that offers high-quality medical care in the comfort and safety of patients’ homes. House Calls is designed to serve patients who face barriers to accessing routine medical care, including disabilities, chronic illnesses, mobility problems and more. 

Seniors more likely to let conditions escalate into emergency if their only care options are digital, poll finds McKnights Senior Living, by Aaron Dorman; 3/7/24 Although residents in senior living communities and nursing homes are becoming more accepting of artificial intelligence and other tools such as remote monitoring systems, that doesn’t mean they don’t still strongly prefer human caregivers to manage their healthcare needs, a recent poll finds. ... Among older adult survey respondents who had dealt with a recent emergency, 33% said that they felt as if the incident could have been averted if they had had access to a live, in-person caregiver to manage their health concerns and needs.

Bringing the hospital homePenn Medicine News, by Mary Beth Budnyk; 3/5/24Since his 2020 diagnosis with multiple sclerosis, Steve Lengle has had good and bad days. The bad days are becoming more frequent as his condition continues to decline, causing debilitating pain, weakness, and fatigue, and affecting everything from his memory to his ability to walk. The Lengles found the help they needed through Penn Medicine Advanced Home Health (PMAHH), a new program that aims to prevent hospitalizations by providing a higher level of in-home care to patients who are experiencing an acute medical concern. Editor's Note: This article describes an example of the fairly new Acute Hospital Care At Home program, launched by CMS in November 2020. 

Why home care leaders are now banking on ‘Caregiver-First’ cultures Home Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 3/4/24 Over the last several years, a notable trend is emerging in home care: Top-tier companies are shifting their focus from prioritizing customers to prioritizing caregivers. This strategic move reflects a growing recognition of the critical role caregivers play, and aims to address persistent caregiver shortages.

Home care nurse strike ends without deal Northwest Labor Press, by Mallory Gruben; 3/1/24Usually, PeaceHealth jointly bargains with the home health unit and a unit of about 1,500 hospital nurses, and all nurses are paid the same. But for this round of negotiations, PeaceHealth demanded that bargaining happen separately. Hospital nurses reached an agreement in August that raises wages 20.5% over four years. PeaceHealth’s latest offer to the home health nurses is a 14.75% raise over four years. [Erin] Grace [a nurse,] says without an equal contract for equal work, PeaceHealth will have difficulty attracting and retaining home care nurses. According to ONA, the unit has already lost a quarter of its members, and more say they plan to leave if a contract isn’t reached soon. 

Revolutionizing Elderly Care: Palliative Care's growth and integration into Value-Based ModelsBNN, by Olalekan Adigun; 3/5/24Amid the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, palliative care is undergoing a significant transformation, marking a new era in the management and delivery of healthcare services to the elderly. Dr. Jason Black, a seasoned family medicine practitioner with a specialized fellowship in geriatrics, is at the forefront of this change. Working for Gilchrist, a hospice and palliative care organization in Baltimore and central Maryland, Dr. Black embodies the integration of palliative care into the broader healthcare framework, emphasizing value-based care models.

Medicare’s new Dementia GUIDE Model: How can physicians, hospices, and home health agencies participate? Morgan Lewis Blog Post; 3/1/24If you have had a loved one suffer from dementia, you know the emotional, physical, and financial toll of this terrible disease. With advancements in dementia treatment, however, there is renewed hope on addressing this disease and increasing emphasis on fostering innovative care models. A central pillar of this effort is the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model, announced by the US Department of Health and Human Service’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in July 2023. This initiative—a new voluntary, nationwide alternative payment model—is designed to support Medicare beneficiaries with dementia, as well as their caregivers.

Home-based palliative care shows promise in reducing ER visits, hospitalizationsHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 2/28/24Patients who receive home-based palliative care (HBPC) services experience fewer emergency department visits, fewer hospitalizations and lower costs once they start receiving services. That’s according to a recent study conducted by the West Health Research Institute of Blue Shield of California.

Home health users have higher likelihood of hospice utilizationHome Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 2/26/24People who receive home health care during the last three years of their lives are more likely to utilize hospice care at the end of life. That’s according to a recent Rutgers Health study that was published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. As part of the study, researchers examined a sample of over 2 million U.S. Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who passed away in 2019, and were enrolled for at least three years before their death. What’s more, these older adults were more likely to use hospice compared to individuals who have never used home health care.