Literature Review

Hospital staff fulfills hospice patient's final wish to attend son's weddingNBC 10 News; 1/31/24A hospice patient in Fall River was able to attend his son's wedding, thanks to the help of some healthcare workers. The wedding was held inside of Charlton Memorial Hospital's chapel on Wednesday. Staff said it was patient John's last wish to see his son get married.

New Braunfels Hope Hospice veteran and wife reunited with son, who lives in JapanThe Herald-Zeitung, by Erica Wilson; 1/31/24Hope Hospice’s recent partnership with the nonprofit Luke’s Wings made this long-awaited reunion possible. Hope Hospice covers a 50-mile radius from New Braunfels, providing hospice care and community grief services. Luke’s Wings is based in Washington, D.C. and provides emergency travel planning services and airplane tickets for families of wounded or ill service members, veterans and fallen officers.Editor's Note: Click here for Luke's Wings website.

Worcester hospital nurses file complaints over 'dangerous conditions' MassLive.com, by Susannah Sudborough; 1/30/24Nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester have filed official complaints with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other state agencies over “dangerous conditions” they say are jeopardizing patient safety, the state’s largest nurse’s union announced Tuesday. The complaints are based on over 500 reports made by nurses over the last six months that detail issues such as staffing deficiencies and poor allocation of technology, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), which represents the nurses, said in a press release.

Caregivers: Being a ‘care partner’ for someone is not a burden Parkinson's News Today, by Marisa Wexler, MS; 1/30/24Focusing on 'burden' reduces care partner support to 'burden reduction.' ... “A singular focus on ‘caregiver burden’ and a lack of knowledge of care partners’ perceptions of [Parkinson’s] caregiving can limit care partner support to only burden reduction, which may not always be possible given the progressive nature of the disease,” wrote the scientists, who interviewed 16 caregivers to better understand their perspectives. 

St Mary’s Hospice launches community choir to foster wellbeing and connectionsBNN, by Safak Costu; 1/30/24St Mary’s Hospice in Ulverston [United Kingdom] has heralded a new era of community engagement with the inauguration of its unique community choir. The first session, held at the hospice’s Living Well Centre, marked the beginning of what is expected to be a vibrant and melodic journey. The choir is a testament to the hospice’s commitment to fostering wellbeing and community connections, extending an open invitation to all, regardless of musical prowess or experience.

8-year-old girl with terminal illness becomes honorary K-9 officer BNN, by Wojciech Zylm; 1/28/24Eight-year-old Elayah Chance, a Plainfield resident living with a terminal genetic condition, had her dream come true as she was sworn in as an honorary K-9 officer. This heartwarming event was a joint effort by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and the Plainfield Police Department. Partnered with Officer Rob Prichard and his K-9 companion, Jocko, Elayah spent an unforgettable Saturday responding to calls and serving her community in a way she had always dreamt of.

Seniors spend the equivalent of 3 weeks a year on health care, study saysThe Washington Post, by Linda Searing; 1/29/24Older adults spend an average of three weeks every year on doctor’s appointments and other health care outside their homes, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Of those 21 “health care contact days,” 17 involve ambulatory services, such as office visits with primary-care doctors or specialists, testing and imaging, procedures, treatments and therapy. The remaining four days included time spent in an emergency room, hospital, skilled nursing facility or hospice.

First-ever survey of LGBTQIA+ older adults cheered by senior living provider groupsMcKnights Senior Living, by Lois A. Bowers; 1/29/24A planned first-ever statewide survey of LGBTQIA+ older adults in California is drawing cheers from senior living industry advocates. Responses to the online survey, conducted by the California Department of Aging and a statewide coalition of LGBTQIA+ community-based organizations and research partners, will form a baseline data set to inform plans for tailored services, the CDA said in an announcement, which described the survey as “groundbreaking.”

Smile in the sky drawn for Worcester hospice patientBBC News, by Vanessa Pearce; 1/27/24An aerobatic pilot has put on a special show for a patient with a lifelong passion for aircraft who is being cared for at a hospice. Pilot Rich Goodwin created the sky high smile above the St. Richard's Hospice in Worcester. Former transportation engineer Ray Stanton, 66, enjoyed the show with his wife, Angela, and two children. "To see the smile in the sky and then look at Ray's smile was just fantastic," said Mrs. Stanton.

How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries?Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, by Emma Wager, Matthew McGough, Shameek Rakshit, Krutika Amin, Cynthia Cox; 1/23/24In this chart collection, we examine how U.S. health spending compares to health spending in other OECD countries that are similarly large and wealthy, based on median GDP and median GDP per capita. Relative to the size of its economy, the U.S. spends a greater amount on health care than other high-income nations

Fort Morgan hospice patient and criminal justice graduate accomplishes dream of becoming a juvenile advocate The Fort Morgan Times, by Robin Northrup; 1/25/24Fort Morgan resident Raquel Marquez has always wanted to be a juvenile advocate. Her passion is to protect the rights and interests of children involved in the legal system — those who are victims of abuse, neglect, or crime. ... In 2013, during her first year of college, Marquez was diagnosed with brain cancer. Even after learning about her diagnosis, she stayed in school and finished her degree. Now at home in the care of her family and Hospice of the Plains, Marquez had her dream fulfilled at her home on Wednesday by Hospice of the Plains representative Leon Midkiff,  Morgan County Sheriff Dave Martin, and 13th Judicial District’s Victim Advocate, Jill Olsen.

Washington State reaches a nearly $150 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over opioid crisisAP, by Manuel Valdes and Hallie Golden; 1/24/24The Washington state attorney general announced a $149.5 million settlement Wednesday with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, more than four years after the state sued the company over its role in the opioid addiction crisis. “They knew what the harm was. They did it anyway,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson told reporters Wednesday.