Literature Review

OSHA, NAHCA alliance aims to protect CNAs from safety and health hazardsMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 21, 2023A new alliance between the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Association of Health Care Assistants aims to help protect certified nursing assistants in Missouri from exposure to safety and health hazards. The agreement, signed by OSHA’s regional office and NAHCA last month, provides the framework for a new alliance. 

Patriot Hospice in Trumbull County takes patient on one last ‘hunt’WFMJ-TV (Youngstown, OH)December 20, 2023Patriot Hospice in Trumbull County gave one of their patients a special present just before the holidays this year. Through a program called “A Moment in Time with Patriot,” the organization took patient Richard Ansback on a special day where he got to ‘hunt’ through the new Bass Pro Shop in Niles. ... During the tour, Ansback got the chance to shoot a crossbow at a target in a special room built specifically for shooting.

Report—Death rates in older adults dropped overall prior to pandemicMcKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 20, 2023Death rates for adults 65 and older fell from 2000 through 2019, according to a new report that analyzed death rates among older adults prior to the pandemic. The National Vital Statistics Report was published on Dec. 15. Data in the report came from the National Center for Health Statistics between 2000 and 2019. 

Survey finds rampant discrimination in health carePublic News ServiceDecember 19, 2023In a new poll, 25% of voters say they have “personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care due to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation.” The poll, sponsored by Compassion & Choices, an end-of-life care advocacy group, included more than 1,600 voters from California and across the United States. “It was striking that one-quarter of voters report that they personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care, with an even higher 35% among Black people, 29% among Hispanics and 41% among people who are LGBT,” said pollster Amy Simon, a partner at Goodman Simon Strategic Research. 

After bitter strike, nurses ratify new three-year contractNJ.comDecember 16, 2023The nurses union at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital ratified a new contract Friday, two weeks after reaching an agreement with the hospital following a bitter strike. 

Caregivers Are Invisible. They Shouldn’t BeBy Emma Nadler, LPCCNewsweekDecember 18, 2023Eight years ago, I unexpectedly joined the other 38 million unpaid caregivers in the United States. The AARP estimates that 11.5 percent of the U.S. population are caring for family members in 2023. We are many, and somehow, we are still grossly overlooked and under supported in nearly every way. My daughter, Eden, now in second grade, was born with a rare genetic deletion—so rare it does not have a name. She lives on a feeding tube, endures various chronic medical challenges, cognitive impairment, severe autism, and requires around-the-clock care. 

Christmas tree competition lights the way for Hospice groupThe Acorn (Thousand Oaks, CA)December 15, 2023Thousand Oaks, CA—The Oaks shopping center in Thousand Oaks is decked out for the holidays, with wreaths, ribbons and menorahs from one end to the other. But the mall’s highest concentration of Christmas cheer this season was found in a second-floor storefront between the Cheesecake Factory and J.C. Penney, at the Hospice of the Conejo’s Festival of Trees, held from Nov. 24 to Dec. 8. The annual pop-up display raises money for the T.O.-based nonprofit with an auction of trees decorated by local businesses and other organizations.

The $20,000 Christmas Tree—Lake County Hospice’s Annual Festival of TreesThe Bloom (Lake County, CA)December 15, 2023Imagine stepping into a place where Christmas exists in a timeless moment—it starts at the registration tables, where a train circles a beautifully decorated tree. But once you walk down the hallway and into the main tent, you enter another world. This moment, hosted by Lake County Hospice, has become a beacon of hope and compassion, bringing joy to families and touching the hearts of all who attend. ... It’s a visual feast. ... But what sets the Festival of Trees apart is its purpose. Beyond the fascinating and enchanting decorations, the event serves as a vital fundraiser for Lake County Hospice. ... People know that Hospice of Lake County fills a significant need in the community and bid accordingly. Winners of auctions donate the tree back to be auctioned again, and yes, one tree sells for $20,000.

Funerals Are More Expensive Than Last YearNewsweekDecember 12, 2023The cost of nearly everything is rising in the U.S., but economic circumstances are grim enough that even funerals are more expensive. Funeral costs surged 4.8 percent since last year, according to Consumer Price Index data released Tuesday, another indication the impact inflation is having on Americans. ... Since funerals and items like coffins are already expensive, this adds to the burden grieving families carry. 

More Providence St. Vincent doctors vote to unionize; hospital vows ‘good faith’ bargainingKOIN-TV (Portland, OR)December 14, 2023Portland, OR—More physicians with Providence St. Vincent Medical Center have voted to unionize. The small group of four palliative physicians is seeking to join a group of 70 Providence St. Vincent hospitalists who voted overwhelmingly to form a union with the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association back in August. The group said they’re seeking a fair contract that provides safe staffing levels, fair compensation and a healthy work environment. 

Licensed practical nurses petition to oust union at Mayo Clinic’s Austin hospitalMinnesota ReformerDecember 12, 2023Licensed practical nurses and other medical assistants at Mayo Clinic’s Austin hospital are looking to oust their union, the United Steelworkers. It’s the latest in a series of campaigns—supported by the anti-union non-profit National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund—to get rid of unions at Mayo Clinic hospitals. 

Boston VNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Cast a Unanimous Vote Authorizing a 14-day StrikePRNewswireDecember 13, 2023Boston, MA—In response to an increase in the complexity of care required for patients admitted for care at home, in conjunction with a lack of staff and resources to provide that level of care, the 60 registered nurses and healthcare professionals who work for the Visiting Nurses Association of Boston/VNA Care, cast a unanimous vote to authorize a 14-day strike in an effort to move their administration to provide the staffing and wage enhancements they need to provide the care their patients deserve.