Literature Review

Indianapolis Moms: How furry friends can help with grief and depression WISHTV.com, Indianapolis, IN: by Ashley Fowler; 10/9/24 Our four-legged friends can bring us laughter, joy, and love. But one Indianapolis woman says they can also help us heal. Roleen Demmings has written about her challenges with depression and grief after the death of her mother. ... “My mom was in hospice. She had cancer. My sister and I were her caretakers, and throughout that time, we noticed that we were gaining weight,” Demmings said. “We didn’t want to get out of bed; we had to force ourselves to and we realized the depression setting in even before she died.” She says she knew she needed to exercise more, eat better, and go to therapy, but then she found a non-traditional way of coping: a handsome Newfoundland/Poodle mix named Remy. “Those days where I didn’t want to get out of bed, I knew I had to walk him ...  He doesn’t understand depression, but, y’know, he’s really helped me with mine,” Demmings said. “While we were going through our sadness, he really was a light for us. I call him our lifeboat in the sea of depression.”

Hoping to reach 100? You’re not going to like these new life expectancy projections New York Post; by Tracy Swartz; 10/7/24 Let’s keep it 100 — your chances of becoming a centenarian are slim. Medical breakthroughs, public health achievements and better diets led to steep increases in global life expectancy in the 1800s and 1900s. But startling new research finds this momentum has slowed and the biggest boosts to longevity may be in the rearview mirror. “Most people alive today at older ages are living on time that was manufactured by medicine,” said lead study author S. Jay Olshansky, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “But these medical Band-Aids are producing fewer years of life even though they’re occurring at an accelerated pace, implying that the period of rapid increases in life expectancy is now documented to be over,” Olshansky added. The analysis, conducted with researchers from the University of Hawaii, Harvard and UCLA, includes data from eight countries with the longest-living populations (Australia, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), Hong Kong and the US from 1990 to 2019.

[Free] COVID-19 testingHHS.gov press release; 10/3/24Order Your 4 Free At-⁠home COVID-⁠19 Tests. Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home tests. COVID-19 testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading the virus to others.

The competitive physician recruitment market: 5 trends Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 9/24/24 Both physician recruiting and compensation have become more competitive as market disruptors have entered the field, according to AMN Healthcare's "Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives," published Aug. 5 The report is based on a representative sample of 2,138 search engagements AMN Healthcare conducted from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The data includes starting salary and other incentives offered to physicians and advanced practice professionals nationwide. ... Here are five trends in physician recruitment:

63 Hispanic and Latino leaders to know | 2024 Becker's Hospital Review; by Anna Falvey; 9/20/24 Becker's is thrilled to honor these Hispanic and Latino healthcare leaders. Diverse leadership in healthcare culminates in a more comprehensive, seamless experience for both patients and providers alike. The leaders honored in this list are transforming the patient journey, ushering in the new wave of healthcare providers and promoting DEI. ... Becker's Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. Leaders do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of the leaders or organizations mentioned. Editor's note: Reminder that the National Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 to October 15. Are you recognizing your Hispanic employees and volunteers? Click here for CMS resources. 

Fraud losses among older adults reached $3.4 billion last yearMcKnight's Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 9/20/24The types of scams being reported to the federal government haven’t changed much from last year, but losses are on the rise, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting $10 billion in losses to consumers in 2023, $1 billion more than 2022 losses and the highest losses ever reported, according to a new fraud book. During a Thursday hearing on fighting fraud held by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, US Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), committee chairman, released the group’s ninth annual fraud book, “Fighting Fraud: Scams to Watch Out For,” capturing the most common scams targeting older adults and resources to protect against fraud reported to various sources. FBI data show that fraud losses among older adults reached $3.4 billion in 2023, Casey said.

How healthcare leaders view Gen Z in the workforce Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 9/18/24As more members of Generation Z move into the workforce, some have clashed with management or disagree with how their employees view them. The group, born between 1997 and 2012, has been described as both tech-savvy and overly reliant on technology. Some human resources professionals have said they lack work ethic and time management skills. The early-career employees themselves have said they find enjoyment in full-time work and value career growth and planning. Here are three healthcare leaders' perceptions of Gen Z in the workforce.

Remembering Martin Paley, Berkeley philanthropic leader who headed San Francisco Foundation Berkeleyside Obituaries; by family and friends of Martin Paley; 9/16/24 Martin A. Paley, a civic leader and mentor who personified the common good to benefit the whole Bay Area, died on Sept. 12 in Oakland. [Martin's extensive philanthropy leadership is described.] ... Martin died as he lived, endeavoring to have his actions match his values in a Hospice program, which he introduced to the Bay Area in 1978 with a visit from a leading practitioner from England. Martin A. Paley, through his mentoring and a life lived with common good values, the Bay Area gained from his inspirational leadership. 

‘We did it!’: West Penn nurses celebrate their new contract Pittsburgh Union Press, Pittsburgh, PA; by Steve Mellon; 9/12/24 Before Joanne Germanos had a chance to approach a podium to make her announcement, someone in the crowd called out, “We did it!” ... What Germanos and her fellow union nurses at West Penn did was win a new contract that raises pay and addresses staffing and burnout issues that the nurses say have been pushing experienced nurses out of the profession. Ninety percent of the hospital’s union nurses voted to approve the contract Wednesday. Under the three-year deal, pay for nurses will rise an average of 24%, with some seeing increases as high as 35%. By contract’s end, all nurses will make at least $40 an hour; nurses with 20 years of experience will make at least $50 an hour. ... Pay, however, isn’t the only issue. At rallies, union nurses have called on hospital administrators to address staffing and scheduling problems that can affect patient care and cause nurse burnout. They took those concerns to the bargaining table and, on Thursday, said they were thrilled with the outcome.

Two decades after 9/11, Tarrant County interfaith group brings women together Fort Worth Report, Fort Worth, TX; by Marissa Greene; 9/10/24 Janice Harris Lord remembers Sept. 11, 2001, crystal clear. ... In late 2001, it struck Harris Lord that there was something she could do: pull women of different faiths together. By January 2002, Harris Lord formed Daughters of Abraham, a discussion group made up of local Muslim, Jewish and Christian women. The group serves as a venue for women to learn about and build friendships with women of different religions. In its 22-year history, the group has grown from 18 women to various regional groups in Fort Worth, Arlington, northeast Tarrant County and Dallas. ... In the group’s two-decade history, the most poignant thing Harris Lord learned was the tradition that Jewish and Muslim families undergo when preparing a deceased loved one for burial. Muslim and Jewish families participate in a tradition called ghusl in Arabic or tahara in Hebrew, which involves washing and purifying a body before burial. It is considered one of the greatest good deeds someone can do for another in the faiths. When Harris Lord’s husband tragically died ..., she knew she wanted to honor him in that way. “(The hospice nurse) gave me some soap and water, and we shaved him, and I washed his hair and got it combed right, like he wanted it,” Harris Lord said. “It was beautiful. I think it helped me more with my grieving than anything, because I knew I had done the very last thing I could do for him.” 

On a culture of physician leadership development Forbes; by Leon E. Moores, MD, DSc, FACS; 9/9/24 ... How do we create a culture of continuing physician leadership development? Over a decade ago, I was tasked with answering this very question. As a senior army surgeon, I approached the two-star general in the Army Medical Corps. I asked if I could put together a comprehensive program for physician leadership development for the 4200+ doctors in the US Army. ... We concluded that four distinct LOEs (lines of effort) needed development and implementation to create a culture of physician leadership. These LOEs, it turns out, are just as applicable in civilian healthcare as they were in the armed forces.

Hospice patient’s final life wish comes true at Colts game WISHTV.com-8, Indianapolis, IN; by Kyla Russell; 9/8/24 Indianapolis hospice patient Calvin Simmons is terminally ill and had one final life wish: to attend a Colts game. “It was one of those things that you say, ‘I gotta do this, I gotta do this,’” Simmons said Saturday morning. “My dad used to tell a story about me being about three years old, running back and forth in the house wearing a Colts helmet.” The Marine veteran lives at the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home on the northeast side of the city. The home is run by nonprofit Morning Light, Inc. and offers end of life care for free to those in need. The lifelong Colts fan started his day out in his decked out Colts hospice room. Soon enough, his dream came true when he traveled to Lucas Oil Stadium to see the Colts face the Texans for their season opener. 

At 106, Suffolk woman ‘could just bounce like a ball’ WAVY, Norfolk, VA; by Keagan Hughes; 9/5/24 Dorothy Southall has it all, and she’s another year older and another year wiser as on Thursday, she turned 106 years young. Dorothy, or Dottie as her family calls her, was born in 1918 and is enjoying another year around the sun. “I could just bounce like a ball, you know? Bounce up and down with the way I feel,” Southall said. “In other words, I’m happy.” Blessed and grateful. That’s how Dottie feels marking her 106th birthday. ...  Dottie lived on her own until she was 103. Now, she is in a residential care home in Norfolk with hospice support, and she says it feels like home. Her caretakers from Sentara Population Health say she is talkative and a joy to be around.