Literature Review

Sierra Hills employees strike for safer conditions to live and work Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne, WY; by Noah Zahn; 12/26/24 Employees at Sierra Hills Assisted Living protested Thursday outside the facility after Edgewood Healthcare, which owns Sierra Hills, has refused to budge in negotiations for safer working conditions for employees and residents after more than 10 months of negotiation. “We did include many things in our contract proposal that we feel will really benefit the residents,” said Taylor Ewig, who has been a CNA at Sierra Hills for around 10 years. ... There are currently between 70 and 80 residents at the facility and around eight under hospice care. Ewig and other CNAs participating in the strike said that many of the Sierra Hills residents are supportive of the strike. The issues began at the facility when Sierra Hills implemented a hospice care service a few years ago, shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. ... The company hires hospice nurses who are only on the facility about two hours per week, according to Sierra Hills staff. The rest of that time, the burden of care for the resident falls to the staffed CNAs and RNs.

Bellingham nonprofit introduces barnyard animal therapy for hospice patients, families The Bellingham Herald, Whatcom County, WA; by Rachel Showalter; 12/25/24 From bunnies and chickens to full-sized horses, a new Whatcom County program is offering mobile farm animal therapy to hospice patients. Bellingham nonprofit Animals as Natural Therapy (ANT) started the Rainbow Bridge program this fall. Volunteers bring barnyard animals to visit seniors in care facilities across Whatcom County in an effort to bring joy and comfort to local hospice patients, bereaved families and hospice staff. It’s the latest program addition for the nonprofit which has offered animal-guided mental and behavioral health programs for youth, veterans, families and seniors since 1999. “ ... Barnyard animals may have a specific effect, according to the nonprofit. “For many people from older generations who grew up with backyard chickens and goats, the animals also bring a warm sense of nostalgia,” the ANT said in the announcement.

“I had no words”: The patient gifts doctors never forgetMedscape; by Sarah Yahr Tucker; 12/19/24[Three unforgettable gifts...]

Vancouver non-profit offers hope for the bereaved during holidays [The Wishing Tree] KOIN, Portland, OR; by Anthony Kustura; 12/19/24 The holiday season is a wonderful time of year for many — but for those who recently lost a loved one, it can bring lots of heartache. In Portland, The Wishing Tree near Northeast 7th Avenue and Northeast Morris Street is a towering elm that carries hundreds of paper tags with people’s hopes and dreams all year long. ... With the tie of a bow, McCoy’s wish joins a long list of others, including ones that say “I wish to be loved” and “I wish for my kids to be happy and healthy. McCoy and her husband, Jordan Jackson, know what it’s like for the holiday season to be a solemn reminder of what’s missing. “Back home, my grandfather is in hospice care right now,” Jackson said. “You know, we miss family, so it’s always like… it would be nice to be around family, celebrate with family …,” added McCoy. [Click here to view photos of "The Wishing Tree" in Portland, OR.]

'A sacred event': Why interest is growing in natural burials San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio, TX; by Richard A. Marini; 12/15/24 Proponents of green burials say they are better for the environment and more personal than conventional funerals. Diane Holick has long known she doesn’t want to be buried in a box after she dies. Nor does she want to be cremated. Instead, she wants what’s known as a natural burial, a type of funeral that eschews many of the familiar trappings of today’s burial practices. ... Proponents say natural burials represent a return to what funerals and burials used to be. Natural burials strip away what they see as unsustainable, harmful and expensive practices of what’s sometimes referred to as “the funeral industrial complex.” [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

University of Michigan Health-Sparrow nurses authorize strike as contract negotiations continue CBS News, Detroit, MI; by Elle Meyers; 12/12/24 Union officials representing the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow nursing staff have been working for months for an improved contract, but leaders say they're not close to a deal. "The hospital so far is not making offers that are going to keep up competitive. It's not going to allow us to make sure we maintain our level of care or quality of care," said Jeff Breslin, a registered nurse and the president of the Professional Employees Council of Sparrow Hospital. The University of Michigan bought Sparrow last April. Bresil says he was hopeful for positive change. "They had promised to come in and build new facilities, improve other facilities that we have, which is great, but you've got to take care of the people as well, and frankly, I'm disappointed that this is the direction things are taking," he said. Breslin said contract negotiations between the nurse's union and the hospital began last August. Their contract expired in October, and they still haven't reached a deal. He says nurses want to see more competitive pay, better staffing levels and an improved health plan. 

15 most, least charitable states Becker's Hospital Review; by Andrew Cass; 12/6/24 Wyoming is the most charitable state, with residents spending an average of 33 hours per year volunteering and donating nearly 4% of their adjusted gross income, according to WalletHub.   WalletHub analyzed the 50 states by comparing them across 17 key indicators of charitable behavior, such as the volunteer rate and share of income donated. ... Most charitable: 1. Wyoming 2. Utah 3. Minnesota 4. Maine 5. Delaware 6. Maryland 7. Oregon 8. Colorado 9. Pennsylvania 10. Nebraska 11. Virginia 12. Illinois 13. New York 14. Iowa 15. North Dakota Least charitable: 1. New Mexico 2. Arizona 3. Nevada 4. Rhode Island 5. Mississippi 6. Louisiana 7. West Virginia 8. Florida 9. Alabama 10. Hawaii 11. California 12. Oklahoma 13. South Carolina 14. Tennessee 15. Wisconsin

Home health adds 16K jobs in November, leading healthcare workforce gains McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 12/6/24 The home health sector added 16,000 workers last month, making it one of the fastest-growing healthcare segments by hiring rates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Employment Situation report. The monthly report measures employment gains and losses across all sectors of the economy. In healthcare, hospitals added the most jobs of any single category in November with 19,000. Home health, which falls under the ambulatory services category, followed with 16,000 new jobs. These employment gains compared with healthcare fields such as nursing and residential care facilities (11,900), outpatient care centers (9,500) and physicians’ offices (1,900). Home healthcare has been one of the fastest-growing healthcare workforces in recent months. The segment added 12,300 jobs in October, 13,000 in September and 5,500 in August.

Fabric artist's new exhibition in Historic Overtown sheds light on 41 years of wrongful incarcerationThe Miami Times; by Morgan C. Mullings; 12/10/24Whether volunteering in hospice, designing the prison magazine or leading the drama team, Gary Tyler lived an eventful life in prison. After 41 years of living in a cell he didn’t deserve to occupy, he found new life as an artist.  “Grief Not Guilty: Reclaiming My Time” features Tyler’s original quilts, photos of his mother and floral wreaths created by Quantavia Love. The exhibit speaks to the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of recognizing the names and faces of those yet to be freed. It is on display now at the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum in historic Overtown, a space dedicated to Black police officers of the pre-civil rights era and primed for discussions on the U.S. prison system. ...  After an angry anti-busing mob attacked him and other Black students in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, he was destined to live and die in prison. ... That prison would be one of the most notorious in the U.S. Louisiana State Penitentiary. ... Also known as Angola, Angola Plantation, The Farm, or Alcatraz of the South, Louisiana State Penitentiary is the largest maximum security facility in the country. Tyler refused to do the manual labor required at this prison farm, calling it “slave work.” 

The change leadership strategy that costs nothing Forbes; by Jane Sparrow; 12/5/24 ... [Often] the most successful strategies for change management are the easiest ones to implement. And one strategy, in particular, is in every leader’s gift. I’m talking, of course, about leading with kindness. I was speaking recently during my podcast to Andrew Moultrie, the CEO of BBC Studioworks, about the one thing he would advise leaders to focus on when going through change. There was no hesitation. Andrew said: “Underlined, kindness is the fundamental tenet of every emotional state that people can commit to. And if your actions are coming from a position of kindness, then your ability to manage change will be far more effective and fulfilling for those people you’re managing. ..."

People who genuinely afraid of getting old usually display these 8 behaviors (without realizing it) Baseline; by Lucas Graham; 11/25/24 One might think aging is all about the wrinkles, the sagging skin, and that stubborn gray hair that won’t stay hidden. But in reality, it’s not those things that get under your skin. It’s the quiet, creeping fear of what aging really means. Will I still matter? Am I losing my edge? We all have moments where we cling to something that keeps us feeling young, whether it’s trying to keep up with the latest slang ... or avoiding a birthday candle count that feels a little too honest. But what if these subtle habits are really signs of something deeper? Let’s unpack the little things we do when aging feels like a four-letter word, and see what they tell us about our relationship with time.

60 harsh life realities 20-somethings don’t realize yet, according to people in their 40s boredpanda; by Viktorija Ošikaité; 11/25/24 You tend to take life for granted in your 20s, and why wouldn’t you? ... You feel invincible and perpetually ready to conquer anything. But as you grow older, you will feel Father Time’s harsh reality checks. ... These 40-somethings would know, and they are sharing their nuggets of wisdom with 20-year-olds in this Reddit thread. ...Editor's note: While this is far more pop culture than the professional information we provide, take a break and enjoy these fun (and often wise) guides. Whatever your age, what are your favorites? What would you add? Delete? Share with a 20-something in your life?