Literature Review

Marshfield Clinic closing Wisconsin hospice centerBecker's Hospital CFO Report, by Madeline Ashley; 1/24/24Phillips, Wis.-based Marshfield Medical Center Park Falls Home Health and Hospice facility, part of Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic, is closing at the end of February due to limited resources. Marshfield Clinic is working with other providers who offer home health and hospice services to provide continued care to patients. 

'Suncoast' review: Laura Linney-led semi-autobiographical dramedy is best at its most specificY! entertainment, by Katie Rife; 1/22/24... Evoking “human life” is especially pertinent when talking about “Suncoast,” the semi-autobiographical dramedy from writer-director Laura Chinn. The movie is based on Chinn’s own adolescence — it’s dedicated to her brother Max, who died in 2005 while Chinn was still in high school. Premature death is widely understood to be a tragedy, but there’s a wrinkle to Chinn’s story that gives it a bizarre specificity: Shortly before his death, he was placed in the same hospice as Terri Schaivo.

Don’t stop dreamin’ turns nursing home residents’ dreams into realityiAdvanceSeniorCare, by Paige Cerulli; 1/22/24The nonprofit now works to fulfill dreams for residents of all Quality Life Services homes, as well as for patients of Three Rivers Hospice. “There is one employee at all ten locations, including Three Rivers Hospice, that represents Don’t Stop Dream’ as a Dream Ambassador,” explains [Paula] Elder. “They are responsible for learning about our residents and patients’ needs and dreams, and submitting them for request. Most dreams are typically granted to our residents and patients after research is completed to ensure their safety, travel arrangements (if necessary), and staffing is available.”

Netsmart, NorthStar and Hospice of Michigan unite to advance innovative technology and establish industry standards for post-acute careBusiness Wire; 1/23/24Netsmart, a leading healthcare technology provider, has announced a strategic collaboration with NorthStar Care Community (NorthStar) and its esteemed member, Hospice of Michigan (HOM), to support the mission of continually improving end-of-life care. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the standard of post-acute care, leveraging the powerful combination of innovative technology and best practices to advance value-based care delivery.

Parsons named president and CEO of Blue Ridge HospiceThe Winchester Star, by Brian Brehm; 1/18/24Jason Parsons, who had been the nonprofit’s chief strategy officer since coming to Blue Ridge Hospice two years ago, has been named president and CEO. 

Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce to celebrate regional business excellenceSanta Barbara Independent; 1/11/24Community Business of the Year – VNA Health. As the only certified nonprofit home healthcare and hospice agency in the region, VNA Health has been caring for the Santa Barbara community with a deep sense of dedication and excellence. Their services, ranging from skilled nursing and rehabilitation therapies to hospice and palliative care, have been pivotal in enhancing the quality of life for countless individuals and families.

Chattahoochee Hospice celebrates 40 yearsValley Times, by Charlotte Reames; 1/13/24Chattahoochee Hospice was founded in 1984 when hospice care became more prominent in the country. The hospice is a community-based nonprofit that strives to provide the highest quality care possible to patients in the community.

Dr. Richard Besdine, a professor of medicine and health services, policy and practice, and Terrie “Fox” Wetle, a professor of health services, policy and practice, were honored in 2023 by HopeHealth with the Human Dignity Award. The nonprofit organization, a teaching affiliate of the Warren Alpert Medical School, recognized Besdine and Wetle for their dedication to the essence of hospice, which is to provide comfort, compassion and dignity to patients, and hope and healing to their families.

New Hosparus care center for elderly nearing final approvalThe News-Enterprise, by Gina Clear; 1/11/24Known for hospice care for 45 years, Hosparus Health is expanding its mission with a new level of care at its Care Guide Partners PACE center in Elizabethtown (KY). Not yet open — the agency still is seeking approval from Medicare — the program is meant to offer services to elderly family members who need extra assistance, but might not want or be ready for full-time nursing care, Hosparus Health President and CEO David W. Cook said.

Lincoln County’s man and woman of the year namedLake Norman Media Group, by Michelle T. Bernard; 1/10/24... At one time, there were no hospice services in Lincoln County. [Normand] Lavasseur and a few other individuals got together and in 1987 got a license to operate Hospice and Palliative Care of Lincoln County. “I was on the board of directors and they said they needed a male nurse,” he said. “I told them I could do that and went to community college and got my CNA 1 and CNA 2. This was back when I was still working at Mohican Mill in Maiden. On my lunch hour I used to take off and go and give a bath or some other service to someone who needed it. I worked as a volunteer for hospice for 37 years.”

Hudson Valley Hospice opens new inpatient centerHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 1/4/24New York-based Hudson Valley Hospice has opened a new inpatient facility that will serve two counties in its home state.

Gentle endings: Lessons learned in a hospice for those without a homeDeseretNews, by Eliza Anderson; 1/3/24 Jillian Olmsted was intrigued by a news story in 2015 about attempts to open a small residential hospice for the homeless in Salt Lake City, where she lives. The INN Between would offer a home for people who were unsheltered and dying so they could be fed and cared for, in beds and out of the cold. But she was also floored by the hue and cry of neighbors who didn’t want them around — even though they were terribly medically frail. Her dad was fighting cancer, and she had just helped care for her mom and stepfather, who died a month apart. Both “had insurance and a nice home and family to take care of them.” Why begrudge someone shelter, care and comfort in such dire circumstances?