Literature Review

Hospice charity’s online community ‘at huge risk’ after Meta ban ThirdSector, United Kingdom; by Emily Harle; 4/26/24The charity says it has been unable to fully access to its Facebook and Instagram accounts after the admin was banned for posting a hospice advert.  Lewis-Manning Hospice Care has lost access to its Meta Business Manager account, saying the unexpected ban has left it unable to access analytics, fundraising tools and at risk of losing its entire online community. The charity, which offers palliative care for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across east Dorset, has been left unable to fully manage its Facebook and Instagram accounts for more than a year after an admin was banned by Meta. Olivia Girling, head of marketing and communications at Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, told Third Sector the ban was imposed on the charity’s former marketing manager’s advertising account, after she posted a fundraising advert. Girling said Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, told the charity the ad had “violated community guidelines,” but she insisted it was a “generic hospice marketing post.” When pressed for its reasoning behind the ban, Meta would not give any further explanation, she said.Editor's Note: Click on the title's link for this important information, conflicted outcomes, and horrific bans from being able to manage one's own hospice Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Nancy Streber Memorial Golf Classic continues record-breaking fundraising for McLaren Hospice The County Press, Davison, MI; 6/26/24 The 76th Annual Nancy Streber Memorial Golf Classic held May 11 at Heather Hills Golf Course near Romeo, raised more than $15,000 for McLaren Hospice’s end-of-life care services — breaking its fundraising record previously reached in 2023. The event, founded by Dave Streber and his family, honors the memory of his mother, Nancy, and the care her father received as a McLaren patient. In addition to the fundraising milestone, the event hosted 140, making it one of the largest, most successful events in the memorial outing’s history. “We are profoundly grateful for the 27 years of dedication from Dave Streber and his family, as well as the numerous organizations and all of individuals who have contributed to this event and supported McLaren Hospice over the years,” said Cindy Tomlinson, MSN, RN, vice president of hospice at McLaren Health Management Group.

BrightSpring Health Services announces definitive agreement to acquire Haven Hospice, expanding its hospice services into the CON state of FloridaBrightSpring press release; 6/24/24BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ: BTSG), a leading provider of home and community-based health services for complex populations, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of North Central Florida Hospice, Inc. and Haven Medical Group, LLC (collectively “Haven Hospice”), a Florida-based company holding a Certificate of Need (CON) for comprehensive hospice care services in 18 counties in north central Florida. ... BrightSpring’s acquisition of Haven will allow the Company to provide advance care planning, palliative, and hospice services throughout Florida Agency for Health Care Administration service areas 3A, 4A, and 4B. Total consideration for the acquisition is $60 million, with $15 million in cash at close, $30 million in Company equity at close, and an additional $15 million in a seller note payable four years after closing. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.

Cruisin’ Zeake surpasses $100K raised for Hospice of Northwest Ohio WTVG 13 Action News, Toledo, OH; by Alexandria Manthey; 6/15/24 A classic car show on fathers day weekend is sure to have some family fun, but Saturday’s show at Levis Commons in Perrysburg meant more than that. After 14 years of raising money for Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Cruisin’ Zeake hit $100,000 raised. Zeake said his group’s car shows make up the second biggest fundraising events for the charity. They surpassed the six figure number by just $16 at Saturday’s Classic Car Show at Levis Commons. Proceeds of the 50/50 and all the money in the donation jar will benefit Hospice. “I’ve got people behind me, it’s not just Cruisin’ Zeake,” Zeake said. “The car community, they have hearts of gold. When I ask them to step up, they’re there."

Nurse’s union reacts to order that medical company pay $17M in bills Rhode Island News - Providence Now ABC 6; by Gino DeAngelis; 6/13/24 The United Nurses and Allied Professionals said it has been “sounding the alarm for years” about Prospect Medical Holdings’ lack of investment in both Our Lady of Fatima Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center. The company was ordered to pay $17 million in overdue bills to vendors of both hospitals. UNAP said it represents 1,200 employees at both hospitals as well as at Prospect Home Health and Hospice. ... "This decision by Judge Stern further highlights the need for the next owner – whether it is Centurion Foundation or someone else – to invest their own capital into these important hospitals and healthcare facilities. We simply can not rely on saddling these hospitals with more and more debt as is being currently proposed." 

Alive welcomes experienced hospice leader as new CEO: Middle Tennessee's only nonprofit hospice provider poised to build on industry-leading reputationAlive Hospice; 6/13/24Alive, Middle Tennessee’s only nonprofit provider of hospice and palliative care and end-of-life services, today announced Kerry Hamilton as the organization’s new president and chief executive officer. He will begin his new role on June 24. A highly accomplished health care leader, Hamilton joins Alive with more than 20 years of direct hospice management experience, including a decade as CEO of nonprofit Hospice of Central Ohio. ... Hamilton’s hiring comes one year after news broke that Alive was considering a sale to a for-profit entity. The news led to a tremendous outpouring of support from the community for Alive to remain nonprofit. Ultimately, the Board of Directors made the decision that Alive would remain an independent nonprofit organization. The Board then began the search for a new CEO who shared its vision for the future.

Top News Stories of the Month May 2024 - TCN Podcast TCN Talks - Teleios Collaborative Network; Mark Cohen, Cordt Kassner and Joy Berger; 6/13/24In this week’s podcast, Mark Cohen, Cordt Kassner, and Joy Berger discuss the top news stories in the Hospice community for the month of May.  Additionally, they take you behind the scenes of how newsletters like Hospice News Today was assembled each day and how Hospice & Palliative Care Today is produced for your leadership to use, each day.

Bluegrass Care Navigators hosts Pikeville Radio DayWKYT News, Lexington, KY; by Buddy Forbes; 6/11/24Bluegrass Care Navigators hosted its annual Pikeville Radio Day Tuesday, raising money and increasing awareness about its programs. The event, which partnered with Q95 FM (WQHY) in Prestonsburg, shared stories of hospice patients, outreach programs, and more. “We are raising awareness for patients and their families about what we do here at Bluegrass Care Navigators,” said Associate Director of Philanthropy Dawson Barnett. “And then also we’re raising money to support the programs that we offer, that are not funded any other way other than their support.”

Death with dignity: 50th anniversary of America’s first hospiceYankee Institute; by Andrew Fowler; 6/7/24 ... In the late 19th century, terminally ill patients faced undignified treatment or were even “refused admission to the hospital entirely” due to “availability of space and resources” or race and socio-economic class, according to Doctors, Death, and Denial: The Origins of Hospice Care in 20th Century America by Sarah E. Pajka. ... All of this shaped the outlook of Florence Wald — a former dean of the Yale University School of Nursing, and a Branford native. Growing up in the early 20th century, she recognized the flaws and inhumane nature of medical care toward terminal patients, telling the Associated Press (AP), on Nov. 26, 1971, that death is “a period of life that can have a lot of meaning. It can be content, full of joy, with lots of reminiscing.” But death needed to be “more human and meaningful,” as she stated in the same AP article. Throughout her career, Wald’s passion for palliative care revolutionized the medical profession, with her co-founding “The Connecticut Hospice,” the first in the United States, on June 11, 1974.  Since then, more than 5,200 hospices have been established in the country and millions have sought both in-patient and home care services. This is the story of how the first hospice was founded in Connecticut 50 years ago.  ... Editor's Note: This fascinating history of hospice's beginnnings illuminate core purposes, outcomes (are we measuring the right factors?), and current 21st century challenges. This article is published by the Yankee Institute, not Connecticut Hospice. This author frames this history as a stand against "euthanasia." Whatever one's ethical, political, or religious stand on today's MAiD issues (Medical Aid in Dying)--also referred to as physician assisted suicide--we invite you to find common ground in learning from our history and celebrating Florence Wald's co-founding of The Connecticut Hospice. For readers, what do you know about your hospice organization's history? What might you research and learn? Whom can you honor? Fifty years from now, what will be said of how your organization chose to address 2024's core hospice purposes, outcomes, and challenges?

Ohio’s Hospice fundraising event raises record amountAn evening of food, beverages, live and silent auctions, and community support topped off the 19th annual Culinary Capers benefiting Ohio’s Hospice. Thanks to the 225 people in attendance at Rustic Ridge Wedding Barn in New Philadelphia, the event raised over $177,000, shattering the previous record of more than $130,000. This support helps to ensure all in the communities served by Ohio’s Hospice receive the comprehensive end-of-life care and grief support services they need when it matters most, regardless of their ability to pay.

Collaboration looks to fill void left by closure of Hiland Cottage Hospice Harbor Light; by Harbor Light News Staff; 6/5/24 When McLaren Northern Michigan closed the Hiland Cottage Hospice House in March of this year, the future of trusted end-of-life residential care in this community became uncertain. In an effort to ensure this essential service is still provided, Bay Bluffs, the Emmet County Medical Care Facility, has stepped up to lead a collaborative effort to fill this void. “We are deeply committed to supporting our community through this transition,” said Lisa Ashley, Bay Bluffs administrator in announcing the partnership with Friends of Hiland Cottage, area hospice services, and other local end-of-life providers. 

Community Hospice & Palliative Care setting sights on Florida, Georgia expansionHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/3/24Florida-based Community Hospice & Palliative Care recently opened a new location in its home state that will serve as an office for interdisciplinary staff and a community center. The new center is a key part of the hospice and palliative care provider’s overall strategic growth plans to improve access among underserved populations, according to Community CEO Phillip Ward. ... One aim of launching the center is to improve care collaboration and access among African Americans in the community, according to Ward.

Providence Hospice-Community Healthcare of Texas and Ascension Providence Hospital collaborate to enhance inpatient hospice care Community Healthcare of Texas; 5/28/24 Providence Hospice-Community Healthcare of Texas, the state’s largest not-for-profit hospice and palliative care provider since 1996, has partnered with Ascension Providence Hospital in Waco to provide inpatient hospice care for qualified patients. The new designated hospice wing will open on June 1 and feature five private rooms located on the fourth floor of Ascension Providence Hospital.