Literature Review

[UK] Adopting the lens of the COM-B behaviour change model to qualitatively explore and understand public health implications of young adults' attitudes towards death-talkBMC Public Health; by Catrin Morgan-Duggan, Joanna Brooks, Lisa Graham-Wisener, Christine Rowland; 10/25The topic of death and dying holds universal significance, yet societal norms often discourage open discussions, leading to a culture of death-denial. The analysis revealed four key themes which collectively illustrate the complex interplay between individual attitudes and broader cultural influences in shaping how young adults perceive and discuss death and dying. The themes highlighted how internal and external factors affect the ability and willingness of young adults to engage in meaningful discussions about death. Factors such as social stigma, fear of causing distress, and a lack of communication skills were identified as significant barriers. Conversely, the recognition of the importance of death-talk, personal experiences with bereavement, and a supportive social environment were found to facilitate these discussions.

Four nurses in two weeks assaulted at Essentia Hospitals: Nurses say violence is a consequence of unsafe staffing and inaction Minnesota Nurses Association, Brainer, MN; Press Release; 10/28/25Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are once again outraged and deeply concerned after two more violent assaults on nurses at Essentia Health. A nurse at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd was attacked by a patient last Thursday, followed by another assault at the same facility over the weekend. The latest incidents come less than two weeks after two nurses were injured at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Four nurses assaulted in under two weeks reflects a dangerous pattern in Essentia facilities—one that nurses have been warning about for years.Editor's Note: Continue reading for preventable actions and red flags, "True safety comes from care-based prevention." These were hospital settings; the home care settings your staff and volunteers enter provide much higher risks with less control. Ask your direct care staff for examples of professional situations that were unsafe. Office-based leaders, you might be surprised. Examine your workplace violence policies, procedures, trainings, incident reporting, and follow-up.

Executive Personnel Changes - 10/31/25

November healthcare observances

Love, loss and last wishes fulfilled at Duke HomeCare & Hospice: Staff members regularly make miracles happen Duke Today, Durham, NC; by Working@Duke; 10/29/25 The bell chimed three times at Hock Family Pavilion, and everyone knew what it meant. Duke HomeCare & Hospice nurses and workers stepped into the hallway of Duke’s 12-person inpatient hospice facility, solemnly waiting in silence. Anthony Wilkie, a Duke Clinical Nurse, had been bracing himself for the moment with a mixture of sorrow and humility. When a bell rings three times at Hock Family Pavilion, a patient has just died and a ritual is about to begin. ...

Halloween was confusing. All my life my parents said, ‘Never take candy from strangers.’ And then they dressed me up and said, 'Go beg for it.' ~ Rita Rudner

Kalos Health shutters amid Medicaid changes Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/29/25 Kalos Health Inc. is closing amid changes to Medicaid reimbursement. The change could challenge access to home-based services for chronically ill adults in western New York. The nonprofit provided health insurance coverage across six counties in New York through a Medicaid managed long-term care (MLTC) plan. Since 2014, the plan has coordinated with regional health care providers to serve adults with chronic illness and health disabilities. Kalos Health is part of The Hospice and Palliative Care Group (HPCG), an organization that provides administrative services. Other providers in the group include Niagara Hospice, Liberty Home Care, Hospice of Orleans and The Niagara Hospice Alliance.  

Healthcare trends & transactions Q3 2025 JD Supra; by Delaney Durst, Ali Gallagher, Angela Humphreys, Ben Kelly, Zoebedeh Malakpa, Mariah R. Rhodes, Marc Rigsby, Morgan Tandy, David Wilson; 10/29/25  [Scroll down to "Home Health, Hospice Care & Personal Care Services"]The home health and hospice sector saw a modest decline in deal activity since Q2, as the industry faced changes in Medicare reimbursement rates and ongoing regulatory uncertainty. The most notable transaction in the space occurred in August when, following two years of regulatory scrutiny, UnitedHealth closed its $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys, a provider of home health and hospice services.  ... In the hospice sector, LifeCare Home Health announced in September its acquisition of St. Gabriel’s Hospice & Palliative Care, a hospice care provider serving approximately 300 patients in Texas, and BaneCare Management, a senior care services provider in Massachusetts, announced its acquisition of Longwood Hospice.

Emergency preparedness efforts prevented deaths, serious injuries in massive fire, senior living operator saysMcKnight's Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 10/28/25A massive Friday night fire at a Michigan senior living community displaced 87 residents and staff members, but no serious injuries or deaths were reported thanks to emergency preparedness measures, according to the operator. Multiple fire departments responded to the blaze at American House Southgate in suburban Detroit... In an update provided to McKnight’s Senior Living by American House on Saturday, the company said that staff members and residents reacted quickly and efficiently. “Following their practiced fire drills, the team members and residents evacuated the building without incident,” the statement said, adding that the building’s fire systems all deployed as designed.

New Joint Commission Guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare The National Law Review; by  Paul R. DeMuro, PhD, Brandon K. von Kriegelstein, Taylor M. Stilwell Katten; 10/28/25 On September 17, 2025, the Joint Commission, in collaboration with the Coalition for Health AI (“CHAI”), issued its first high-level framework on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in healthcare.  The Guidance on the Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare (“Guidance”) is intended to help hospitals and health systems responsibly deploy, govern, and monitor AI tools across organizations.  The goal of the Guidance is to help “…the industry align elements that enhance patient safety by reducing risks associated with AI error and improving administrative, operational, and patient outcomes by leveraging AI’s potential.” ... The seven core elements articulated by the Guidance are:

October is a fallen leaf, but it is also the wider horizon more clearly seen. ~ Hal Borlan

So you expect to live until age 100? Here are the financial issues you’ll need to address right now NTD; by Brian O'Connell; 10/28/25 Americans are growing used to the notion that they may live to a ripe old age, even as long as 100. According to a new study by Houston-based Corebridge Financial, 50 percent of U.S. adults say they’ll live to 100, and 49 percent say they hope hitting 100 actually happens. ... Living until age 100 brings so-called longevity risk, especially if you live 35 or 40 years after retiring. “That’s why you should focus on three pillars: long-term care planning, dependable lifetime income, and optimized Social Security,” Yehuda Tropper, CEO of Beca Life Settlements, a viatical & life settlement company, told NTD.

Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care appoints James Bisom as new CEO CityBuzz; Press Release; 10/29/25Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care [in Helena, Montana] has announced the appointment of James Bisom, MHA, as its new Chief Executive Officer. With over 14 years of healthcare leadership experience, Bisom assumes leadership of the veteran-owned healthcare provider with a clear mission to advance quality of life, dignity, and comfort for patients and families throughout Montana. ... Throughout his career, he has championed strategic initiatives that improved patient safety, expanded access to specialized services, and enhanced overall care delivery.