Literature Review

A woman in hospice granted a wish of one last swim WEAU-13 News, Bloomer, WI; by Danile Gomez; 7/16/25 Often times the small things are taken for granted. Like a dip in the pool. For Barbara Melby, it was on the final list of things to do as she lives out her time in hospice care. “Barbara has been doing pretty well. She has had some fatigue and some tiredness,” said Leah Grace, the registered nurse with St. Croix Hospice assigned to Melby’s case. ... Grace worked hard to make sure Melby’s last dip in the pool would come to fruition. She cleared it with Melby, her family and the managers at the hospice center. The aquatic center helped in granting the wish too. ... “The way the chair put me in down the water was very nice,” said Melby. Of those in Melby’s family that jumped in the pool with her included Stoll and her kids Colby, Sydney and Brody. “I grew up swimming in my grandmother’s pool. ...” said Stoll. She is happy to be there for her grandmother’s last swim. “Just a pretty special memory we will all hold on to for a pretty long time.” Melby was a swim instructor, ... It was something she always loved and it made her happy to have had her wish granted.

Facing new CMS pressure, providers should audit mental health diagnoses, prescriptions: expert McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 7/22/25 As reported in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News on July 23, “Nursing homes should be auditing documentation for all residents with mental health disorders to ensure their diagnoses are compliant with new federal guidance, a well-known clinical reimbursement recommended Tuesday. Leigh Ann Frick, president of Care Navigation Consulting, made that suggestion while reviewing updated Long-Term Care Surveyor Guidance that went into effect in late April. At over 900 pages, the new manual and appendixes have left many providers still navigating the changes and how best to respond to them. When it comes to giving antipsychotic medications, diagnosing patients with disorders that require them, or identifying and responding to any other patient needs, the guidance puts new emphasis on the use of professional standards, Frisk explained. Guest Editor’s Note, Judi Lund Person:  For nursing home residents who have elected the Medicare hospice benefit, this information may apply. Diagnosing mental health issues, prescribing, and documenting based on professional standards is an important component in the updated Long-Term Care Surveyor guidance issued in April.

Trump administration hands over Medicaid recipients’ personal data, including addresses, to ICE Associated Press (AP), Washington, DC; by Kimberly Kindy and Amanda Seitz; updated 7/17/25 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States, according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. The information will give ICE officials the ability to find “the location of aliens” across the country, says the agreement signed Monday [7/14] between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. ... Such disclosures, even if not acted upon, could cause widespread alarm among people seeking emergency medical help for themselves or their children. ... The database will reveal to ICE officials the names, addresses, birth dates, ethnic and racial information, as well as Social Security numbers for all people enrolled in Medicaid. The state and federally funded program provides health care coverage program for the poorest of people, including millions of children. ... [Federal] law requires all states to offer emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage that pays only for lifesaving services in emergency rooms to anyone, including non-U.S. citizens. Emergency Medicaid is often used by immigrants, including those who are lawfully present and those who are not.

[PACE] New service serving seniors ready to open CBS WKBN 27, Youngstown, OH; by Dave Sess; 7/21/25 ... Buckeye PACE is ready to open its new Mahoning County day center on August 1. There will also be one in Warren. PACE is a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly. People age 55 and over can get wrap-around services to help them stay at home and in their communities. Most of the seniors qualify to live in a skilled nursing facility, but they get support from PACE so they don’t have to. “All of that is wrapped into one service that allows family members then to not have to play the role of constant nurse and social worker and caregiver, and they’re able then to be able to still partake in the community and be out in the community while our seniors are at home,” said Craig Worland, acting CEO for One Senior Care. 

Public welcomed inside Heather’s House, North Dakota’s 1st freestanding hospice Grand Forks Herald, Fargo, ND; by Robin Hueben and Michael McGurran; 7/22/25 The public is getting its first look inside North Dakota's first freestanding, inpatient hospice house. Several hundred people turned out for a program and open house at HIA Heather's House on Tuesday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3800 56th Ave. S., Fargo, put on by HIA Health. The letters HIA stand for "hearts in action." HIA had previously been known as Hospice of the Red River Valley before changing its name in June. ... Nancy Andrews, president of the HIA Hospice Board, greeted the crowd on behalf of the board and the facility staff. "I welcome you to the grand opening of this sacred place — a place of peace, compassion and dignity," she said. [For more background, read our 4/23/24 post, Hospice of the Red River Valley celebrates milestone in Heather's House construction.]

[United Kingdom] The Sussex Beacon to become UK’S first LGBTQ+ hospice with HIV specialism Sussex Health & Care; Press Release; 7/18/25 In a landmark development, The Sussex Beacon has announced it is to become the UK’s only dedicated hospice for LGBTQ+ people, uniquely combining inclusive care with expertise in specialist HIV care. The Sussex Beacon is refreshing its approach to palliative and end-of-life care services, expanding its offer to the wider LGBTQ+ community, regardless of HIV status. ... Decades of experience supporting people with HIV have given The Sussex Beacon deep insight into the ongoing impact of stigma and health inequalities. National research, including Hospice UK’s report “I Just Want To Be Me”, which examines access to care for trans & gender-diverse people and insights from LGBTQ+ organisations.

CHP Home Care & Hospice celebrating 50 years of service The Van Wert Independent, Van Wert, OH; by Greg Yinger; 7/20/25 CHP Home Care & Hospice is celebrating a half century of providing home-based health care services in northwest and west central Ohio. The non-profit, 501c3 organization was incorporated in December of 1974 and served its first patient on March 1, 1975. Dr. E. E. White, a local physician, initiated the establishment of a home health care service because Van Wert County was one of five Ohio counties at the time that lacked these services. Dr. White hired Donna Grimm, a registered nurse, and with the help of a $3,000 grant from the United Way of Van Wert County, Van Wert Area Visiting Nurses Association – later changed to Community Health Professionals (CHP) – was established.  

Rural hospitals eye service expansions to weather federal cuts Modern Healthcare; by Alex Kacik; 7/14/25 Rural hospitals are hopeful they can add rather than reduce services to help soften the blow from looming Medicaid and Medicare cuts. ...  If rural providers cannot recruit physicians, lean more heavily on philanthropic donors or find other ways to reduce their reliance on Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement to get ahead of cuts in the law, hospitals will be forced to pare back services or close their doors, industry observers said. ... In response, rural providers have accelerated ongoing operational adjustments, including renegotiating vendor contracts, beefing up their coding and billing processes, freezing new hires and standardizing daily tasks to reduce administrative waste. But those tweaks alone cannot sustain rural hospitals, so some providers are aiming to grow surgeries, infusions and other services to boost their bottom lines, executives said.

Behind the deal: Creach Family Holdings bolsters Midwest Home Health presence with Freudenthal acquisition Levin Associates; Press Release; 7/21/25 Creach Family Holdings announced that it has expanded its home health footprint in the Kansas City MSA, with the acquisition of Freudenthal Home-Based Healthcare. The transaction closed in early July 2025 ... The acquisition integrates Freudenthal Home-Based Healthcare into Creach Family Holdings’ portfolio of healthcare providers, strengthening its home health and hospice division. Freudenthal Home-Based Healthcare will continue operating under its established brand, joining forces with Overland Park, Kansas-based Faith Home Health and Hospice, an active Creach Family Holdings investment, to enhance regional care delivery.

Caring for a difficult elderly parent during a transitionPsychology Today - Caregiving; "Personal Perspective" by Franne Sippel, EdD, LP; 7/21/25 I am the only child of an only child who lives in an assisted living facility thousands of miles away. I unofficially diagnosed Mom with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder after struggling for years with a relationship fraught with guilt and frustration. ... It’s difficult enough to care for a frail parent when their health is failing. However, the added OCD personality, with its micromanaging, rules, and demands, tests patience beyond compare.  ... A good friend suggested I call hospice to evaluate her. Jim, a hospice RN in his 70s, arrived and instantly assessed the situation with laser-like precision. ... I spend many months going back and forth between South Dakota and Arizona to see my mom. Hospice continues to visit her three to four times a week at the assisted living facility, and a dear family friend also visits her several times a week. ... Editor's Note: Keep reading this article to its end. The insightful, practical, sensitive care from these hospice clinicians generated life-long transformations for this burdened caregiver-daughter. 

'A long, beautiful time together': Photo exhibit 'Til Death Do Us Part'KUT 90.5, Austin, TX; by Michael Lee; 7/21/25“Well, we have to go back five years to the beginning of the pandemic,” says photographer Becky Wilkes, recalling how she came to create the exhibit Til Death Do Us Part. ... Wilkes and her siblings found themselves making frequent trips to Waco to care for their almost-90-year-old parents, and then the looming threat of a global pandemic made an already-difficult situation worse. ... She’d already started snapping some cell phone photos to share with her siblings, but seeing her parents together again, with what seemed like a renewed sense of love and togetherness, Wilkes decided to capture more and better photos. “And then I did have a conversation with them very quickly and I requested permission to photograph them,” she says. The resulting photography exhibit, Til Death Do Us Part, chronicles that last year of her parents’ lives.  ... The story ultimately ends in their death and our understanding of their death. But the story is really about their living. And, that's really… that's really beautiful.” Editor's Note: Click here for Becky Wilkes' website page with her descriptions and photos. 

Nothing changes if nothing changes. ~ attributed to AA