Literature Review

'Living well, leaving well': Yishun end-of-life art exhibition allows seniors to demystify death, document life Today, by Nikki Yeo; 3/18/24, updated 3/19/24 A senior-led exhibition [in Singapore], Tides, features a group of eight women and their reflections on end-of-life matters. ... The project engaged seniors in the Yishun community over nine months to form art works based on "living well" and "leaving well." ... The pictures [of family foods] are overlaid with handwritten messages exchanged between Madam Devi and her grandchildren. ... Her grandchildren calls her "atha", or grandmother, and have written, "I love you so much", "from young I’m eating your food", "I’m so grateful to you".

Giving hospice patients a dignified end-of-life experience Steve Adubato On the Air, with Charles Vialotti, MD; 3/13/24On--location at Villa Marie Claire Residential Hospice, Steve Adubato is joined by medical director, Charles Vialotti, MD to talk about his personal commitment to hospice care and giving residents and their families a dignified end-of-life experience.

Care coordination, quality data crucial to hospice referral growthHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 3/18/24Care coordination and quality data will be engines for hospice referral growth. Hospices saw census volumes drop during the COVID-19 public health emergency as facilities nationwide restricted access to patients amid mandated state closures. Providers often turned to electronic communications to reach patients in facility- and community-based settings alike. Adaptability has been among the keys to coping with the pandemic’s lingering punches in referral streams, according to Craig Dresang, CEO of California-based YoloCares. As end-of-life care received a spotlight during a global pandemic, the historical viewpoints around hospice care delivery have been undergoing a “fundamental shift,” Dresang said.

SNFists found to reduce ‘burdensome’ end-of-life care McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 3/18/24 Advanced practice clinicians who specialize in skilled nursing care help reduce the use of unnecessary care at end of life, according to new study results released Friday in JAMA Network Open. These physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants — who provide at least 80% of their evaluation and care visits in nursing homes — were referred to collectively as “SNFists” by the report authors. They reduced the burdensome care transitions that many residents face, benefiting both caregivers and their patients, the study confirms.

For-profit nursing homes are cutting corners on safety and draining resources with financial shenanigans − especially at midsize chains that dodge public scrutinyThe Conversation, by Sean Campbell and Charlene Harrington; 3/14/24 ... Overall, private-equity investors wreak havoc on nursing homes, slashing registered nurse hours per resident day by 12%, outpacing other for-profit facilities. The aftermath is grim, with a daunting 14% surge in the deficiency score index, a standardized metric for determining issues with facilities, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report.The human toll comes in death and suffering. A study updated in 2023 by the National Bureau of Economic Research calculated that 22,500 additional deaths over a 12-year span were attributable to private-equity ownership, equating to about 172,400 lost life years. The calculations also showed that private-equity ownership was responsible for a 6.2% reduction in mobility, an 8.5% increase in ulcer development and a 10.5% uptick in pain intensity.

Medicare Advantage prior authorization: The impact - increased access to care HHS-OIG; 3/19/24 HHS-OIG’s work on this issue drew national attention to the problem spurring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Industry, and Congress to action.  Editor's Note: You can download the "Impact Brief" from this site. Click on the title's link.

Living a special life to the end The Daily Sentinel, by Nathan Deal; 3/17/24, updated 3/18/24“Today’s a good day to have a good day. The sun will come up in the east and it will set in the west. All you have to do is match its energy.” That was the mantra of Andy Smith, Grand Junction High School and Colorado Mesa University graduate, rugby enthusiast, friend of Coach K, and lover of sunsets and sunrises. It was the outlook he lived by even on his darkest days.Editor's Note: Read this inspiring story about college student Andy Smith, cared for by HopeWest Hospice in Grand Junction, CO. 

UnitedHealth Group cyberattack status update UnitedHealth Group Press Release; 3/18/24 Today [Monday 3/18/24], Change Healthcare will begin releasing medical claims preparation software, an important step in the resumption of services. This will be made available to thousands of customers over the next several days. The company expects to have third-party attestations available prior to services becoming operational. Following this initial phase, remaining services restoration will continue through ongoing phases of activation until all customers have been connected.

Hospice prepares to thank Vietnam era vetsMid Hudson News; 3/17/24In early 2017, Congress passed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, establishing March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.  The holiday is also known as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” and in honor of those who served during the Vietnam era, the Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties will host its fourth annual “Thank You” and Memorial Ceremony on March 29 at 10 a.m. at the Cornwall Yacht Club. Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties is a community partner of “We Honor Veterans,” a campaign developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs.Editor's Note: Click here for information about March 29th, National Vietnam War Veterans Day.   

Healthcare hit hardest by ransomware last year, FBI IC3 report shows HealthITSecurity, by Jill McKeon; 3/12/24 The healthcare sector suffered more ransomware attacks than any other critical infrastructure sector last year, according to complaint data examined in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2023 Internet Crime Report. ... In 2023, IC3 received a record 880,418 complaints, with losses exceeding $12.5 billion. These figures signify a 10 percent increase in complaints received and a 22 percent increase in losses suffered compared to last year’s report.

Long-term care costs can cripple families with aging loved ones. Turlock has a solution - Opinion The Modesto Bee, by Jeffrey Lews and Francesa Rinaldo; 3/17/24The sudden closures of the Brandel Manor nursing home and Cypress Place Assisted Living have left many in Turlock and the surrounding communities wondering where they will find quality care for their loved [ones]. ... The Turlock City Council approved a $400,000 grant to support the Legacy Health Endowment Person-Centered Care (PCC) program, an innovative initiative offering comprehensive in-home support services for families looking after aging loved ones. The program aims to assist families by providing care while safeguarding against premature placement into a nursing home or the fear of re-hospitalization. 

Palliative Care as ‘Personalized Medicine’Hospice News, by Jim Parker; 3/18/24The term “personalized medicine” is often used to describe health needs based on a patient’s genetics. However, more stakeholders are applying the term to palliative care. Personalized medicine is a step away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to health care. The model uses information gathered from a patient’s genome to plan for care, treatment and services, and to some extent, predict a likely health trajectory, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

How a Florida woman’s NYC selfie led to her brain tumor diagnosis New York Post, by Chris Harris; 3/16/24 It was a life-changing selfie. ... “I looked at the picture, and my eyelid was drooping,” Troutwine recalled. “I thought it was odd, so when I returned home, I mentioned it to my neurologist.” The doctor ordered an MRI, and on her way home from the scan, she got a call: They had found a benign mass inside her brain that was growing at an aggressive rate.