Literature Review

Cancer statistics, 2024American Cancer Society, by Rebecca L. Siegel MPH, Angela N. Giaquinto MSPH, and Ahmedin Jemal DVM, PhD; 1/17/2024In this article, we provide the estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths in 2024 in the United States nationally and for each state, as well as a comprehensive overview of cancer occurrence based on up-to-date population-based data for cancer incidence and mortality through 2020 and 2021, respectively.

StateServ announces acquisition of Delta Care RxPR Newswire; 1/22/2024StateServ, a leading provider of durable medical equipment ("DME") benefit management solutions to the post-acute care market in the United States, has completed its acquisition of Delta Care Rx ("Delta Care"), a national pharmaceutical care provider. Delta Care offers integrated pharmacy benefit management, mail order prescription, sterile/non-sterile compounding, and clinical pharmacist consulting to the hospice and palliative care markets. ... The unique combination forms a leading care-at-home data, technology, and service platform and the industry's first scaled DME and pharmacy solution.

Visiting Nurses Foundation awards $130,000 to Assured Hospice for comfort therapiesThe Chronicle; 1/19/24The Visiting Nurses Foundation has awarded Assured Hospice $130,000 as part of a continued partnership to provide therapies for end-of-life patients. The money supports comfort therapies, which include acupuncture and acupressure, animal-assisted therapy, guided imagery, healing touch, therapeutic touch, reiki, music and sound therapy and massages, which are integrated to enhance existing treatment plans.

Cambia Health Foundation announces 10th cohort of the Sojourns Scholar Leadership ProgramCambia health foundation; 1/18/24Each Sojourns Scholar receives $180,000 in funding ($90,000 per year over a two-year grant) to carry out an innovative and impactful project in the field of palliative care and execute a leadership development plan designed to support the individual's growth as a national leader in the field. ... Each grantee is a member of an interdisciplinary palliative care team or is otherwise working to advance the field.Click on the link above for descriptions, and then on "Meet Our Cohorts"

Talking about death and dyingThe Saturday Evening Post; by N. West Moss; 1/19/24Last summer, my 88-year-old mother was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer and opted for in-home hospice. She died three months later. Talking about death can be difficult. It can bring up feelings of fear, anxiety, and sorrow. It can also feel awkward as it requires acknowledging one’s own (or a loved one’s) mortality. 

'Snow was up to my knees': Iowa hospice nurse walks through blizzard to reach patientKETV (NE), by Maddie Augustine; 1/20/24Iowa — Communities across Nebraska and Iowa have felt the impact of recent snowfall and below-zero temperatures, but that weather didn't stop one Iowa hospice nurse. Tiffany McArdle, hospice nurse for St. Croix Hospice, told KETV that in her seven years of working as a hospice nurse, she never imagined she would be walking through a blizzard to reach a patient, but she said she never doubted she would find a way to make it to the family in need on Sunday.

Pals for Life helps animals lend a paw while treating community members with pet therapyABC News, by Nick Iadonisi; 1/19/24Kristen Abbott as Program Director of Pals for Life is bringing pet therapy across the Delaware Valley. She guides animals as they lend a paw, and lift the spirits of our community members. The pets will visit people in various locations, such as "elder care homes...mental health hospitals...hospice centers," said Abbott.

Teleios announces addition of Emmanuel Hospice to networkPress release; 1/19/24Hendersonville, NC   January 11, 2024:  Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) announced the addition of Emmanuel Hospice to its clinically integrated network, expanding the nonprofit’s resources, tools and expertise in order to grow its presence and services in West Michigan.

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. 

Nursing home operators feel there’s a lot to learn from hospice surveys despite regulatory differencesSkilled Nursing News, by Amy Stulick; 1/18/24Many nursing home operators that also have hospice operations can’t help but notice that the survey process on the hospice end is generally a more positive experience than in the nursing home world. And some say the collaborative nature – between facilities and the federal government – of hospice surveys can and should be replicated for nursing homes.

HHS: Lack of incentives bar home health, hospice providers from creating interoperable solutionsMcKnights Senior Living, by Adam Healy; 1/19/24Long-term and post-acute care organizations have not received the same support as other care settings for creating interoperable patient data tools, putting home health and hospice providers at a disadvantage, according to new research by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Head chef at Jersey Hospice cherishes the privilege of cooking for end-of-life patientsBNN, by Mahnoor Jehangir; 1/19/24The head chef at Jersey Hospice, Sam Sherwood, has a deeply personal mission. His role is not merely a professional one, but a labor of love, driven by the memory of his father who passed away just days before Sherwood took the helm of the hospice kitchen. For Sherwood and his team, preparing meals for patients in end-of-life care is more than just a job; it’s a calling.