Literature Review

They stayed in nursing after COVID. But these Wisconsin nurses will never be the same.Oshkosh Northwestern, by Natalie Eilbert; 12/28/23FOND DU LAC – Hannah Pecora moves through the fifth floor of SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac with the confidence that comes with serving as a registered nurse since 2009. ... Pecora was there when the first shock of COVID hit the staff, along with a stream of new medical guidelines. ... Then Pecora watched a patient younger than her die. This one left her reeling.

Terminally-ill dogs find love through hospice foster programFox7 Austin, by John Krinjak; 12/26/23AUSTIN, Texas - Some Austin-based volunteers are making sure terminally ill dogs get the love they deserve. Austin Pets Alive! recently launched a hospice foster program, and it was all inspired by a very special pooch named Opie.

Guiding an improved dementia experience (GUIDE) ModelGeriPal podcast with Malaz Boustani and Diane Ty... The financial case for comprehensive dementia care is changing thanks to a new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) alternative payment model (APM) called Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model.  This model will give participating programs a per-member-per-month payment to offer care management, care coordination, and other services such as caregiver training, disease education, and respite.

High Impact Articles - Core Roles and Responsibilities of Physicians in Hospice Care: A Statement by and for U.S. Hospice and Palliative Care Physicians.Journal of Palliative Medicine, by Ira Byock and on behalf of HPM Physicians Concerned About Hospice Care*. Physicians are integral members of hospice interdisciplinary teams (IDTs). This statement delineates the core roles and responsibilities of hospice medical directors (HMDs) and hospice physicians who are designated by the hospice program to fulfill core HMD responsibilities. In addition, we describe the basic elements of hospice programs' structure and function required for hospice physicians to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. Finally, we call attention to hospice program characteristics and circumstances of the work environment that should raise a hospice physician's concerns that hospice patients and families are at risk of receiving low-quality care.Editor Note: While this was posted in December, we wanted to include it in the inaugural edition, too.

Steven Garner - What he learned about quilting in prisonQuiltFolk Magaine, Issue 28, October 2023Louisiana’s notorious Angola prison is the largest maximum security state prison in the country. But it’s also become known for its hospice program and, to a lesser degree, its prison quilters. Steven Garner was incarcerated at Angola for 31 years and now spends most of his free time building on the quilting skills he learned in prison. He moved to Colorado to be near family, and Quiltfolk visited him at his niece’s house, where he does most of his sewing these days. He shared his current projects and his future dreams.Editor Note: While this article appeared several weeks ago, we wanted to include it in our inaugural newsletter. The link is to the public portion of this article; to read the entire article it's worth purchasing a copy of the magazine. Also, Steven's website is now available: https://www.snt31consulting.com/.

Push for end-of-life bill will continue in 2024

Offering ‘emotional first aid’ to people in shock over a sudden death

Tidewell Foundation’s Longboat building no longer listed for saleSarasota Observer; 12/28/23The Tidewell Foundation and Empath Health aren’t leaving Longboat Key any time soon. Recently, the organization’s Longboat Key building was listed for sale by Ian Black Real Estate for $3.1 million. But that was an error, according to new information from Empath Health Chief Mission Access Officer Rhonda Sanders-Allamon. The listing is no longer active. Sanders-Allamon said the idea of selling the property has been discussed by the executive board, but nothing was officially voted on.

Open house held in Gloucester for Sentara Home Health and HospiceGazette-Journal (Gloucester and Matthews counties, VA), 12/27/23Gloucester, VA—Sentara held an open house for its new Home Health and Hospice location in Gloucester on Tuesday, Dec. 12. The business will provide accessible and high-quality nursing to residents of Gloucester and the surrounding area, according to a release.

Assisted living residents surprised on Christmas Day—’Value these beautiful lives’WTVR-TV (Richmond, VA); 12/29/23Henrico County, VA—Residents at an assisted living community in the West End received a surprise on Christmas Day thanks to workers at a Richmond Hospice service. Debbie Johnston, a registered nurse at Serenity First Hospice, said her team members adopted Morningside in the West End to give residents a “fairytale” for some residents who have not had a Christmas gift for years. As a result, the hospice workers shopped for gifts and promoted a present drive over the past few weeks. Additionally, business and members of the community made donations.

Expressing end of life care decisions through artChannelEye, 12/20/23Jersey Hospice Care is working with Les Amis to help its residents understand how they can plan their future care and support.

Addressing the Intimacy Needs of Partners of Patients with Terminal CancerInternational Society for Sexual Medicine; 12/26/23A recent study was designed to address the overlooked sexual needs of patients with life-limiting cancers in palliative care. It explored both the physical and psychological elements of intimacy, emphasizing the importance of sexuality support in the palliative phase.

More than 200 terminally ill Vermonters qualified for the state’s aid-in-dying law in its first decadeVT Digger, 12/28/23Over 200 terminally ill patients have sought and qualified to receive life-ending drugs since Vermont first legalized medical-aid-in-dying more than a decade ago, according to a recent report from the Vermont Department of Health. Vermont first legalized the practice—sometimes referred to as “death with dignity” by supporters or “assisted suicide” by opponents—in May 2013. From then until the end of June 2023, 203 Vermonters sought and qualified for the medication, according to the report. Not all of those who had access to the drugs obtained or used them, according to the Department of Health. Some died from the underlying disease. ... A vast majority of those who utilized the program had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to the report.