Literature Review

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. ~ Henry David Thoreau

If you can change your mind, you can change your life. ~ William James, American philosopher and psychologist, and the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States

Rarely are opportunities presented to you in the perfect way, in a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. ... Opportunities, the good ones, they're messy and confusing and hard to recognize. They're risky. They challenge you. ~ Susan Wojcicki, a creator of Google in 1998 and CEO of YouTube 2014-2023

If you want to be the best you have to do things that other people aren't willing to do. ~ Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016. Click here for his Foundation, with its vision "to save lives and help build healthier families."

When you first get a hill in sight, look at the top of it only once. Then imagine yourself at the bottom of the other side. ~ Florence Griffeth Joyner, known as Flo-Jo, Olympic runner 1984 and 1988, in Time's 2020 list of the most influential women of the past century

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. ~ Dr. Seuss, in Oh, The Places You'll Go

There is no wisdom without leisure. ~ W. B. Yeat

Disclosure practices in Muslim patients and the impact on end-of-life care: A narrative review American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care; by Mona Tereen; 11/26/24 ... Non-disclosure practices hold significant weight in end-of-life care for Muslim communities, where cultural and religious beliefs are deeply intertwined with healthcare decision-making. This narrative review explores the complexities of medical decision-making and disclosure practices among terminally ill Muslim patients, examining how these factors shape palliative care delivery. Conclusion: Non-disclosure practices present significant barriers to effective palliative care in Muslim communities. To improve care outcomes, culturally competent communication strategies and family-centered decision-making models are crucial.

Pet Peace of Mind program alleviates stress for hospice patients Poteau Daily News; by Ashley Torres; 11/26/24 Heart of Hospice in Poteau has announced a new program that will be helping with pet care while patients are on hospice care. The Pet Peace of Mind program, which began at Heart of Hospice Poteau on Nov. 15, aims to support the bond between pets and hospice patients during their final days. According to Heart of Hospice, the Pet Peace of Mind program “recognizes and actively supports the unique bond between hospice patients and their pet,” and “aligns with the Heart of Hospice mission to provide exceptional care and unparalleled service to the patients and families who have placed their trust in us.” The program is funded through donations, and the work is done by volunteers.  ... The Pet Peace of Mind program is aptly named, because it is all truly done to alleviate the anxiety and stress that hospice patients often feel while worrying about what will happen to their beloved pets when they are gone. Knowing that their pet’s needs are being met while they are on hospice care, and knowing that their pet will be taken care of even afterwards, allows the patient to focus on their own comfort during their last days.

HRRMC Foundation transfers $1.6 million to HRRMC for construction of the Delnay Guest House Ark Valley Voice; by Carly Winchell; 11/26/24 Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC) released a statement announcing a $1.6 million transfer from the HRRMC Foundation to HRRMC to help finance the construciton of the Delnay Guest House. According to the release, HRRMC credits the transfer to a donation: “Thanks to a generous $1.5 million donation from the Robert and Bernice Delnay Estate, and to contributions made by the community, HRRMC Foundation transferred $1.6 million to HRRMC for the construction costs of the Delnay Guest House .” The guest house is located on the HRRMC campus. It includes ten units. Four are designated for overnight charitable accommodation to support HRRMC outpatients receiving treatments at the hospital, their families, and caregivers of HRRMC patients. Some patients and caregivers live 30 miles or more from Salida. Hospice families traveling to Salida to support local hospice patients may also stay in these units. 

Education, telehealth, and access initiatives aim to improve cancer care for veteransOncLive; by Kyle Doherty; 11/26/24 Manali I. Patel, MD, MPH, MS, details several interventions developed to better serve veterans with cancer who are experiencing economic, social, and geographic barriers to care. Despite having the option of cancer care through the Veterans Affairs (VA) health network, veterans with cancer still experience economic, social, and geographic barriers to receiving high-quality care. This has prompted investigators to develop several interventions to better serve these patients. “Veterans have higher rates of lung cancer [compared with] civilian populations; prostate and bladder cancer [rates] are also pronounced [among] veterans, [and we also see] higher rates of melanoma, [all] largely due to exogenous exposure risk,” Manali I. Patel, MD, MPH, MS, said in an interview with Oncology Live. “One of the biggest barriers [to cancer care] for veterans is the lack of system level resources that can ensure veterans understand the diagnosis and treatment options, such that veterans receive care that is concordant with their goals, preferences, and values. Cancer care is quite complex and trying to not only coordinate care but explain the nuances in plain language is challenging. Having resources [available] that proactively assist veterans in their understanding and support them through cancer care is what is most needed to improve patient outcomes.”

Coastal Hospice joins Shore Gives More for Giving Tuesday fundraiser ABC 47 WMDT, Salisbury, MD; by Site Staff; 11/26/24 Coastal Hospice is teaming up with the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore for Giving Tuesday. They are one of many non-profits signed up for the Shore Gives More campaign. It’s an online giving event that provides non-profits the opportunity to inspire the community. Editor's note: Heads up, be on the lookout for a post from us on Monday 12/2/24 with a wide scope of ways to support our hospice and palliative care community through "Giving Tuesday."

Hospice of the Chesapeake launches new dementia program amid ‘urgent, significant’ need Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 11/25/24 Hospice of the Chesapeake has unfurled a new dementia care program aimed at providing improved emotional, educational and practical support for patients and their caregivers as their conditions progress. Demographic trends were among the key factors that drove the program forward, said Monica Escalante, chief strategy and information officer at Hospice of the Chesapeake. The Maryland-based hospice and palliative care provider has seen a significant increase in demand for dementia care amid a growing population of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions across its service region, which spans four counties in the state.