Literature Review

Survey: Older adults unsatisfied with current healthcare system McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kristen Fischer; 9/17/24 Older adults aren’t too happy with the healthcare system and many think it doesn’t meet their needs and preferences, according to a new survey. The results of the survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, were published Tuesday, and were released by Age Wave and The John A. Hartford Foundation.  Four in five adults aged 65 and older said that the system isn’t prepared to handle the changing needs of Americans in their age group. In total, only 11% said the US healthcare system deserved a grade of “A.” Results show that older adults want solutions such as affordable care interventions, developments to prevent or reduce cognitive decline, and healthcare professionals who understand what matters to them when they discuss care options.

Honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month CMS.gov - CMS Office of Minority Health Menu; for 9/15-10/15 September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the 63.7 million Hispanic people living in the United States. This month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) would like to raise awareness of the health disparities that impact Hispanic Americans and highlight efforts to reduce gaps in health care. Hispanic Americans are at greater risk of various health conditions due to a lack of preventive care and health insurance, as well as language barriers. In 2022, almost 28% of Hispanic adults didn’t have health insurance compared to Black (13.3%), White (7.4%), and Asian (7.1%) adults. Resources:

Global collaboration launches culturally inclusive palliative care education tool Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/16/24 An international collaboration has led to the development of a new palliative care training tool aimed at improving quality and equitable access. Health systems across the globe are recognizing a growing need to boost the supply of providers able to care for a swelling, aging population of serious and terminally ill patients. Rising demand was among the driving forces behind the newly unveiled COllaboratively DEveloped culturalY Appropriate and inclusive Assessment tool for Palliative Care Education (CODE-YAA@PC-EDU). The palliative care education tool was developed in concert by the Council of Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations. The organizations joined forces to design a sustainable training model that could build up the palliative workforce. The project is supported in part by the research network European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST).

How music therapy helps this young cancer patient in Louisville hold on to 'pure joy' ABC WHAS-11, Louisville, KY; by Brooke Hasch; 9/17/24Music therapists come prepared for any mood, hoping to bring light to a dark situation. Within the Norton Healthcare system, they help patients cope with pain, discomfort, and anxiety often associated with hospitalization. Brett Northrup's the music therapist for Norton Children's Cancer Institute, a role he stepped into 13 years ago. "I didn't know it existed, and then when I discovered this field, I said, 'this is it. This is what I'm going to do the rest of my life,'" he said. Northrup doesn't miss a beat when a patient's in need of a smile or a moment of normalcy. He's been there many times for 4-year-old Trey Lowman, who's gone through more than most people will in a lifetime. ... "When you put [Trey] and Brett together, it's magic," [Trey's mom] said. "He's full of joy and that's one thing that cancer hasn't been able to take from him."

[UK] End-of-life care demand for dementia patients set to surge, study warns Jersey Evening Post, United Kingdom; by UK News; 9/16/24 The number of people living with dementia who require end-of-life care is set to “substantially increase” in the coming years, according to a study. ... Researchers said: “Previous projections of the number of people with dementia who will have palliative care needs in England and Wales were based only on the number of people who died with dementia, and did not take into account people living with dementia. Thus, it is likely that the prevalence of palliative care needs among people with dementia in England and Wales has been considerably underestimated. Our analysis shows that even if dementia incidence declines between 2018 and 2040, the number of people living with dementia in England and Wales who have palliative care needs will increase substantially by 2040, reaching levels far greater than previous estimates based on mortality data.”Editor's note: How do these projection processes in the UK compare or contrast with the USA data you use? For more immediate information about current resources, click here for the Alzheimer's Assocation "Support for People Living With Dementia" and click here for 

Improving access to palliative care for patients with cancer JAMA - JN Learning; podcast by Eduardo Bruera, MD; 9/11/24 Palliative care is an essential component to high-quality care for patients with cancer. How can access to palliative care be expanded? Eduardo Bruera, MD, from MD Anderson Cancer Center speaks with JAMA Editor in Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo about 2 new trials in JAMA that address access to care and what more it will take for executives, insurers, and regulators to support palliative care programs. [Podcast: 11 minutes 53 seconds] 

A dying wish: Longtime hospice volunteer has a challenge for GV Green Valley News, Green Valley, AZ; by Dan Shearer; 9/10/24 ... The woman who walked alongside dying patients as a hospice volunteer for more than 20 years is now herself in hospice. She smiles but says the glistening in her eyes are sad tears. But cancer hasn't taken her joy, and she’s emotionally strong enough to meet with a reporter in her final weeks to make a request of Green Valley: Please consider taking up just the kind of work she’s been doing for two decades. It’s tough, but it comes with lessons and blessings that last a lifetime. ...

Too Much, Too Little, Just Right: Optimizing cancer care for older adults The ASCO Post, American Society of Clinical Oncology; by Ramy Sedhom, MD; Bobby Green, MD; and Julia  Frydman, MD, MS; 9/10/24 Imagine walking into a fancy restaurant only to find a menu consisting mostly of kids’ dishes. It would make no sense. Just 25% of restaurant diners are younger than age 12, and they rarely write Yelp reviews. But when it comes to cancer treatment, this is not very far from what we do. The median age for a new cancer diagnosis is 67, and among those who die of cancer each year, 73% are older adults. Yet just one in four clinical trial participants is aged 70 or older. Consequently, guidelines for most new cancer therapies are based on a median age that is significantly younger than the patient population who actually receives these therapies. That’s quite a conundrum. More than half of patients older than age 65 experience toxicity of grade 3 or worse while undergoing standard chemotherapy. ... Palliative Care—For a 40-year-old mother of two young children, the goal of cancer treatment is usually clear: complete remission and long-term survival. But when you ask older patients with cancer about their priorities, a majority regard symptom control, emotional coping, and other quality-of-life measures at least as much as longevity and sometimes more.

CHCF unveils palliative care mural California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CHCF); by Lt. M. Orozco; 9/9/24 California Health Care Facility (CHCF) staff joined the incarcerated population and outside stakeholders to unveil the palliative care mural Aug. 23. Warden Gena Jones had a vision to normalize CHCF’s environment, making it more appealing for the incarcerated population and staff to enjoy while working. The vision consists of murals being painted throughout the institution with this mural setting the path for many more to come. In April 2024, incarcerated artists Issac Sinsun, Antiono Garcia, Loreto Arizpe, and Francsico Olivares started the palliative care mural. Little did they know it was the start to a new beginning. With the combined efforts of the four artists, the mural took 81 days and about 2,268 hours to complete. The ideas for the artwork were a combined effort from custody and medical staff as well incarcerated population within the housing unit. [Click on the title's link to see photos.]

Blue Ridge Hospice expanding mission to serve people better, sooner The Winchester Star, Winchester, VA; by Brian Brehm; 9/9/24 “We’re calling this a year of transformation,” said Jason Parsons, who was named CEO of the Winchester-based nonprofit in December. “Blue Ridge has been around for 43 years and this year, 2024, we’re transforming ourselves into Blue Ridge Care, which includes Blue Ridge Hospice, Blue Ridge Independence at Home — which is our PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program — Blue Ridge Palliative Care Services and our eight thrift shops.” It’s a sweeping change for an organization that most people only associate with end-of-life care. Parsons ... said Blue Ridge Care will continue to provide graceful exits for patients in the final chapter of their lives, but it will also expand its focus to improve the quality of life for seniors who still have a lot of stories to tell.

Palliative care for dialysis-dependent pediatric patients: A survey of providers, nurses, and caregiversKidney360; Joshua Lipsitz, Mark Stockton Beveridge, Katherine Maddox; 8/24Dialysis-dependent pediatric patients and their families face significant biopsychosocial burdens and low health-related quality of life. Palliative care consultations can alleviate some degree of suffering for patients and families but remain underutilized within pediatric nephrology. 90% of providers and all nurses desired more palliative care education. Of the 22% of caregivers whose child had already received palliative care services, all found the consultation to be helpful. These data support further palliative care education for pediatric nephrology providers and nurses and more robust and systematic involvement of subspecialty palliative care for dialysis-dependent pediatric patients.

American Heart Association affirms importance of palliative care in treating cardiac conditions Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/4/24 Multidisciplinary palliative care offers clear benefits to patients with cardiovascular disease, particularly when it comes to medication management and goals-of-care conversations. Palliative care with effective medication management, shared decision making and symptom management can help improve quality of life for heart disease patients, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) — “Palliative Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disease.” The statement offers guidance for health care providers to integrate palliative methods as part of holistic medication management at all stages of a patient’s illness, the AHA indicated. This underscores the importance of collaboration between palliative care professionals and other clinical specialties, according to Dr. Andrew Esch, director of palliative care program development at the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). 

“What I wish I knew about hospice”: A Cleveland Clinic palliative care physician’s insights The Healthy; by Dr. Patricia Varacall, DO; 9/3/24 End-of-life care is deeply personal and incredibly complex. An expert MD shares essential insights on hospice: "At its core, is about human connection." … Laura Hoeksema, MD, MPH, FAAHPM, medical director of Cleveland Clinic Hospice and staff physician in the department of palliative and supportive care, explains the importance of hospice: “Death is a part of life just as much as birth is. When time becomes limited, patients need to be able to spend time in a way that’s meaningful to them.” ... Dr. Hoeksema emphasizes that choosing hospice care is exactly that—a choice. The team offers additional support, guiding patients and their families through the last months of life. ... “When a patient has a serious illness, it’s common for their illness to become the primary focus,” reflects Dr. Hoeksema. The constant anticipation of how the disease might progress can create overwhelming anxiety. With hospice, the illness recedes into the background, allowing the emphasis to be on caring for the person as a whole. ... “The most profound healing I’ve witnessed as a physician has been in patients receiving hospice care,” Dr. Hoeksema adds. She recalls seeing families reconcile after years of tension and others coming together after long periods of distance. The joy on a patient’s face when surrounded by loved ones, laughing and reminiscing, is what it’s all about. “Hospice care, at its core, is about human connection.”