Literature Review

Fabric artist's new exhibition in Historic Overtown sheds light on 41 years of wrongful incarcerationThe Miami Times; by Morgan C. Mullings; 12/10/24Whether volunteering in hospice, designing the prison magazine or leading the drama team, Gary Tyler lived an eventful life in prison. After 41 years of living in a cell he didn’t deserve to occupy, he found new life as an artist.  “Grief Not Guilty: Reclaiming My Time” features Tyler’s original quilts, photos of his mother and floral wreaths created by Quantavia Love. The exhibit speaks to the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of recognizing the names and faces of those yet to be freed. It is on display now at the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum in historic Overtown, a space dedicated to Black police officers of the pre-civil rights era and primed for discussions on the U.S. prison system. ...  After an angry anti-busing mob attacked him and other Black students in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, he was destined to live and die in prison. ... That prison would be one of the most notorious in the U.S. Louisiana State Penitentiary. ... Also known as Angola, Angola Plantation, The Farm, or Alcatraz of the South, Louisiana State Penitentiary is the largest maximum security facility in the country. Tyler refused to do the manual labor required at this prison farm, calling it “slave work.” 

HomeCare & Hospice seeking blanket donations to comfort hospice patients The Batavian, Batavia, NY; 12/5/24 HomeCare & Hospice is inviting the community to help bring warmth and solace to individuals in their final stages of life by donating new lap blankets. As the colder months approach, these blankets not only provide physical warmth but also deliver emotional comfort, offering a small but meaningful way for the community to support those in need. ... Blankets can be newly handmade or purchased from retail stores, offering flexibility for those who wish to contribute. Both options are deeply appreciated, as they provide comfort and care to hospice patients who need it most. Editor's note: This simple, practical request can be replicated easily, with meaningful outcomes. 

‘Reimagining Hope’ podcast shines a light on the conversation of serious illness The Baltimore Times, Pasadena, MD; podcast hosted by Rachel Jordan; 12/6/24 As families and their loved ones struggle with serious progressive illness, finding information, resources and support is more critical than ever before in our history. In response, Hospice of the Chesapeake and Chesapeake Supportive Care are introducing a new, innovative and informative podcast series, “Reimagining Hope.”  Hosted by Rachel Jordan, Director of Advocacy & Legislative Affairs, the series will feature guests who can provide valuable insight and help you reimagine the hope you may be missing. The podcast will provide quick, easy-to-understand information while giving you the critical skills and real-time tools you can use today to navigate advanced illness. 

The ISNP opportunity for hospice providers  Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/5/24 Hospice providers can collaborate with institutional special needs Medicare Advantage plans (ISNP) to reach patients who reside in long-term care facilities. ISNPs restrict enrollment to MA eligible individuals who, for 90 days or longer, have had or are expected to need the level of services provided in a long-term care (LTC), skilled nursing facility, a LTC nursing facility, intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IDD), or an inpatient psychiatric facility. The nonprofit senior services organization Empath Health, which operates several hospices, recently partnered with the MA organization American Health Plans to bring their services to ISNP-enrolled patients.

Aging and unhoused: What end-of-life care looks like Next Avenue; by Terry Ann Donner; 12/2/24 Karen Robyn is a 62-year-old homeless woman on disability; ... she fears dying alone on the streets or in a hospital hooked up to machines she doesn't want to use. ... For the 138,098 people aged 55 and older experiencing homelessness and 5 million older adults living below the poverty level, dying alone and unhoused is a real concern.  ... However, a viable solution has been quietly growing in communities across the country. Small nonprofit community homes provide hope for terminally ill people who do not have a reliable caregiver or a stable living environment. These small homes, usually caring for up to 4 to 10 guests at a time, provide "family" caregivers and a safe place to receive end-of-life care. They are developing outside of the health care system and receive no federal or state funding. Kelley Scott, executive director of the Omega Home Network and Clarehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma, explains that the network's mission is to "foster the development of nonprofit community homes for people who are dying and have no caregiver support" due to a lack of family, homelessness or family dysfunction. The network has 135 members with 55 homes providing care and another 70 to 80 homes in development.

Marin County Office of Education, Novato Unified School District & By the Bay Health partner to address healthcare talent shortage PR Newswire, San Rafael, CA and Novato, CA and Larkspur, CA; by By The Bay Health; 12/3/24The Marin County Office of Education (MCOE), the Novato Unified School District (NUSD), and By the Bay Health, Northern California's largest independent nonprofit hospice provider, are joining forces to launch a strategic workforce initiative to address the growing healthcare talent shortage in the County. Starting in Spring 2025, MCOE, NUSD, and By the Bay Health will pilot a new Career Technical Education (CTE) course at San Marin High School in Novato to introduce students to healthcare careers. The CTE course, Introduction to the World of Healthcare, will be the first high school course of its kind in the County designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to career opportunities in the healthcare field, including a focus on careers in community-based care in the home. An elective for 11th and 12th grade students, the curriculum will cover a range of topics from healthcare professions to medical ethics, communication, public health, and emerging trends in healthcare.

Thanksgiving tradition brings meals to hospice families in Northeastern Pennsylvania  ABC News 16 WNEP, Scranton, PA; by Jack Culkin; 11/28/24 It's become a holiday tradition for many volunteers to fill their cars at Mansour's Market in Scranton on Thanksgiving morning, delivering meals to those in hospice care. Ray Gillette, a long-time volunteer, shared, "We've been doing this for a long time, and we've taken the boys with us. Our oldest grandson is 14. This is his 14th year that he's come to deliver with us." ... [Diane Baldi, CEO of Hospice of The Sacred Heart] says the event began as an idea. Quickly growing to not just caring for their patients, but their families too.  "19 years ago, in our very first, we may have had 20 patients. Today we have 200. So it has grown exponentially," said Baldi. ... Along with classic holiday staples like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, each meal includes a hand-made card. "I like it because it has like a turkey on the front and it has like all the stuff that you would eat," Said nine-year-old Olivia Catalano. She and her classmates made dozens of these cards, each featuring a Thanksgiving message or drawing. ... With each card placed and each meal delivered, workers successfully brought more than 600 meals to hospice families across Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Tidewell Foundation volunteers give back during Thanksgiving Observer, Sarasota, FL; by Jay Heater; 11/29/24Those in the parking lot of the Tidewell Hospice administration building the day before Thanksgiving in Lakewood Ranch weren't focused on the "being thankful" part of the holiday. They were concentrating on the "giving back" part. The Tidewell Foundation's fifth annual Meal Drive provided more than 500 meals that were delivered through Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties to provide, in many cases, what might be the last holiday meal a couple or family would be able to share. Morton's Gourmet Market, the Venice Yacht Club and Michael's on East made the meals possible and then volunteers packed and delivered the meals Nov. 27. Among those in the parking lot was Bradenton's Terry Dale, who was volunteering in the event for the first time. "I am trying to give back," Dale said as she was busy handing out meals to other volunteers who drove up to take care of the delivery. "Two years ago, these people (Tidewell Hospice) were a godsend." Her husband of 47 years, Bill Dale, died at that time and Terry Dale doesn't know how she would have made it through without Tidewell Hospice. She knew the importance of the food that was being sent out with the volunteers.

Holiday tradition: Hospice of Health First volunteers deliver Thanksgiving meals to patients and families Space Coast Daily, Brevard County, FL; 11/27/24  A Brevard County holiday tradition dating back to 2004 continued this week as Hospice of Health First volunteers gathered to box and deliver Thanksgiving holiday meals to hospice patients and their families. Nearly three dozen Health First volunteers met at the Hospice of Health First office in West Melbourne to sort and load more than 100 Publix Thanksgiving meal boxes for delivery. Juanita Yarber of Melbourne was one of the first recipients of the holiday meal. She said the Thanksgiving meal delivery was special but just one of the many special touches she receives from the Hospice team and Sharon Berrier, a hospice volunteer. 

How the St. Francis Foundation supports healthcare for Santa Barbara’s most vulnerable Noozhawk - Special to Good for Santa Barbara; 11/26/24 The foundation grants nearly a million annually to local organizations focused on health, end-of-life, palliative and geriatric care. Maximize the impact of your generosity this holiday season by supporting the nonprofits that matter most to you. There’s no better way to close out the year than by giving back to your community. This #GivingTuesday, Noozhawk invites you to contribute to one of the incredible local organizations featured in our  Giving Guide. On December 3, 2024, join us and nonprofits across Santa Barbara County in celebrating this global movement of giving. Together, we can make a difference! ...Editor's note: This interview provides a great example for ways that you, too, can still fast-track your community outreach before next week's December 3rd "Giving Tuesday."

Hospice of Northeast Missouri marks 30 years, eyes future growth KBUR, Burlington, MO; by collinleddy; 11/25/24 Hospice of Northeast Missouri recently marked 30 years of service, expanding from its original focus in Adair County to cover a ten-county region. This growth addresses the critical need for end-of-life care in rural areas, providing support for patients and their families in managing symptoms and caregiving responsibilities. The organization has seen an increase in demand for its services, particularly among Medicare recipients in rural areas. Between 2010 and 2022, the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries using hospice care rose from 34% to 42%, reflecting broader trends in aging populations and the growing importance of caregiving. ... As the hospice looks ahead, it plans to further expand its resources and focus on community education, ensuring that more families are aware of the benefits hospice care provides during difficult times.Editor's note: Per the ongoing number of hospices that celebrate decade-marker anniversaries, we typically do not post those articles. However, the growth patterns in these descriptions reflect hospice organizational trends nationwide: expanding geographical access, rural utilization, increased priorities for caregivers, snf the importance of community education.

If my dying daughter could face her mortality, why couldn’t the rest of us? DNYUZ, appearing first in The New York Times; Ms. Wildman; 11/25/24 The first week of March 2022, I flew to Miami with my 13-year-old daughter, Orli; her 8-year-old sister, Hana; and my partner, Ian. We were, by all appearances, healthy. Robust, even. In reality, we were at the end of a reprieve. Orli’s liver cancer had by then been assaulted by two years of treatments — chemotherapy, a liver transplant, more chemotherapy, seven surgeries. Now new metastases lit up a corner of one lung on scans, asymptomatic but foreboding. We asked her medical team if we might show her a bit of the world before more procedures. Our oncologist balked. Hence, this brief weekend away. When we arrived at the beach Orli ran directly to the water, then came back and stretched out on a lounge chair. She turned to me and asked, “What if this is the best I ever feel again?” Three hundred and seventy-six days later, she was dead. In the time since she left us, I have thought often of Orli’s question. All that spring, Orli asked, pointedly, why did we think a cure was still possible, that cancer would not continue to return? Left unspoken: Was she going to die from her disease? It was a conversation she wanted to have. And yet what we found over the wild course of her illness was that such conversations are often discouraged, in the doctor’s office and outside it. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading this profound story.]Editor's note: While families are gathered for Thanksgiving, many health changes will be observed since this time last Thanksgiving, with countless unknowns to unfold until Thanksgiving next year. Tune into the wide scope of conversations that people do want to have, don't want to have, and--perhaps--that your own family needs to have, with grace and care for all.

Veterans enjoy early Thanksgiving meal ABC KOLO 8 NewsNow, Reno, NV; by Terri Russell; 11/22/24 More than 250 Veterans and their families gathered at the Washoe County Senior Center to eat an early Thanksgiving meal courtesy of several local businesses and organizations. ... With such a large crowd it was all hands-on deck. But those who came to help say they were more than willing to lend a helping hand. “I knew it was above and beyond fabulous,” says Katie Hurst, with St. Mary’s Hospice of Northern Nevada. “And being in hospice business it is really important to reach out to those who are on this side of their journey. And we couldn’t find a better calling.” Plenty of donations came in to pay for the meal. ... This won’t be the last time Veterans get together for the holidays. Another meal is planned for Christmas on December 19th at the Washoe County Senior Center.