Literature Review

AdventHealth University, new osteopathic college partner to meet region’s need for doctorsOrlando Business JournalDecember 12, 2023An existing medical college has partnered with one opening soon to keep more doctors in the Orlando region. AdventHealth University—tied to the Altamonte Springs-based nonprofit health system AdventHealth—and the upcoming Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine will guarantee admission interviews students in AHU’s bachelor’s degree in health sciences and bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences at the Horizon West medical college. The partnership will allow for students at the osteopathic college to rotate through AdventHealth hospitals in 2026 and several AdventHealth physicians also will serve as faculty at the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

‘You can continue a conversation’—Letters to the dead arrive at this P.O. box in L.A.Los Angeles TimesDecember 14, 2023Mail gets sent to the dead all the time—ads, renewal notices, unpaid bills. But if you want to send a letter to someone you’ve lost with the chance that they’ll actually receive it, there’s a box at a Los Angeles post office that carries a mysterious power. Postal Service for the Dead, started by artist Janelle Ketcher, provides the living with a way to physically send letters to those who have exited this realm. The letters are stored, and if so desired, shared with the public. 

Tending a Garden May Help Lessen GriefBlog PostSeven PondsDecember 3, 2023Tending a garden—planting, tilling, digging, weeding, watering, and growing plants, flowers, or food—could beget us better health and wellness. ... A comprehensive compilation of research by the National Institutes in Health confirms that a regular dose of gardening reduces stress, improves physical health and bolsters our mood. In fact, gardening was shown to positively alter electrical activity in the brain. So it stands to reason that tending a garden could positively impact those who are grieving a loss. ... Reviving a garden that once belonged to a loved one may also soothe a grieving soul.

Demand for nurses continues to eclipse supply—reportMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 14, 2023Almost three years after the start of the pandemic, a shortage of registered nurses continues to eclipse the supply of qualified professionals. “The US shortage of registered nurses has been called a crisis. Burnout, staff turnover, a growing and aging baby-boomer population, and a lack of educators have contributed to high demand and undersupply, a longstanding problem aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to a new report from ADP Research Institute. 

Moving through the holidays with grief—crafting a plan can helpMorgan Messenger (Berkeley Springs, WV)December 12, 2023Christmas and winter holidays are portrayed as festive, bright and jolly times to celebrate and enjoy life. But the holidays can look and feel different for someone who has lost a loved one, is in the midst of major illness, or for someone who has suffered a traumatic event that’s brought significant change to their lives. Navigating the balance between celebration and grief is unique for everyone. Grief Counselor Deanna Rudy of Hospice of the Panhandle said acknowledging the change in life is an important step in making this holiday season manageable for families.  

Experts offer suggestions for dealing with holiday anxiety and depressioMacomb (MI) DailyDecember 10, 2023At this time of year, everywhere around there are full of holiday images of family gatherings, brightly lit trees, lavish gifts and tables laden with rich foods, beverages and desserts. For those whose depression and anxiety is triggered by the holiday season and those who have lost a loved one, a treasured pet, or even a job and are grieving, the holidays can be tough to navigate. “One of the things we do say is to know your own limitations,” said Karen Monts, practice manager of Counseling Services at Hospice of Michigan. “Don’t feel pressured to do things a certain way or allow images on television to get into your mind so that you feel like everyone is having a wonderful holiday except you, because we know that is not the case.” Monts says trying to plan ahead for the holiday can help to alleviate stress and depression. “You know this is going to be a different holiday without that loved one, so try and figure out what works for you,” Monts said. ... Monts advises people who are experiencing grief, anxiety and depression at the holidays to use the “AIM” method to sort out their emotions: access what you are feeling; identify what you are experiencing; and manage what you do in response to those feelings.

Severna Park Teens Fold Hope Into Gifts For Hospice PatientsSeverna Park [MD] VoiceDecember 8, 2023... Kateri Jarvis and Hannah Kim hope classmates will help them make hundreds of origami cranes to give to Hospice of the Chesapeake patients. Inspired by the Wishing Crane Project, a nonprofit organization started by high schoolers in Arizona, the Severna Park High School juniors worked through the summer to start a chapter at their school.

Finding purpose in the journey—Hospice volunteer shares joy of finding life againWest Plains (MO) Daily QuillDecember 8, 2023West Plains, MO—For Kay “Katie” Dowler, volunteering one day a week at Ozarks Healthcare At Home: Hospice has become her way of giving and finding a renewed sense of purpose. The journey with Ozarks Healthcare At Home: Hospice has come full circle, from being patient’s partner to a grateful volunteer.

Franklin resident makes Christmas care packages for hospice patientsDaily Journal (Franklin, IN)December 7, 2023Franklin, IN—The shining silver bell, tied with a red ribbon, was etched with one word—”Believe.” Clarice Duits thought it was perfect. The Franklin resident was searching for special gifts to include in care packages for patients in hospice this holiday season. She had chocolate and candy canes, but needed something to tie the gifts together while showing each patient they weren’t alone. “I started thinking of Santa, and doing good for others, and that made me think of ‘The Polar Express,’” she said. “One idea just led to another, and I looked up Polar Express bells, and lo and behold, there they were.” This holiday season, Duits has crafted more than 60 gift baskets to be distributed to hospice patients. ... She worked with Main Street Hospice in Franklin, which will distribute them to its patients throughout December. The effort speaks to the importance community members hold to the work hospices do, said Cheryl Mioduski, volunteer coordinator for Main Street Hospice.

America Is Having Yet Another Drug Shortage. Here’s Why It Keeps Happening.By Emily Tucker, PhDNew York TimesDecember 6, 2023The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists found this summer that nearly all of the members it surveyed were experiencing drug shortages, which generally affect half a million Americans. Cancer patients have scrambled as supplies of chemotherapy drugs dwindle. ... Over half of the shortages documented this summer by health consulting firm IQVIA had persisted for more than two years. But even though drug shortages affect millions of Americans, policymakers and industry leaders have provided little to no long-term relief for people in need. ... The people who are most affected by supply chain vulnerabilities—patients—are also those with least say in the choice to buy from reliable manufacturers. ... Legislative action is the only real way to ensure the availability of essential medications. After 20 years of drug shortages, it seems clear that markets alone are not the solution. And there are a few specific ways Congress should address drug shortages. The first is to ensure better quality drug manufacturing. Modernizing manufacturing facilities would make them more reliable and prevent shortages. The second is to improve the adaptability of drug manufacturing itself. Manufacturers should be able to switch quickly to alternative facilities or to increase production when demand unexpectedly increases. The last is to maintain buffer inventory of essential medications within our health care system.

Nurses seeking work in U.S. on the rise despite visa pauseModern HealthcareDecember 6, 2023A record number of occupational visa certificates were issued this year to nurses and other healthcare workers by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. The nonprofit, which helps foreign-educated nurses work in other countries by verifying their credentials for federal and state agencies, said it issued almost 27,000 visa certificates this year—85% of which were for registered nurses—twice as many as in 2022. The number of certificates has quadrupled since 2017. The commission’s report also found that 78% of those who applied for a visa certificate intended to apply for a permanent green card, an increase from 64% in 2022.

Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Light Up a Life Ceremony Honors Lost Loved Ones During Holiday SeasonSanta Barbara (CA) NoozhawkDecember 6, 2023Montecito, CA—Hospice of Santa Barbara brought people together Wednesday evening for its 40th annual Light Up a Life ceremony in Montecito to honor loved ones who have passed away. Each year, Hospice of Santa Barbara holds this event in locations throughout the South Coast, where people can purchase paper stars to hang on the community Christmas tree and dedicate them to family or friends who have died. ... “One of the reasons we come here every season is because we want to be able to look around and know that we are not alone in our grief, in our love and care and remembrance of those we’ve lost,” the Rev. Julia Hamilton said. ... Hospice of Santa Barbara also has a Virtual Tree of Remembrancene where people can dedicate a digital star and upload photos and messages for their loved ones.