Literature Review

Southern Utah man admits to trying to kill wife in hospice to ease her suffering, charges sayKTVX-TV (Salt Lake City, UT)December 14, 2023Washington County, UT—A southern Utah man is facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly admitted to investigators that he tried to kill his wife two years ago to ease her suffering from terminal cancer.

How medical aid in dying is bringing autonomy to end-of-life decisionsPodcast: 1AHost: Lauren HamiltonWAMU-FM (Washington, DC)/NPRDecember 12, 2023As the American population gets older, people begin to plan for what the end of their lives will look like. It’s a conversation we explored on 1A earlier this year as a part of our ongoing coverage of aging in the United States. And during that conversation, you had a lot of questions for us. ... Since the end of Roe, the debate around bodily autonomy has grown increasingly contentious. 

Aging population requires ‘bold leadership’ to protect human dignity—LeadingAge to House SpeakerMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 11, 2023The growing population of older adults requires “bold leadership” to ensure aging with dignity, as well as access to care and support, according to an open letter from LeadingAge to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA). The changing demographics and need to support older adults where they live and receive services presents a unique opportunity for Johnson to demonstrate leadership and commitment to “protecting human dignity,” according to the letter from LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan. ... “The US healthcare system is navigating a new and unfamiliar landscape in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency,” Sloan wrote. “Three years of sustained stress and increasing workloads have caused a dramatic shift in staffing patterns and an alarming rise in burnout across health professions.”

Sen. Jacque—No Patient Left Alone Act advances with bipartisan supportWis PoliticsDecember 7, 2023Madison, WI—Our loved ones would never be isolated from their families and friends again under legislation that cleared a State Senate committee today protecting our right to visit those dear to us in hospitals and care facilities. State Sen. André Jacque (R-De Pere), co-author of the proposal with State Rep. Chuck Wichgers, said research coming out of the pandemic has shown what we have known all along about the damage done to patients and their families by blocking human contact when they need each other most. ... Sen. Jacque said the No Patient Left Alone Act addresses these problems by allowing patients in health care facilities to receive visitors, subject to COVID-19 infections protocols, and to have in-person compassionate care visitation between a resident and any individual the resident requests to relieve physical or mental distress. ... The No Patient Left Alone Act (Senate Bill 257) passed the Senate Committee on Health earlier this morning 0n a bi-partisan 5-1 vote. It must next clear the full Senate and Assembly, and be signed by the Governor, to become law.

Top Lawmakers for Hospices to Watch in 2024Hospice NewsDecember 8, 2023Hospice providers will be looking to Congress in 2024 to address issues related to program integrity, quality improvement and industry-wide workforce pressures. As legislative efforts develop, hospices may want to focus their attention on a few key legislators. ...Notable Mentions: Rep. Beth Van Duyne, (R-Texas), Rep. Earl Blumenaur, (D-Oregon), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-California), Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-California), Sen. John Barasso (R-Wyoming), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia).