Literature Review

Introduction: ‘Those who have made death their life’The Daily Yonder - Keep It Rural; by Hannah Clark; 1/15/25 Hannah Clark spent six months riding along with the nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) of Hearth Hospice who provide in-home care to those living in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. These hospice workers often drive up to a hundred miles a day to visit a handful of patients scattered across the Appalachian landscape in both rural towns and urban centers. What will follow this introductory essay is her photo reportage in three parts, documenting what she has witnessed accompanying these caregivers. The intimate portraits and vignettes show tender moments at different stages towards the end of one’s life. Their beauty lies in the companionship Clark captured in moments of need and vulnerability. 

Caregiver confessions: ‘How much more can we take?’ New York Magazine - The Cut - Family; as told to Paula Aceves and David mack; 1/13/25 Eleven people who care for aging and sick relatives share their fears, resentments, and guilt. “Where did those ten years ago?”: the daughter struggling to make ends meet while caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s. I never left home, like a good Cuban. My dad died when I was 9, and my mom never remarried, so I always felt a responsibility for her as her only child, especially since I’m not married and don’t have children of my own. [Click on the title's link to read this and other caregiver stories.]

Healthcare Private Equity Outlook & Trends - January 2025JD Supra; by Emily Burrows, David Cox, Michael Dashefsky, Lara Flatau, Tabitha Green, Anna Grizzle, Angela Humphreys, Stewart Kameen, Travis Lloyd, Jennifer Michael, Lucas Ross Smith, Jonathan Stanley, Ryan Thomas, Nesrin Garan Tift, Shannon Wiley, Roy Wyman, Patrick Zinck; 1/10/25 As some packed the skis and headed to their favorite slopes this winter season, it is hard not to see the analogies to the healthcare private equity (PE) transaction market as we ring in the New Year. Much like the Northern Rockies, there should be plenty of dry powder to support a robust dealmaking environment in 2025. ... [From its attached PDF]

Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver extra food ahead of winter storm Fox 4 KDFW, Dallas, TX; by Alex Boyer; 1/8/25 Volunteers are doing their best to help some of North Texas’ most vulnerable people prepare for the winter storm. ... Meals on Wheels in Dallas County is a service provided by the Visiting Nurses Association. Currently, the organization serves about 5,200 homebound seniors and disabled adults throughout the county each weekday. That’s in addition to those in hospice care.

Seven trends in senior living that will define 2025 and beyond McKnights Senior Living; by Michele Hollerand, PhD, MBA; 1/6/25 Senior living is in the midst of a major transformation, and seven major trends have emerged as key drivers of the strategic plans adopted by boards across the country. Those trends will shape the way organizations position themselves for the future to capture a new customer base in 2025 and beyond.

Navigating Aging: The LGBTQ+ community relives old traumas as they face aging on their own Northern Kentucky Tribune; by Judith Graham; 1/5/25 Bill Hall, 71, has been fighting for his life for 38 years. These days, he’s feeling worn out. Hall contracted HIV, the virus that can cause AIDS, in 1986. ... This past year, Hall has been hospitalized five times with dangerous infections and life-threatening internal bleeding. But that’s only part of what Hall, a gay man, has dealt with. ... By 2030, the number of LGBTQ+ seniors is expected to double. Many won’t have partners and most won’t have children or grandchildren to help care for them, AARP research indicates. They face a daunting array of problems, including higher-than-usual rates of anxiety and depression, chronic stress, disability, and chronic illnesses such as heart disease, according to numerous research studies. High rates of smoking, alcohol use, and drug use — all ways people try to cope with stress — contribute to poor health. Keep in mind, this generation grew up at a time when every state outlawed same-sex relations and when the American Psychiatric Association identified homosexuality as a psychiatric disorder. Many were rejected by their families and their churches when they came out. Then, they endured the horrifying impact of the AIDS crisis.

2025 Home care trends include tightened EVV oversight, investments in caregiver training McKnights Home Care; by Stephen Vaccaro; 12/19/24 The factors influencing the home care industry as the new year approaches are as diverse and complicated as they are plentiful. Evolving regulations, technological innovations, and the dynamic needs of aging and disabled populations are all driving the developments that will define 2025 and beyond. From enhanced EVV compliance measures to the integration of AI solutions, here are a few of the most significant trends shaping the home care landscape — along with predictions about what they mean for the industry’s future.

Big senior living stories of 2024McKnights Senior Living; by Lois A. Bowers; 12/23/24Here’s a look at some of the big stories involving senior living providers that captured the attention of McKnight’s Senior Living readers this year.

U.S. health care spending reaches $4.9 trillion Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/20/24 The nation’s total health expenditures rose 7.5% to $4.9 trillion in 2023, a new analysis by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) found. This growth took place at a faster pace in 2023 than prior years. In 2022, health care spending rose at a rate of 4.6%. Total Medicare hospice spending accounted for $25.7 billion last year, according to a separate report from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). ... About 21% of U.S. health care spending in 2023 was via Medicare, with private insurance representing a 30% share. Medicaid accounted for 21%, and the remaining 10% were out-of-pocket costs. “Hospital care, physician and clinical services, and nursing care facilities and continuing care retirement communities, which collectively accounted for 33% of all out-of-pocket spending in 2023, were the main contributors to the faster growth in 2023,” CMS indicated.

The Denver Hospice delivers holiday meals to 347 Coloradans; initiative ensured Coloradans facing hardship can celebrate with a holiday meal GlobeNewswire, Denver, CO; by The Denver Hospice; 12/20/24 The Denver Hospice, in collaboration with dedicated staff, provided 76 meals to patients and their families facing hardship during the holiday season. Over 347 people will enjoy a festive dinner as a result of the nonprofit’s healthcare organization’s holiday initiative. “At this time of the year, it can be especially hard for people to admit that they need help,” stated Susan Finke, director of clinical services at The Denver Hospice. “I want to thank everyone who helped deliver dinners today as we are caring for more people than just our patients. Hundreds will now have the opportunity to gather next week and enjoy being with their loved ones.” ... This is an annual event held by The Denver Hospice in support of their hospice and palliative care patients. Working in tandem with social workers, clinical and administrative staff, the nonprofit identifies and supports vulnerable patients across the Denver metropolitan area. The holiday season can be an especially difficult time of year for those facing life-limiting illnesses. 

How UCSF Health is rebuilding an 'instrumental' management layer Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 12/17/24Middle managers have long played a crucial role in industries across the U.S. However, a November article from global management consulting firm Korn Ferry describes "a disappearing layer of middle management," particularly among professional-service firms that are "delayering" to improve flexibility and responsiveness. ...  [Data] shows that in 2023, middle managers accounted for 31.5% of all layoffs, with an average of 22% between 2018 and 2022. While Mitul Modi, Korn Ferry senior client partner in the firm's global healthcare services practice, said layoffs of managers have occurred at various health systems in 2024, he told Becker's he is not seeing this occur with patient-facing roles. Instead, he has observed an increased emphasis on developing middle managers. ... One example of this is San Francisco-based UCSF Health. ... UCSF Health's efforts center around investing in a management core training program.[Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Health gap at end of life is now wider in US than any other country Science Alert - Health; by Carly Cassella; 12/16/24 A data-crunching survey covering 183 member nations of the World Health Organization has now confirmed what some scientists feared: while years are being added to most people's lives, healthy life is not being added to most people's year. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that people around the world in 2019 were living 9.6 years of life burdened by disability or disease – an increase of 13 percent from 2000. In that same time frame, global life expectancy has increased 6.5 years, and yet health-adjusted life expectancy has only increased 5.4 years. In the US, the gap between lifespan and 'healthspan' is growing particularly wide. Between 2000 and 2019, life expectancy in the US increased from 79.2 to 80.7 years for women, and from 74.1 to 76.3 years for men. When adjusting for healthy years of added life, however, the span only increased by 0.6 years among men. And among women, while health-adjusted life expectancy fluctuated slightly over time, in 2019 it matched the figure seen in 2000. The expanding gap means if an American woman lived to the expected 80.7 years of age, the last 12.4 years of her life would on average be impacted by disease or disability.

Palliative care may improve quality of life for stroke survivors and their family members American Heart Association - Stroke News & Brain Health; by Newsroom; 12/16/24 Palliative care ... can help improve quality of life for stroke survivors as well as their family members, according to “Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Stroke,” a new scientific statement published today in the Association’s peer-reviewed scientific journal Stroke. ... The new statement complements the Association’s 2014 Scientific Statement on Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Stroke, which covered core palliative care competencies and skills for health care professionals who treat stroke patients. The statement includes strategies to improve communication about prognosis and goals-of-care, address psychosocial needs such as coping with loss, navigate complex health care systems and prepare for death with end-of-life care when necessary. It also highlights the substantial inequities that exist in palliative care after stroke across sociodemographic and regional characteristics and the need to reduce those disparities.