2023

article thumbnail

How Hospice Eligibility Criteria Can Adversely Affect Dementia Patients

Hospice News

A growing number of patients with various dementia-related conditions will need end-of-life care in coming years. Hospices preparing for rising demand are facing compliance challenges, as these patients often require longer hospice stays. Patients with Alzheimer’s and other neurological degenerative disorders have health trajectories that are difficult to project, especially as they approach the end of life, according to Dr.

Hospice 360
article thumbnail

Relationship Completion and the Power of a Song

Life & Death Matters

Guest Contributor – Bev Foster I have always had a strong sense that music is my close companion along the journey of life. Music continues to accompany me through various life passages giving me a deeper sense of connection and belonging, rekindling old bonds and forming new ones. Music’s ability to connect people whether it’s […] The post Relationship Completion and the Power of a Song appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

professionals

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Hospice in Prison Part 1: An interview with Michele DiTomas and Keith Knauf

GeriPal

Summary Transcript Summary In the early 1990’s, California Medical Facility (CMF) created one of the nation’s first licensed hospice units inside a prison. This 17-bed unit serves inmates from all over the state who are approaching the end of their lives. A few are let out early on compassionate release. Many are there until they die. Today’s podcast is part one of a two-part podcast where we spend a day at CMF, a medium security prison located about halfway between San Francisco and Sacram

Hospice 279
article thumbnail

How a theater workshop helps kids and teens navigate grief

HopeHealth

With the help of two professional actors, kids and teens at Camp BraveHeart tapped into the power of theater to navigate grief. The post How a theater workshop helps kids and teens navigate grief appeared first on HopeHealth.

Grief 264
article thumbnail

The Ultimate Guide to Improving Caregiver Engagement & Retention

Want to learn how to retain your caregivers & improve caregiver retention X3? The home care industry is experiencing turnover rates of over 80%. How are you ensuring your agency is retaining caregivers? This FREE eBook from Smartcare Software is packed with industry secrets needed to keep your caregivers happy, engaged, and retained, unlocking the full potential of your agency.

article thumbnail

Caregiver Self-Care: How to Release Worries and Stress Less

Sustainable Caregiving

A sign of caregiver stress is not being able to escape the worries. Worries flow through our caregiver river, creating unexpected waterfalls and intense rapids that sweep us away. Caregiving worries keep us up at night, disrupt our day, and wreak havoc with our well-being. The 12th Sustainable Caregiving Strategy that supports caregiver self-care is … Caregiver Self-Care: How to Release Worries and Stress Less Read More » The post Caregiver Self-Care: How to Release Worries and Stress Less

article thumbnail

2024 EAPC Cicely Saunders Award Winner

EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care)

Today we would like to announce the first of our plenary speakers for the 13th World Research Congress in Barcelona next year. Xavier Gómez-Batiste , Chair of Palliative Care at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic, Barcelona is the recipient of the 2024 EAPC Cicely Saunders Award. Xavier will present his award lecture ‘Enhancing the Psychosocial and Spiritual Dimensions of Palliative Care’ during the congress.

2024 143

More Trending

article thumbnail

Nurses Spread the Word About Gun Safety

Nurse.com

Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN, a school nurse in Camden, New Jersey, and an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University School of Nursing in Newark, knows firsthand the impact that gun violence can have on families. In 1949, her father, who was 12 at the time, survived a mass shooting in New Jersey that took the lives of thirteen people including his mother, father, and grandmother.

Nursing 143
article thumbnail

Racism: we have to stop looking the other way

Evidence-Based Nursing - BMJ blogs

This week’s blog is by Roger Kline (@rogerkline) who is a Research Fellow at Middlesex University Business School. In just one month the NHS has lost four Employment Tribunals in which judges heavily criticised NHS Trusts for race discrimination, another Trust had to apologise for repeated examples of racist behaviour by its staff towards colleagues and patients, whilst a national NHS body was found to have deliberately covered up racism.

article thumbnail

Celebrate the value of physical therapy this October

Rehab Realities by Renee Kinder

Every October the industry celebrates National Physical Therapy Month (NPTM) to raise awareness with consumers about the many benefits of physical therapy. This focus allows all of us the opportunity to show appreciation to our PTs, PTAs and students for all they do to transform lives.

Blog 133
article thumbnail

Celebrating the Value of Specialty Nursing Certification on Certified Nurses Day 

Daily Nurse

AACN joins hospitals and healthcare organizations in recognizing certified nurses for their professionalism, leadership, and commitment to excellence in the care of patients and families as part of Certified Nurses Day , Sunday, March 19. As healthcare becomes increasingly complex and challenging, nursing certification has become an essential mark of excellence.

Nursing 136
article thumbnail

Longer Hospice Stays Lead to Larger Medicare Cost Savings

Hospice News

Despite years of scrutiny over the duration of hospice care, new data show that longer stays reduce health care costs in the last year of life by as much as 11%. All told, hospice care — regardless of length of stay — saves Medicare approximately $3.5 billion for patients in their last year of life, a 3.1% reduction. But those with stays of six months or more yielded the highest percentage of savings.

Medicare 342
article thumbnail

Behind the Scenes: Life as a Body Removal Attendant

Life & Death Matters

One of the people on the care team that is not often considered is the body removal attendant. After everyone in the family has said good-bye to the deceased person and rituals and traditions have been observed, a body removal attendant comes to a home, care facility or hospital to take the person into their […] The post Behind the Scenes: Life as a Body Removal Attendant appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

Home care 264
article thumbnail

The Language of Serious Illness: A Podcast with Sunita Puri, Bob Arnold, and Jacqueline Kruser

GeriPal

Summary Transcript Summary Communicating about a serious illness is hard. Last week’s podcast we talked about the challenge around miscommunication in serious illness. This week we dive into the challenges with communication when it comes to life sustaining treatments and CPR. Take for example the simple question: “If her breathing gets any worse, she will need to be intubated.

article thumbnail

“Make the most of every moment”: Neil’s story

HopeHealth

Neil was an inspiration in his life, and he still guides his family today. By sharing their experience with hospice, his family hopes he can guide others too. The post “Make the most of every moment”: Neil’s story appeared first on HopeHealth.

Hospice 264
article thumbnail

Release Caregiver Frustration with Forgiveness

Sustainable Caregiving

Within our caregiving ecosystem, opportunities to forgive frequently appear. There are likely people who let us down by not showing up. Then, some may have said things that felt insensitive, maybe said or done something hurtful without any idea of the slight. There may even be some folks who were more direct with an insult … Release Caregiver Frustration with Forgiveness Read More » The post Release Caregiver Frustration with Forgiveness appeared first on Sustainable Caregiving.

Caregiver 246
article thumbnail

Ready for the Future: Your opportunity to shape the content presented at EAPC 2025 in Helsinki!

EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care)

EAPC has launched the call for proposals for themed sessions for the 2025 World Congress in Helsinki (29-31 May, 2025). All the information about the call can be found at this page In the past we would have referred to these sessions as ‘parallel sessions’. For 2025 we are seeking proposals for sessions that can be delivered in a variety of formats.

2025 143
article thumbnail

An extraordinary life well lived: a tribute to Lucy Watts

Together for Short Lives

Yesterday, we heard the very sad news that Lucy Watts has died. Our thoughts are with her Mum Kate, sister Victoria and all her family and friends. Lucy touched the lives of thousands and has been a huge inspiration and driving force for change, helping to give young people a voice. Lucy will be greatly […] The post An extraordinary life well lived: a tribute to Lucy Watts appeared first on Together for Short Lives.

138
138
article thumbnail

Innovative Nurse Practitioners Can Turn the Tide

Minority Nurse

Nurse practitioners have been valuable members of the healthcare ecosystem for decades. As providers with increasing practice autonomy, NPs fill significant healthcare delivery gaps. With a growing shortage of primary care physicians , the need for NPs could not be more dire. When NPs approach patient care innovatively, everyone benefits from their creativity.

Nursing 119
article thumbnail

Our Nurses, Our Future: No more rhetoric, it’s time for action

Evidence-Based Nursing - BMJ blogs

The focus of International Nurses Day 2023 is Our Nurses, Our Future. At a time when the nursing workforce is under more pressure than ever before Evidence Based Nursing (EBN) are focusing on what needs to be done to support our nursing workforce to thrive. We support nurses right to strike and the need for better pay and conditions but we also want to reflect on what can be done to help our nurses flourish.

Nursing 136
article thumbnail

Reading Rewards

Chicago Caregiving

Whether it’s books, magazines, or correspondence — studies show that reading offers protections against dementia as people age Learning to read is a revelatory experience for children. They discover that when certain letters of the alphabet go together, those letters become words that form sentences, revealing infinite possibilities. That initial thrill of reading can last a lifetime, and it can protect and improve the wellbeing of older adults in many different ways.

Books 119
article thumbnail

The Rise of Malpractice Claims Against NPs

Daily Nurse

According to “The 2022 Nurse Practitioner Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 5th Edition,” claims again nurse practitioners (NPs) are rising. To find out what this means and what NPs can do about it, Daily Nurse interviewed Georgia Reiner, MS, CPHRM, Risk Analyst, Nurses Service Organization (NSO). What follows is our interview, edited for length and clarity.

2017 133
article thumbnail

Senators Propose Bills to Expand Hospice Training, Ensure Access to Transfusions

Hospice News

Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) recently re-introduced legislation designed to expand the palliative care workforce. The two lawmakers, along with others, also brought forth a second bill designed to ensure that hospice patients who need blood transfusions can receive them. The bipartisan-supported Provider Training in Palliative Care Act aims to increase the number of clinicians trained in palliative care as long-standing labor shortages continue to hinder access.

Hospice 336
article thumbnail

The Top LGBTQ2+ Barriers to Accessing Palliative Care and 6 Ways to Help

Life & Death Matters

LGBTQ2+ people face several barriers to accessing healthcare. These barriers have a significant impact on the day-to-day health and well-being of these individuals as well as delaying the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of life-limiting illnesses. As a person’s health declines, these barriers may prevent a person from accessing palliative care support from community healthcare and […] The post The Top LGBTQ2+ Barriers to Accessing Palliative Care and 6 Ways to Help appeared first on Lif

article thumbnail

Mahoney, Thoms, Franklin: Black Nurses and Reformers to Remember

AJN Off the Charts

Nursing is a challenging profession that requires expertise, dedication, and compassion. Black nurses have made significant contributions to the field, yet their stories often go untold. In this second post in a four-part series for this Nurses Month (here’s the first post ), I continue to highlight the achievements of Black nurses who have worked to provide quality care despite discrimination and prejudice.

Nursing 121
article thumbnail

Grief & the holidays: Practical advice when you have experienced the loss of a loved one

HopeHealth

If you’ve lost a loved one, your grief may feel particularly intense around the holidays. Here are tips to get through the season. The post Grief & the holidays: Practical advice when you have experienced the loss of a loved one appeared first on HopeHealth.

Grief 254
article thumbnail

Unlocking communication: The role of physical, occupational and speech therapy in aphasia

Rehab Realities by Renee Kinder

Aphasia, noun apha·​sia ə-ˈfā-zh(ē-)ə Medical: loss or impairment of the power to use or comprehend words usually resulting from brain damage (as from a stroke, head injury, or infection) Aphasia, the cruel illness resulting from a stroke, allowed Jean to understand what was said to her but prevented her from clearly replying. — Robert Giroux The National Aphasia Association has declared June as National Aphasia Awareness Month.

article thumbnail

Dr. Juan Pablo Leiva

EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care)

We are deeply saddened to hear of the unexpected death of Dr Juan Pablo Leiva, which has been announced today by our colleagues in SECPAL. Our Board and staff send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, patients and all who knew him. Dr Leiva posted earlier this week about the gratitude and privilege of working in palliative care (translated words below).

article thumbnail

Helping parents navigate Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Together for Short Lives

A new resource is supporting new and soon-to-parents through the complex and unique environment of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The Palliative Care Information for Parents, which we’ve made together with charity Bliss, is being piloted in NICUs and children’s hospices with specialist antenatal and neonatal services across the country. The post Helping parents navigate Neonatal Intensive Care Units appeared first on Together for Short Lives.

article thumbnail

Educating About Health Equity

Minority Nurse

Nursing has always held health equity as a critical value in many ways. Nurses strive to deliver the best care to all patients, independent of socioeconomic status, gender, race, or other factors. Health equity arguably gets even more attention than in the past. And that attention also occurs in nursing schools, where nurses are presented with the concept of health equity.

article thumbnail

“Delivering our future workforce is ultimately dependent on a sustainable and high quality educator workforce to support education and training, both in practice and in academic settings” (Health Education England 2023, pg. 3)

Evidence-Based Nursing - BMJ blogs

By Dr Jane Wray, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Hull University, and Senior Clinical Nurse Advisor (National Preceptorship Programme) The ‘Educator Workforce Strategy 1 was recently released in England has acknowledged the urgent need for workforce investment and capacity building across practice and academic settings. Health-care expectations continue to shift, new information technologies emerge, practice requirements continue to evolve and as a consequence the educator role has increasingly dive

2023 132
article thumbnail

Keep Connecting

Chicago Caregiving

Distance doesn’t have to end relationships. How to stay connected when a friend moves or goes through health changes. Veronica Boyajian and her husband — both in their 60s and formerly of Highland Park, Illinois — spent months looking for a new home. They wanted a lower cost of living and a supportive community for their adult daughter, who has special needs.

article thumbnail

Why Nurses Should Learn Wilderness Medicine

Daily Nurse

Nurses are some of the most versatile, widely skilled healthcare professionals, so if you’re a nurse that loves to camp and backpack, now may be the right time to add some wilderness medicine skills to your professional toolkit. Nurses say they like spending their free time traveling, exercising, and exploring the great outdoors.

Nursing 129
article thumbnail

Understanding the Shifting Regulations on Psychedelics for the Terminally Ill

Hospice News

Hospice and palliative care providers can benefit from understanding federal and state laws around the use of psychedelics by serious and terminally ill patients. Current regulations govern not only access to these substances, but the research into how patients could be affected. But any rules should include clear federal standards for this research as far as what is and is not allowed, according to Jennifer Moore Ballentine, CEO of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California.

article thumbnail

The First Leap to Receive Approval for a Novel Approach to PTSD Treatment

Healthcare Law Insights blog

On December 12, 2023, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies Public Benefit Corporation (“MAPS PBC”) announced it has submitted a new drug application (“NDA”) to the FDA for the use of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“MDMA”) for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”). This novel therapy utilizes the administration of MDMA, a psychoactive substance that binds to the 5HT2a portion of the serotonin receptor, in a clinical setting in conjunction with psychothe

2017 111
article thumbnail

Access to Abortion Medications: Why Should Nurses Care?

AJN Off the Charts

She sat in my office, tissue in hand, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to process the news I’d just confirmed: she was pregnant, and really, really needed to not be. She was living in her brother’s small house, her seven-year-old son with her, sleeping on a sofa while trying to put her life back together after a divorce. She had chronic kidney disease, and had been told that another pregnancy could cause kidney failure.

Nursing 122
article thumbnail

Hospice program honors 92-year-old veteran for military service

HopeHealth

Over his military career, “Buzz” Tilton flew everything from fighter jets to transport planes. At age 92, his community and hospice team honored him with a veteran pinning ceremony. The post Hospice program honors 92-year-old veteran for military service appeared first on HopeHealth.

Hospice 253