Home Care & Hospice Network

Massachusetts Ramping Up Pediatric Palliative Care Funding

Hospice News

AUGUST 10, 2022

Massachusetts legislators recently allocated more than $8.7 Massachusetts State Sen. Children and families in Massachusetts access these services through providers in the state’s Pediatric Palliative Care Network, which provides care for youths facing life-limiting illnesses. Last year the state appropriated $6.5

Palliative care

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Massachusetts State Budget Allocations $10.4M for Pediatric Palliative Care

Hospice News

JULY 31, 2024

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has approved its 2025 state budget that includes outlays to support palliative care services for children. Children and families in Massachusetts access these services through providers in the state’s Pediatric Palliative Care Network, which provides care for youths facing life-limiting illnesses.

Palliative care

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Early Telepalliative Care Can Reduce Caregiver Burden, Improve Quality

Hospice News

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

The findings could indicate that telepalliative care could be an effective avenue for caregiver support, according to researcher Joseph Greer, psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

Caregiver

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Trinity Health at Home to Shut Down Massachusetts Hospice, Home Health Agency

Hospice News

JULY 22, 2022

Massachusetts-based health system Trinity Health will close its home health and hospice program in the West Springfield community in September, laying off 60 employees in the process. The health system recently notified the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development of the impending closure and layoffs.

Hospice

Hospice 2021 Assisted living Information

Caring for someone with dementia? In Massachusetts, a free program is here to help

HopeHealth

MAY 17, 2023

From free respite care to expert advice, here’s how the Alzheimer’s Disease Assistance Program is helping two Massachusetts families — and how it could help yours. In Massachusetts, a free program is here to help appeared first on HopeHealth. The post Caring for someone with dementia?

Home care

Home care Blog

Shoring Up the Next Generation of Hospice Chaplains

Hospice News

JANUARY 10, 2025

Providing ongoing avenues for clinical pastoral education is a large part of ensuring workforce sustainability, said Sarah Byrne-Martelli, staff chaplain at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Spiritual Care.

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Chair of the Massachusetts Medical School Collaborative: All Med School Students Should Learn Serious Illness Communication

Hospice News

MAY 16, 2023

As the chair of the Massachusetts Medical School Collaborative and an associate professor at UMass Medical School, she is leading one effort to integrate palliative care into the core medical school curricula in her home state. We are about to publish papers on the curriculum mapping and focus groups.

Palliative care

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3 Quality Keys Driving Hospice Staff, Family Caregiver Satisfaction

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Established nearly 50 years ago, Rhode Island-based HopeHealth provides hospice, palliative care, and dementia and grief support services in Massachusetts and in its home state. The nonprofit has narrowed the focus of its retention initiatives toward reducing staff turnover.

Caregiver

Caregiver Hospice Chaplain Grief

Hospice Researchers Seek to Untangle Possible Relationships Between Tax Status and Outcomes

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 8, 2024

Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) was among those who support the launch of a revised version of the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, which is designed to address regulatory loopholes and eliminate incentives allowing for-profit businesses to dominate the health care space.

Hospice

Hospice Geriatrics 2018 Palliate

Aveanna Revs Hospice, Home Health M&A Engine

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

We are experiencing accelerated caregiver hiring trends, patient discharges from children’s hospitals and improved staffing levels in both Georgia and Massachusetts.” Aveanna’s adjusted EBITDA reached $47.8 million in Q3, a 32.2% increment from the previous year.

Hospice

Hospice 2025 2024 Caregiver

The Case for a Palliative Care Medicare Carve-Out

Hospice News

MARCH 7, 2025

Connecticut Childrens provides a range of 30 pediatric services, including hospice, and has more than 40 locations in its home state, New York and Massachusetts. Kerry Moss, palliative care medical director for Connecticut Children’s.

Medicare

Medicare Palliative care Palliate 2030

Advanced Home Care Acquires Dignity Hospice

Hospice News

MAY 25, 2023

Massachusetts-based Advanced Home Care has acquired Dignity Hospice Care for an undisclosed amount. Seniors older than 60 represent the fastest-growing segment of the Massachusetts population. This would be a 33% increase from 2012 More than 32,200 Medicare decedents elected hospice in Massachusetts in 2021, according to the U.S.

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Home care Hospice 2030 2012

From Sea to Shining Sea: State Palliative Care Laws Yield Mixed Results

Hospice News

AUGUST 17, 2022

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed a law to develop its advisory council in 2009. But the story in Massachusetts didn’t end there. Councils in other states also hit barriers. A group of clinicians and other experts comprised the advisory council. Nevertheless, the council has not met in about three years, he said.

Palliative care

Palliative care Palliate Long-term care 2018

2024’s Most Read Palliative Care News Stories

Hospice News

DECEMBER 20, 2024

A recent report from the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) highlighted the current landscape of palliative care delivery across the country, with Massachusetts and Oregon leading the charge.

Palliative care

Palliative care 2024 Palliate Care coordination

The reason I do this: How a hospice volunteer finds his purpose

HopeHealth

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

When Phil saw the ad for hospice volunteers in Massachusetts, he wasn’t sure if a guy like him could help. But he knew he wanted to try. The post The reason I do this: How a hospice volunteer finds his purpose appeared first on HopeHealth.

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Fixing the Flaws in Palliative Care Laws

Hospice News

AUGUST 19, 2022

. “End-of-life care is the only topic in health care — maybe in all of life — that affects every single one of us and everyone we care about with 100% certainty,” Dr. Lachlan Forrow, co-founder of the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care, told Hospice News.

Palliative care

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Palliative Telehealth’s Quality of Life Improvement Equivalent to In-Person Care

Hospice News

JUNE 7, 2024

Clinicians discussed similar issues with patients and families regardless of whether care was delivered virtually or in-person, including establishing a rapport, identifying symptoms and grading symptom management, as well as assessment of psychosocial needs associated with serious illness, AJMC reported.

Personal care

Personal care Palliate 2018 Palliative care

“You cannot do it alone”: One couple’s journey with dementia

HopeHealth

JANUARY 7, 2025

When a caregiver discovers free dementia resources in Massachusetts, it leads to weekly respite care for her husband, 24/7 hospice support, and more. The post You cannot do it alone: One couples journey with dementia appeared first on HopeHealth.

Caregiver

Caregiver Hospice Blog

Bringing Palliative Care into the Light to Better Serve Patients

Hospice News

AUGUST 30, 2024

Cathy Wozniak is the executive director of Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts (HPCMV). Vieira says that in Massachusetts, nearly 88% of seriously ill patients need palliative care consultation services. As such, the model can go underutilized for those who could benefit from it the most.

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HopeHealth CMO: Hospice Rules for ‘Unrelated Care’ Getting Stricter

Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024

The more than 50-year-old nonprofit organization also serves parts of Massachusetts. We supply palliative care clinicians to a number of the hospitals, the teaching hospitals in Providence and some hospitals in Massachusetts, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital is involved. So we have a large palliative care program.

Hospice

Hospice Chaplain Medicare Bereavement

Care Dimensions CEO: New Hospice Clinicians Seek Mentorship

Hospice News

JUNE 7, 2022

Care Dimensions is the largest hospice provider in Massachusetts. It was very much centered around Massachusetts, but we now have people in other parts of the country attending webinars, seminars and teaching programs. Stephanie Patel as its new CEO, upon the retirement of previous top executive Patricia Ahern.

Hospice

Hospice Webinar Seminar 2006

Most Rural Regions Lack Palliative Care Specialists

Hospice News

APRIL 15, 2024

Higher volumes of palliative care physicians were found in regions such as California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, southern New York and in Washington D.C., according to Chen. Multiple states had “very few” or minimal “clusters” of palliative clinicians, including Alaska, Nevada, North Dakota and Wyoming, she added.

Palliative care

Palliative care Palliate Palliative nursing 2022

Brigham and Women’s Hospital Develops Virtual Reality Hospice, Palliative Training Partnership

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 22, 2023

Brigham and Women’s Hospital is a teaching hospital of the Harvard Medical School system.The hospital-based system is part of Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts, which includes 16 health care organizations in its home state, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Palliate

Palliate 2015 Hospice Palliative care

‘Lockstep’ C-Suite Collaborations Crucial in Evolving Hospice Landscape

Hospice News

AUGUST 27, 2024

The nonprofit health system provides home care, hospice, palliative and dementia care across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Franchitto and Martin have led the organization for roughly 15 years.

Hospice

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Hospice Clinician Wages Rising at Slower Rate; Turnover Falling

Hospice News

DECEMBER 1, 2023

Other outliers include Massachusetts ($45.08), Connecticut ($45.15) and on the lower end of the spectrum, Tennessee ($33.93). Nationally, hourly wages for hospice RNs reached $38.08 this year, but geographic variations exist. Hourly rates are highest in California, for example, at $53.74, and lowest in Mississippi at $32.90.

Hospice

Hospice Social worker Chaplain 2023

Hospices Struggle to Balance Costs, Patient Needs in Medication Deprescribing

Hospice News

JANUARY 30, 2024

Due to polypharmacy, hospice patients are often at great risk for adverse side effects, such as falls, confusion and medication interactions, among others, according to a 2022 dissertation by Shannon Dickson at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Hospice

Hospice 2024 Medicare Medical director

Hospices Ramping Up Caregiver Support

Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

Massachusetts-based NVNA and Hospice is among these providers. Hospice providers have made recent moves to boost family caregiver support as access to respite care and other resources lags. The company recently launched a new support group for adult caregivers of oncology patients.

Caregiver

Caregiver Hospice Social worker Events

Elara Caring Acquires of Assisted Daily Living

Hospice News

APRIL 4, 2023

The acquisition presents opportunities for Elara Caring to fill gaps between its adjacent markets in Connecticut and Massachusetts. In addition to skilled home health, Enclara’s services include hospice, palliative and personal care, and behavioral health.

Assisted living

Assisted living 2020 2022 Presentation

NAHC, NHPCO Name Transition Board to Guide 2024 Merger

Hospice News

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Lloyd, president and CEO, Delaware Hospice, Inc.

2024

2024 Homecare Palliative care Definition

Balancing the Scales a Complex Proposition in Hospice CON Laws

Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

Before joining Unity Hospital, Makowski was chief of palliative medicine at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire, and also served as co-chief of the palliative medicine division at UMass Memorial Healthcare in Massachusetts. New York and Massachusetts both have CON programs in place, while New Hampshire and California do not.

Hospice

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The Care Team Steps into Indiana with 1st Care Acquisition

Hospice News

DECEMBER 14, 2022

Winston & Strawn LLP acted as legal counsel to The Care Team, which provides home health and hospice in Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas and now Indiana. The Care Team (TCT) recently acquired Indiana-based 1st Care Home Health Services, marking the company’s entry into that state and another step along its growth trajectory.

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Social worker 2016 2018 2019

HopeHealth’s Dr. Leah McDonald Sees ‘System-Wide Embedding’ of Palliative Skills

Hospice News

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

The nonprofit health system offers home health, hospice and palliative care in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. In the last few years since I’ve graduated we’ve definitely seen more new programs popping up across the Northeast and in Massachusetts. McDonald is a hospice and palliative care physician at HopeHealth.

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Palliate Palliative care Long-term care End-of-life care

Hospice & Palliative of Martha Vineyard Navigates Staffing, Access Barriers

Hospice News

JUNE 7, 2024

Established in 1981, the nonprofit provides care across the Martha Vineyard island in Dukes County, Massachusetts. How would you describe your geographic service region on the island of Martha Vineyards off the coast of Massachusetts? It is a rural area and is dependent upon resources from the mainland that can reach us.

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Palliate Hospice Grief Palliative care

Thyme Care Appoints Scientific Advisory Board with Palliative Care Expertise

Hospice News

OCTOBER 21, 2024

She is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, clinical director of thoracic oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, co-director of the Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and co-leader of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Outcomes Research Program.

Palliative care

Palliative care Palliate Geriatrics Medical director

HopeHealth’s Expanding Scope of Pediatric Hospice, Palliative Services

Hospice News

APRIL 8, 2024

The nonprofit health system serves Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Part of the demand was factored by mortality rates among local hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. HopeHealth provides home care, hospice, palliative and dementia care, as well as caregiver and grief support services.

Palliate

Palliate Hospice Chaplain Grief

New CMMI Primary Care Demo Could Pave Way for Hospice, Palliative Partnerships

Hospice News

JUNE 9, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled the Making Care Primary (MC) model, which will launch in July 2024 in eight states — Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington.

Demo

Demo Palliate Care coordination Care coordinator

The Question of Palliative Care Sustainability

Hospice News

MARCH 5, 2024

The Massachusetts-based provider has a service region of roughly 27 towns along the state’s southern coast, including those in the greater Boston area. NVNA & Hospice provides home health, hospice and community-based palliative services. Its palliative program has an average daily census of roughly 145 patients.

Palliative care

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Compassus Taps Michael Asselta as New CEO

Hospice News

MAY 7, 2024

Prior to joining Compassus, Asselta spent eight years with Massachusetts-based Fresenius Medical Care North America, where he most recently served as COO of U.S. The home-based care provider Compassus has appointed Michael J. Asselta as its new CEO, succeeding David Grams. Care Delivery and president of Fresenius Kidney Care.

2022

2022 Palliative care Palliate Hospice

New Studies Guide Timing of End-of-Life Care Conversations

Hospice News

AUGUST 19, 2022

Massachusetts-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute developed a platform aimed at helping to alert clinicians of when to initiate those discussions. “A Yet, less than half (47%) of these individuals followed through with conversations or preparations, according to the survey findings.

End-of-life care

End-of-life care Palliative care Palliate Hospice

Hospice, Palliative Care Providers Leverage Education Programs to Attract and Keep Staff

Hospice News

OCTOBER 26, 2022

The Massachusetts-based hospice and palliative care provider launched a Learning Institute to educate the public, clinicians across the country, and their own staff. In terms of developing educational initiatives, providers have more than one way to shape incentives that multi-generational workers value.

Palliative care

Palliative care Palliate Hospice Webinar

Research Finds Quality Benefits of Early Telepalliative Access Among Lung Cancer Patients

Hospice News

OCTOBER 4, 2024

The findings come at a time when telehealth flexibilities implemented during the pandemic will soon end.

2026

2026 Palliative care 2025 2018

Palliative Care’s Evolving Role in Medicaid

Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

These include states with some of the largest growing seriously ill populations, such as California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington, among others, she added. More than 15 states have established Medicaid palliative programs, according to Fields.

Palliate

Palliate Palliative care 2023 Information

Hospices Leverage School-Based Partnerships to Strengthen Bereavement Care

Hospice News

OCTOBER 7, 2024

Established in 1981, the Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization is located on an island seven miles off the state’s coast in the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to providing hospice and palliative care, HPCMV offers bereavement support such as individual and group counseling services.

Bereavement

Bereavement Grief Hospice Bereavement coordinator

Focus Group Study: 30% Believe Hospice Intentionally Hastens Death

Hospice News

OCTOBER 21, 2022

The post Focus Group Study: 30% Believe Hospice Intentionally Hastens Death appeared first on Hospice News.

Hospice

Hospice Palliative care Palliate End-of-life care

Massachusetts Ramping Up Pediatric Palliative Care Funding

Massachusetts State Budget Allocations $10.4M for Pediatric Palliative Care

Trending Sources

Early Telepalliative Care Can Reduce Caregiver Burden, Improve Quality

Trinity Health at Home to Shut Down Massachusetts Hospice, Home Health Agency

Caring for someone with dementia? In Massachusetts, a free program is here to help

Shoring Up the Next Generation of Hospice Chaplains

Chair of the Massachusetts Medical School Collaborative: All Med School Students Should Learn Serious Illness Communication

3 Quality Keys Driving Hospice Staff, Family Caregiver Satisfaction

Hospice Researchers Seek to Untangle Possible Relationships Between Tax Status and Outcomes

Aveanna Revs Hospice, Home Health M&A Engine

The Case for a Palliative Care Medicare Carve-Out

Advanced Home Care Acquires Dignity Hospice

From Sea to Shining Sea: State Palliative Care Laws Yield Mixed Results

2024’s Most Read Palliative Care News Stories

The reason I do this: How a hospice volunteer finds his purpose

Fixing the Flaws in Palliative Care Laws

Palliative Telehealth’s Quality of Life Improvement Equivalent to In-Person Care

“You cannot do it alone”: One couple’s journey with dementia

Bringing Palliative Care into the Light to Better Serve Patients

HopeHealth CMO: Hospice Rules for ‘Unrelated Care’ Getting Stricter

Care Dimensions CEO: New Hospice Clinicians Seek Mentorship

Most Rural Regions Lack Palliative Care Specialists

Brigham and Women’s Hospital Develops Virtual Reality Hospice, Palliative Training Partnership

‘Lockstep’ C-Suite Collaborations Crucial in Evolving Hospice Landscape

Hospice Clinician Wages Rising at Slower Rate; Turnover Falling

Hospices Struggle to Balance Costs, Patient Needs in Medication Deprescribing

Hospices Ramping Up Caregiver Support

Elara Caring Acquires of Assisted Daily Living

NAHC, NHPCO Name Transition Board to Guide 2024 Merger

Balancing the Scales a Complex Proposition in Hospice CON Laws

The Care Team Steps into Indiana with 1st Care Acquisition

HopeHealth’s Dr. Leah McDonald Sees ‘System-Wide Embedding’ of Palliative Skills

Hospice & Palliative of Martha Vineyard Navigates Staffing, Access Barriers

Thyme Care Appoints Scientific Advisory Board with Palliative Care Expertise

HopeHealth’s Expanding Scope of Pediatric Hospice, Palliative Services

New CMMI Primary Care Demo Could Pave Way for Hospice, Palliative Partnerships

The Question of Palliative Care Sustainability

Compassus Taps Michael Asselta as New CEO

New Studies Guide Timing of End-of-Life Care Conversations

Hospice, Palliative Care Providers Leverage Education Programs to Attract and Keep Staff

Research Finds Quality Benefits of Early Telepalliative Access Among Lung Cancer Patients

Palliative Care’s Evolving Role in Medicaid

Hospices Leverage School-Based Partnerships to Strengthen Bereavement Care

Focus Group Study: 30% Believe Hospice Intentionally Hastens Death

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