February, 2023

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HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE – UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE

Aging Life Care Association

by Melissa L. Johnson, RN, BSN, MHA, CHPN, CCM – Aging Life Care Association® Member Palliative care and hospice care are both specialized healthcare models that focus on palliation, or relief of symptoms, associated with serious, debilitating illnesses. Such symptoms may include pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, or the need for additional emotional support.

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Caregiver Self-Care

Sustainable Caregiving

“Self-care is doing the things that make you feel more like yourself.” Robyn Conely Downs You can prioritize your well-being while you care for your family member when you reimagine and micro-dose self-care throughout the day. Your activities before caregiving, going to the gym, reading for pleasure, sleeping, or spending time with friends, were just … Caregiver Self-Care Read More » The post Caregiver Self-Care appeared first on Sustainable Caregiving™.

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Systematic Change Needed to Support Family Caregivers of Hospice Patients

Hospice News

Given the critical role of family caregivers in home-based care, hospices have a vested interest in expanding their access to support. Families caring for seriously ill loved ones face systemic barriers that could threaten patients’ ability to receive care at home, including at the end of life. If a family can’t withstand these burdens, the patient may have to receive care in a facility to ensure their needs are met.

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4 ways to improve home care inefficiencies with technology

AlayaCare

With the growing demand for home-based care services, organizations are struggling to keep up with repetitive tasks and inefficiencies that can be costly in terms of time and resources. You want your employees in the head office doing only the tasks that involve building a relationship and making decisions. When you look at what’s happening in the back office of the typical home care or home health agency today, you have a lot of activities that don’t involve either of those two thin

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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.

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What palliative care means for people living with heart failure

HopeHealth

If you or a loved one is living with heart failure, you don’t have to go it alone. Palliative care helps with everything from everyday questions to long-term plans. The post What palliative care means for people living with heart failure appeared first on HopeHealth.

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The Angry Patient: A podcast with Dani Chammas and Keri Brenner

GeriPal

Summary Transcript Summary Think about the last time a patient yelled at you in anger. How did you react? The last time this happened to me I immediately went on the defensive despite years of training in serious illness communication skills. Afterwards, I thought there must be a better way. Well on today’s podcast we invite two of our favorite palliative care psychiatrists, Dani Chammas and Keri Brenner, to teach us about going beyond simple communication skills like naming the emotion when

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Minimize Caregiving Conflict

Sustainable Caregiving

“By far the best way to prevent a tug-of-war is to not pick up your end of the rope.” Don Lancaster So much of our caregiving experience feels out of control, which is stressful. Caregiving conflicts can be unsettling. We have been plopped back into the nest, and our inner child has emerged to go … Minimize Caregiving Conflict Read More » The post Minimize Caregiving Conflict appeared first on Sustainable Caregiving™.

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Hospice Organizations Call for Change as Lawmakers Eye Program Integrity

Hospice News

Members of Congress are seeking answers from federal regulators on hospice program integrity as industry advocacy groups call for further action. Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) led a group of lawmakers who wrote to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the U.S Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), asking for the agency to brief them on fraud and abuse within the hospice benefit.

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5 ways of reducing repetitive tasks through home care software solutions

AlayaCare

As Adrian Shauer, CEO of AlayaCare, expressed in episode 35 of the HomeHealth360 podcast home care agencies now have the tools to finally win the war on repetitive tasks. According to a survey conducted by Home Health Care News, 57% of home care agencies reported that they spend up to 3 hours a day on administrative tasks such as data entry, tracking patient records, etc.

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“Saying yes to pediatric hospice changed our lives”: Rogan’s story

HopeHealth

To his family and care teams, 1-year-old Rogan was known as Superman. By sharing his experience with pediatric hospice, his parents hope he can help other kids with serious illness. The post “Saying yes to pediatric hospice changed our lives”: Rogan’s story appeared first on HopeHealth.

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Involving the inner circle: Emily Largent, Anne Rohlfing, Lynn Flint & Anne Kelly

GeriPal

Summary Transcript Summary You know when you walk out of a patient’s room and have that sense, “This isn’t going to go well.” The patient is sick and getting sicker, and refuses to let you talk with family or other members of her inner circle. Should you stop at “no?” Today we talk with Anne Rohlfing, Lynn Flint, and Anne Kelly, authors of a JGIM article on the reasons we shouldn’t stop at “no.

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Advocating for Travel Nurses: How to Get the Role and Benefits You Deserve

Daily Nurse

Nurses are the backbone of the nation’s healthcare system and play a vital role in providing clinical care to patients and supporting other healthcare workers. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the United States, with 4.2 million registered nurses.

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Recharge Caregiver Compassion Reserves

Sustainable Caregiving

“Compassion is about giving all the love that you’ve got.” Cheryl Strayed, author of the memoir Wild Compassion is the feeling that allows us to show kindness during difficult times. Where compassion is an internal feeling, kindness is an external action that embodies warmth and affection. As Cheryl Strayed said, feeling and showing compassion is … Recharge Caregiver Compassion Reserves Read More » The post Recharge Caregiver Compassion Reserves appeared first on Sustainable Ca

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LeadingAge to Congress: Reform Hospice Benefit, Fund Palliative Care

Hospice News

The Medicare Hospice Benefit should allow some concurrent care, and Congress should support greater access to palliative care, among other reforms, according to LeadingAge. The senior care advocacy organization wrote to Congressional leaders today calling on lawmakers to devote attention to improving the 40-year-old benefit. In addition to concurrent care, LeadingAge urged Congress and the U.S.

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3 ways to improve care management in home care 

AlayaCare

Care management is the bread and butter of home care organizations. Improving care management within your home care organization can increase client satisfaction and quality of care, eliminate unnecessary costs by optimizing workflows and processes to allow staff and caregivers to deliver the best care, and overall increase the efficiency of the entire home care business resulting in growth.

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5 signs our Young Adult Grief Support Group may be right for you

HopeHealth

Grief can be isolating at any age — and that certainly includes young adulthood. Through our 20s and even 30s, friends tend to play a leading role in our lives. But they often can’t relate to major losses like the death of a parent. If a young person is grieving, where can they find a Read More The post 5 signs our Young Adult Grief Support Group may be right for you appeared first on HopeHealth.

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GeriPal #HPMParty at the 2023 AAHPM / HPNA Meeting in Montreal

GeriPal

Four years ago I wrote a post inviting everyone to join us for the GeriPal / Pallimed #HPMParty. It breaks my heart just reading it: “Just so you know and can mark it on your calendars from here to eternity, it has a standing reserved spot on Thursday night at 9pm local time the week of the Annual Assemblies of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA)” Well, as we all know, a global pandemic got in the way of enjoyi

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UnResignation Letter Initiative Champions Nurses to Create the Future of Healthcare

Daily Nurse

ConnectRN’s “unResignation Letter” initiative is a nursing movement stemming from an open letter urging healthcare facilities to consider nurses’ mental health, work-life balance, and flexibility. It encourages nurses to recommit to the profession, including those who have resigned and those considering leaving.

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When Studying Mental Illness in Nurses Means Studying Yourself

AJN Off the Charts

Carrying the burden of depression as a nurse. As I read Anna’s (not her real name) description of how much effort it took to drag herself into work, how much she felt like a burden to her family, and her fear of being “found out,” tears welled up. “I know,” I said to myself. I was analyzing an interview transcript for a qualitative study of psychiatric-mental health nurses (PMHNs) who have experienced mental illness.

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Telling the ‘Story of Hospice’ in 2023: Perspectives from 8 Industry Leaders

Hospice News

If you were to write a book about hospice in 2023, what would you call it? To help answer that question, Hospice News asked the CEOs of eight providers how they would title a book about the state of the field today. The consistent themes could be summed up as change, challenges and mission. Leaders in the field see tectonic shifts altering the landscape, from new payment models and regulation, to emerging technologies and recruitment and retention strategies, among others.

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5 effective marketing tactics to help build a strong home care brand

AlayaCare

Home care is an essential part of the healthcare system, providing critical support to people who require assistance and allowing patients more opportunities to make decisions about the care they want to receive in the place they call home. According to IBISWorld , there are over 426,000 home care businesses in the US as of 2023, an increase of 2.3% from 2022.

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For Patients With Cancer, Hope Changes Everything

Nurse.com

My earliest memories are of wanting to become a nurse. When I was a child, I pretended my dolls were my patients. When I was a little older and my mother was dealing with serious illnesses, I’d put a bell at her bedside so she could “ring me” when she needed something. And when I was a pre-teen, I’d accompany my aunt to her dialysis treatments.

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6 Signs of Heart Disease | Caring Senior Service

Caring Senior Service

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and in the US. The good news is that an estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease , including heart disease, is preventable. In addition to taking preventative measures, it’s crucial that we pay attention to our body and notice the signs of heart disease early. By detecting signs of heart disease early, you can improve outcomes and protect your heart from further damage.

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A Day in the Life of an Oncology Nurse 

Daily Nurse

Have you ever thought about working as an oncology nurse but weren’t exactly sure what the job could entail? Perhaps you wanted to get more knowledge about it to decide if this sector of the field was a good fit for you.

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Trauma: Life in the ER Want to be an Emergency Nurse?

Minority Nurse

As a nursing student, I loved watching the show “Trauma: Life in the ER.” This show was based on real-life medical stories in the ER of various cities such as New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Detroit. As I watched, I said to myself that is what I want to do! I am going to be a Trauma Nurse in the ER. In my last semester of nursing school, I requested to be in the Emergency Department, and thankfully, I was placed there for my last rotation.

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Hospices Welcome Expanded Chaplain Services Codes, Seek Clarity on Applicability

Hospice News

Hospices are seeking greater clarity on updated Medicare rules that allow hospices to document a broader range of chaplain services on claims. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recently revised three existing items in the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) , eliminating languages that limited their use to the health care arm of the U.S.

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5 Ways for your Home Care Agency to Deal with Margin Squeeze

AlayaCare

The increasing demand for home-based care services amidst the aging population brings both challenges as well as opportunities for providers. Despite the growth in spending, declining reimbursement rates and rising labor costs are putting pressure on agency margins. Here are 5 strategies to overcome these challenges: 1. Engage and retain your caregivers Employee turnover can be very expensive for a home-based care provider, from searching for new candidates all the way through training.

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The Call for Greater Autonomy in Nursing

Nurse.com

Today’s healthcare system faces complex challenges, many brought to greater focus during the pandemic. Healthcare organizations continue to experience numerous challenges ranging from supply and demand issues, quality outcomes, and addressing the nursing workforce shortage. Transforming our current healthcare delivery model to address these challenges will require greater autonomy in nursing and flexibility built into nurse roles.

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Overcoming Gaps in Discharge Planning | Caring Senior Service

Caring Senior Service

When a loved one is getting ready to leave the hospital, the discharge planning process should help you and your family understand what to expect when your loved one returns home. You should be informed about your loved one’s health and any specific medical instructions in regard to their care. However, for one reason or another, it’s not uncommon for there to be gaps in the discharge planning process and for families to be unsure of their responsibilities.

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Nurse of the Week: Kayla Billington Provides Heart Surgeries for Ugandan Children

Daily Nurse

Kayla Billington has made it her mission to help provide life-saving heart surgeries for children in Uganda. We honor Billington as the Nurse of the Week for providing heart surgeries and hope to children in Uganda. Billington knew she wanted to become a pediatric nurse after surviving a rare form of cancer as a teenager.

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The Lessons of Jimmy Carter’s Hospice Decision

Solace

On February 18th, the Carter Center announced former president Jimmy Carter was entering hospice and spending time with his family at home. Carter is perhaps the most prominent American to publicly announce his choice of hospice and with it, has publicized this important resource which is often misunderstood. Solace Cremation checked in with several leaders in the end-of-life and hospice arena to gather their views on the lessons he gives us with his choice.

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How April Anthony, Investors Built New Home Health and Hospice Company VitalCaring

Hospice News

VitalCaring Group CEO April Anthony has a track record of building home-based care powerhouses, making her newest venture a company to watch as its emerging brand comes together. The gestation of Texas-based VitalCaring has been years in the works, but it built its clinical foundation around July 2021, when its three principal owners — Anthony and the private equity firms Vistria Group and Nautic Partners — purchased an undisclosed home health agency in Louisiana.

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4 steps to prep home care agencies for digital transformation [Free Checklist]

AlayaCare

Home care agencies are rapidly understanding the importance of digital transformation to stay competitive and provide better care for their patients. Digital transformation can help home care businesses simplify operations, improve patient outcomes, and increase efficiency. However, it is not always easy to know where to start when it comes to equipping a home care business with the necessary technology for digital transformation.

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Celebrating Black Nursing Leaders: Susanah Awe

Minority Nurse

Susanah Awe, RN, is an SCN1 (Senior Clinical Nurse 1) at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. She grew up in a small town in Nigeria, where career options were limited for women, and her desire to become a nurse was considered too ambitious. Nevertheless, awe defied naysayers and has been a nurse for 36 years.

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How Caregiving Takes a Toll on Family Relationships

Caring Senior Service

Caring for an aging parent comes with its own unique set of challenges. However, one challenge that is often overlooked is the impact family caregiving can have on your relationships. Not only will your dynamic with your parent shift, but also your relationships with your siblings, spouse, and kids.

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Your Nursing Career and the Nuclear Option

Daily Nurse

If you’ve reached the point in your nursing career where you feel like you can’t go on and might need to abandon nursing and never look back, you’re considering “the nuclear option,” which means leaving the profession for good. While this is always a possible course of action, it’s not the only one.

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