Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

Documentation errors and a fragmented health system pose the greatest risks for adverse drug events among hospices. Evaluating these risks involves having solid medication reconciliation processes in place — both at the time of a patient’s admission and throughout their end-of life care experience, according to Mary Lynn McPherson, professor and executive program director of advanced post-graduate education in palliative care at the University of Maryland’s School of Pharmacy.

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GeriPal

MARCH 14, 2024

Summary Transcript Summary Almost a decade ago, our hospice and palliative care team decided to do a “Thickened Liquid Challenge.” This simple challenge was focused on putting ourselves in the shoes of our patients with dysphagia who are prescribed thickened liquids. The rules of the challenge were simple: fluids must be thickened to “honey consistency” using a beverage thickener for a 12-hour contiguous period.

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Together for Short Lives

MARCH 12, 2024

The Kentown Children’s Palliative Care Programme in North West England has reached its one-year milestone, supporting over 128 families across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Launched with the needs of children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses – and their families – at its core, families have described the initiative as ‘transformative’.

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Minority Nurse

MARCH 13, 2024

Barbara Bosah, MS, RN, PCCN, is a highly skilled nurse manager in the thoracic and surgical intermediate care unit and vascular progressive care unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), downtown campus in Baltimore, MD. With over 14 years of experience leading care teams for patients with complex medical conditions, she is passionate nursing leader who fosters dynamic and supportive work environments that encourage continuous learning and professional growth.

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Hospice News

MARCH 14, 2024

Hospices, in aggregate, are showing improvement on the quality measure for visits in the last days of life. The number of registered nurse and social worker visits during a patient’s final week is one of the seven quality measures that CMS uses to evaluate providers. In Calendar Year 2021, the share of hospice care days with nurse visits in the last seven days of life rose to 63%, up from 62% year over year, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).

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Traditions Health

MARCH 14, 2024

Nashville, TN – Traditions Health of McAlester, OK has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospice Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. The McAlester home health branch underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review.

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Today's Caregiver

MARCH 11, 2024

Caregivers of dementia patients should understand that incontinence may be an inevitable part of the overall cognitive decline. It is often sited as one of the major reasons why a person with dementia is is moved to a long-term care facility.

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Hospice News

MARCH 11, 2024

Embedding palliative care-trained social workers in hospital emergency departments can help health care providers effectively serve some of the most vulnerable patients. Populations who most need palliative care are often chronically ill seniors with complex health conditions. Between 2014 and 2017, these patients accounted for more than 20% of all emergency department (ED) visits in the United States, according to the U.S.

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Traditions Health

MARCH 11, 2024

Nashville, TN – Traditions Health of Overland Park, KS has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospice Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. The Overland Park hospice branch underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review.

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Changing Lives Podcast

MARCH 11, 2024

Death can sometimes be a difficult concept to understand, especially for a child. Given there are instances where adults can sometimes reject or avoid the death of someone close to them, it can be challenging for a child to fully grasp the concept. In this episode of Changing Lives, we will go over how to best explain death to a child in a way they can understand.

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American In-Home Care

MARCH 15, 2024

As we journey through life, planning for milestones like career advancements, family expansions, and dream vacations is natural. Yet, one aspect of life often gets overlooked or pushed aside: planning for our healthcare needs, especially as we age. However, having an advance healthcare directive in place is not just for the elderly or those with serious medical conditions—it's important for everyone.

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Hospice News

MARCH 11, 2024

Spiritual hospice care providers are an important link to building bridges of access and trust among underserved African American populations. Spirituality plays a key role in end-of-life decisions among African Americans, making hospice chaplains a significant part of reaching these populations, according to Saul Ebema, president of Illinois-based Hospice Chaplaincy.

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Daily Nurse

MARCH 11, 2024

At this time in history, the American nursing profession and its leadership are in a state of flux. The November 2023 American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nursing Leadership Insight Longitudinal Study leverages nursing leaders’ perspectives to shed light on where we are and where we’re headed as a nursing collective. In coordination with the AONL Foundation and Joslin Insight, five longitudinal studies have been conducted since 2020.

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Today's Caregiver

MARCH 14, 2024

Sometimes life can slap you in the face with the unexpected. The diagnosis of severe spina bifida and hydrocephalus our daughter was given at birth sent us reeling.

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Responsive Home Care

MARCH 12, 2024

As we grow older, it’s natural to become more apprehensive about the possibility of falling. For many people, however, the fear of falling can be paralyzing, causing a decrease in physical activity, social engagement, and overall quality of life. It is important to address this fear head-on and empower older adults to live confidently and […] The post Battling the Fear of Falling: Empowerment Strategies for Seniors appeared first on Responsive Home Care.

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Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

The number of states introducing palliative care Medicaid reimbursement channels has been climbing in recent years. But questions proliferate around how to shape these programs. More Medicaid palliative programs have evolved in recent years, but utilization of these services is not keeping pace with payment, according to Torrie Fields, strategic advisor at the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC).

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AT Home Care & Hospice

MARCH 10, 2024

Prioritizing Patient Safety in Healthcare Settings During Patient Safety Awareness Week Patient Safety Awareness Week provides an opportunity to focus on the critical issue of patient safety, particularly in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs), and Home care/Hospice environments. These settings, catering to some of the most vulnerable populations, require specific safety protocols The post Prioritizing Patient Safety appeared first on AT Home Care & Hospice.

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Today's Caregiver

MARCH 12, 2024

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Programs offer free tax help for taxpayers who qualify.

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Elder Care Matters

MARCH 13, 2024

You often hear that everyone needs an estate plan, but you don’t often hear exactly what that means. As a result, many people reach the conclusion that they’re not old enough, or not wealthy enough, to bother making an estate plan. But as Danielle explains, while your estate plan may vary depending on your age,… The post What is an Estate Plan, and Who Needs One?

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Hospice News

MARCH 13, 2024

A range of medical specialties are incorporating palliative care principles into their care models. The trend points to ways that patients might receive palliative services through new avenues, such as geriatrics, primary care or home health care. Through palliative integration, these providers can make their care models more patient-centered, Alex Binder, vice president of Parker Advance Care said at the Hospice News/Palliative Care News Palliative Care Conference in Tampa, Florida.

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Daily Nurse

MARCH 13, 2024

Nurse practitioner Judy Vire has dedicated her life to establishing care for patients in rural parts of Central Texas. Her clinic, Kocurek & James, is one of a few providers offering medical care to communities desperate for easier access. Vire has a master’s degree in nursing, was a nursing educator, and worked in many nursing roles, but she said her love of small-town America and the people there inspires her life’s work.

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Evidence-Based Nursing - BMJ blogs

MARCH 10, 2024

This weeks’ blog, and the first as part of our Early Career Researcher theme, is from Zoe Dodd. Zoe is a part time PhD student, a registered Mental Health Nurse and also works full time in a leadership role in a Mental Health Trust. Since starting my PhD in 2020, there has been a significant shift in how I view myself as a ‘nurse’, a ‘researcher’ and a ‘leader’.

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Elaine Mansfield

MARCH 12, 2024

“I lost big trees in the recent wind,” I tell the Finger Lakes Land Trust steward who answers my call. “A mature oak, a sugar maple, a big hickory, and a few red maples. Many ash are broken and badly wounded and they’re already struggling to survive. A few big white pines broke off at the roots and lie on the forest floor plus at least half a dozen aspen.

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Hospice News

MARCH 12, 2024

Want to read more palliative care-focused content like this? Subscribe to Palliative Care News today ! Regulatory moves toward greater transparency in Medicare Advantage could swing into the realm of palliative care payment. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a Request for Information (RFI) on ways to improve data sharing and increasing transparency in Medicare Advantage.

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Daily Nurse

MARCH 14, 2024

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a side gig providing in-home patient care, Amanda Truffen, a Registered Palliative Care Nurse at Carpenter Hospice, is already doing just that. Truffen used to work full-time in her hospice job, but now she works part-time there and spends her other time working in her side gig, TruCare Foot Health. Truffen took time from her busy schedule to answer our questions about her business.

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Healthy Workforce Institute

MARCH 13, 2024

The longstanding issue of silos in healthcare has been a problem for decades. Physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other professionals operate within their own spaces, despite professing to be part of a unified team. The persistent practice of separating team members based on their roles prevents genuine collaboration, thereby leading to miscommunication, fractured care, and overall dysfunction.

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Diversity Nursing

MARCH 12, 2024

Rather than dismissing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a passing trend, we should recognize it as a natural progression. In moving forward, we need to elevate our strategies to a more deliberate, purposeful, and impactful approach. According to the Pew Research Center , a significant number of employees have expressed that DEI initiatives have had a beneficial impact on the workplace.

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Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended to Congress a freeze on hospice payment increases starting in 2025. In its annual report to Congress, MedPAC urged policymakers to eliminate hospice base-rate increases for 2025. “Based on the positive indicators of payment adequacy and strong margins, the Commission concludes that current payment rates are sufficient to support the provision of high-quality care without an increase to the payment rates in 2025,” MedPAC indicated

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Adobe Hospice & Home Health

MARCH 10, 2024

Prioritizing Patient Safety in Healthcare Settings During Patient Safety Awareness Week Patient Safety Awareness Week provides an opportunity to focus on the critical issue of patient safety, particularly in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs), and Home care/Hospice environments. These settings, catering to some of the most vulnerable populations, require specific safety protocols The post Prioritizing Patient Safety appeared first on Abode Hospice & Home Hea

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NHPCO

MARCH 11, 2024

For Immediate Release March 7, 2024 (Alexandria, VA) – The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and its We Honor Veterans (WHV) program responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) clarification on concurrent care eligibility for Veteran beneficiaries. Under Change Request 13523 issued by CMS on February 22, 2024, the Medicare Benefit Manual is updated to clarify that a Veteran beneficiary who elects hospice services under the Medicare benefit may sti

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Rehab Realities by Renee Kinder

MARCH 14, 2024

If you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen. How many times have we all heard those words? Today, I would like for us all to consider not merely the importance of documenting daily skilled care but also the reason for referral and the need for initiating services in the first place. It would be a critical misstep personally, but also procedurally, for your organization not to do so.

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Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

Senior living and health care services operator The Dover Companies has launched a home health and hospice business branded as Dover Health. The fledgling company pledges to offer patients a suite of wraparound services, including for the terminally ill, to support quality of life and aging in place. Its parent organization also operates senior living, pharmacy, development, independent living, personal care, assisted living and memory care businesses, among others.

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Adobe Hospice & Home Health

MARCH 15, 2024

Celebrating Pulmonary Rehabilitation Month: A Journey of Recovery and Resilience Introduction to Pulmonary Rehabilitation Month March marks Pulmonary Rehabilitation Month, a time dedicated to spotlighting the transformative impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on individuals living with chronic respiratory diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and other lung conditions.

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Healthcare Law Insights blog

MARCH 12, 2024

In the United States, mental health (“MH”) and substance use disorder (“SUD”) (collectively “MH/SUD”) have continued to represent areas of intense concern. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the MH struggles of essential workers and health care professionals were pushed to the forefront. However, issues related to MH/SUD have continued to escalate. Currently, in the United States, 1 person dies by suicide every 11 minutes, [1] and “suicidal behavior among children has sharply increased over the past

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AT Home Care & Hospice

MARCH 15, 2024

Celebrating Pulmonary Rehabilitation Month: A Journey of Recovery and Resilience Introduction to Pulmonary Rehabilitation Month March marks Pulmonary Rehabilitation Month, a time dedicated to spotlighting the transformative impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on individuals living with chronic respiratory diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and other lung conditions.

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Hospice News

MARCH 12, 2024

Program integrity and an onslaught of audits are top of mind for many hospice providers in 2024. The nation’s four largest hospice industry organizations — LeadingAge, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) — in late 2023 conducted a 133-respondent provider survey focused on regulation.

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