March, 2024

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CMS to Sunset Hospice VBID in 2024

Hospice News

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will end the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) as of Dec. 31, 2024. Often called the “hospice carve-in,” the program was designed to test coverage of hospice care through Medicare Advantage, in addition to some coverage of palliative care and transitional care. The hospice component, which launched in 2021, is part of the larger VBID demonstration, which covers a wider breadth of the health care continuum and

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Dying on the Street – Reflections of a Street Nurse, written by Shelley Tysick

Life & Death Matters

In the quiet moments between life and death, I’ve witnessed the raw essence of humanity. It’s not just about symptom management and care planning; it’s about holding space for souls who have lived experience with trauma, substance use disorders, and homelessness—the marginalized, the racialized, the invisible. It is meeting them where they are at and […] The post Dying on the Street – Reflections of a Street Nurse, written by Shelley Tysick appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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End-of-Life Doulas: A Podcast with Jane Euler, Beth Klint, and John Loughnane

GeriPal

Summary Transcript Summary Please join Eric and Alex in person for the GeriPal pub crawl at the AAHPM/HPNA annual assembly in Phoenix, Thursday night 3/21 8PM. Starting bar is Luckys Indoor/Outdoor. Check out the Pub Crawl GeriPal post for more info, and follow #HPMParty on Twitter to keep us as we crawl! ** In the last several years, I’ve seen more and more articles about end-of-life doulas ( like this NY Times article from 2021 ).

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Tell me how I can help: Meet a hospice social worker

HopeHealth

“What would you like us to know about you, so we can care for you the way you want to be cared for?” Hospice social worker Laura McGuire usually asks patients this first. It’s just the beginning. The post Tell me how I can help: Meet a hospice social worker appeared first on HopeHealth.

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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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Survey Finds Increase of Loneliness Post Pandemic

Aging Life Care Association

In a recent survey of Aging Life Care Managers®, 86% responded seeing an increase in loneliness among clients post COVID – with 46% seeing this increase within the last two years. Professionals share ways they are combatting loneliness and isolation among their clients. Aging Life Care Managers® Can Help Offset Loneliness and Subsequent Issues … Continue reading Survey Finds Increase of Loneliness Post Pandemic → The post Survey Finds Increase of Loneliness Post Pandemic appeared fi

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Sustainably funded children’s palliative care no closer despite ‘long-term decisions’ Budget

Together for Short Lives

The UK Government’s Spring Budget provides no clarity on future funding for seriously ill children. Despite some positive news, Budget 2024 was a missed opportunity for the Chancellor to provide sustainable, long-term funding to fill gaps in underfunded and understaffed children’s palliative care services across the UK. With the annual NHS funding gap for children’s […] The post Sustainably funded children’s palliative care no closer despite ‘long-term decisions’ Budget appeared first on T

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Recognizing GI Nurses and Associates’ Work

Minority Nurse

This week honors GI Nurses and Associates Week , the annual tribute to GI nurses that the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) has celebrated for more than a decade. Gastroenterology (GI) nurses treat and often diagnose patients who have symptoms and conditions related to the entire digestive tract. The spectrum of GI symptoms is nuanced and can have a big impact on quality of life for patients, so GI nurses listen carefully to help patients most effectively.

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Dysphagia Revisited: A Podcast with Raele Donetha Robison and Nicole Rogus-Pulia

GeriPal

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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Nursing Certification: Achieving Excellence and Professionalism

Daily Nurse

In the world of nursing, certifications and their corresponding designations carry with them the concepts of excellence, professionalism, and focused dedication to career growth. Not all nurses pursue certification during their years of service in healthcare, but many hear the call and take inspired action to achieve such a goal. Making an effort to become certified in your nursing specialty is like doubling down on your skills and knowledge.

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Traditions Health of Warner, OK Awarded Home Health Accreditation

Traditions Health

Nashville, TN – Traditions Health of Warner, OK has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Home Health 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 Warner home health branch underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review.

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Our reaction to the Parliamentary report on assisted dying

Together for Short Lives

Yesterday (Thursday 29 February) the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee published its inquiry report on assisted dying and assisted suicide This is an extremely complex issue with many ethical and moral questions at its heart, not to mention the understandably strong emotions it evokes across all parts of society. As the […] The post Our reaction to the Parliamentary report on assisted dying appeared first on Together for Short Lives.

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Preventing Adverse Drug Events in Hospice Care

Hospice News

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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Involving Nurses in Hospital Staffing Decision-Making

AJN Off the Charts

A qualitative study that looks at the experiences of nurses who have served on staffing committees. When I am faced with challenging situations and issues that involve multiple stakeholders, I seek guidance or information from others to make the most informed decisions. This is a practice many health professionals and researchers emulate, and it makes sense to do this, yet when it comes to the topic of nurse staffing in hospital settings, nurses are not usually involved in the process.

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#HPMParty is returning to Phoenix during the 2024 AAHPM/HPNA meeting

GeriPal

The #HPMParty is returning to Phoenix during the 2024 AAHPM/HPNA meeting. We will be doing our traditional Pub Crawl, this time in the Roosevelt Row Arts District just north of the convention center. We’ll start our annual tour of local establishments at Luckys Indoor/Outdoor (817 N. 2nd Street) at 8pm on Thursday, March 21st (we moved it up from our traditional 9pm start to give a little extra time for those coming from the east coast.

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Top Nursing Certifications: More Than CPR

Daily Nurse

Nursing is among the most demanding and critical jobs in the healthcare industry. To provide the best care to patients, nurses must continuously enhance their skills and expand their knowledge. While CPR is a vital credential for all healthcare professionals, there are other certifications you can obtain as a nurse to further your expertise. Today, we will look at ten certifications that can help your career.

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Traditions Health of McAlester, OK Awarded Home Health Accreditation

Traditions Health

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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Programme supporting seriously ill children across the North West reaches one-year milestone

Together for Short Lives

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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Hospices Stepping Up Performance on Visits-in-Last-Days-of-Life Measure

Hospice News

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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Daylight Savings Time: How It Affects Seniors & How To Cope

Accessible Home Health Care

Remembering when to set our clocks an hour ahead or an hour behind is difficult enough for the average person. Making such changes in the lives of seniors, especially those who already face the challenges of memory disorders, can have adverse effects. When a senior relies on routine to get through the day, disrupting that routine in any way might create undue stress to their system.

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Dementia and Incontinence Treatment

Today's Caregiver

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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How to Explain Death to a Child

Changing Lives Podcast

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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Traditions Health of Overland Park, KS Awarded Hospice Accreditation

Traditions Health

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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Meet Kate Veenstra: From Bedside Nurse to Top Spot at UM Health-West

Daily Nurse

Kate Veenstra, DNP, MSN, RN, CNL, CMSRN, ACM, NEA-BC, was recently appointed as the new chief nursing officer at the University of Michigan Health-West. Her more than 18 years of experience also tells quite a story. Veenstra started as a bedside nurse at the hospital in 2006 and has held many roles, from associate chief nursing officer to the most recent interim chief nursing officer.

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7 Nonprofit Hospices Form Integrity Care Partners Palliative Care Venture

Hospice News

A group of seven nonprofit hospices has launched a palliative care organization branded as Integrity Care Partners. The founding organizations are each members of the Texas Nonprofit Hospice Alliance, a regional collaborative of which Integrity Care Partners is an extension. The partnerships’ seven initial members include Community Healthcare of Texas, Hospice Austin, Home Hospice of Grayson County, the Hospice of East Texas, Hospice of El Paso, Hospice in the Pines and Hospice of Wichita Falls.

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Crafting Care: Exploring the Therapeutic Benefits for Seniors

Community Home Health Care

Join Us in the Celebration of National Craft Month with Springtime Creativity March is not only a month that welcomes new beginnings and the vibrancy of spring, but it also marks National Craft Month ! This is the perfect time to celebrate creativity and self-expression. Did you know that crafting is beneficial to seniors? Benefits of Crafting for Seniors Mental Stimulation : Engaging in crafts stimulates the brain, promoting cognitive function and memory retention.

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On Being Caregiver Friendly

Today's Caregiver

We are celebrating more than twenty years of honoring inventors, designers, tinkerers, writers, creators and companies who are working tirelessly on behalf of family caregivers with a call for entries.

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Caregivers Can Master Self-care With These Simple Lifestyle Changes

Caregiver Support Services

In a world where caregivers give so much of themselves, it’s crucial to remember the importance of self-care. You are the backbone of care, providing unwavering support and compassion daily. Yet, to sustain this level of care, looking and feeling your best isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential. This article, presented by Caregiver Support Services , delves into strategies that empower you to maintain your well-being while fulfilling your caregiving responsibilities.

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End Stage Kidney Disease

Adobe Hospice & Home Health

End Stage Renal Disease: Patient/Family Education What is end stage renal disease? ESRD happens when your kidneys are no longer able to work at the required level that is needed to sustain life. Renal disease is classified in stage 1 through 5. When your classification is 5, your kidneys function poorly and they are not The post End Stage Kidney Disease appeared first on Abode Hospice & Home Health.

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A Longitudinal View of Nursing Leadership

Daily Nurse

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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Stoneridge Hospice Owner Rollie Seebert: Hospices Help Address the ‘Demographic Tsunami’

Hospice News

Arizona-based Stoneridge Hospice launched services in 2020 with an aim to address a swelling aging population’s growing need for end-of-life care. Building the foundation for quality hospice care delivery during a global pandemic came with hurdles that were difficult, but not impossible, to overcome, according to Rollie Seebert, owner and executive manager of Stoneridge Hospice.

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The Importance of an Advance Healthcare Directive

American In-Home Care

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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Hospital Designs With Staff Well Being In Mind

Diversity Nursing

Working in the healthcare field is both demanding and stressful. Nurses often face challenges like adjusting to irregular hours, taking on extra shifts, and coping with the emotional toll of losing patients. While healthcare professionals are skilled at problem-solving, healing, and managing pressure, they are not immune to the lasting impact of stress and trauma.

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Interactive Decision Trees: A Game-Changer for Caregiver Support Services

Caregiver Support Services

You’re a caregiver juggling the demands of caring for a loved one. You know the challenges and complexities of this role. Caregiving can feel overwhelming and isolating. It involves navigating healthcare systems and managing stress. But, caregiver support services are always changing. A game-changing tool is emerging: interactive decision trees.

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A Pediatric ICU Nurse Finds Relief in Not Compartmentalizing Hard Emotions Like Grief

AJN Off the Charts

Editor’s note: Hui-wen Sato is a pediatric ICU nurse in California and a regular writer for this blog who has gone deeply into the topic of grief, her own and that of patients and their families. Her insights reverse our usual ways of understanding grief, finding a generative energy instead of a wasteland. Here is a key passage from a TED-style talk (see video below) she gave at the last End Well Project conference in November 2023.

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Struggling With Your Mental Health? Adopt a Pet

Daily Nurse

Pets are known worldwide to make our lives better. They’re natural, cuddly stress relievers that can improve cardiovascular health and decrease loneliness. That’s why it can be an excellent idea for nurses to adopt a pet of their own, especially if they’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue. If you’re thinking, “But what if I’m not an animal person?

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Spiritual Care Key to Addressing Disparities Among Underserved Black Communities

Hospice News

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.