Embracing end-of-life choices: A journey with Grandma
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 02, 2024
At the beginning of the year, my grandmother found herself in an acute-care hospital, addressing blood clots in her legs and lungs. Having just recovered from COVID-19 at the age of 100, uncertainty loomed...
Pandemic changed at which healthcare settings people die, new study finds
By
Kristen Fischer
Jan 11, 2024
A new report examining changes in end-of-life care and places of death in the time of COVID-19 found an interesting trend. There was a decrease in people dying in hospitals from non-COVID-19-related causes...
Nursing home palliative, hospice care provide CNAs new opportunities
By
Josh Henreckson
Dec 07, 2023
A lack of end-of-life training may leave certified nurse assistants unprepared to work with patients receiving palliative or hospice care, but nursing homes must do more to cross-train and build their...
Report: End-of-life care gets better marks at VA living centers
By
Kristen Fischer
Nov 15, 2023
A new study looks at the quality of end-of-life care at Department of Veterans Affairs community living centers (nursing homes) and community nursing homes that contract with the VA.
Medicare’s end-of-life model offers promise for care, savings, study finds
By
Kristen Fischer
Nov 07, 2023
A new study showed how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM) provided benefits in terms of end-of-life care for older adults and cost savings.
How I found purpose in hospice nursing
By
Patty Husted
Nov 03, 2023
After working for more than 30 years in the field of hospice nursing – exploring roles across specialties, including patient services, operations and management – I can confidently say that hospice...
Hospice improves your Quality Measures
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 23, 2023
My father died a little over a year ago. While I usually derive tremendous comfort and support by sharing both happy and sad milestones with friends, family, and colleagues, in this instance, sharing the...
Lessons on living and dying, courtesy of the Carters
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 06, 2023
In the twilight of their lives, we are reminded that the Carters are a normal couple facing the very basic challenges typical of advanced age. Both are grappling with how to live out their days and where...
Hospice aide visits fell sharply in 2020, nursing home study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 04, 2023
More than half of long-stay nursing home residents enrolled in hospice did not receive any visits from hospice aides from April through December 2020, researchers report.
Study gives for-profit hospices failing grade in patient care
By
Diane Eastabrook
Feb 28, 2023
Patients receiving hospice care from for-profit providers report substantially worse care experiences than those who receive care from nonprofit hospice agencies, according to a Rand Corporation study.