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...
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...
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...
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...
Patients with dementia receive less home health, hospice at end of life
By
Diane Eastabrook
Feb 08, 2023
It is relatively difficult to identify when patients with dementia are within six months of death, a requirement to receive end-of-life hospice care, researchers report.
Hospice boosts care quality for Medicare beneficiaries with dementia: study
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jun 07, 2022
LTC residents with dementia greatly benefit from hospice, but that care must be tailored to avoid counterintuitively long stays and disenrollment, investigators say.
A caregiver named Sammy
By
Martie Moore
Jul 02, 2021
It is not an unusual story. A 90-year-old man suddenly is having trouble breathing, his heart is enlarged, and his kidneys are slowing down in their functioning. A care conference is called and the family,...
‘Omni-mom’ Barbara Bush gives providers a gift
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 18, 2018
The tributes to former First Lady Barbara Bush will wash over the media landscape for at least a few news cycles, as well they should. But then, unfortunately, the world will go back to its twisted ways...
More hospice providers not always better
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 08, 2018
Having more hospice providers working with a nursing home doesn’t necessarily reduce end-of-life hospitalizations.
A good book’s unintended lesson and tears for a great friend
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 27, 2015
One of the best signs of a good book is its unplanned lessons. While its title might profess how to fix this or do better at that, a high-quality book also will lead the reader to enlightenment for reasons...