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.
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...
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,...
3 tips for a strong SNF-hospice partnership
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 28, 2014
Easier said than done. That phrase often pops into my head when I read the latest long-term care research.
Critics agree: New book about long-term care is a must-read
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 14, 2014
Doctors have a lot to learn about long-term care.”Duh,” you say? Fair enough. But a newly published study and a just released book really drive the point home.
A blessing within the loss
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 27, 2014
This is a very hard blog for me to write. My mother just passed away. It was very sudden and not expected. I am blessed to have two mothers: A step-mother who has been in my life since I have been 8 years...
Dreams or delirium? Why making the right call is important
By
Tim Mullaney
May 27, 2014
As they approach death, people often are transported across time and space to be reunited with loved ones and relive meaningful moments. They do so in dreams and visions, which frequently are a source...
This American Life … and death: Superb shows about hospice
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 29, 2014
A few months after Pattie Burnham started working as a hospice nurse, she forgot the name of the president of the United States. That’s normal, her boss told her.
What the family wants
By
Elizabeth Newman
Apr 18, 2013
When it comes to talk about palliative care and rehospitalizations, what should a provider do when the family is insistent on sending their loved one back to the hospital?