Topological turning points across the human lifespan
This large-scale study analyzed 4,216 diffusion MRI brain scans from individuals aged 0 to 90. The aim of the study was to map how the brain’s structural wiring - the connections that allow different regions to communicate - changes throughout the entire human...
End-of-Life Care for Older Adults With Dementia by Race and Ethnicity and Physicians’ Role
Abstract Importance Evidence is limited regarding whether end-of-life care for individuals with dementia varies by race and ethnicity, and whether observed variations can be explained by differences in the physicians providing their care....
The Value of Timely Hospice Enrollment
Despite the clear benefits of hospice care, many patients are referred very late - sometimes in their final days of life - limiting the opportunity to benefit from its full scope. Two of the most commonly cited reasons for this delayed referral are: Clinician-related...
What Is Hospice? Finding Meaning in Comfort and Care
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a Perspective titled “What Is Hospice?” - a piece that captures, in striking detail, what hospice truly means beyond the policies, programs, and checklists that are so often discussed in healthcare. It begins with...
Hospice Voices and End-of-Life Choices: A Powerful Call for Compassion
A shift is unfolding across the United States as more states are enacting Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) laws. This legislation allows terminally ill, mentally capable adults with a prognosis of six months or less to request medication to end their lives peacefully. As...
The Role of HealthCare Workers in Shaping the Bereavement Journey
Loss is inevitable when working in end-of-life care. But the grief that follows is not simply the family’s burden alone. The way care is delivered before, at, and after the death of a loved one significantly influences whether bereavement becomes a manageable process...
A Hospice Intervention for Caregivers: Improving Home Hospice Management of End-Of-Life Symptoms (I-HoME) Pilot Study
Background While home-based hospice care seeks to reduce suffering at the end of life (EoL), patients continue to experience a high symptom burden. High symptom burden contributes to adverse outcomes, including patient suffering, burdensome care transitions, and...
Mastering Hospice Online Reputation: A Practical Playbook for Home-Based Care
In the deeply personal world of hospice care, an agency’s digital presence is often the first, and most important, introduction a family has to the organization. A hospice agency must place significant focus on managing its online reputation. The Intimacy of In-Home...
Care in Palliative Care: A Challenging Concept with Normative Issues
Abstract Palliative care is an approach for seriously ill patients. Illnesses and knowledge of limited life expectancy often limit self-determination among patients. Along with the concepts of patient autonomy and heteronomy, care is central to the everyday personal...
Recognizing Signs of Imminent Death: Improving Hospice Care and Quality Outcomes
Understanding when a patient is approaching imminent death is one of the most sensitive and critical aspects of hospice care. Recognizing clear clinical indicators not only allows hospice teams to adjust care plans appropriately but also helps families prepare...