California Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Post

Barriers to hospice care for individuals with dementia can be multifaceted and complex. Dementia is often underdiagnosed or diagnosed late, leading to delayed referrals to hospice care. Patients should be allowed to plan their care as much as possible, which makes it essential to have clear conversations about diagnosis and prognosis. Unfortunately, when not done, patients will have shorter hospice stays and less effective end-of-life care. Predicting the trajectory of dementia is challenging, making it difficult to determine when a patient qualifies for hospice care. Medicare criteria require a prognosis of six months or less. We should revisit this criterion as not every end-of-life patient, especially those patients with dementia will meet it before needing and benefiting from the support of a hospice interdisciplinary team. 👇 #palliative #palliativemedicine #palliativecare #hospice #hospicecare #endoflifecare #soinspalliatifs #cuidadospaliativos #palliativezorg #hpm #hapc

Hospice care for those with dementia falls far short of meeting people’s needs at the end of life "Jimmy Carter, who chose to forgo aggressive medical care for complications of cancer and frailty in February 2023, recently reached his one-year anniversary since enrolling in hospice care. During this time, he celebrated his 99th birthday, received tributes far and wide and stood by the side of his beloved wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023. In contrast to the former president, his wife, who had #dementia, lived only nine days under hospice care. Palliative care physicians like myself who treat both conditions are not surprised at all by this disparity. Hospice brings a multidisciplinary team of providers to wherever a patient lives, be it their own home or a nursing home, to maintain their physical and psychological comfort so that they can avoid the hospital as they approach the end of life. Hospice is not the same as palliative care, which is a multidisciplinary team that sees seriously ill patients in a clinic or hospital to help them and their families with symptoms, distress and advance care planning. Strikingly, only 12% of Americans with dementia ever enroll in hospice. Among those who do, one-third are near death. This is in stark contrast to the cancer population: Patients over 60 with cancer enroll in hospice 70% of the time. In my experience caring for dementia patients, the underuse of hospice by dementia patients has more to do with how #hospice is structured and paid for in the U.S. than it does patient preference or differences between cancer and dementia." --Maria Silveira, clinician researcher and palliative care provider at University of Michigan and Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Medical Center. Read the full article via The Conversation US: https://lnkd.in/ecEChZhU

🌐 Enroll in the GUIDE Model Today! 🌐 Attention Medicare Part B organizations, committed to advancing quality dementia care. ⏰ Act Now: The deadline for enrollment is fast approaching. The last day to sign up as a participant in the Guide Model is January 30, 2024. Enroll here: https://go.cms.gov/3EzgyZp 🔍 What the GUIDE Model Offers: ✨ Improved quality of life for those living with dementia ✨ Reduced strain on the unpaid caregivers ✨ Ability to live at home longer How Dementia Care Specialists can help: • Our highly regarded Dementia Capable Care Specialist Credential training covers many of the Care Navigator mandatory training topics. • We have developed a Dementia Capable Care system with assessments, care plan and family support tools that can be key components of your dementia care program. • As highly experienced experts in dementia care at home, we can consult to help you and your team prepare for success and meet challenges. Contact us or visit https://bit.ly/3RQrqtm to learn more. #GUIDEModel #DementiaCare #LastChanceEnrollment

Initiating Hospice For Senior Dementia Patients: Best Timing Deciding when to call hospice for an elderly parent with dementia can be one of the most difficult and emotional choices a family ever has to make. At a certain point, curative treatment may no longer be beneficial, and the focus should shift to ensuring the patient’s comfort and quality of life in their remaining time. This is where hospice care comes in.

The Quality of Communication Matters! A tale of two dying at home experiences. My mom died at home. The Edmonton Zone palliative care nurse practitioner talked to us about what we might expect. She also made sure we were prepared to deal with symptoms. My friend Linda was not so lucky when her brother died at home in Ontario with cancer. "I did not sign up for that. I still have nightmares." Linda and her sister-in-law were not prepared for the symptoms they had to deal with. So this article caught my eye: Which has more influence on a family’s assessment of the quality of dying of their long-term care resident with dementia: Frequency of symptoms or quality of communication with healthcare team? Oliva Charest-Drapeau Veronique Provencher et al. What are key factors that contribute to a family's assessment of the quality of dying for their loved one in long-term care? 1. Frequency of Symptoms: The symptoms experienced by the resident in the last weeks of life play a significant role in family assessments of the quality of dying. Residents who exhibit less discomfort, restlessness, and psychological distress tend to be perceived as having a better quality of dying. 2. Quality of Communication with Healthcare Team: The quality of communication between healthcare providers and families is crucial in influencing family assessments of the quality of dying. Effective communication can lead to better understanding, support, and decision-making, ultimately impacting the overall perception of the dying experience. 3. Involvement in Care Decisions: Families' involvement in care decisions, especially at the end of life, can influence their perception of the quality of dying. Shared decision-making and collaboration between families and care teams are essential for supporting families and ensuring that care decisions align with the resident's needs and wishes. 4. Pain and Suffering: Freedom from pain and suffering is universally considered important for a high-quality dying experience. Residents who experience less physical and psychological distress are more likely to be perceived as having a peaceful and better quality of dying. 5. End-of-Life Discussions: Initiating end-of-life discussions and providing information about expected signs and symptoms of dementia can help prepare families for what to expect at the end of life. Open and honest conversations can contribute to a better understanding of the dying process and potentially improve family assessments of the quality of dying. Sorry, this article is under paywall. https://lnkd.in/gwAKiFmj

In July 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model, a new payment approach to support comprehensive dementia care. Under the GUIDE model, Medicare Part B providers will receive a capitated per beneficiary payment for providing integrated care that addresses health care and daily life needs while also supporting family caregivers. This blog post explores the need for this new payment model, resources available to help GUIDE providers succeed, and how providers can improve the quality of dementia care. https://bit.ly/3Xgn15G The John A. Hartford Foundation, Rani Snyder, Gary Epstein-Lubow, Kiran Raja

Tuesday Health is thrilled to share a recent article from Palliative Care News explaining that CMS has launched the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) payment model, with nearly 400 healthcare organizations, including many palliative care providers, participating! The GUIDE model is designed to enhance the quality of life for dementia patients and their caregivers by addressing care coordination, behavioral health, and functional needs. The model also focuses on reducing strain on unpaid caregivers and helping patients remain in their homes and communities. 🌟 Key Highlights: - Close to 400 participating organizations, including hospice and palliative care providers. - Designed to improve dementia care through comprehensive, person-centered assessments and care plans. - Features 24/7 access to caregiver navigation and support lines. The launch of the GUIDE model aligns perfectly with our mission at Tuesday Health to transform the management of serious illnesses and improve patient outcomes through innovative, value-based care models. 📈 As we continue to follow and support these advancements, we are committed to leveraging such models to enhance our care delivery and support systems. Learn more about the GUIDE model and its impact: https://hubs.la/Q02GnY4q0 #TuesdayHealth #DementiaCare #PalliativeCare #GUIDEModel #HealthcareInnovation

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model in July, with 390 participating organizations serving hundreds of thousands of people with Medicare across the country. One of the first Innovation Center care models to focus on longitudinal, condition-specific comprehensive care, the GUIDE Model aims to improve quality of life for people living with dementia and reduce strain on unpaid caregivers. Read CMS’ recent blog post to learn more about how the GUIDE Model is shaping the future of dementia care: https://ow.ly/wl3a50TkCgx #DementiaCare #HealthEquity #GUIDEModel #CMS

Does Medicaid cover dementia care? AARP shares what Medicare covers for memory care, including stages of Alzheimer's disease and the distinctions between in-home and nursing home care. https://lnkd.in/gkVJziDs

In today's aging society, the care of the elderly, particularly those requiring assistance post-hospitalization or suffering from chronic conditions such as dementia, represents a critical and growing challenge. With increasing life expectancy, a significant portion of the population requires specialized healthcare services that go beyond what hospitals can provide, focusing on continuous and holistic care to ensure quality of life in the later years. The need for effective elderly care solutions impacts not just the individuals in need but also their families and the broader healthcare system. As hospitals are geared more towards acute care, there's a gap in support for chronic and rehabilitative care post-discharge. This situation often places an immense burden on families, both emotionally and financially, and increases the risk of readmission due to inadequate post-hospital care. Addressing these needs, KITES Senior Care, was founded by Rajagopal G and Dr. Reema Nadig in 2016, offering a robust platform for 'Out of Hospital' elderly care. Positioned as a trusted care continuum partner, KITES Senior Care provides comprehensive services that include post-surgery and post-hospitalization rehabilitation, palliative care, and specialized dementia care both at their care centers and at home, ensuring a seamless transition for seniors back into daily life. Their mission to deliver empathetic, quality care is reflected in their patient-centric approach, which is designed to provide comfort and reduce the stress associated with aging and illness. KITES Senior Care offers a range of services tailored to the unique needs of the elderly. Their facilities include specialized care centers and home care services, covering transitional care for post-hospital recovery, hospice and palliative care for critical illness management, and dementia care programs that provide safe environments and specialized attention to those suffering from memory loss conditions. As a leader in geriatric care, KITES Senior Care is set to significantly influence the industry by setting high standards for quality and comprehensive care. Their approach not only addresses the immediate health needs of seniors but also contributes to a broader societal change, fostering environments where the elderly receive respect, love, and the dignity they deserve in their later years. Through continuous improvement and adaptation to the needs of the elderly, KITES is paving the way for future innovations in the field of senior care. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gUAtmiUr