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Hospices can greatly relieve discomfort, extend life, and save money. Still most people are using hospice only as a last resort—too late to benefit patients and their families—which is unfortunate. More than one-quarter of hospice use in 2009 was for three days or less.
A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, appeared with an editorial calling for an end to the aggressive intensive care and hospitalization at the end of life by improving communication between patients and physicians to determine what patients want.
This month’s e-News Exclusive provides more evidence of the benefits of hospice care, not only for patients but also for their spouses.
We welcome your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. Visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, join our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.
— Marianne Mallon, editor |
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Hospice Use Linked to Fewer Depressive Symptoms
for Surviving Spouses
Spouses of patients receiving hospice for three or more days more frequently reported reduced depression symptoms, compared with surviving spouses of patients who did not receive hospice, according to a study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
This is the first national study to examine depressive symptoms as an outcome for spouses of people with all types of serious illnesses that used hospice care, which is designed to improve quality of life as opposed to offering “curative” disease treatments. Until now, studies demonstrating the benefits of hospice use on caregivers have been largely limited to cancer patients and their families, but hospice use has increased among those with other life-limiting illnesses. Currently, 45% of terminally ill patients in the United States die while receiving hospice care—an increase of more than 20% over the past decade.
Full Story » |
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Trauma-Informed School Social Work
We now know a great deal about how trauma affects learning and behavior in schools. A trauma-informed approach in school settings is useful as trauma can affect the brain in ways that interfere with one’s ability to think clearly. Read more »
Solution-Focused Supervision: A Go-To Approach
The solution-focused approach is a form of psychotherapy originally used for helping people overcome addictions. Now its principles are being adopted as a management approach. A social work instructor describes supervision techniques for student interns that focus on creating solutions rather than examining problems. Read more »
Ethical Misconduct and Impaired Practitioners in Social Work
Often, social workers who engage in ethical misconduct, especially cases involving inappropriate relationships and incompetent practice, are impaired in some manner. Social workers can take steps to enhance the protection of clients, the public at large, other social workers, and their employers. Read more » |
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Study Finds Gun Laws Associated With Lower Rates of Suicide
The New York Times reports that a new study finds four gun laws significantly associated with lower rates of firearm suicide.
Advocates Claim Mental Health Parity Law Doesn’t Measure Up
According to Kaiser Health News, mental health advocates say despite the mental health parity law, many insurers continue to limit treatment through other strategies harder to track.
Medicare Says Physicians Should Be Reimbursed
for End-of-Life Counseling
NPR reports the government is proposing that Medicare reimburse physicians for including end-of-life conversations in their practice, whenever they occur.
Studies Show Exercise Benefits People At Risk For Dementia
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, a series of studies found vigorous workouts by people with mild memory impairment decreased levels of a warped protein linked to risk of Alzheimer's. |
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App Helps Patients With Depression —
and Their Psychiatrists —
Manage Mood, Activity Levels
Many patients with depression see a psychiatrist only once every two to three months. Recognizing that patients often forget how their moods vary between visits, a team from the University of Missouri, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and the Tiger Institute for Health Innovation has developed a smartphone application that lets users log their moods and symptoms and share those data with their psychiatrists. Learn more » |
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