Perceived Readiness for Gerontological Social Work: Insights from Recent Graduates During COVID-19.

An online qualitative survey explored perceived training, readiness, and needs of recent SW graduates serving older adults. Over half ( = 14) held a master's in social work, with 70% having taken an introductory aging course. Nearly halfcompleted other aging-specific coursework, and 80% did fieldwork with older adults.

Navigating the Storm: Challenges and Career Implications for Nursing Home Administrators in the Wake of COVID-19.

Purpose: Nursing homes were at the epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and continue to experience its effects, including staffing shortages. Although various studies have described the experiences of frontline staff, less has been published about the experiences of those in administrative positions. The current study explored factors impacting nursing home administrators' (NHAs) perceived preparedness, day-to-day operational challenges and needs, and career outlook in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enhancing End-of-Life Care Knowledge Among Older Spanish-Speaking Adults: Results From a Pilot Educational Intervention on Advance Care Planning and Care Options.

Background: Disparities in advance care planning (ACP) among older Latinos necessitate targeted interventions to enhance engagement and knowledge in end-of-life care. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a resource-efficient, culturally tailored educational intervention in improving ACP readiness and knowledge among older Latino adults in the community.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to assess the impact of the intervention.

The Intersectional Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Sex on Access to Technology Among Older Adults.

Background And Objectives: Research on technological access and usage has revealed a digital divide based on several sociodemographic factors, including race/ethnicity, sex, income, and education. While several studies have examined these factors separately, few studies have considered how multiple vulnerable identities may combine to influence access to technology. Using the theory of intersectionality, this study assesses the combined impact of race/ethnicity and sex on access to a working cellphone and a working laptop/computer among U.

Factors that Contribute to Bereaved Parents' Perceptions of Neonatal Palliative Care: A Systematic Literature Review.

Objectives: Neonatal palliative care (NPC) is an emerging subset of care in United States (US) neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that provides relief for both infants and families at the end of life for infants with terminal diagnoses. Families play a integral role in the decision-making process for their infant, but their experiences with and perceptions of the support and care provided to them via NPC is unclear to health professionals. This literature review summarizes the state of knowledge on parents' perspectives of NPC while focusing on the specific factors that influence their experiences and satisfaction with NPC.

Rising above the Flood: A Systematic Review of Gerontological Social Work in Disaster Preparedness and Response.

Physical/cognitive limitations associated with the aging process place older adults at disproportionate risk of negative consequences during disasters. Guided by the profession's commitment to supporting vulnerable populations, gerontological social workers have long been on the frontlines supporting older adults during disasters. Yet, disaster social work practice remains an undeveloped and under-researched area.

Latino Families' Decisions to Accept Hospice Care.

Objectives: The underrepresentation of Latinos in hospice care is well-documented. A gap remains, however, in the literature's description of the factors that shape Latino families' decisions to enroll in hospice care. The need for such understanding is dire considering the shifts in population and the research evidence that Latinos experience worse end-of-life outcomes compared to non-Latino whites.

Nursing home social services: A systematic review of the literature from 2010 to 2020.

Nursing home (NH) social workers carry out person-centered care, guided by the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act. As the projected population of individuals requiring NH care is expected to grow and become more racially and ethnically diverse, the social worker in this setting becomes increasingly important. The aims of this study are to: (1) identify existing research that discusses the role of social work and nursing facilities, (2) synthesize findings to determine what is most often reported in the literature, and (3) present recommendations for practice, research, and policy.

Caring for Dying Infants: A Systematic Review of Healthcare Providers' Perspectives of Neonatal Palliative Care.

Objectives: The palliative and hospice care movement has expanded significantly in the United States since the 1960s. Neonatal end of life care, in particular, is a developing area of practice requiring healthcare providers to support terminally ill newborns and their families, to minimize suffering at the end of the neonate's life. This paper seeks to systematically summarize healthcare providers' perspectives related to end of life, in order to identify needs and inform future directions.

Prescription opioid availability and opioid overdose-related mortality rates in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states.

Aims: To determine whether, in the United States, higher opioid overdose-related mortality rates (OOMR) in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion states relative to mortality rates in non-expansion states have been mediated by increased prescription opioid availability.

Design: Separate mixed-effect regression models examined difference-in-difference effects of time and expansion status on Medicaid-reimbursed opioids measured in morphine milligram (mg) equivalents on all OOMR and on prescription OOMR. We used generalized structural equation models to test whether increases in Medicaid-reimbursed prescription opioid availability mediated OOMR post-Medicaid expansion.

Hispanic Hospice Patients' Experiences of End-Stage Restlessness.

End-stage restlessness, or terminal agitation, is experienced by some patients during their final days and is characterized by physical, emotional, or spiritual distress, agitation or anxiety. End-stage restlessness negatively affects the patient's death experience and can be distressing to the family and care team. Using the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care survey, this study examined factors associated with experiencing end-stage restlessness among non-Hispanic white and Hispanic hospice patients deceased at time of discharge.