Making Halloween S.A.F.E.R. for individuals with dementia 
Alzheimer's Foundation of America; press release; 10/26/26 
Frightful sights, scary sounds, and costumed strangers might be Halloween traditions, but they can be unsettling for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses. With October 31 approaching, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering tips to make Halloween S.A.F.E.R. for loved ones living with dementia. ...

• Simplify decorations ...
• Adapt activities to your loved one’s capabilities and interests. ...
• Foster a calm environment. ...
• Ensure supervision during trick-or-treating. ...
• Retain adequate lighting for safety. ...

Self-disclosure pilot offers home-based care providers more clarity, but risks remain 
Home Health Care News; by MK Manoylov; 10/23/26 
A new federal pilot program will allow healthcare companies, including home-based care providers, to self-report and rectify conduct, such as compliance issues. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division announced the six-month self-disclosure pilot program on Thursday. The pilot provides more clarity on resolving certain civil billing violations, though concerns about repayment costs and risk exposure for small providers remain, home-based care industry experts told Home Health Care News.

Daymark Health Oncology, palliative model reduces hospitalizations, costs 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/26/26 
An in-home and virtual supportive oncology care program by Daymark Health was associated with fewer hospital admissions and lower overall healthcare spending among patients undergoing active cancer treatment. This is according to a clinical study presented at the 2026 ASCO Quality Care Symposium on October 16. Daymark Health, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) and Brown University Health conducted the research, with co-authors from the University of Pennsylvania and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Palliative care is essential to the model, according to Daymark Health Co-Founder and Medical Director Dr. Angela Taber. 

Surrogate decision-making for older adults with and without dementia
JAMA Network Open; by Lauren Hersch Nicholas, Scott D. Halpern, Kenneth M. Langa, Mario Macis; 10/7/26
In this survey study of 5965 adults, fewer respondents endorsed life-sustaining treatments (LSTs) when a hypothetical patient had dementia (22% vs 40%). LSTs were more likely to be recommended when the respondent preferred them for their own care, when patient advance directives requested them, and when physicians recommended them. The findings suggest that surrogates’ own values and assumptions about quality of life with dementia, along with documented patient wishes and clinical guidance, may contribute to their recommendations. These findings highlight the importance of preparing patients and surrogates for care decisions through explicit discussions of goals of care and decision-making roles.

The Washington Home invests $328K to reduce barriers to hospice care access for older adults across Washington, DC 
NewsNet, Washington, DC; by EIN Presswire; 10/22/26 
The Washington Home (TWH) has launched its Hospice Access Collaboration, a new grant initiative designed to address barriers that prevent vulnerable DC residents from accessing hospice and other end-of-life support. Through a $327,814 investment in four partner organizations: Capital Caring Health – A Chapters Health® Affiliate, Forest Hills of DC – By Goodwin Living, Joseph’s House, and Sibley Memorial Hospital – Johns Hopkins Medicine, the collaboration will expand hospice-related care for 25 older DC residents and train 200 healthcare professionals in four key areas:

• Access ...
• Training ...
• Funding ...
• Nutrition ...

CMS eyes reducing UPI contractors' role in bid to directly target Medicare fraud inside health policy 
InsideHealthPolicy; by Dorothy Mills-Gregg; 10/21/26 
CMS is considering reducing the traditional role of Unified Program Integrity Contractors so it can take direct control over which providers and suppliers become targets of Medicare fraud investigations -- a move that McDermott Will & Schulte is flagging to providers and investors as potentially “one of the most significant changes to Medicare fraud enforcement in years.” The possible shift, laid out in an Oct. 5 CMS request for information on fraud defense, would reduce the traditional role of UPICs and instead have them primarily conduct CMS-directed investigations and help build administrative and enforcement cases. [Full access may be limited to a subscription]

Dartmouth Health study finds rural older adults have less access to intensive hospice care 
The Vermont Journal, Labanon, NH; 10/28/26 
Older adults living in rural communities are less likely to receive hospice care, and when they do, are less likely to receive the most intensive hospice services for severe symptoms, according to a new study led by a Dartmouth Health researcher and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study found that 52.4% of older adults who died in urban ZIP codes received hospice care, compared with 44.8% of those in the most rural ZIP codes. ... Dr. Claire Ankuda, lead author of the study, palliative medicine physician at Dartmouth Health, and associate professor of medicine and of health policy and clinical practice at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine [said,] “What we found is that the biggest differences emerge when patients need more intensive, round-the-clock support – and that’s the gap we need to understand better.”

Luke’s Wings 
Hospice Foundation of America; 10/28/26 
Luke’s Wings’ Veterans in Hospice Transportation Assistance Program (H.T.A.P.) provides free flights for the loved ones of Veterans in hospice care. Through H.T.A.P., Luke’s Wings is honored to provide a final salute to these extraordinary men and women and ensure their loved ones have the opportunity to be physically present when it matters most. Join Ms. Yaede who will discuss this impactful program as well as their No Service Member Spends The Holidays Alone campaign, which helps ensure service members, Veterans, and their families can be together during the holiday season. This is a free 30-minute informational session. Continuing education not available.

Austin nonprofits and philanthropists making a difference 
Modern Luxury, Austin, TX; by The Editors; 10/26/26 
In Austin, generosity runs deep. Meet the individuals and organizations who lift lives across the city and invite all of us to share in the rewarding work. ... Project Transitions, a nonprofit founded in 1988 that provides housing, recuperative care, and hospice for people living with HIV, operates a 61-unit supportive housing community called Burnet Place. Austinite Terry Eaton, the president and chief curator of Eaton Fine Art, recently collaborated with Austin artists to curate a pro bono art collection there, extending more than two decades of support ahead of World AIDS Day, Dec. 1. projecttransitions.org 

ArcHouse CEO: ensuring safe, speedy hospice admissions 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/26/26 
Effective and speedy admissions processes can have a significant influence on the quality of hospice care. This October, the Hospice News Elevate podcast explores the value of effective and efficient admissions, as well as the role of technology in that activity. Hospice News spoke with Paul Mocur, Jr., co-founder and CEO of ArcHouse, a pre-admission platform for care-at-home serving hospice, palliative, and home health providers.

Urban and rural hospital closures in Georgia, 2022-2024
JAMA Network Open; by Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali; 9/26
Hospital closures are a growing concern with a marked increase in both urban and rural hospital closures seen in recent years. These closures, often due to financial strain, decline in patient volumes, and inequities in health care funding, can result in loss of access to critical medical services. The purpose of this study was to examine postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals near urban vs rural hospital closures in the state of Georgia. Urban hospital closures are an emerging area that will only become more relevant as policy changes are expected to lead to more urban closures in the coming years.

As Compassus marks two decades, the organization continues expanding access to home-based care 
American Healthcare Leader; by Stella Nolan; 10/27/26 
Reaching a 20-year milestone is significant for any healthcare organization. Doing so while reshaping a business model, expanding across 33 states, and caring for more than 180,000 patients each year is something else entirely. Few leaders have witnessed that transformation as closely as Laura Templeton, Chief Operating Officer. [Read Laura's reflections on two decades of changes.] ... Looking ahead, Compassus focuses on expanding access to home-based care, strengthening coordination across the healthcare continuum, and finding new ways to improve the patient and family experience.

The man, the more he studies, the more simpler he becomes, because as he studies he discovers the greatness of his ignorance. ~Aristotle