Jessica Hausauer Appointed to National Quality Measurement Committee
NCHPC email; by staff; 10/6/26
Jessica Hausauer, PhD, CEO of the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, has been appointed to the Advisory Group of the Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Advanced Illness and Post-Acute Care Endorsement & Maintenance Committee.

EverHeart Hospice [OH] welcomes new CEO
Daily Advocate; by Brittany Hill; 10/7/26
EverHeart Hospice has announced that Chief Executive Officer, Kristi Strawser, will be departing the organization after many years of dedicated leadership and service. The organization also announced that Shea Bechtold will join EverHeart Hospice as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Two Naples seniors find love in the midst of grief
Gulf Coast News; by Britt Leoni; 9/25/26
At just 72 years old, Joan Hall had spent her life building a love story she thought would only grow stronger with time. She never expected time to cut that story short. "All of a sudden, the rug's been torn out from underneath you and you have to learn how to get through it," said Hall.
82-year-old Dennis Lloyd is also familiar with that pain. "She was in the ICU for 5 days and hospice for 5 days before she passed," said Dennis of Catherine, his wife who died. "It was a totally unexpected death." In both Hall's and Lloyd's grief, they didn't expect to find love again... But, to both their surprise, grief brought them together... A few years ago, at AVOW Hospice Center, Hall and Lloyd met in a grief support group... "We're just so happy and lucky us at this age in life to go through the rest of our lives with someone," said Hall.

Hope Hospice [CA] fundraiser at Castlewood raises over $450K
Patch.com; by Michael Wittner; 10/6/26
More than $450,000 was raised for Hope Hospice at the inaugural Castlewood Plays for Hope, a three-day multi-game community fundraiser held Aug. 28-30 at The Club at Castlewood in Pleasanton. Almost 300 Castlewood members and community participants competed in golf, pickleball, tennis, bocce, and golf skills challenges, which culminated in a community dinner and live auction.

NGHS Foundation tournament raises $280,000 for Hospice House
SmokeSignals [GA]; by NGHS; 10/6/26
Later this year, the new Chuck and Diane Stephens Hospice House will open its doors thanks to the generosity of donors, including those who participated in the Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) Foundation’s Medical Center Open golf tournament last week. The tournament, which has been raising funds for programs, initiatives, and organizations across Northeast Georgia for the last three decades, raised nearly $280,000 in support of the Hospice House... “We are grateful for the exceptional generosity of Chuck and Diane, whose vision and trust have led us to this point,” said Natalie McNeal, director of Hospice of NGMC.

The LiBBY Study results are now available! [Agitation in dementia]
LiBBY press release; by staff; 10/7/26
The LiBBY (Life’s-end Benefits of cannaBidiol and tetrahYdrocannabinol) Study was the first of its kind to examine the possible benefits of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) as a safe treatment option for agitation in hospice-eligible people with dementia. The LiBBY Study results show that the THC/CBD investigational treatment administered as an oral, digestible combination oil reduced the symptoms of agitation, in comparison to the placebo treatment. The LiBBY Study results were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in London, United Kingdom on July 14, 2026. The slides are publicly available and can be viewed below.

What is a professional patient advocate, and why might you need one?
ArcaMax; by Jennifer Schlinger; 10/6/26
[Patient advocates] understand patients’ and families’ concerns, ensure their voices are heard by medical staff and interface with care teams, insurance companies and facility administrators. They also coordinate care, set up follow-up appointments and address potential gaps or blind spots in care. I train social workers – who often serve as patient advocates – to help people in a variety of settings, including hospitals and nursing homes. Earlier in my career, I served as a professional patient advocate supporting people in hospitals, home health and hospice. A trained patient advocate can provide much-needed support for people on their healthcare journey. Here’s what you need to know to work with one most effectively.

Hospice election addendum: Now mandatory! Tools and grace!
Provider Insights; by Annette Lee; 10/6/26
This week, the Election Addendum became mandatory for all new hospice elections beginning October 1st, 2026. Thankfully, due to significant advocacy, CMS also announced this week that they will provide "enforcement discretion" for quarter one and have ensured the MACs will not deny solely on this new requirement. Hospices should use this time of grace to ensure they have full compliance with this new condition of payment. [Please see article for CMS announcement and presentation, an audit tool, and discussion.]

From aging to AI and beyond: A Conversation With Eric Topol
JAMA Network; by Roy Perlis; 9/10/26
In this episode of JAMA+ AI Conversations, Roy Perlis, MD, MSc, and Eric Topol, MD, move from the science of aging to how to think about AI-enabled medicine. Topol discusses what it will take for AI to move medicine from reactive to predictive, why some well-validated imaging AI remains underused while large language models have spread rapidly, and whether AI is actually giving clinicians more time with patients.

Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson Co. team members recognized
Salina Post; by staff writers; 10/5/26
Kristen Hajek, RN, and Megan Brown, MD, members of the Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County team, have been recognized by the Kansas Home Care & Hospice Association for their outstanding contributions to the home health and hospice profession.

VA Bedford volunteer named 2026 Volunteer of the Year
VA News; by Prince Taylor; 10/5/26
Owen Knight, an Air Force Veteran and volunteer with VA Bedford Healthcare System’s No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA) program, was named the 2026 Volunteer of the Year at VA’s National Customer Experience Symposium. The award is VA’s highest honor for an individual volunteer.

Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most. ~Abraham Lincoln