United Nations Statistical Commission adopts the world’s first International Classification of Dying Places 
EurekAlert! American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Press Release; 11/5/26 
For the first time, countries around the world have an international classification specifically designed to describe the places where people are cared for at the end of life and die. The United Nations Statistical Commission has adopted the International Classification of Dying Places (ICP), developed at the University of Coimbra through the European Research Council-funded EOLinPLACE Project. ... At its broadest level, the classification distinguishes five major types of dying places: dwelling or domicile; health or care facility; other facility; vehicle; and outdoor. These are further divided into detailed categories and subcategories, allowing distinctions between settings such as a person’s own residence and other types of dwelling; hospitals, long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, and independent hospice or palliative care facilities; ambulances and other vehicles; and different outdoor locations. ...

• International Classification of Dying Places (ICP), Version 1.0
• United Nations report on the International Classification of Dying Places

AmeriCare Home Health Services transitions to Avow brand
Gulfshore Business; by Adam Regan; 11/5/26 
Naples-based nonprofit Avow announced that AmeriCare Home Health Services is transitioning to the Avow brand as part of its strategy to expand access to healthcare across Southwest Florida. AmeriCare will remain the legal entity while operating under Avow as its registered doing-business-as name. The transition will not affect existing patients, who will continue receiving skilled home health services focused on recovery, independence and quality of life. Avow President and CEO Jaysen Roa said the change will help patients better identify the organization’s services, which also include hospice, palliative care and specialized programs for veterans and dementia patients. 

Virtual community palliative care as a population health strategy 
PALTmed | Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association; by Kurt Merkelz, MD, FAAHPM; 11/5/26 
Demand for palliative care is expected to rise as the population ages, with nearly three-quarters of palliative care professionals already reporting an increase in consult volumes since last year. Despite the increased demand, recent data from the Center to Advance Palliative Care shows access gaps remain, particularly in more rural settings. As providers adapt to meet patient needs, applying population health principles to virtual community palliative care can improve outcomes while helping patients remain safely at home or in their preferred living environment.

• Shifting the Focus from Process to Outcomes ...
• Population Health Management and Palliative Care: Powerful Synergy ...
• Incorporating Virtual Tools to Support Transitional Care Excellence ...
• Empowering Patients, Caregivers, and Providers: The Key to Improving Outcomes and Quality of Life Goals ...

End-of-life cancer care: knowing when to stop 
Medscape; by Cristina Ferrario and Nathan Cherny, MD; 11/5/26 
Key points: 

• Overtreatment at EOL occurs in ~10%–40% of cancer pts.
• Stop systemic therapy when harm > benefit; not only near death.
• Guidelines detail when to start therapy; rarely when to stop.
• Palliative care/supportive care should be integrated from early disease.
• Honest prognosis communication reduces false hope, guilt, and imposter syndrome.

National Alliance for Care at Home responds to CY 2027 Medicare Home Health Final Rule, citing continued need for reimbursement stability and targeted oversight 
National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 11/4/26 
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) calendar year (CY) 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System final rule. The payment update finalized by CMS offers greater stability amid a challenging operating environment, yet the Alliance remains concerned that the finalized 3% temporary payment adjustment may undermine providers’ ability to deliver care in the home. The Alliance is also alarmed that broad provider enrollment provisions may have unintentional consequences for legitimate providers. 

CMS finalizes 2027 Home Health Rule with sweeping regulatory changes 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/4/26 
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2027 home health rule, which contains significant regulatory updates that affect all healthcare providers. In addition to those provisions, the agency implemented an aggregate payment increase of 2.4%, or approximately $420 million, a departure from recent years in which home health providers have faced reimbursement reductions. CMS is adopting new measures to strengthen oversight of Medicare providers and combat fraud, waste and abuse under its calendar year 2027 home health payment rule. 

Vitas Healthcare: free CME/CE webinars for clinicians 
South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; 11/3/26 
If you are required to complete ongoing continuing education to maintain licensure and stay current on evolving standards of care. VITAS Healthcare is offering a free accredited webinar series, led by experienced hospice experts, focused on hospice, palliative care, advanced illness management and veterans’ end-of-life care.

• Veterans Nearing the End of Life: Distinct Needs, Specialized Care
• Wednesday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day), 1-2 p.m. ET
• The Serious Illness Continuum: Optimizing Care at Home Through Palliative and Hospice Care
• Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1-2 p.m. ET
• Palliative Care vs. Curative Care
• Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1-2 p.m. ET or 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET

Addus sees ‘green spaces’ in hospice, home health M&A 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 11/4/26 
Addus HomeCare Corp. (Nasdaq: ADUS) is anticipating a robust deal-making year on the horizon as the company zeroes in on the home health and hospice space. Texas-headquartered Addus provides hospice, home health and personal care services across 24 states. The company is seeking opportunities across clinical business segments, according to Brian Poff, executive vice president and CFO of Addus. Larger home health and hospice assets are in consideration as valuations normalize from heightened levels in previous years, Poff said in an earnings call on Wednesday.

Leading the health care workforce through change: leadership, policy, and innovation in action 
America's Essential Hospitals; by Amaodo Oguagha; 11/4/26 
Human resources (HR) and employee relations leaders from seven essential hospitals gathered in Washington, D.C., for “Leading the Health Care Workforce Through Change: Leadership, Policy, and Innovation in Action.” Hosted by America’s Essential Hospitals and Essential Hospitals Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the convening focused on strategies for strengthening employee engagement and retention, growing relationships with employees and community partners, and expanding recruitment for high-turnover positions. 

Thyme Care expands serious illness program, giving patients with advanced cancer a dedicated clinical home and fewer avoidable hospitalizations 
PR Newswire, Nashville, TN; Press Release; 11/5/26 
Thyme Care, the nationally recognized oncology company, today announced it is scaling its Serious Illness program to meet growing demand among patients living with serious illness, ... Thyme Care's Serious Illness program closes that gap with continuous, specialist-informed support alongside a patient's oncology care, often reaching patients who might not otherwise receive palliative care until much later in their illness. 

Nurses who inspire: New Mexico nurse Nancy Wertz, RN 
State Nurses Associations - New Mexico Nurses Association; by Lisa Patch, MSN, RN; Connie Smith-Fassler, DNP, MHA, RN, CNML; 11/4/26 
For as long as Nancy Wertz can remember, nursing was her calling. ... At the heart of her practice has always been a simple philosophy: “Treat others the way you want to be treated and do the right thing”. Those values shaped a career dedicated to caring for patients and supporting families through some of life’s most difficult moments. Her work in hospice became particularly meaningful. Recognizing the need for better education in end-of-life care, she became an End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Trainer through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). ... Her story reminds us that nursing is not merely a profession. It is a lifetime commitment to compassion, advocacy, service, and making a difference, one person at a time.

Fall is the perfect time to turn over a new leaf. Unless you have to rake it—then just leave it where it fell.