National Alliance’s Scott Levy: Hospices need ‘regulatory relief’ to protect ‘sacred benefit’ 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/21/25 
The hospice industry is undergoing a transformative period of rising demand and regulatory changes. Providers of all sizes and types are facing mounting operational challenges and financial strains with limited recourse to voice their collective concerns to legislators. This is according to Scott Levy, chief government affairs officer at National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance). Levy stepped into the role earlier this year after holding a similar position at Amedisys. He has been involved in government relations, public policy, advocacy and law for more than 20 years. Levy recently sat down with Hospice News to discuss the array of regulatory and legislative evolutions on the horizon in hospice care delivery.  .[Continue reading ...]

Hospice House plans to add a new home near Covington 
Nola.com, New Orleans, LA; by Jessica Saggio; 3/24/25 
Mardi Gras may be over, but the Hospice Foundation of the South is rolling. The organization, known for its compassionate end-of-life care, has acquired a piece of land near Convington for a second Hospice House. Plans to fund its construction are underway with a new capital campaign. The effort, once stalled because of a difficult housing market, is back in action after a lot on Lee Road north of Covington was purchased with the help of an anonymous donor. ... Currently, there is one Hospice House in the parish, located near Slidell. The home, which is an oasis for those in their final days of life, provides care to patients free of charge. The only issue is the supply is not nearly big enough for the demand. 

$7,500 to Hospice of the Valley; $7,500 to Northland Hospice and Palliative Care
AZCentral.com, Arizona Republic, "Here are the Season for Sharing grantees for 2024-25 who received $1.3M in grant funds"; by Silvia Solis; 3/23/25
The 2024-25 Season for Sharing campaign brought in more than $1.3 million, which went to 156 Arizona nonprofit agencies across Arizona. [Among the grantees were two hospice agencies.]

• Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, $7,500
• To develop and offer workshops and an educational video to teach approximately 300 dementia family caregivers how to incorporate improvisational techniques into their caregiving approach and create meaningful connections with persons living with dementia.
• Northland Hospice and Palliative Care, Flagstaff, $7,500
• To provide hospice care to more than 100 low-income patients, including 3,412 bed nights of residential hospice assisted living and thousands of nutritious meals to 46 low-income older adults, and counseling to over 300 grieving family members in Flagstaff and rural Coconino County.

The power of data in enhancing hospice care at United Hospice 
Mid-Hudson News, Hudson Valley, NY; by Mid-Hudson News Staff; 3/23/25 
... United Hospice CEO Cara Pace said data plays a crucial role in tracking patient health status, symptom management, and overall comfort. ... Hospice care must evolve to meet the changing needs of patients and families. By leveraging data, United Hospice can make informed decisions about service expansions, patient care enhancements, and operational improvements. Data-driven insights guide leadership in planning for the future, ensuring that the organization remains responsive to community needs while continuing to provide exemplary care. ... [Hospices] must be attentive to the experiences of both patients and their families. “By systematically collecting feedback through surveys and other data collection methods, United Hospice can assess satisfaction levels, identify areas for improvement, and address concerns proactively,” Pace said. “This continuous engagement fosters trust and strengthens relationships with families and the broader community.” ... [Continue reading ...]

SouthernCare Hospice of Milan decorates Vermilion and Milan with yellow ribbons in honor of Vietnam Awareness Day 
The Morning Journal, Milan, OH; by Heather Chapin; 3/23/25 
SouthernCare Hospice of Milan has hung yellow ribbons throughout Vermilion and Milan in honor of Vietnam Awareness Day, which is observed March 29. ... “Many people are still unaware of Vietnam Veterans Day, often confusing it with Veterans Day in November,” Huhra stated. National Vietnam War Veterans Day honors the veterans who served in the Vietnam War, with the date chose to mark the withdrawal of the last United States combat troops March 29,1973, he stated. “On March 29th, please show support to Vietnam Veterans that you know by saying ‘Welcome Home,’ ” the release stated. “It’s a national effort to acknowledge and thank the service and sacrifices of those who served in the Vietnam War, recognizing that they were not given the proper welcome upon their return from duty.”
Editor's note: More information is at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29, 2025.

Bringing palliative care to every patient with cancer: A conversation with Janet L. Abrahm, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, FASCO 
The ASCO Post, in partnership with the American Society of Clinical Oncology; by Jo Cavallo; 3/25/25 
Janet L. Abrahm, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, FASCO, ... has become a widely recognized leader in the field of supportive care and palliative medicine, serving for nearly a decade on the leadership team of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and helping to craft the first Hospice and Palliative Medicine certifying examination offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine. ... In a wide-ranging interview with The ASCO Post, Dr. Abrahm discussed the importance of providing every patient with cancer access to palliative medicine throughout survivorship, how oncologists can become more effective communicators, and strategies to alleviate patients’ suffering at the end of life.

• Improving Patients’ Symptoms in the Curative Setting ...
• Building a Clinical Decision Support System ...
• Communicating More Effectively With Patients ...
• Addressing Patients’ Suffering ...

[Click here to read this timely, insightful guidance for palliative and hospice care leaders.]

Grief support groups available for Spanish speakers 
The Times-Standard, Eureka, CA; by The Times-Standard; 3/23/25 
Hospice of Humboldt and Healing Roots Curando Raíces PC have announced a new partnership to offer free grief support groups in Spanish for the community. These groups will provide a safe and welcoming space for Spanish-speaking individuals to process loss, connect with others and receive compassionate support. ... Like Hospice of Humboldt’s Grief Support Groups in English, these groups are open to anyone in the community and are not limited to Hospice of Humboldt patients and families. “We are honored to collaborate with Healing Roots Curando Raíces PC to expand access to grief support for our Spanish-speaking community,” said Dianne Keating, CEO of Hospice of Humboldt. “Grief can feel isolating, and having support available in one’s preferred language makes a meaningful difference in the healing process.” 

Mt. Hood Hospice to present third Grief Made Visible art exhibit in April 
Sandy Post, West Linn, OR; by Brit Allen; 3/23/25 
Aside from in-home hospice services, Mt. Hood Hospice offers numerous other resources to the community, regardless of income or if they have any other ties to the organization. Among them are grief support groups that utilize art as a tool of healing. As a result of these groups, 16 artists will have the art that they created in these groups on display at AntFarm Café & Bakery, 39140 Proctor Blvd., throughout the month of April, from April 3-30, while the cafe is open. ... “This art show creates a space that normalizes talking about mental health and grief,” said Mt. Hood Hospice Bereavement Services Director Laura Lirette. “In a culture where grief is often experienced alone and behind closed doors, our hope is that this exhibit will invite conversations about grief and supporting grievers.”

'They mourn just like you and me': Local nonprofit cares for animals of terminally ill owners 
The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO; by Kelly Hayes; 3/22/25 
The car ride back to the home of Randy and Linda Gearhart was near silent that February day. The husband and wife from Colorado Springs had just picked up 12-year-old Kimi, a tan, medium-sized dog, and 11-year-old Sage, a slightly larger kelpie mix. ... Sitting in the trunk of the car was all the pups had known: several cushions, their bowls, plenty of toys and a heap of blankets. But there was something — or rather, someone — missing. Their owner, who died recently. “I didn’t wash these until last week,” Linda said, pointing to their cushions. “I think having the smells, having their same beds, that familiarity, was good for them.” For nearly three decades, Safe Place for Pets has served as a new home for animals of terminally ill owners in Colorado Springs. With the help of about 50 volunteers, two part-time employees and a handful of fosters such as the Gearharts, the nonprofit shoulders a heavy responsibility: caring for beloved pets after their person dies. [Continue reading this heart-warming story ...]

Carolyn Hax: Does sibling love justify traveling to abusive mom’s deathbed?
The Washington Post, Washington, DC; 3/24/25 
Sister asks the letter writer to join her at their dying mom’s bedside — despite their PTSD-inducing childhoods. [The rest of this article may require a subscription to The Washington Post.]
Editor's note: Even if you're not able to access the full article, what does this question stir in you? Be aware that many family caregivers (or simply family members) face complex, conflicted relationships with the persons they are tending--or in this case, even considering visiting or not. Be attuned to these common, everyday occurrences that your direct care interdisciplinary team members regularly navigate. What family systems' education and support do you provide for your interdisciplinary clinicians?

Lancaster woman convicted in hospice fraud scheme
NBC-4 News, Los Angeles, CA; by City News Service; 3/21/25 
A Lancaster [California] woman was found guilty Friday of receiving more than $330,000 in illegal kickbacks for patient referrals to two hospice companies in a fraud scheme that bilked Medicare out of more than $3.2 million through claims for medically unnecessary services. Callie Jean Black, 66, was convicted at the conclusion of a four-day bench trial in Los Angeles federal court of four counts of soliciting and receiving remunerations for patient referrals, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. U.S. District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled sentencing for July 25. [Continue reading ...] 

Digital Transformation 101: A handy primer
Healthcare IT News; by Bill Siwicki; 3/21/25 
Robert Slepin, chief digital officer at SE Health and an emeritus CIO adviser at Epic, describes the key aspects of digital transformation that provider organizations need to understand, primary technologies involved and how to best organize the effort. Healthcare IT News sat down with him to discuss aspects of digital transformation efforts that provider organizations don't quite have a firm grasp on to begin with, the primary technologies involved in digital transformation, how to organize such a comprehensive effort as digital transformation, and his transformation effort at SE Health. [Continue reading ...]

From risk to resilience: Leveraging blockchain to safeguard patient data and drive interoperability 
Healthcare Business Today; by Krista Bowman; 3/21/25 
The numbers tell a startling story. Over 42% of the U.S. population is estimated to have had their healthcare records compromised in 2024 alone, exposing critical vulnerabilities within systems meant to protect patient privacy. A staggering 146 million records were impacted in 13 high-profile data breaches, including the largest healthcare breach in history at Change Healthcare, which affected an estimated 100 million individuals. ... In the U.S., a few healthcare companies are exploring blockchain applications. Humana, MultiPlan, Optum, Quest Diagnostics, and UnitedHealthcare have formed the Synaptic Health Alliance to explore the use of blockchain technology to modernize provider data management.

Trellis Supportive Care to host day of support for caregivers
The Chronicle, Winston-Salem, NC; by WS Chronicle; 3/22/25
Trellis Supportive Care is hosting a day of support for caregivers, free of charge and open to the public.  The program, “Caring for You: A Day of Support for Family Caregivers,” is set for Friday, April 4, from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness in Winston-Salem. This full-day program is both a retreat and educational day for caregivers. “We understand that caregivers are often unable to attend events such as this, therefore, we are removing that barrier,” shared Jacob Gordon, director of community programming with Trellis Supportive Care. For those responsible for caring for an adult family member, Trellis is arranging respite care in coordination with local partner agencies so that caregivers can attend.   ... “We hope this provides an opportunity for people to regroup, rejuvenate, and leave with valuable tips for moving forward as a caregiver,” shared Gordon.   

Memories are simply moments that refuse to be ordinary. ~ Diane Keaton 
Editor's note: Many of my favorite memories were simple ordinary moments that became extra-ordinary because of their profound meanings to me: a hug from my dad, my mom's voice, playful puppies who aged into beloved senior-dogs. What are yours? May we tune into our simple yet extra-ordinary moments in real-time, turning them into life-giving memories for our unknown futures ahead.