Literature Review

Before the holidays, Glenview families are invited to learn how to start the conversations they keep putting off Newsnet, Glenview, IL; by EIN Presswire; 10/20/26 For many families, the holidays are when they finally notice it. A parent who seems more tired, a few new dents on the car, a house that isn’t quite being kept up the way it used to be. And then everyone goes home without saying anything. ...

We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are. ~ Anaïs Nin

New hospice locations crop up as facility relaunches Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/20/26 Some hospices have seen recent growth through new locations in the South, Midwest and East. Meanwhile, one organization plans to soon reopen its hospice facility after a temporary closure.

In home hospice care in assisted living: a family guide to comfort, teamwork, and peace of mind WriteUpCafe; by Oakdale Heights Assisted Living; 10/20/26 

People who choose to end their lives Global Issues | Inter Press Service, Portland, OR; opinion by Joseph Chamie; 10/20/26 People who choose to end their lives through voluntary assisted dying typically face terminal, incurable, or debilitating conditions that cause severe physical or psychological suffering. Research on requests for medical assistance in dying and euthanasia shows that most individuals seeking these options have advanced, irreversible illnesses or incurable, debilitating conditions that cause severe suffering or diminish their autonomy, dignity, or the ability to engage in meaningful activities. Despite becoming legally permitted in an increasing number of countries, voluntary assisted dying remains controversial. The debate centers on a fundamental tension between respecting personal autonomy and relieving suffering, on the one hand, and protecting human life, on the other.

Child-specific bioethics: Review of pediatric palliative care ethics guidelines Nursing Ethics; by Christina Lamb and Dimitra V. Pouliopoulou; 10/17/26 ... Care for dying children needs to be consistently grounded in child philosophies. Recommendation: Expanding access to pediatric palliative care requires ethics education research toward pediatric-specific pedagogies and bioethics frameworks to support consistent, ethically robust, holistic, and child-centered care to improve access across clinical, international and interdisciplinary settings. This review study provides a comprehensive ethical analysis of ethical frameworks guiding pediatric palliative care with a focus on end-of-life care. We identified a lack of pediatric specific bioethics originating in pediatric theory and research informing and supporting pediatric palliative care delivery.Guest Editor's Note by Judy Zeringue: This international scholarly research article from the Nursing Ethics Journal reveals the need for a pediatric-specific bioethics framework to guide the care of dying children. This framework should be focused specifically on the unique needs of pediatrics, not taken from the same framework applied to adults at the end of life. A focus on pediatric specific ethics education and research is needed to optimize and provide consistent support in pediatric palliative care including care at the end of life. This ethically robust approach must be promoted to help close the gap to guide the care of dying children everywhere.

Medicaid plans failing to reimburse hospices for nursing home room-and-board Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/20/26Some Medicaid managed care plans are continuing to fail to make pass-through room-and-board payments to hospices for patients in California nursing homes. The issue pertains to nursing home residents who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Hospices typically cover these patients’ room-and-board costs with the expectation that Medicaid will reimburse them for the expenses. 

Center for Hospice Care honors veterans with 11th annual Veterans Tribute Ceremony GreatNews.Life; by Bennett Silveus; 10/19/26 On Tuesday, October 13, Center for Hospice Care’s Mishawaka Campus hosted its annual Veterans Tribute Ceremony, honoring the legacies of veterans among a mix of both civilians and service members. The ceremony saw the commemoration of various veteran tribute gifts, including plaques, bricks and a tree donated by multiple families to the Captain Robert J. Hiler Jr. Veterans Memorial.

Valley Hospice continues end-of-life care conversation with second theatrical performance TAPinto.net, Paramus, NJ; by Valley Health System; 10/19/26 Following the thoughtful discussions generated by The Final Act Part I: A Conversation on End-Of-Life Choices, a theatrical performance hosted by Valley Hospice last November, community members are invited to continue the conversation at The Final Act Part II: Setting the Stage for Hospice Care. ... Through storytelling, drama, humor, and education, the program explores what hospice care truly provides beyond the final days of life, including expert symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, caregiver education, crisis prevention, and guidance through difficult transitions.

Husband donates seven figures to build Newport News hospice home in honor of late wife 13 News - ABC, Newport News, VA; by Germyah Batey; 10/20/26 A seven-figure donation to the Riverside Foundation will help bring a new hospice home to Newport News, inspired by one husband’s experience caring for his wife, who died from Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year. James Thorton is making the gift in honor of his wife, Donna, his high school sweetheart and wife of 56 years. ... Thorton became Donna’s full-time caregiver, helping manage her daily needs, medications, and comfort. “There are parts of dementia which I could manage and control,” he said. “I could make sure she’s fed, make sure that she got her meds on time, make sure she was comfortable.” Riverside’s palliative care team eventually stepped in to help care for Donna at home. Thorton said the team was pleasant and understanding, an experience that inspired him to help other families facing similar challenges.

Maine Hospice Council - Closure announcementPersonal communication; 10/20/26Maine Hospice Council to cease operations. For more information contact: Executive Director Kandyce Powell, (207) 882-4032, kandycepowell65@gmail.com or Board President Alicia Murray, DNP, MSN, RN, CHPN, (207) 941-7046, murrayal@husson.edu. After careful consideration and extensive evaluation of available resources, the Maine Hospice Council Board members have made the difficult decision to cease operations and close the organization effective October 17, 2026. Referring to her one-on-one work with people, public speaking, and consulting, MHC Executive Director Kandyce Powell, RN, MSN said, “I will continue to be available to anyone searching for hospice and end-of-life care resources at either (207) 882-4032 or KandycePowell65@gmail.com.”

SOS Y 1A34- How do utilization and process measures vary by hospice star rating, and do they differ by profit status?Substack; by Joan Teno; 10/19/26Hospice star ratings come from surveys of hospice primary caregiver after a loved one dies. In our analysis, hospices with more stars were more likely to have a nurse or social worker visit in the last days of life, and that pattern held for both for-profit and nonprofit hospices. But star ratings told us little about how often a hospice discharges patients before death or how much Medicare spends on each patient; on those measures, whether a hospice is for-profit or nonprofit mattered more. When choosing a hospice, look at the star rating, but also ask how often staff visit in the final days and whether the hospice is for-profit or nonprofit

Golfers and community raise over $181k for Otterbein HospiceWDTN Dayton, OH; by LeAnne Marie McPherson; 10/18/26 Over $181,000 was recently raised to support Otterbein Hospice at the 2026 annual Dilgard Open in Centerville. The Sept. 21 event was held at the Golf Club at Yankee Trace. Organizers said it brought together golfers, sponsors and community members. Otterbein Hospice cares for people and their families as they navigate the final chapter of life. In 2025, officials said Otterbein Hospice served over 500 people and over 1,000 family members across 26 counties.