Literature Review

My Dad was a professional Santa for 49 years — until tragedy struck. Then a group of strangers gave us a miracle. HuffPost | Personal; by Melissa Melnick; 12/7/25 "When they told us their idea, I felt something crack open in me." I grew up knowing that Christmas magic wasn’t something you waited for — it was something you made. And I learned that from my dad. Most people think they know about Santa, but my sister and I were lucky enough to grow up with him. My father, Ray, started playing Santa when he was just 21 years old. ... Knowing my dad, I suspected he’d never actually stop. Then, just a few months later, our world got turned upside down. ... Within 24 hours of the story airing on TV, more than 120,000 people had viewed the clip online. Photos poured in. Old letters. Messages from parents whose children had visited my dad over the years. Stories about how Santa Ray had given their kids confidence, comfort, or joy. ... Editor's Note: Continue reading this beautiful, inspiring story.

Revelstoke Capital-Backed The Care Team acquires select assets of Traditions Health Revelstoke Capital Partners, Denver, CO; 12/4/25 Revelstoke Capital Partners (“Revelstoke”), a growth-oriented, healthcare-focused private equity firm, announced today that its portfolio company, The Care Team, has acquired select hospice and palliative care operations from Traditions Health, a Tennessee-based hospice, palliative, and home health provider with operations in 16 states. The Care Team, a hospice provider, acquired Traditions Health operations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia, complementing its existing locations in Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. 

CHAP celebrates 60 years in home-based care Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP); email and website; 12/5/25 This year, CHAP marked a milestone that speaks volumes about our legacy and our future: our Diamond Jubilee. Sixty years of progress, partnership, and innovation came to life as our incredible team gathered to celebrate not just an anniversary, but the people who make our mission possible every day. It was a moment to honor the tradition that began in 1965 and continues to shape home-based care across the nation; a tradition built on excellence, compassion, and a shared commitment to the providers we serve. As we reflected on six decades of impact, the celebration reminded us of something even more powerful: the strength of our present and the promise of what’s next.Editor's Note: Hospice & Palliative Care Today celebrates CHAP immeasureable contributions to improving patient / caregiver / family care, staff education and standards, organizational systems, and more!

The complex quandary over hospice relatedness Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/5/25 Questions over which services are deemed related to patients’ terminal diagnosis in hospice care are crucial, and physicians’ determinations of those factors may be growing more complex. ... CMS has taken a stance that essentially all the care needed by a terminally ill patient should be covered through the benefit. However, that is not always what happens in practice. ...  When considering relatedness, physicians must take a holistic approach, according to Dr. Lauren Templeton, hospice physician consultant at Weatherbee Resources and Physician Council member at The Pennant Group. ... In most cases, hospices should err on the side of considering conditions related, when possible, for the sake of their patients, Templeton indicated. “If it’s impacting the plan of care for our patients, that would make it related for us,” Templeton said.

Local hospice offers support for grieving families on Thanksgiving ABC News 7, Amarillo, TX; by Aby Molina; 11/27/25 As families gather for Thanksgiving, the holiday can be particularly painful for those who have lost a loved one. BSA Hospice of the Southwest is offering a place for empathy and a Thanksgiving gathering to support those in mourning. ... BSA Hospice has hosted this event for several years, providing extra support during this time of year. Lindsey Wyatt, bereavement coordinator at BSA Hospice, expressed excitement about hosting the event. "We're just really excited to host, to provide an opportunity and a warm, safe place for people to fellowship and come together who have experienced that loss. ... "

Memorial bricks at William Childs Hospice House pave way for comfort, community and healing Space Coast Daily, Palm Bay, FL; by Space Coast Daily; 11/29/25 Under a beautiful November sky, more than 200 family members and friends gathered on a recent Saturday morning in front of the Butterfly Garden, nestled on the grounds of the William Childs Hospice House. Attendees joined the Health First Foundation’s annual Brick Paver Dedication Ceremony, a heartfelt tradition held each November during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. ... One such brick was in honor of Arthur “Lou” Larmay, 94, who passed in July while in Hospice care. During his final weeks, Lou was commended by Hospice with a ceremony honoring his military service – and his days as a jazz musician. Gathering in the garden after his passing was just what his mourning loved ones needed.

UConn Health’s palliative care growth continues: Expanding staff and services in both hospital and outpatient settings UConn; by Chris DeFrancesco; 12/1/25 Health’s expanded palliative care services continue to grow, spanning hospital patients to ambulatory patients, with or without cancer. Palliative care referrals in the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center are up 31% from last year, and 600% since inception in 2017. Referrals for inpatient palliative care consultations, which started two years ago, are up 35% from last year. A year ago, Dr. Mary Buss and Dr. Germaine Soliman established an outpatient palliative care clinic for patients dealing with conditions other than cancer. Since opening, it has seen more than 130 patients over nearly 450 visits.

'Rehabbed to death’: Bringing more palliative, hospice care to SNFs Hospice News; by Kristin Easterling; 11/26/25 Patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) can become trapped in a “rehabbed to death” cycle that could be prevented with better access to palliative care and hospice. The Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) used by SNFs could be harnessed to enable more palliative care and earlier admission to hospice, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.Editor's Note: Click below for the study and related articles we've posted.

National Alliance for Care at Home: CMS modifies Final Payment Rule based on stakeholder feedback, but 1.3% cut still undermines access National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 11/28/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today acknowledged that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made significant adjustments in the Home Health Perspective Payment System (HH PPS) Final Rule for CY 2026 in response to community concerns regarding patient access and data integrity. However, the Alliance remains concerned that any payment cut for home health providers will continue to compromise access for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries who rely on these services to age and recover from illness or injury safely at home. 

The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm. ~Aldous Huxley

Awards and Recognitions: November 2025

Why reflexivity matters in the literature of suffering, death, and dying in eating disordersJournal of Eating Disorders; by Scout Silverstein; 10/25Current debates on medical aid in dying and treatment futility in longstanding eating disorders emphasize diagnostic frameworks, ethical principles, and legal statutes. What remains underexamined is how an author's own experiences with suffering, death, and dying shape their perspective and conclusions. I argue that every manuscript on end-of-life care, decision-making capacity, or futility in eating disorders should include a reflexivity statement detailing the author's relationship to mortality. By mandating reflexivity disclosures alongside ethics and funding statements, journals can enhance transparency and allow readers to contextualize empirical claims and ethical positions. I propose a template for a reflexivity paragraph in which authors succinctly state their clinical or research focus, experiences with suffering, and forces that shape their views on suffering, futility, and dying.