Literature Review

Music therapist helps patients navigate end-of-life journey on Long Island CBS New York / YouTube; by Jenna DeAngelis; 10/15/24 The healing power of music is being brought to hospice patients on Long Island, by Yuzuko DeGrottole, LCAT, MT-BC, a board-certified music therapist with MJHS Hospice.  “Everyone has a song that takes them to a special place. “Are you going to sing with me?” [Sings a beautiful Jewish song.] That's the power of music. It moves us. It connects us, and for Sarah Jacobowitz it just makes her feel good. “I like it.  It makes me happy.”  The 95-year-old Holocaust Survivor is proud of her Jewish Heritage which she celebrates in song since she's bedridden.  Yuzuko brings the music to her, even learning to sing in many languages for her patients. Music communicates with you directly to your heart. Music brings up a lot of emotion, with or without words. … Sarah's son who often sits bedside says music therapy hits all the right notes. Sarah is attentive instead of just sleeping all day or just doing nothing. Music brings back memories and it gives her pleasure just to be alive.Editor's note: Having a board-certified music therapist is significantly more valuable--therapeutically, clinically, meaning-making, mission-oriented--than simply having musicians play music. For more information visit "Facts for Music Therapy in Hospice Care" by American Music Therapy Association and the Certified Board for Music Therapists.

Boy, 7, takes on 145-mile challenge for hospice BBC News, Peterborough, United Kingdom; by Shariqua Ahmed; 6/15/24 A seven-year-old boy has taken on a mythical-themed challenge to raise funds for a hospice. Isaac Yates from King's Cliffe in Northamptonshire is scooting, walking and cycling 145 miles (233km) through a Lord of the Rings Virtual Conqueror Challenge for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough [United Kingdom]. His mum, Zoë Hopkinson, works as a physiotherapist at the hospice which inspired Isaac's mission as he wants to “help people who are suffering and dying.” 

'I've already had my miracle': 26-year-old Savannah mom enters hospice care with only weeks to live ABC WJCL 22 News, Savannah, GA; by Savannah Younger; 12/4/24 As the holiday season begins, Sara Long, a 26-year-old Savannah woman, is entering hospice care after a prolonged battle with kidney failure. Now the wife and mother is preparing to say her final goodbyes to family and friends. "I wanted to make sure that everything's kind of ready to go for when family visits and all that kind of stuff," Long said. "So, I just want to make things as easy as possible for everybody." Long has been told she has two to three weeks left to live and is now preparing her family for her passing. ... Their daughter, Riley, 4, is too young to understand what is happening, but Long is creating a hope chest so Riley can always remember her. "There are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of letters at this point, to open at different various points in her life. So, like her first day of school all through, or a graduate degree, potentially," Long said. "I feel like I've already had my miracle," Sara said. "I feel like Riley is my miracle. ..."Editor's note: If you spend time on nothing else in today's newsletter, click here to view this memorable, meaningful video/article. Surely, you will see your own life in a new light.  See our "Today's Encouragement" for today, with a beautiful quote from Sara Long.

Nonprofit organizes free home cleanings for cancer patients The Dallas Express, Dallas, TX; by Patti Villegas; 10/27/24 When facing a serious illness, even simple tasks can become overwhelming. However, one nonprofit organization is stepping in to help alleviate some of that burden for individuals with cancer. Cleaning for a Reason, founded in 2006, has facilitated free home cleaning services for more than 57,133 cancer patients in the U.S. and Canada, providing services valued at a total of more than $19 million. The non-profit organization partners with residential cleaning companies and community volunteers to “clean the homes of cancer patients to provide hope, relief, control, and cleanliness,” the group’s website states. The volunteers’ work not only enhances the patients’ physical environment but uplifts their spirits as well.

SPECIAL EDITION: December 24, 2024

Musician grants dying wish to hospice patient The Platte County Citizen; by Rimsie McConiga; 5/14/24 Jazz musician Stanton Kessler was surprised when he was contacted recently by his friend, a hospice nurse, who reached out to him with an unusual request. A patient at the Kansas City hospice where she works told her his last wish would be to hear his favorite song, ‘Feels So Good’ before he died. During their conversations Kessler’s impression was that this was his friend’s first experience with a request such as this. “There was an element of urgency,” Kessler said. “She said he was near death.” ... An incredibly emotional and rewarding moment followed when Kessler began to play the patient’s beloved song. The man’s eyes remained closed, but his fingers began to move. ...

Community carolers share love with Bartlesville's 'Santa' on his final journey home Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters - Bartlesville, Oklahoma; by Nathan Thompson; 11/9/24 He's been known as Bartlesville's very own Santa for more than three decades, and on Saturday night dozens of community members showered Ron Adams with the blessing of love and Christmas carols as he faces the final moments of his life.  Earlier this year, Adams was diagnosed with stage-four liver cancer. His health has rapidly deteriated and he is in hospice care at The Journey Home between Bartlesville and Dewey. Debbie Neece, a friend of the family, says she received a phone call from Adams' daughter, Lindsey, Saturday morning with a special request.  Neece made it happen as a fitting tribute to a Bartlesvile icon and his family. ... Saturday's love from the community gathering and singing more than 20 minutes of Christmas carols had a profound impact on Ron, his wife Debi and his daughter Lindsey. Lindsey came outside and in tears, thanked the gathered crowd. A small blessing of Christmas music. A large outpouring of love from the community. But not as large as Ron Adams' heart and his devotion to bringing joy as Bartlesville's Santa.

I asked my dad to write my wedding speech after he was given 6 months to live. I'm holding on to it for my special day. AOL.com - Insider; by Lara Rodwell; 9/29/24 ... I remember the moment my dad told me he had six months to live like it was yesterday. ... "Lar, we need to have a chat," he said, hovering beside the edge of the bed. "I've received some news. It's not good." ... Wrapped in the comforting arms of my dad, I blurted, "Dad, you're not going to walk me down the aisle one day." ... During one sleepless night, it hit me. I wanted to create a keepsake where my dad and I could write letters, share memories and process our feelings, together. I found a tatty old notebook and wrote my first letter to him. ... The very first thing I asked him at the end of the letter, ink smudged with tears, was if he could write his wedding speech for me. ... It was a hot summer's morning, the day my dad died in the care of our local hospice. He'd been there for three weeks — in a lot of pain, stabilized by a lot of morphine — surrounded by his family. .... Later that day, ... amongst pages of financial practicalities and funeral wishes, there was a folder of white envelopes addressed to each of us - his wife and four children. On the front of mine read "Lar...". On the back: "Your wedding speech." To this day, the envelope remains sealed, tucked away at the bottom of my "dad box" — along with the notebook we shared, photo albums of memories, and a collection of swimming medals he wanted me to show his grandkids one day. ...

Foundation raises money for Hospice Home Campaign, Patient Needs Fund WBBJ-TV ABC & CBS 7 Eyewitness News, Jackson, TN; by WBBJ Staff; 12/20/24 West Tennessee Healthcare presented two checks through its Hope and Healing Foundation Friday.  The foundation hosted a ‘Sip and Savor’ event to raise funds for the Hospice Home Campaign and the Patient Needs fund. The Hospice Home Campaign plans to build a space where hospice patients can obtain enhanced end-of-life services for patients and their families. Through this fundraiser, each campaign was presented a $64,000 check. This was made possible through numerous donations and support.

Congress extends hospice telehealth flexibilities Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/21/24 Congress has extended the pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities through March 14, 2025. Early Saturday, legislators approved a continuing resolution to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. The bill contained language to extend the flexibilities, which includes the ability to perform face-to-face recertifications via telehealth. They were originally slated to expire on Dec. 31. The extension is a win for health care providers, including hospices, who have come to rely heavily on virtual services during the past five years.   

10 Years of making the world a more livable place for all bereaved people Evermore; by Joyal Mulheron, Executive Director; 12/21/24   Fourteen years ago today, I was sitting on my couch, trying to make sense out of what just happened to our family. Our terminally ill daughter, Eleanora, had died a few weeks prior. While others sang holiday songs and gleefully exchanged gifts, it was a profoundly painful, dark, and isolating time for me. Within a few short years, I quit my career because I saw tragedies saturating our national headlines, leaving a trail of unseen and unsupported bereaved people in their wake, and I believed our nation should prioritize the needs of all bereaved people. ... This is what I set out to change. ... Evermore’s groundbreaking advocacy efforts resulted in our nation’s first Report to Congress, which provided an overview of grief and bereavement services in the United States. Next year, a report analyzing more than 8,000 scientific studies will be published, reviewing the highest quality interventions for bereaved people — which was championed by Evermore and endorsed by Congress. Editor's note: Click on the title's link to continue reading Evermore's trailblazing, state-of-the-art leadership and advocacy with Congress, the government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Newsweek, PBS, Harvard's Public Health magazine, Penn State, the University of California, and more. Click here to join Evermore's mailing list, and to learn from Joyal Mulhuron, Evermore's inspiring, soulful Founder/Executive Director. 

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. ~ James Keller Editor's note: This holiday week experienced a prelude by Saturday's December 21st Winter Solstice and ushers in celebrations of Christmas Eve/Day (December 24-25), Hanukkah (December 25 - January 2), and Kwanzaa (December 26 - January 1). May be we create respect, dignity, and care for all--including those not identified here. May our lives light compassion for others. May we see the light in others, especially when different from our own.

Hospice study reveals contrasting views on managing dementia behaviors McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 12/20/24 A new study finds that healthcare providers and family caregivers often disagree on how best to manage dementia behaviors during end-of-life care. The research, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, involved interviews with 23 hospice clinicians and 20 family caregivers. With dementia affecting 33% of adults over age 85 and now ranking as the primary diagnosis for Medicare hospice services, understanding these differing perspectives about managing dementia behaviors has become increasingly important. The study found that while both groups identified agitation as the most concerning behavioral symptom, they approached it from different angles. Clinicians primarily worried about physical safety risks, while family caregivers were more distressed by personality changes in their loved ones.