Literature Review

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The Foundation of Community Hospice & Palliative Care celebrates grand Opening of the Dorion Family Pediatric Center PR Newswire, Jacksonville, FL; by The Foundation of Community Hospice & Palliative Care; 6/12/26The Foundation of Community Hospice & Palliative Care celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Dorion Family Pediatric Center on Thursday, June 11, marking a significant milestone in expanding care for children with serious and complex illnesses in Northeast Florida. More than 300 community leaders, donors, families, and supporters gathered at the Earl B. Hadlow Campus to commemorate the opening of the new center, which is the first-of-its-kind pediatric hospice and palliative care center in Florida and one of only a few in the United States.

Blue Ridge Care has ribbon cutting for its Hope Campus The Winchester Star, Winchester, VA; by Brian Brehm; 6/15/26 In furtherance of its mission to address more of the healthcare needs of Shenandoah Valley residents, Blue Ridge Care in Winchester has purchased a new campus and opened a new Supportive Care facility. ... In addition to the PACE Center, the Hope Campus also accommodates Blue Ridge Care's Center for Hope and Healing, which provides free support for area residents who are grieving the loss of loved ones, and the nonprofit's newest venture, which is a Supportive Care facility. ... Blue Ridge Care, formerly known as Blue Ridge Hospice, will continue to offer its end-of-life hospice services and an inpatient treatment unit at its headquarters at 333 W. Cork St. in Winchester.

Tuesday Health brings community-based palliative care to Massachusetts in partnership with Commonwealth Care AllianceNEWSnet PR Newswire, Boston, MA; Press Release by Tuesday Health; 6/16/26Tuesday Health announced a partnership with Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) to deliver community-based palliative care to eligible members across Massachusetts, effective July 1, 2026. The partnership expands access to relationship-based care for individuals who are dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and enrolled in CCA’s Senior Care Options (SCO) and One Care programs. ... Tuesday Health delivers evidence-based, provider-led palliative care wherever patients call home, through interdisciplinary teams of nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, and physicians. 

High schooler shares final milestone with Dad after hospice nurses help him organize bedside graduation ceremony People; by Abigail Adams; 6/12/26 A dad got to watch his son graduate from high school just days before he died in hospice care. Brad Case was put into hospice care after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, according to WPTA. So, his son Braden Case, a senior at Hamilton Junior Senior High School in Hamilton, Ind., did what he could to make sure his dad could see him graduate. Braden worked with nurses to put together the improvised graduation ceremony at Brad's bedside. A photo taken from the special moment, shared by WPTA, showed Braden in his blue cap and gown while standing by his father's side. Braden told WPTA that Brad had always been there for his big moments in life, and he wanted to ensure his dad witnessed this one.

How Mayo Clinic adopted an innovative AI tool for palliative care utilization HealthLeaders; by Christopher Cheney; 6/10/26 The AI tool not only identifies hospitalized patients with serious illnesses who could benefit from palliative care services but also targets these patients faster than the health system could in the past. ... To address underutilization of palliative care services, Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health developed an AI tool to boost palliative care in the hospital setting.

MedPAC Executive Summary - June 2026 report MedPAC; 6/15/26As part of its mandate from the Congress, each June the Commission reports on potential improvements to Medicare payment systems and issues that affect the Medicare program, including changes to health care delivery and the market for health care services. The six chapters of our June 2026 report cover the following topics:

NPHI calls for thoughtful hospice payment reform that rewards high-quality care National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/16/26The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI)is calling for thoughtful modernization of the Medicare Hospice Benefit while raising concerns about recommendations contained in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that could fundamentally alter the hospice benefit and potentially lead to substantial changes in provider reimbursement. NPHI is exploring potential reforms to the current hospice payment structure, including steps to reduce incentives for bad actors and poor-quality care by lowering the hospice aggregate cap, and reallocating dollars within the existing payment methodology to better compensate high-quality, mission-driven providers caring for the sickest patients. NPHI believes these types of reforms would better align reimbursement with patient needs, preserve the core principles of hospice care, and encourage providers to deliver care based on patient need rather than financial incentives. ...

1776-1786: 250 Years - A History of CareHospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger; for 6/10/26Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Caregiving stressors and sleep outcomes: Examining group differences among caregivers of persons living with dementia The Journals of Gerontology; by Fei Wang, Seungjong Cho, Anne Conway, Yejin Heo, Christine Lau, Karyne Machry; 5/26Caring for persons living with dementia often involves high levels of physical demands and emotional burden, which may undermine caregivers’ sleep quality. Few studies have examined sleep health among Black caregivers of persons living with dementia, despite the fact that they are underrepresented in dementia research and experience poorer sleep outcomes compared to non-Hispanic White caregivers. Subjective caregiving stressor (i.e., role overload) was positively associated with sleep disturbance. A significant interaction showed that the association between role overload and sleep disturbance was stronger among Black caregivers than in non-Hispanic White caregivers. Findings also suggest that Black caregivers of persons living with dementia may experience greater vulnerability to the adverse role of role overload in relation to sleep.

Knowledge of advance care planning and advance directives among US adults: Implications for health policy and practicePalliative Care & Social Practice; by Anisah Bagasra, Gretchen Agans; 5/26Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of identifying and communicating values and goals in preparation for future shared decision-making in medical settings. Decisions are legally supported by an advance directive (AD) document designating healthcare agent(s) and future medical treatment preferences. Although important, ACP engagement in the United States remains low. Findings indicate persistent gaps in ACP and AD literacy among US adults, along with misconceptions about access, time, and costs that may be contributing to low engagement. Increasing public education and expanding access to knowledgeable professionals may help reduce barriers and promote more equitable engagement in ACP.

[Portugal] Reiki and Therapeutic Touch for symptom burden and quality of life in palliative settings: A systematic reviewPalliative Medicine; by Raquel Pontes-Gomes, Paulo Reis-Pina; 5/26Evidence regarding Reiki and Therapeutic Touch in palliative and end-of-life care remains limited and heterogeneous. Nine studies involving 415 participants were included: five mixed-methods studies, three randomized controlled trials, and one qualitative cross-sectional study conducted in North America (n = 6) and Europe (n = 3). Cancer was the predominant diagnosis.  Some studies reported improvements in symptoms (pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and stress), and in quality-of-life domains (sleep, relaxation, energy, hope, and emotional well-being). Qualitative findings described perceived relaxation, comfort, and emotional support. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify their potential role in palliative care.