Literature Review

Finding solutions: Augusta nurse opens new end-of-life care facility WRDW/WAGT News Stations, Augusta, GA; by Zayna Haliburton; 1/12/26 A hospice nurse is opening Augusta’s first inpatient hospice home, giving families a new option for end-of-life care. Stacia Sirull, a hospice nurse, is opening the Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home. The facility will feature hummingbird decorations throughout. “My sister passed away a couple of years ago. She died in a hospice house in Kentucky and loved humming birds. When I decided to do this I was like we are just going to put humming birds everywhere,” Sirull said. ... The Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home will have six rooms added to the existing building. Sirull said there will always be one bed available for someone who doesn’t have the finances or insurance to cover the stay.

Governor Hochul unveils proposals to increase support and resources for New York’s older adults 2026 State of the State - Health, Albany, NY; Press Release; 1/13/26 Governor Kathy Hochul today proposed a series of initiatives to support older New Yorkers as part of her 2026 State of the State. The Governor’s investments will help older New Yorkers, caretakers, and communities by connecting them to key resources so seniors can age in place, at home, in the communities they know and love.

Governor Hochul unveils proposals to increase support and resources for New York’s older adults 2026 State of the State - Health, Albany, NY; Press Release; 1/13/26 Governor Kathy Hochul today proposed a series of initiatives to support older New Yorkers as part of her 2026 State of the State. The Governor’s investments will help older New Yorkers, caretakers, and communities by connecting them to key resources so seniors can age in place, at home, in the communities they know and love.

Top 10 leadership pivots for 2026 Forbes; by Julie Kratz; 1/4/26 ... “Psychological safety is the most powerful differentiator in building high-performing teams. Those who report feeling psychologically safe are 31% more likely than those who don’t to be a high performer,” as stated in a recent Wiley Workplace Intelligence study of high performing teams. When cultural factors like psychological safety are linked to performance, leaders pay attention. Consider these leadership pivots heading into 2026:

Phoenix medical students using AI to help them navigate difficult diagnoses or patient discussions NBC News 12, Phoenix, AZ; by Troy Lynch; 1/12/26 For nursing students, delivering a life-altering diagnosis or navigating end-of-life discussions can be more daunting than any clinical procedure. At Creighton University’s Health Sciences Phoenix campus, students are now turning to artificial intelligence to bridge that emotional gap. Launched in the fall of 2024, Creighton faculty and computer science students developed a specialized AI chatbot designed to help nursing students practice "soft skills" in a low-stakes environment. Unlike general-purpose AI, this program is custom-coded to simulate patient interactions and provide immediate, nuanced feedback on empathy and professional tone.

Safe Place for Pets turns 30!Safe Place for Pets press release; 1/11/26That's right - 2026 marks 30 years since a group of hospice nurses decided to act on what they saw as an urgent need - helping people facing terminal illness find homes for their beloved pets. We are grateful to our founder, Joanne Bonicelli, for her compassion and generosity, which continue to impact the lives of people and pets each year!

Senior nursing students encounter end-of-life experiences Bioengineer.org; 1/11/26 In a groundbreaking study that sheds light on the emotional and psychological landscape of nursing education, researchers have delved into the first encounters of senior nursing students with death and dying. This critical period in their education not only highlights their academic preparation but also illuminates the personal and ethical dimensions of caring for patients at the end of life. Such experiences are pivotal as they mold the future practices and attitudes of these budding healthcare professionals. 

How honoring patient autonomy prevents medical trauma Medpage Today's KevinMD.com; by Sheryl J. Nicholson; 1/11/26 Holding my mother in my arms as she took her last breath changed the way I understand care. That moment ... was heartbreaking and transformative. Her unwavering faith and peaceful passing contrasted sharply with the confusion that followed when CPR began despite her do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. I felt helpless. The experience became the catalyst for my commitment to advocacy and ethical clarity. It taught me that even well-intentioned interventions can violate patient autonomy and erode trust when systems fail to honor advance directives. ... Ethical implications: autonomy and systemic gaps ... Actionable steps for clinicians: ...

What to expect in US healthcare in 2026 and beyond McKinsey & Company; by Neha Patel and Shubham Singhal with Ankit Jain; 1/12/26The healthcare industry faces successive waves of challenging trends, with glimmers of opportunity in select segments. US healthcare system continues to face considerable financial strain, although there are pockets of opportunity. ... Payers and providers have borne the brunt of the decline to date and will continue to feel financial pressure in the immediate future. ... Meanwhile, providers could experience an increase in uncompensated care and loss of reimbursement. ... Post-acute care is positioned for stronger performance over the next several years, with continued growth in home health and hospice but stagnation in skilled nursing facilities. ...

Rethinking home care: New models to sustain aging in place Governing; by Paula Span; 1/9/26 Worker-owned cooperatives and direct-connect registries are reducing turnover and reshaping how older adults get care at home. ... One innovation, still small but expanding: home care cooperatives owned by the workers themselves. The first and largest, Cooperative Home Care Associates in the Bronx borough of New York City, began in 1985 and now employs about 1,600 home care aides. The ICA Group now counts 26 such worker-owned home care businesses nationwide.

The pendulum swings: Hospices’ 2026 M&A outlook Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/8/26 ... Hospices’ greatest strategic opportunities in 2026 will come from partnerships that strengthen continuity across the care continuum, according to Andy Johnston, president of hospice, palliative and personal care services, AccentCare. ... “The organizations that succeed will be those that balance innovation with operational discipline and choose partners who share their commitment to quality, compliance and patient-centered outcomes,” Johnston told Hospice News ... “It’s a year that will reward thoughtful alignment rather than aggressive expansion.”

Aspen Hospice opens new branch Wood County Monitor, Mineola, TX; by Brynna Williamson; 1/8/26 “It’s not a number. It’s very much a personal experience.” That’s the attitude the folks at Aspen Hospice and Palliative Care in Quitman say they maintain. Haven’t heard of them? That’s OK; Aspen is new to Quitman. However, it isn’t a new company. In fact, Regional Director of Business Development Kayla Howard says that Aspen has 24 branches across the nation. What the local branch might lack in antiquity, it makes up for in a professed desire to serve the elderly and vulnerable in Wood County.