Literature Review

Neenah pastor finds deeper calling after brother’s hospice journey WFRV Green Bay, WI; by Breanna Reinhart; 3/30/26 For the Reverend Niveen Ibrahim Sarras, walking with people through their final moments of life is more than a calling. It’s deeply personal. ... For years, Sarras has guided families through grief, offering prayers and presence at the end of life. But last summer, she found herself navigating that journey from a different perspective. Her brother, Odeh, traveled from Palestine to visit after a long battle with cancer. Just days later, doctors delivered devastating news. “The doctor, after having a CT scan, told me my brother was dying, and I shouldn’t let my brother go back,” Sarras said. Her family turned to hospice care, ... Through language barriers, cultural differences and grief, a team of local caregivers stepped in to help. What followed was a shared experience of compassion and learning. “I just want people to know that with hospice we are there to support you wherever you are at, no matter the cultural background,” said ThedaCare hospice nurse Briana Eggert.Editor's Note: To what extent does your hospice put this into action—supporting persons “no matter the cultural background”? Whatever your strengths, where are your cultural gaps, and how can you better align commitments with action through training, access to translated materials, interpreters, and community partnerships?

Free webinars: Pediatric concurrent hospice care miniseries, guidance for clinicians: A compassionate, coordinated, and compliant approach National Allliance for Care at Home; Press Release; 3/23/26 This Virtual Training will provide a practical, relevant, and comprehensive overview of Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care as an approach that allows children and adolescents to receive ongoing disease-directed therapies alongside hospice services. Participants will learn the foundations of Concurrent Hospice Care under Section 2302 of the Affordable Care Act including eligibility criteria, planning and coordination requirements, and interdisciplinary collaborative strategies.

Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about wound care Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Nicole Dussault, Jared Morphew, Veronica Nwagwu, Brittany Gatta, Angela Richardson, Nancy Payne, E Foy White-Chu, Lidiette Wilson, Heather Dalton, Christopher E Winstead-Derlega, Katherine Ramos, Christopher A Jones; 3/30/26 ... In this article, we outline key tips for assessing and managing wounds, including understanding prognosis and goals of care, evaluating care settings, tailoring management to the underlying disease process, and addressing symptoms such as pain, odor, and psychosocial distress. A thoughtful, interdisciplinary approach is essential to reduce the physical and emotional burden wounds place on patients and caregivers.Editor's Note: As CMS implements the HOPE (Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation) Tool as of October 1, 2025, skin and wound assessment becomes a visible quality marker in hospice—requiring structured documentation, ongoing reassessment, and clear alignment with patient goals. 

Canyon acquires Columbine Poudre Home Care, Bloom at Home Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/31/26 Colorado-based Canyon Home Care & Hospice has acquired Columbine Poudre Home Care and its affiliate Bloom at Home. The transaction extends Canyon’s footprint across northern Colorado. Financial terms were undisclosed. Columbine employees were offered positions at Canyon. The acquired company provides medical and non-medical home care, hospice, infusion services and medical equipment.

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. ~ William ShakespeareHappy April Fools Day!

* CEO, Hildegard House, nonprofit, Louisville, KY

What caring for elderly parents really feels like and what people don’t talk about Sassy Sister Stuff; by Victoria Cornell; 3/29/26 A simple Reddit prompt, “What’s something people don’t realize about taking care of elderly parents?”, turned into a raw, candid conversation in r/AskReddit.  ... Readers shared specific, sometimes heartbreaking stories and blunt advice, and the result is a clear picture of how caregiving is far messier than the Hallmark version we imagine.

Lost in transmission: Changes in organ donor status can fall through cracks in the system KFF Health News,  Akron News Reporter; by Céline Gounder; 3/29/26 When Raven Kinser walked into a Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office two summers ago, she completed a driver's license application that included the option to register as an organ donor. The form provides a checkbox to opt in, but not one to opt out. Kinser left the donor registration box unchecked, reflecting her decision to reverse an earlier donor registration. Six months later, after she was declared dead at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia, her parents say, they learned that her decision did not prevent organ procurement. Raven's case reveals a little-known gap in the U.S. donation system: There is no clear, nationally binding way to opt out or to ensure a later "no" overrides an earlier "yes" in a different state.

CMS Hospice Wage Index Panel: Key insights for access, staffing, and care delivery Abt Global | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid; by Michael Plotzke, T.J. Christian, Matt Knowles, and Anne St. George; meeting held on 9/10/25, report  published 11/24/25The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released both a summary and technical report from its September 2025 Technical Expert Panel on the hospice wage index—offering a closer look at how geographic wage adjustments may evolve. Beyond methodology, the reports carry meaningful clinical and operational implications. Refinements to the wage index influence how resources are distributed across regions, shaping workforce capacity, interdisciplinary team stability, and ultimately patient access to timely, high-quality hospice care. For leaders, these findings underscore the connection between payment policy and bedside realities—particularly in rural and underserved areas where recruitment, retention, and care continuity remain fragile.

Generations: Women’s History Month helps us remember women in our own history The Bemidji Pioneer; by Sue Bruns; 3/28/26 Whether you’re a history buff or not, I encourage you to take the last few days of March to reflect on some of the women you know or have known who are worthy of your admiration and reflection. ... I did a little online exploration and read about a few women I don’t recall my history classes mentioning. I encourage readers to go online and search sites like www.history.com and www.nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org. ... I have been blessed with truly amazing, strong, industrious, intelligent and compassionate women. Starting with my own mother.

Northern Counties Health delivers care, access over 50 years Caledoninan Record, Vermont; 3/27/26 Northern Counties Health Care, Inc. is marking a golden milestone this year, celebrating five decades of providing primary care, dental care, and home health and hospice services across Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The nonprofit traces its roots to a citizen-led effort to improve access to care and now operates a regional network designed around local needs. The organization’s origins date to 1976, when community leaders formed a board to continue the work of the Northern Counties Comprehensive Health Planning Council and established what became Vermont’s first federally qualified health center. ... The network today includes seven community health centers, two walk‑in primary care locations under the Northern Express Care banner, three dental centers, and a certified home health and hospice division.

New program and book examine best practices around end-of-life care for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) Hospice Foundation of America, Washington, DC; by Lisa Veglahn;3/25/26 Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) will present its 33rd annual Living with Grief® educational program, Best Practices in Hospice Care for Advanced Dementia, addressing optimal care for the fastest growing segment of the hospice population. The program will be held live via Zoom on April 14, 2026, from noon—2 pm ET. According to the National Institutes of Health, researchers estimate that 42% of Americans over the age of 55 will at some point develop a form of dementia, all of which are terminal illnesses. ... In addition to the upcoming program, HFA has published a new volume of scholarly and personal work, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: A Guide for Hospice Clinicians, edited by Kenneth J. Doka and Amy S. Tucci. The book offers valuable insights and practical approaches to delivering compassionate, person-centered end-of-life care to individuals with dementia and their loved ones. Editor's Note: Hospice Foundation of America has long defined standards for hospice education, and once again leads at a pivotal moment as dementia impacts Baby Boomers' end-of-life care. From their early satellite broadcasts that convened clinicians nationwide to today’s expansive reach, HFA has consistently translated complexity into practical, practice-changing insight. This work challenges us not only to learn, but to lead—bringing greater clarity, skill, and compassion to those living with dementia and those who walk beside them.