Literature Review

Dignity in the final chapter: Delaware’s End of Life Options Law and what it means for clients and counsel DelawareToday; by Zelvin Law; 11/1/25 With the passage of House Bill 140—the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Law—Delaware becomes the latest jurisdiction to empower terminally ill adults with the legal right to end their lives on their own terms, in a manner that is medically supported, ethically structured, and rooted in autonomy. Signed into law on May 20, 2025, HB 140 places Delaware at the forefront of the East Coast in authorizing medical aid in dying. ... HB 140 includes significant protections and responsibilities for both patients and providers. [A list of key requirements follows.]

BeyondTrust experts reveal top cybersecurity predictions for 2026 and beyond Albany CEO; Staff Report from Georgia CEO; 11/3/25 BeyondTrust ... today announced its top cybersecurity predictions for 2026 and beyond, identifying the trends that will redefine how organizations protect identities, secure data, and prepare for a rapidly evolving threat landscape. ... Cybersecurity Predictions for 2026+: Identity, AI, and Geopolitics Collide

[United Kingdom] Petition to save hospice beds going to Number 10 BBC News; Phil Shepka; 11/3/25 Families and MPs campaigning for beds to be saved at a hospice are to hand a petition with more than 15,000 signatures to Number 10 Downing Street. Nine inpatient beds at the Cambridge-based Arthur Rank Hospice are expected to close after the trust that operates nearby Addenbrooke's Hospital removed funding. ... Among those planning to attend Downing Street trip include those whose loved ones were cared for by the hospice. The funding cuts, announced last month, amount to £829,000 a year and will reduce the hospice's inpatient unit bed capacity from 21 to 12. 

“We See the Whole You”: NPHI celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 11/1/25 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care, proudly celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November by recognizing the impact of care delivered by nonprofit hospice and healthcare providers across the nation. This year’s national theme, “We See the Whole You,” honors the professionals and organizations who care for people as individuals — each with their own stories, values, and hopes — while supporting families through life’s most meaningful and challenging moments. The theme underscores NPHI’s commitment to care that puts people over profits, ensuring every person is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Health Talk: National Care at Home Month Rutland Herald, Rutland, VT; by Nicole Moran; 11/1/25 Throughout the month of November, VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) will join organizations across the nation in recognizing and celebrating National Care at Home Month.Editor's Note: This article demonstrates great community outreach and education through local new outlets and national observances. For more visit our post, "November 2025 Healthcare Observances," and our ongoing Healthcare Observances webpage for additional dates.

Disney delivers Halloween magic to children’s hospitals The Walt Disney Company; Press Release; 10/31/25 ... For years, Disney has joined with the Starlight Children’s Foundation to deliver not-so-scary Halloween cheer to children’s hospitals. Since 2021, Disney’s donations have reached over 80,000 pediatric patients, according to Starlight. ... These visits are a part of Disney’s wider efforts this Halloween to bring joy to kids facing critical illnesses. Last weekend, for the first time ever, Disney, Make-A-Wish, MrBeast, and YouTube hosted some of the world’s top creators at Disneyland Resort to grant wishes for 40 Make-A-Wish kids at the ultimate Halloween experience. ... At Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in Vancouver, Canada, Disney paid a special visit to the kids there, bringing along costumes, stuffies, and books, and half of those items were shared with the Hospice center’s Abbotsford location.

Spain proposes major expansion of bereavement and palliative care leave Spanish News Today; 10/21/25 The Spanish Ministry of Labour has presented a draft Royal Decree that would significantly extend the amount of paid leave workers can take following the death of a close relative or when caring for a loved one receiving palliative care. Under the proposal, employees would see their bereavement leave increased from the current two days to ten working days in the event of the death of a spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. One of the most important changes is flexibility: these ten days would not need to be taken consecutively.Editor's Note: For ongoing bipartisan advocacy for bereavement leave legislation throughout the United States, visit Evermore.org/advocacy.

Life beyond the grave: These morticians are both conservation heroes and undertakers Sierra - The Magazine of the Sierra Club; by Marin Scotten; 10/31/25 ... Freddie Johnson could never see himself lying in a traditional cemetery. The idea of being buried with concrete, metal, and wood—materials that would stay in the ground forever—didn’t sit right with him. Cremation, the other conventional end-of-life option, also seemed jarring. ... Everything changed when he learned about natural or “green” burials while attending a community potluck more than 15 years ago. The relatively niche end-of-life movement uses entirely biodegradable products in the burial process and aims to connect human death to the natural world by restoring and protecting nature.

How to prepare for your death [podcast] MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; podcast by KevinMD with Joseph Pepe; 10/31/25 Physician executive Joseph Pepe discusses his article, “A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death.” He shares practical and compassionate advice on planning for life’s inevitable end, from organizing essential documents and creating a “death folder” to protecting loved ones through wills, trusts, and life insurance. Joseph explains why facing mortality head-on allows people to live more freely and meaningfully. 

HBO’s ‘The Pitt’ inspires viewers to consider organ donation, end-of-life planning WBOG Country 101.3; by Ozzy; 10/28/25 A University of Southern California study reveals HBO’s Emmy-winning The Pitt motivates viewers toward organ donation and end-of-life preparations. Research examining two multi-episode storylines shows 26.9% of surveyed audiences sought organ donation information while 17.2% shared donation details with others. The organ donation narrative particularly resonated with Black viewers, a demographic overrepresented on transplant waiting lists yet underrepresented as donors. Editor's Note: The Pitt's storyline involving organ donation is from Season 1, Episode 6, titled' 12:00 P.M."

Scout completes Eagle Scout project to replace a former Eagle Scout project at Kathy Hospice Washington County Daily News, Town of Polk, WI; by Grayson Sewell; 10/30/25 In 2013, Derek Palecek made and installed eight handcrafted bird feeders at Kathy Hospice for his Eagle Scout project, but after years of wear and tear, a new scout, Tyler Szabo, stepped up to replace them for his Eagle Scout project in October. “It meant a lot for me to be able to have this opportunity to make sure I can make something that can have a lasting effect on not only on the loved ones, but the ones who are passing away,” said Szabo. “It’s an amazing feeling to make sure they can enjoy the little bit of time they have left. It almost brings me to tears.”