Literature Review

"Let there be peace on earth," sung at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum by the Young People's Chorus of New York City, for Pope Francis and other world interfaith leaders YouTube; excerpt from televised global service in the suriving, deepest basement of the Twin Towers; 9/25/15On September 25, 2015, Pope Francis led a profound interfaith prayer service at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. Held in the subterranean Foundation Hall against the solemn backdrop of the World Trade Center’s original subterranean wall that survived the attacks, the historic gathering brought together around 500 guests and leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh traditions to promote global peace and healing. The emotional climax of the service occurred when the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, comprised of more than 60 diverse teenage singers, delivered a moving rendition of "Let There Be Peace on Earth," echoing a message of unity through the sacred, historic space.

Navigating generational shifts: strategies for sustaining organizational knowledge and future-proofing the workforce Recruit-Talent.com; 9/9/26 The modern workplace is in the midst of an unprecedented demographic transformation, driven by the mass retirement of Baby Boomers and the increasing entry of Generation Z. This confluence of generational shifts presents both significant challenges and unique opportunities for organizations globally. ...

As home health moratorium nears expiration, advocates press CMS against extension Home Health Care News; by MK Manoylov; 9/9/26 LeadingAge and the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) submitted new letters urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow the moratorium on Medicare home health enrollment to expire — even after LeadingAge has supported the freeze. These new letters also urge CMS to adopt more targeted enforcement measures to avoid implicating compliant providers.  

Time is of the essence: evaluating short-term prognosis tools in cancer and non-cancer patients Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Kayla Sheehan, Navasuja Kumar, Julia Pudar, Susan Duong, Megan Bricely, Mohamman Alhameed, Mohammed Kabeto, Donglin Zeng, Adam Marks; 8/27/26 Accurate end-of-life prognostication supports patient, family, clinician, and health system decision-making. The Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI), Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), and Short-Term Prognosis Signs (SPS) have been used in palliative care populations, particularly advanced cancer (1-3), but their utility for short-term prognostication in non-cancer patients is less established.

Don’t let ‘bad actors’ sour the value of caring for California seniors at home The Press-Enterprise; by John Fund; 9/8/26 We’re hearing a lot about fraud in federal programs lately. The new Ground Zero for fraud is in California, where a perfect storm of bad government has formed in the last few years. The worst cases involve Medicare and Medicaid. ... I’ve felt personal pain and anger over these types of scandals. A few years ago, my 87-year-old father in Sacramento mistakenly and prematurely went into hospice which meant Medicare payments for his ailments were foregone. ... Legitimate hospice remains important for people who actually need it. The fraud problem puts that care at risk.

Memory Care: Hospice of the Valley awarded grant to support first-of-its-kind in-home dementia program Lovin' Life, Tuscon, AZ; 9/6/26 Hospice of the Valley has been awarded a $100,000 Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment Grant to support its Supportive Care for Dementia Program across Maricopa, Pinal and Pima Counties. This unique service is the only in-home program in Arizona delivering clinical and emotional care to support families caring for a loved one with any stage of dementia. Specific features of the program include in-home guidance and custom care plans from an experienced dementia team; free family caregiver education and support; low-cost in-home respite care through the RISE student engagement partnership; and 24-hour access to clinical advice and care coordination.

Beyond the bottle: a whole person approach to pain management for veterans enrolled in inpatient hospice Medscape; by Tracy Shamas, APRN, MSN, ACHPN, Andrea Ruskin, MD, HEC-C, and Alexandra Laffer, PhD; 9/9/26 Background: ... Veterans Affairs inpatient hospice units are uniquely positioned to implement non-pharmacological pain interventions due to longer lengths of stay and broader resources compared to Medicare GIP-regulated settings. This quality improvement project aims to support the uptake and utilization of non-pharmacological pain management interventions for veterans receiving inpatient hospice care. ... Conclusions: Initial findings show that veterans with pain at end-of-life express interest in holistic non-pharmacological options, and integrating these approaches is feasible within inpatient hospice care. ... 

Squirrel Hill nursing home sued over man's hypothermia death hoodline, Pittsburgh, PA; by Samantha Davis; 9/2/26 George Agie was 78 years old, living with heart failure, a seizure disorder, and end-stage renal disease, when a paramedic crew found him inside a bitterly cold room at Squirrel Hill Wellness and Rehabilitation Center on January 29, with a core body temperature of just 82.2 degrees. He died less than two months later, and now his sister is suing the facility, claiming a malfunctioning heater and inattentive staff let a survivable situation turn fatal. ... Agie remained hospitalized through February 16 before being discharged to receive hospice care at home, where he died on March 24. 

A growing Bay County deserves more choices in compassionate care | guest column Panama City News Herald, Panama City, FL; by Julie Head; 9/6/26 Bay County’s remarkable growth has brought new neighborhoods, businesses and opportunities. But as our population grows and ages, more families will face serious illness, care for aging parents and make difficult health care decisions. A community’s strength is measured not only by how it welcomes new residents, but also by how it supports people during life’s most vulnerable moments. That's why conversations about hospice, and access to it, matter. ... For nearly 45 years, Big Bend Hospice has served North Florida from its roots in Tallahassee as a community-based nonprofit. We expanded into Bay County because we saw a growing need for nonprofit hospice care. Before opening our doors, we spent months listening. ...

When lung cancer spreads to the liver: what to expect Everyday Health; by Ashley Welch, medically reviewed by Tingting Tan, MD, PhD; 9/8/26 Liver metastasis from lung cancer occurs when cancer cells from the tumor in the lung travel to the liver. Also known as stage 4, it’s the most advanced stage of lung cancer. ...

Our Hospice collects $110K at Labor Day weekend concert Jennings County KORN 97.7 & 1460 AM, Columbus, IN; 9/8/26This year's Our Hospice Concert returned to the Bartholomew County Public Library on Saturday, September 5, for an afternoon of music benefiting Our Hospice of South Central Indiana. Community partners, raffle participants, sponsors, benefactors, and attendees raised over $110,000 for Our Hospice patients and their loved ones. The 40th Annual Our Hospice Concert came back to the library steps in downtown Columbus, where the tradition began in 1987.

Croí Health Hospice residence renamed to include Barbara Roch Access Newswire, Hingham, MA; Press Release; 9/8/26 On September 8, Croí Health officially unveils a new sign renaming the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham, MA, to the Barbara and Pat Roche Hospice Home. The change honors the generosity of the couple, co-founders of the Roche Bros. supermarket chain, who helped make the residence possible. The Pat Roche Hospice Home first opened in 2013 as the region's first hospice residence, named for Patrick Roche following his passing in 2012. The organization is now expanding that tribute to include his wife, Barbara, who passed in November. The Roche family has long supported Croí Health's mission to expand access to hospice and palliative care across the 27 South Shore towns it serves.