Literature Review

Hospice of Davidson County honors impact of volunteers The Dispatch; by Staff; 5/5/26 On April 30, Hospice of Davidson County held its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of the individuals who serve as the heart of the agency.  ... In 2025, volunteers provided 2,599 hours of direct support, a 76% increase over the previous year. Through the Hearts for Hospice initiative, volunteers assembled and delivered more than 300 Valentine's Day care packages to patients at Hospice of Davidson County's Hinkle Hospice House, ... as well as to local skilled nursing facilities and home care settings.  ... "Our volunteers do not just give their time; they give their hearts," said HDOC Volunteer Services Manager Elizabeth Mitchell.Editor's Note: This kind of data speaks well to your Board of Directors, donors, and other stakeholders. Additionally, multiply the hours of your direct support by the National Volunteer Wage Rage, currently estimated at $36/hour, with state specific data going back to 2001.

Ohio’s Hospice CEO: prepare for value-based care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/6/26 In time, value-based care will come to hospices, and they must be ready, according to Kent Anderson, CEO of Ohio’s Hospice. In this environment, scale will be key, as will a need to better understand the needs and objectives of referral partners, Anderson told Hospice News. He also leads Metta Health, a revenue cycle management consulting firm. Ohio’s Hospice is a statewide alliance of nonprofit providers established in 2013. The network leverages its member organizations’ collective size in negotiations with vendors, payers and referral sources, collaborates on back-office functions and shares some expenses and infrastructure.

Ambassador spotlight: Jill Nida’s lifelong commitment to Hospice of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara, CA; by Hospice of Santa Barbara; 5/5/26 For more than three decades, Jill Nida has been a steadfast advocate, volunteer, and champion for Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB). Her leadership and generosity have helped shape the organization into what it is today, and her personal story is deeply woven into its mission.  ...

Mother's Day support for hospice families

O’Neill Center Health Fair connects Marietta seniors with medical services, transportation and community resources The Marietta Times, Marietta, GA; by Gwen Sour; 5/5/26 The O’Neill Center hosted its annual Health Fair Monday morning, bringing together dozens of local providers and organizations to connect seniors with health resources, screenings and support services in one place. Rachel Garrison, activity coordinator at the center, said the event is designed to make information and assistance more accessible to older adults across the community. ... [Hospice organizations included] Buckey Hospice, Shrivers Hospice, Cawley Hospice, and Amedisys Hospice.

How a Sacramento hospice home brings ‘dignity and compassion’ to people experiencing homelessness Capradio, Sacramento, CA; by Sarit Laschinsky and Vicki Gonzalez; 5/1/26 Homelessness is an enduring crisis, both in Sacramento and across California. Local, state and federal officials have poured in billions of dollars to address these issues, but often those who are most vulnerable are left with few resources. This is especially true for people who are living on the streets with a terminal illness, many of whom are seeking care and stability as they navigate a complicated and emotional process. For the past year, a facility in South Natomas has been helping them live out their final days with dignity and respect. Joshua’s House is the first hospice providing end-of-life care to people experiencing homelessness on the West Coast.

Livingstone sells Elevate Hospice to Legacy HospiceLivingstone Partners; Press Release by Jim Moskal and Joseph Ens; 3/26/26 Livingstone’s healthcare team advised Elevate Hospice, a provider of comprehensive hospice care across Kansas and Missouri, on its sale to Legacy Hospice, a portfolio company of Bain Capital Double Impact.  Livingstone served as the exclusive financial advisor to the Company. Elevate operates three locations and delivers personalized hospice care to more than 225 patients per day.  ... Legacy Hospice, which was acquired by Bain Double Impact in November 2025, provides hospice services across five states in the Southeast with a specialized focus on in-home care in rural markets.

New website launch addresses growing demand for hospice care in the Bay Area lohud, Brentwood, CA; Press Release; 4/29/26 Grace and Glory Hospice has launched a new website designed to help families better understand hospice services and access support more quickly, reflecting a growing need for personalized, non-corporate care options. As demand increases for hospice care bay area providers that offer a more individualized approach, the organization’s updated digital presence aims to simplify decision-making during a critical time.

What a new hospice center means for Cleveland – beyond health care: Bill Finn Cleveland.com, Cleveland, OH; by Bill Finn, President and CEO of Reserve Care (formerly Hospice of the Western Reserve); 5/3/26 Cleveland is no stranger to reinvention. We are a city shaped by resilience, by industry and by a deep commitment to one another. That spirit is what makes this moment so meaningful as Reserve Care opens a new lakefront care center, designed not only for patients and families, but for our entire community. ... Set along Lake Erie, the space was intentionally designed to feel different from a hospital. ... Every detail, from the views of the water to the quiet areas for conversation, supports a single goal: to ease stress and create a sense of peace. But the impact goes beyond the walls of the building. ...

The most valuable possession you can own is an open heart; the most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace. ~ Carlos Santana

BrightSpring aims for organic growth following Amedisys location acquisitions Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/1/26 After a banner first quarter, BrightSpring Health Services (Nasdaq: BTSG) is focused on performance improvement and continued organic growth. The company’s hospice operations are housed within its home health care business, part of its provider services segment. BrightSpring expects rising demand for those services to bolster its growth opportunity in both the near future and the long term, according to CEO Jon Rousseau. ... The average daily census for its home health business, inclusive of hospice, in Q1 rose 52% to 46,056 from 30,241 in the prior year’s quarter. 

CMS posts information on hospice election notification pilot: Crushing fraud, waste, & abuseCMS.gov; 5/1/26 On April 30, 2026, CMS announced that they had expanded the Hospice Election Notification pilot from Nevada into California.  During the pilot, when a hospice provider files a Notice of Election, a notification letter is immediately sent to the beneficiary to make sure they know they have been enrolled in hospice. If they did not enroll, they are instructed to call 1-800-MEDICARE who can help with overturning the election. Since the start of the pilot in Nevada in May 2025, more than 25,000 letters have been issued.  A copy of the letter being sent to beneficiaries in these states is available here.

End-of-life doctors reveal 5 common fears people face in their final moments SavingAdvice.com; by Amanda Blankenship; 5/3/26  Most people avoid thinking about death, but doctors who work in hospice and palliative care say the same fears come up again and again. ... Research shows that death anxiety is common, with many people experiencing fear tied to the process of dying, not just death itself. ... here are five of the most common fears [identified by these doctors] among people facing their final moments.