Literature Review

Surely, in the light of history, it is more intelligent to hope rather than to fear, to try rather than not to try. For one thing we know beyond all doubt: Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’ ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

CMS proposes community-based palliative care benefit Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/1/26 The U.S Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed coverage of community-based palliative care through the Medicare home health benefit. CMS included the palliative benefit in its 2027 proposed home health rule. ... The agency emphasized that palliative care under the home health benefit would be separate from hospice care and could support patients earlier in the course of serious illness.

1776-1786: 250 Years - A History of CareHospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger; for 6/10/26Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

VNA Hops for Hospice brings community together in support of compassionate care GreatNews.Life, Valparaiso, IN; by Maxwell Barath; 6/29/26 On Saturday, June 27, more than 250 guests and over 60 dedicated volunteers gathered at the Porter County Expo Center for VNA Hospice NWI’s sixth annual Hops for Hospice, an afternoon celebrating local craft beverages, delicious food, live music, and a shared commitment to compassionate hospice care. The Expo Center was filled with energy as attendees sampled offerings from dozens of regional breweries, wineries, and beverage vendors while enjoying live performances by Bryan Elliott and Duke Tumatoe, whose music provided the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of community, conversation, and giving back.

Mi Casa Hospice Alzheimer’s awareness event brings community together through education and compassion Alice Echo News Journal, Alice, TX; by Pete Vasquez; 6/29/26 Education, compassion, and community came together during the recent Mi Casa Hospice Alzheimer’s Awareness Event, where healthcare professionals, local businesses, caregivers, and community members united with one shared purpose—to raise awareness and support families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. ... Mi Casa Hospice emphasized that when healthcare providers, local businesses, community organizations, and residents work together, they can make a lasting difference in the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.

MedCity Pivot Podcast: the evolution of at-home careMedCity News; podcast by Jill Schwartz-Cheylin and article by Arundhati Parmar; 6/30/26 In this month's pivot podcast, I speak to the chief medical officer of San Francisco-based Vynca, an innovative company in the world of palliative care that is providing serious disease management at home. Whenever people think of at-home care, generally it’s tied to remote monitoring or at-home diagnostics or temporary hospital-at-home programs. But at-home care now includes palliative care. In this month’s pivot podcast, I speak with the chief medical officer of Vynca, an innovative company in the world of palliative care that is providing serious disease management at home.

What do UK hospice websites communicate about the meaning of palliative care? BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Lucy Williams, Charlotte Browne, Paul Perkins, and Vanessa Taylor; 6/30/26Objectives: Hospice websites are an important source of information for the public. This study examined whether information communicated about palliative care aligned with WHO and the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) definitions of palliative care. ... Conclusions: Key information was often missing, and opportunities to educate the public and address misconceptions are being lost. Hospice websites need reviewing and content updating to help improve public understanding of palliative care. Editor's Note: What does your website communicate? What information does it omit, and why? In a time of heightened scrutiny and rampant fraud, examine your website for strengths, gaps, and opportunities to educate and support the public with integrity, authenticity, and empowered choice.

At Hospice Austin’s summer camp, kids find joy together after experiencing loss KUT 90.5, Austin, TX; by Olivia Aldridge; 6/29/26 On a Friday in mid-June, middle school-aged kids lined up for their shot at a summer camp rite of passage: the infamous high ropes course at John Knox Ranch in Fischer, Texas. The ranch hosts Camp Brave Heart, Hospice Austin’s annual camp for kids and teens who have experienced loss. 13-year-old Alisa bravely stepped up to the challenge first. Soon enough, she was strapped into a harness, inching along ropes strung 30 feet in the air. “You are rocking this!” the counselor belaying her from the ground yelled as Alisa neared the end of the course. “Take a second — you want to look at the view?”

Improving trauma-informed end-of-life support for indigenous populations Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/29/26 The end of life can come with significant challenges for underserved and under-resourced patient populations, including indigenous tribal communities. Hospices seeking to improve quality and disparities need a trauma-informed care delivery approach, as well as greater cultural staffing diversity and education. Culturally inclusive recruitment and retention policies can help hospices to bridge wide gaps of unmet needs among terminally ill patients and their families, according to Dr. Sophina Manheimer Calderon, CMO, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Health System in Baraga, Michigan. Calderon is from the Navajo Nation in Arizona and previously worked within the tribal community’s health system to collaborate with local hospice and home health providers. Increasing diverse staff representation allows hospices to have a deeper understanding of the unique challenges a community faces ...

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!

Big Bend Hospice announces grand opening of second Oak Tree Treasures location in Tallahassee Big Bend Hospice, Tallahassee, FL; Press Release; 6/29/26 Big Bend Hospice celebrated the grand opening of its second Oak Tree Treasures resale shop on Friday, June 26, welcoming a crowd of supporters, volunteers, donors and community leaders to mark the milestone. The celebration drew such an enthusiastic response ... Located at 3802 N. Monroe St., the new store expands Oak Tree Treasures’ mission of turning everyday shopping and donations into meaningful support for hospice patients and families across the Big Bend.

Compassus, Providence Execs: greater transparency needed on hospice quality Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/29/26 Greater transparency around hospice quality could help counter eroding trust among the public due to widespread fraud, according to executives from the home health and hospice provider Compassus and the Providence Health System. ... “We’ve got a big narrative about fraud and to use that that should, and probably does, engender fear in the average person who is not working in the industry,” Compassus CEO Mike Asselta told Hospice News. “Can I trust the provider if this industry is fraught with abuse? Am I going to be on the receiving end of that abuse? Just that narrative by itself could have a chilling effect on beneficiaries and families who otherwise need hospice.”

Medicare pushes end-of-life discussions in hospitalsAXIOS; by Maya Goldman; 6/29/26The Trump administration wants to formalize the process for recording whether Medicare patients want to be kept alive if they become incapacitated. Why it matters: Health providers have been required to ask about living wills and other "advance directives" since the early 1990s. But the questions are often skipped - or become a box-check in the admissions process. Only about a third of U.S. adults have documented their end-of-life care wishes. More consultations could reduce costly life-extending treatments that patients don't really want.Driving the news: The administration is proposing that hospitals begin reporting adult patients' preferences for end-of-life care in electronic health records starting in 2028.