Literature Review

Hospice care around the world: How other cultures approach end-of-life care - Gilchrist and Nkoaranga Palliative Care ehospice; by Gilchrist Hospice; 2/25/26 ... What began as a knowledge and skill-sharing partnership became something even greater: when Nkoaranga lost its main source of financial support in 2011, Gilchrist stepped up to fully fund the program’s annual operating budget. Today, through this enduring partnership, Gilchrist provides the $80,000 per year that allows Nkoaranga’s dedicated team to deliver life-changing care to patients and families who would otherwise go without. ... In 2024 alone, Nkoaranga’s small but mighty team conducted over 170 home visits and served 123 additional patients and families beyond their monthly caseload.

Hospice care market gains from supply chain diversification prsync; Press Release; 2/28/26 The Hospice Care Market, according to Reports Insights Consulting Pvt Ltd, The Hospice Care Market is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.2% between 2025 and 2033. The market is estimated at USD 35.8 Billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 62.5 Billion by the end of the forecast period in 2033. This steady expansion underscores the growing adoption of advanced technologies and solutions across various sectors in France. Increasing end-user demand, coupled with supportive policies and investment inflows, is set to drive sustained market progress throughout the forecast period.

Q&A: Why are more Americans under 50 years of age dying of colorectal cancer? Medscape; by Keith Mulvihill; 2/10/26 First, the good news: Fewer Americans younger than 50 years are dying from cancer vs just a decade ago — reflecting progress in prevention, early detection, and treatment. There is, however, one big exception. Colorectal cancer mortality has been steadily inching up, and the disease now stands as the leading cause of cancer death in this age group, up from the fifth-leading in the early 1990s. ... The outlier is colorectal cancer, where mortality has been rising by about 1% per year since 2005. And it’s a pattern seen in both men and women. ... [The researchers are asked,] "Can you offer some possible reasons for the declining mortality in most of the cancers you studied?" 

BrightSpring CEO: Hospice, home health have ‘unbelievable runway’ Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/27/26 BrightSpring Health Services (Nasdaq: BTSG) is seeing accelerated growth as it works to integrate assets acquired from Amedisys and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). The company purchased 107 home health branches from those companies for $239 million. The sale had been contingent on the outcome of the UnitedHealth Group’s own acquisition of Amedisys, which closed in August 2025. Some of the locations formerly belonged to LHC Group, which the insurance giant also acquired. “These assets are very complementary to our existing home health business from a geographic perspective, while also being in the same markets as our hospice locations in many cases,” BrightSpring CEO Jon Rousseau said in an earnings call. 

Savage Boards expanding after partnering with Hospice of Wichita Falls KFDX Wichita Falls, TX; by Curtis Jackson; 2/27/26 Katie Fowler has recently formed a partnership between her restaurant, “Savage Boards,” and Hospice of Wichita Falls’ in-house bistro. Fowler partnered with Hospice about three years ago and offers several sandwiches, salads, and more, alongside her to-go “adult style” lunchables and some sweet treats. Fowler said two years ago she never would have thought she’d be in the position to expand her business, and what better way to do that than with hospice, and said she’s doing more than just providing food for patients, she’s helping to ease the burden for those families going through tough times.

The measure isn’t wrong. The story is incomplete. McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Steven Littlehale; 2/27/26 Not long ago, I was sitting across from a nursing home leadership team as they stared at a quality measure report that didn’t make sense to them. ... So we did what more facilities should do when a QM score feels off: We stopped looking at the rating and started looking at the math. That’s where the real story surfaced. It wasn’t about poor care, but about exclusions not captured, covariates not fully coded, and pieces of the clinical picture that never made it into the structured data fields the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reads. 

Infographic: Compliance you can’t ignore HR Daily Advisor Staff; by HR Daily Advisor Staff; 1/21/26 In the age of AI and remote work, HR leaders are dealing with tough compliance challenges, and they must have strategies to keep everything straight and in order for their organizations. Want to learn best practices and what HR leaders should do right now to deal with compliance issues such as AI governance, leave laws, classifying workers, remote and global jurisdictional risk, data privacy, and employee monitoring/surveillance? Check out our infographic to ensure you’re as proactive as possible.

Azura Palliative Care & Hospice NBC WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI; Press Release; 2/27/26 Azura has been the leader in Memory Care & Assisted Living for many years. They are now opening a new location in Mukwonago. They also have a new sister company Azura Palliative Care & Hospice. The two companies allow them to offer assisted living, memory care, respite, hospice, palliative care and an adult day program called TIME. 

Choices Healthcare CEO Michael Link eyes growth, innovation while staying true to hospice mission LNP | Lancaster Online; by Rachel Curry; 3/1/26 Michael Link always admired the loyalty it took for a long, stable career — in terms of being loyal to the company and vice versa. In October 2025, Link became CEO of Choices Healthcare, the parent company of Hospice & Community Care, where he began working as an IT trainer in 2001. ... For Link, it was quickly apparent that the work he found himself in was meaningful, and staying within the organization afforded him the opportunity to work across all kinds of departments. In 2024, Hospice & Community Care merged with Hospice of Central PA to form Choices Healthcare. Together, they provide care across 11 Pennsylvania counties. The organization also operates the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss in Mount Joy. Much of Link’s new role involves maintaining a strong legacy of care.

Chris Remely: Understanding burial and cremation — part 2 Bozeman Daily Chronicle (BDC); by Chris Remely; 2/21/26 ... Cremation is not new. Records dating back thousands of years indicate that people along the Greek Peninsula were the first to practice cremation. It was primarily done as a practical way to bring the bodies of fallen warriors home to honor them. ... The first cremation in America was performed in 1876 in Pennsylvania. Today, approximately 60 percent of persons who die in the United States choose cremation. What is cremation and how is it performed? ...

Handmade patchwork quilts bring comfort to Taree palliative care patients and their families ABC - New South Wales, Australia; by Emma Siossian; 2/21/26 Kaye-Maree Hinton's husband Garry was in end-of-life care with a rare type of brain cancer, when a nurse laid a bright, handmade quilt over his hospital bed. Ms. Hinton, 62, says the simple act of kindness provided a spark of colour and comfort in the stark and sterile hospital environment. ... "It was so comforting … to cover him with something so beautiful, instead of just hospital sheets and hospital blankets in cold, stark white." ... The quilt is now set to become a family heirloom, already laid in a crib ready for the upcoming birth of Ms. Hinton's newest grandchild. ... Recently the project surpassed a total of 2,000 donated quilts.

Bedford Hospice House to close mid-April, shifts to home-based care WFXR Roanoke, Bedford, VA; by Samantha Trezevant; 2/27/26 Centra announced it will close the Bedford Hospice House on April 15, 2026, citing ongoing financial challenges despite years of community support. In a Facebook post, the nonprofit health system says operating costs at the hospice house have exceeded revenues and donations for several years. This led to what officials described as a difficult but necessary decision.