Literature Review

How hospice social workers create everyday moments that matter Severna Park Voice, Severna Park, MD; by Chris Gooding, LCSW-C, social worker Hospice of the Chesapeake; 1/15/26  There are many moving stories about how a hospice social worker helped a patient get married or take that one last trip to the ocean. These are impactful, memory-making moments that go a long way to honor the patient’s final wishes while helping a family heal after they’re gone. But I’m not going to share those kinds of moments. I’m going to share moments like helping the patient make a phone call to an estranged family member - or giving them permission to not make that phone call. Counseling a daughter whose mother no longer knows who she is due to dementia. These are moments that matter, everyday moments, that are nurtured by a hospice social worker. 

Agrace announces revolutionary dementia village: America's first Hogeweyk-inspired community redefining memory care PR Newswire, Madison, WI; by Agrace; 1/20/26 Agrace ... today announced plans to build the Ellen & Peter Johnson Dementia Village at Agrace, the first Hogeweyk-inspired dementia care community of its kind in the United States. ... Breaking ground this spring, the $40 million project represents a complete reimagining of dementia care in America, drawing inspiration from the Netherlands' internationally acclaimed Hogeweyk Dementia Village—a model that has set a new global standard for supporting people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. ... Traditional memory care has long focused on safety and clinical oversight—priorities that matter deeply to families and caregivers alike. Yet many of these settings—shaped by institutional design and medical frameworks—can unintentionally narrow autonomy, spontaneity, and connection to ordinary life. 

Some Americans to get Social Security benefits faster under new bill Newsweek; by Suzanne Blake; 1/16/26 A new Social Security bill has been proposed that would allow some Americans to get their benefits sooner. ... Why It Matters: Traditionally, Social Security disability recipients get paid on a specific schedule monthly after waiting a five-month period to earn their benefits. However, for terminally ill beneficiaries, this five-month delay can be especially burdensome and affect their quality of life before they inevitably die from their disease.

Ethics roundtable: Prescribing controlled substances in a terminally ill patient with suspected substance abuse disorder and opioid agreement violations American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Steven J Baumrucker, MD, FAAFP, FAAHPM, HMDC, Melissa Broome, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ACHPN, Gregory T Carter, MD, Matt Stolick, Ph.D,  Scott P Boyles, MDiv, Gregg VandeKieft, MD, MA, Andrew Wampler, JD, Lindsay Wilson, DO, FAAFP, Carolyn George, PsyD, Matthew A Murphy, MD, and Saima Rashid, MD; January 2026 This ethics roundtable examines how clinicians should navigate prescribing controlled substances for a terminally ill patient with suspected substance use disorder and opioid agreement violations. Contributors explore the ethical tension between alleviating suffering and minimizing harm, questioning how opioid agreements apply in end-of-life care and emphasizing individualized, compassionate decision-making grounded in dignity, trust, and proportional risk.

Small steps forward beat perfect plans left behind. ~ Nina Clarke

Story of Hope comfort care home holds grand opening in Chili NBC News-10, Rochester, NY (Chili, NY); by Jennifer Gan; 1/17/26 The Story of Hope Comfort Care Home officially opened its doors Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 813 Marshall Road [Chili, NY]. ... Sam Savary, president of the Board of Directors, said the opening represents years of work and community support, especially since a flash flood in 2023 that almost destroyed the place. “Monday [1/19] we’re so proud to actually be taking care of our very first patient… It’s been ten years to try to get this open,” said Savary. “Just to be able to recover from the flooding, and the outpouring of community support to make sure we didn’t have to give up, that we could make this happen, it’s truly a blessing.” The home is fully funded by donations and staffed by trained volunteers and hospice nurses.

Medicare Advantage overpayments will total $76B this year: MedPAC Healthcare Dive; by Rebecca Pifer Parduhn; 1/16/26 The federal government will pay an estimated $76 billion more to cover Medicare Advantage seniors this year than it would if those same seniors were in traditional Medicare, according to new estimates from an influential advisory group. ... Still, the report released [1/16] Friday by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is likely to add more fuel to concerns about overpayments in the privatized Medicare program, which has grown to cover more than half of all Medicare enrollees.

If you think you don't need a chaplain, reconsider Parkview Health | Family Medicine, Diseases & Disorders, Fort Wayne, IN; by Karen Kosberg, chaplain, Parkview Hospice; 1/18/26"I'm not religious." "I don't need anyone preaching at me.""I don't want a chaplain yet!"These are some of the responses I have heard over the years as a hospice chaplain. These statements are reactions to the offer of a visit. So once and for all, let's answer the question: Why a chaplain? ...Editor's Note: Continue reading this excellent description of our too-often-neglected hospice chaplains. Reach out to learn more about your hospice chaplains. Find meaningful ways to thank and honor them.

Christmas tree recycling raises £100k for hospice BBC News; Press Release; 1/16/26 A hospice has raised more than £100,000 through its annual Christmas tree recycling scheme, declaring it the most successful year yet. St. Giles Hospice, Lichfield, said 5,425 real trees were collected from people's doorsteps between 10 and13 January as part of its TreeCycle service. Volunteers, hospice staff and local businesses braved the winter weather to pick up trees across Staffordshire, north Birmingham and surrounding areas, stated the charity. The Christmas trees, which lined up would measure nearly seven miles, were being turned into compost by a Lichfield company for agricultural purposes, it added.

What is palliative medicine and why is it so misunderstood? MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Patricia M. Fogelman, DNP; 1/16/26 After years of leading palliative medicine departments, as a Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, I’ve had countless conversations that start the same way. A colleague in the hallway says, “Oh, palliative care—that’s so important. You all are so nice.” Or a hospital administrator tells me, “We wish we could give you more, but resources are tight right now.” Or my personal favorite: “Palliative care is great, but this patient isn’t ready for that yet.” Each time, I smile and nod, but inside I’m thinking: I used to say the same things before I came into palliative medicine, because once upon a time, I also had no idea what we actually do. 

Employee experience trends: What the data says about 2026 Perceptyx; by Zachary Warman, MS, Oliver Lee Bateman, PhD & Bradley Wilson, PhD; 1/16/26 Perceptyx research across 20 million employee survey responses reveals the largest shift in engagement drivers ever recorded: change management and confidence in senior leadership now rank as top drivers, while belonging and feeling valued dropped from their consistent top-two positions. With 4.6% unemployment and a "low-hire-low-fire" market, stable retention numbers may mask a workforce too paralyzed to pursue growth rather than one that's thriving. 

New IL law requires annual report on prison hospice care WAND News, Springfield, IL; by Mike Miletich; 1/15/26 A new law requires Illinois to report data on hospice care available for prisoners. Supporters say the law will bring dignity, transparency and compassion to people dying within the state's correctional facilities. More than 1,000 prisoners are 65 or older, and a growing number of those people need end-of-life care and support services. The Illinois Department of Corrections does not have a formal hospice program, as end-of-life care is provided on a prison-by-prison basis.