Literature Review
Hospice chaplains play key role in addressing emotional pain, VITAS spiritual lead explains
10/28/25 at 02:00 AMHospice chaplains play key role in addressing emotional pain, VITAS spiritual lead explains McKnights Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 10/26/25 In hospice care, maintaining the comfort and dignity of the patient are top priorities for clinicians. But there are some aspects of the end-of-life experience that they are not equipped to handle. That’s where hospice chaplains like Jason Cooper, national spiritual lead at VITAS Healthcare, come in. ... In hospice care, maintaining the comfort and dignity of the patient are top priorities for clinicians. But there are some aspects of the end-of-life experience that they are not equipped to handle. That’s where hospice chaplains like Jason Cooper, national spiritual lead at VITAS Healthcare, come in. In his role, Cooper supports over 300 chaplains and spiritual caregivers and up to 23,000 patients with terminal diagnoses nationwide.
Hospice market expands at 9.6% CAGR, projected to hit USD 182.1 billion
10/28/25 at 02:00 AMHospice market expands at 9.6% CAGR, projected to hit USD 182.1 billion Market.Us Media; by Trishita Deb; 10/26/25 The Global Hospice Market is projected to reach USD 182.1 billion by 2033, growing from USD 72.8 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 9.6%. ... Challenges:
Hospice of the Chesapeake and Partners In Care join to support aging community
10/27/25 at 03:10 AMHospice of the Chesapeake and Partners In Care join to support aging communityHospice of the Chesapeake press release; by Elyzabeth Marcussen; 10/24/25Hospice of the Chesapeake is proud to announce that Partners In Care of Maryland, Inc., has officially joined its family of services under a newly formed umbrella organization, Chesapeake Health Partners... As Maryland’s largest independent nonprofit hospice organization, Hospice of the Chesapeake has been a trusted resource for individuals and families facing serious illness, helping them live each day with intention and peace. Partners In Care, a Maryland-based nonprofit, has built its legacy on helping older adults remain independent and engaged through its signature Service Exchange model where members help one another with transportation, handyman services, social connection and more.Note: This is in addition to Partnership Expands In-Home Palliative Care in Calvert County - Chesapeake Supportive Care (CSC), the palliative care arm of Hospice of the Chesapeake, is excited to announce a new partnership with Southern Maryland House Calls (SMHC), a trusted leader in home-based geriatric care, to enhance access to palliative care services for residents of Calvert County.
We understand death only after it has placed its hands on someone we love. ~ Madame de Stael
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMWe understand death only after it has placed its hands on someone we love. ~ Madame de Stael
Three tried-and-true strategies AHCA Gold Quality Award winners use to land and keep staff
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMThree tried-and-true strategies AHCA Gold Quality Award winners use to land and keep staff McKnights Long-Term Care News, Las Vegas, NV; by Kimberly Marselas; 10/22/25 Leaders of three of the nation’s best-performing nursing homes shared ... outside-the-box recruitment and retention strategies that have made robust staffing the linchpin of their respective quality-improvement journeys. ... Here, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News shares a few of the role model practices Peters and her two 2025 Gold National Quality Award peers rely on to create staff loyalty, even in highly competitive markets.
Genesis holds groundbreaking ceremony for new hospice care facility
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMGenesis holds groundbreaking ceremony for new hospice care facility Spectrum News 1, Zanesville, OH; by Ruby Jackson; 10/22/25 On Tuesday, Genesis HealthCare System held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of its new Genesis Hospice Care inpatient facility. The new facility has been dubbed the J.W. & M.H. Straker Foundation Hospice House and is planned to finish construction in 2026. ... A total of $7.4 million was donated from the community organizations and individuals during a capital campaign.
Ensuring safe, effective transitions to hospice
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMEnsuring safe, effective transitions to hospice Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/22/25 Trust, coordination among staff and speedy processes are essential to hospice referral management. This is according to new research from Transcend Strategy Group. For the consulting firm’s most recent Insights Report it conducted in-depth interviews with hospice admissions and business development professionals to identify recurring themes, barriers and opportunities. ... “We have to remember that for the person calling this is probably one of the worst days of their life — if it’s a family member, or if they’re calling on behalf of themselves — and they need help urgently,” Tony Kudner, chief strategy officer for Transcend Strategy Group, told Hospice News.
Home-based care companies improve outcomes by training family caregivers
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMHome-based care companies improve outcomes by training family caregivers Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 10/25/25 Home-based care companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of training family caregivers to improve patient outcomes. By engaging family caregivers through education and mobilization, these companies can keep patients out of hospitals longer and maintain them in their homes, contributing to their overall happiness and health.
Mental health resources: Finding the help you need
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMMental health resources: Finding the help you need MSN News; by Lisa Rapaport; 10/23/25 Whether youre coping with anxiety, depression, a substance use disorder, grief, or something else, there are organizations that can help you often for free. Here are some to reach out to when you need mental health support. ...
Mentorship, military legacy, and making a difference with Susan Combs
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMMentorship, military legacy, and making a difference with Susan Combs Advisor Today; podcast with Susan Combs; 10/25/25 Susan Combs is the Founder of Pancakes for Roger, a nonprofit that honors veterans and amplifies their stories through a grassroots “pancakes” movement. She created it after her father, a Major General, asked for pancakes while on hospice, inspiring a campaign, book, and advocacy project.Editor's Note: Though Veteran's Day is only two weeks away, you have time to implement Susan's amazing "Pancakes for Roger" for the veterans you serve, via their annual national (and international) campaigns each February. Explore more information.
Pumping irony: When the hospice is inhospitable
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMPumping irony: When the hospice is inhospitable Experience Life; by Craig Cox; 10/22/25 ... University of Michigan researchers, reviewing the health records of some 139,000 hospice patients diagnosed with dementia, found that nearly half of them were given benzodiazepines, a class of drugs designed to relieve agitation and anxiety. ... The results, in many cases, were deadly. ... “For patients who are not actively dying, patients and families may prioritize preserving cognition, communication, and function — goals that may be compromised by sedating medications,” she writes. “This further underscores the need for dementia-specific hospice interventions to help offer scalable, nonpharmacologic approaches, to equip hospice clinicians with effective alternatives.”
Ames hospice center to close due to decline in patient numbers, rising costs
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMAmes hospice center to close due to decline in patient numbers, rising costs We Are Iowa, Des Moines, IA; by Caleb Geer;10/23/25 After more than 25 years of service in central Iowa, the Israel Family Hospice House is preparing to close its doors, according to Mary Greeley Medical Center. The decision will be effective on Dec. 31, 2025, pending approval by the hospital's Board of Trustees during their Oct. 28 meeting. "After careful consideration, and in light of a steady decline in patient numbers, increased competition from for-profit providers, insufficient reimbursements, and rising operational costs, we have made the difficult decision to close the hospice house," a post on the Mary Greeley Facebook account says in part. Reasons for the pending closure include declining patients, increased competition and increasing deficit, according to an FAQ document provided by the hospital.
How to manage financial caregiving for an aging parent
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMHow to manage financial caregiving for an aging parent AOL.com; by Kerry Hannon; 10/25/25Steering end-of-life financial decisions for an aging parent is not a job many of us would choose. But we do — and feel our way through the messy emotions as best we can. ...[From an interview:] "[Your mom] was rejected for hospice care, which is covered by Medicare. Can you elaborate on that?""That was just such a slap in the face because it's a hard decision to go to hospice. ... My mom made that decision for herself, but my brother, the doctors, and me had to be on board with it in order for her to do it. The only reason they rejected her is because they thought she would be too costly. They do a cost-benefit analysis of how long that person is going to last— how much [in] resources is she going to consume? They decided that her diagnosis was too murky to justify putting her on hospice at that point. I finally found another hospice company to accept her. And she died in two weeks."
New hospice CEO embracing role, mission
10/27/25 at 03:00 AMNew hospice CEO embracing role, mission Messenger-Inquirer; by Michele Lohman; 10/24/25 As a past board member and board president, Blake Edge, recently named the new CEO of Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky following the retirement of Brenda Knollenberg, was already familiar with the services provided by the nonprofit organization. He has a goal to educate communities about hospice, which provides end-of-life care to individuals and families in Daviess, Hancock, Hopkins, and Muhlenberg counties.
Size of the financial incentives in Medicare’s Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing Program
10/26/25 at 03:55 AMSize of the financial incentives in Medicare’s Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing ProgramJAMA Network Open; by Robert E. Burke, Franya Hutchins, Jonathan Heintz, Syama R. Patel, Scott Appel, Julie Norman, Atul Gupta, Liam Rose, Rachel M. Werner; 9/25The Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) program seeks to reduce all-cause 30-day readmissions from SNF for traditional Medicare beneficiaries recently discharged from the hospital. Under SNF VBP, most SNFs receive a financial bonus or penalty up to 2% of their total traditional Medicare revenues each year, on the basis of their performance on 30-day readmission rates compared with other SNFs, or their own improvement in readmission rates over time. In this cohort study, we found that the size of the financial incentives at the SNF level are relatively small in terms of dollars and as a proportion of net operating income, and that most SNFs experienced substantial variability from year to year in their incentive payments. These 2 factors may have contributed to the relative lack of effectiveness of the SNF VBP program. First, if the level of the penalty is not sufficient to hire additional staff, purchase equipment (such as an x-ray machine or laboratory testing), or invest in new care processes, then SNFs will not be able to improve their ability to manage changes in patient condition.
10 health systems most cited by AI
10/26/25 at 03:50 AM10 health systems most cited by AIBecker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 10/9/25 AI chatbots are increasingly citing health system websites in their answers to healthcare-related questions. But which organizations show up the most in these AI-generated responses? Marketing agency Outcomes Rocket analyzed 5,472 unique citations in August generated by ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude and Perplexity. Here is where U.S. health systems ranked among the most popular sources, according to the September report and data shared with Becker’s:
[UK] Use of HidraWear in a malignant fungating wound at end of life: A case study
10/26/25 at 03:45 AM[UK] Use of HidraWear in a malignant fungating wound at end of life: A case studyWounds UK; by Alison Schofield; 9/25Malignant wounds are a devastating complication associated with cancer, which are challenging to manage and can be distressing for patients, family members and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Management of malignant wounds can differ significantly from that of any other wound type, particularly as they often occur at end of life. Increased awareness and communication around this difficult wound type is needed, including case studies and sharing of HCPs’ experiences. This case study describes the treatment of an end-of-life patient in a hospice setting, with a challenging malignant fungating wound (MFW). This case highlights the importance of palliative symptom management and the benefits of using HidraWear in practice.
Survey update during government shutdown - REVISED Guidance, 10/21/2025
10/26/25 at 03:40 AMSurvey update during government shutdown - REVISED Guidance, 10/21/2025CHAP blog; 10/21/25CMS posted and update to the memo, Contingency Plans – State Survey & Certification Activities in the Event of Federal Government Shutdown (QSO- 26-01-ALL-Revised) on 10/21/2025 that provides updates to state survey activity during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The revised guidance appears in red text. CMS has instructed CHAP that our survey activity is unaffected, and we will conduct our survey accreditation business as usual.
From mom-care to action: Identifying the crises in eldercare
10/26/25 at 03:35 AMFrom mom-care to action: Identifying the crises in eldercare Minnesota Women's Press; by Amy Gage; 10/15/25 “I didn’t set out to write a book,” author Judy Karofsky said. ... “My mom was my inspiration.” ... DisElderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice (New Village Press, 2025) ... began as a notebook of jokes and one-liners that her mom would toss off during their time together. A one-time amateur comedienne, Lillian Deutsch “was an amazing personality,” Karofsky says. DisElderly Conduct walks readers through Karofsky’s journey through six assisted living facilities and eventual hospice care before her mother’s death in 2018. Several themes emerge in the well-researched book:
Driving sales and admissions success in hospice care
10/26/25 at 03:30 AMDriving sales and admissions success in hospice careTranscend Strategy Group; 10/13/25Behind every referral, every admission and every family supported by hospice care is a story. It is the story of providers working against the clock, of families making overwhelming choices, and of staff navigating the delicate balance between operational realities and the urgent need for compassionate care. Hospice admissions and sales are not merely about numbers or processes – they represent moments when trust, urgency and compassion converge.
How Optum’s Amedisys deal could shake up the hospice market
10/26/25 at 03:25 AMHow Optum’s Amedisys deal could shake up the hospice marketHospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/21/25The acquisition of the home health and hospice provider Amedisys by the insurance mammoth UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) has far-reaching implications for the hospice community. The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum, in June 2023 inked its agreement to acquire Amedisys in an all-cash transaction of $101 per share, or about $3.3 billion. After leaping a series of regulatory hurdles, including a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit, the deal closed in mid-August... The merger likely makes UnitedHealth Group one of the largest hospice providers in the United States.
GeriPal Live! at CAPC: Karen Bullock, Kim Curseen, Matt Gonzales
10/26/25 at 03:20 AMGeriPal Live! at CAPC: Karen Bullock, Kim Curseen, Matt GonzalesGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, Karen Bullock, Kim Curseen, Matt Gonzales; 10/9/25Eric and I had the pleasure of doing a GeriPal Live! Podcast as the closing keynote for the recent Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) National Assembly in Philadelphia PA. For this podcast, we invited 3 guests to each select an article of interest to them, and engage in a discussion about the article, including questions from the CAPC attendees in the audience. Matt Gonzales used AI to select an article by Ravi Parikh on algorithm based nudges to default patients with advanced cancer into a palliative care consult... Kim Curseen selected an article by Harry Han in JPSM that surveyed palliative care fellowships... Karen Bullock selected a letter she first authored in response to Ira Byock’s white paper on a path forward in hospice and palliative care.
Traumatic brain injury in late life tied to elevated dementia risk
10/26/25 at 03:15 AMTraumatic brain injury in late life tied to elevated dementia risk Medscape; by Liz Scherer; 10/13/25 Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in late life is associated with a significant increase in the risk for new-onset dementia. The risk is especially elevated (by as much as 69%) within the first 5 years following the injury, according to newly published study findings. Though TBI, which results from direct impact or indirect force to the head, has long been recognized as a midlife risk factor for dementia, the risk that TBI poses in adults aged 65 years or older has been unclear.Editor's Notes: Pair this with the article we recently posted, "Why are more older people dying after falls?"
National Hospice Locator – Sixth quality score update
10/26/25 at 03:10 AMNational Hospice Locator – Sixth quality score updateHospice Analytics blog; by Cordt T. Kassner; 10/14/25Based on feedback from hospice leaders nationwide, the sixth update of the hospice quality score calculation was uploaded on October 14, 2025. Launched in 2012, the National Hospice Locator helps individuals find hospice providers in their area and now averages 15,000+ monthly visits and searches. Beginning in 2023, the default sort order changed to prioritize quality scores, offering a more meaningful measure of excellence. This marks the first (and only) publicly available national ranking of all hospices by quality. Notably, nine hospices achieved a perfect score of 100 in this update. Congratulations: