Literature Review

Serious illness conversations in the Emergency Department for older adults with advanced illnesses - A randomized clinical trialJAMA Network; by Kei Ouchi, Susan D. Block, Dorene M. Rentz, Donna L. Berry, Hannah Oelschlager, Youkie Shiozawa, Sarah Rossmassler, Amanda L. Berger, Mohammad A. Hasdianda, Wei Wang, Edward Boyer, Rebecca L. Sudore, James A. Tulsky, Mara A. Schonberg; 6/25Does an emergency department (ED)–based intervention to discuss serious illness care goals improve advance care planning outcomes for older adults with advanced illnesses? In this randomized clinical trial including 141 patients in the ED, a nurse-led intervention to discuss serious illness care goals did not significantly improve patient-reported engagement in advance care planning but did increase subsequent clinician-documented serious illness conversations in the medical records. These findings suggest that ED visits may serve as a critical access point for serious illness conversations in clinically stable older adults with advanced illnesses.

[Bogota, Columbia] Anxiety, depression, and quality of life of caregivers of palliative care patients with cancerRevista Cuidarte; by Alejandra María Alvarado García, Lina María Vargas-Escobar, Mauricio Arias-Rojas, Carlos Javier Avendaño-Vásquez, Cesar Antonio Consuegra-Pareja; 2/25Caregivers with moderate or severe depression were more likely to report symptoms of sadness, punishment feelings, self-dislike, suicidal thoughts or wishes, indecisiveness, irritability, changes in appetite, concentration difficulty, and tiredness or fatigue. Among caregivers with mild depression, loss of interest in sex, agitation, and past failure were identified. Strategies for psycho-emotional counseling, education, and support for caregivers are needed.

Re-examining early in early palliative care: Precedent, reality, and future research prioritiesJCO Oncology Practice; by Laura A. Petrillo, Julia L. Agne; 6/25Nearly 700,000 people in the United States are living with metastatic solid tumor malignancies in 2025, a number that continues to grow because of advances in survival-extending therapy. Even with therapeutic advances, however, metastatic cancer continues to negatively affect patients' quality of life because of bothersome symptoms and psychological, social, and spiritual distress. Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on alleviating suffering for individuals with serious illness, including those with advanced cancer. On the basis of on substantial evidence demonstrating its efficacy in improving quality of life, ASCO and other organizations now recommend the early integration of palliative care with oncology care for all individuals living with advanced cancer. [Also see accompanying article: Early Integration of Outpatient Palliative Care Among Adults With Advanced Cancer in a Safety-Net Health System: A Patterns of Care Analysis; by Lisa DiMartino, Vincent Merrill, Celette Sugg Skinner, Timothy P. Hogan, Navid Sadeghi, Alva Roche-Green, Winnie Wang, Arthur S. Hong]

‘It takes a village’: The need to expand community-based pediatric palliative careHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/25/25Similar to adults, many seriously ill children prefer to die in the home versus in facility-based care settings. But several barriers are preventing greater access to goal-concordant, community-based pediatric palliative care delivery. The challenges in some ways mirror issues among adult populations such as insufficient clinical resources, caregiver burden or lagging family support in the home, as well as financial and logistical constraints. However, in the pediatric space, these obstacles are much more complex and nuanced to navigate, according to Allison Grady, pediatric oncology nurse practitioner and chair of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ (NAPNAP) Pediatric Palliative Care Special Interest Group.

Community Hospice & Palliative Care launches "Mail Call" program to honor Veteran patientsJaxChamber; 6/24/25Community Hospice & Palliative Care (Jacksonville, FL) is proud to announce the launch of its new "Mail Call" program, designed to honor and appreciate our veteran patients in a deeply personal way. This initiative expands upon our existing veteran recognition ceremonies, enriching the end-of-life care experience for those who have served our country. The "Mail Call" program invites volunteers, students, and community members to write heartfelt letters to our veteran patients. These letters, reminiscent of the cherished mail from home during their service years, offer messages of gratitude, encouragement, and personal reflections. Participants can choose to include their name or school, allowing students to share their appreciation directly with our veterans.

Hospice care not meant to be a last resort, offers more benefits[NH] The Laconia Daily Sun; by Anna Swanson, Pemi-Baker Hospice & Home Health; 6/24/25Hospice care is often misunderstood. Too many families see it as a last resort — something to turn to only when there’s “nothing else to do.” But at Pemi-Baker Hospice & Home Health, we see it differently. Hospice is not about giving up. It’s about choosing how to live. Hospice care is a gift — a chance to focus on what truly matters when time is short. It’s about comfort, dignity, and presence. It’s about saying yes to meaningful moments and no to unnecessary suffering.

Measuring what matters: The untapped power of resident experienceMcKnight's Long-Term Care News; by Charles de Vilmorin; 6/25/25In today’s senior living and long-term care environment, doing well financially depends on doing good — truly good. Communities that thrive are the ones that deliver on the promise of person-directed living, where residents are not passive care recipients but active participants in a life of dignity, purpose and connection. This isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s a strategic one. The industry has long recognized the importance of resident quality of life, but often fails to define or measure it with the same rigor applied to occupancy or staffing ratios. This is a missed opportunity. Resident experience remains one of the most powerful, untapped levers for operational improvement, competitive differentiation and financial growth. It’s time we treat it like the performance driver it is.Publisher's note: The balance of "mission and money" is equally true in hospice.

Social Media Watch 6/27/25

I've managed 260 employees — Here's how to tell if your leadership style is actually workingEntrepreneur; by Amy M Chambers; 6/25/25These six clues always predict whether or not there's strong leadership nearby. If you don't see these six things, poor leadership isn't far. [Including:]

Nursing at the speed of trustMinority Nurse; by Keith Carlson; 6/26/25Seeking a career in nursing could be seen as an exercise in trust. We nurses willingly endure a grueling educational experience, place ourselves in the hands of nursing professors and preceptors, and otherwise trust that the blood, sweat, tears, and expense of pursuing our goal is worthwhile. In essence, we move at the speed of trust as we enter the nursing universe.

SCI Waymart inmates care for fellow inmates who are in hospice[PA] WVIA PBS; by Roger DuPuis, Lydia McFarlane; 6/20/25Today, WVIA News' Roger DuPuis and Lydia McFarlane talk about SCI Waymart's program that trains inmates to care for fellow inmates in hospice care. This is a transcript of their conversation as it aired on WVIA Radio.

NVNA and Hospice continues to expand care access, receives two $1 million giftsMassNonproftNews; 6/20/25NVNA and Hospice has announced two transformative $1 million gifts from prominent Boston-area philanthropists Cathy and Rick Roche and Karen and Rob Hale. The donations come as the nonprofit enters the silent phase of a five-year, $20 million fundraising campaign aimed at strengthening palliative and hospice patient care access across the South Shore.