Literature Review

Late attorney leaves lasting legacy to St. Luke’s hospice Times News - tnonline.com; Press Release; 8/9/25 A recent gift to support hospice programs at St. Luke's deepens the impact of Justin K. McCarthy, Esq. ... Among his greatest accomplishmnets is his support of programs offered through St. Luke's University Health Network [in Pennsylvania and New Jersey]. ... For many years, McCarthy, who died in August 2023 at the age of 95, served on the board of trustees for the Network's Visiting Nurses Association and was an early supporter of the hospice program that evolved into an integral component of VNA services. In addition to sharing his time, talent and energy, he was also an extremely generous donor who contributed more than $2 million in support of St. Luke's.  

She wanted her dad to give her away at her wedding. A Niagara hospice made it happen NiagaraThisWeek.com - Grimsby Lincoln News; by Mark Newman; 8/10/25 Ron Oliver got to see his daughter get married. When the 67-year-old Grimsby resident moved into McNally House Hospice for end-of-life care on Wednesday, his daughter Alissa mentioned to hospice staff she wanted her father to see her get married and to give her away as part of the matrimonial ceremony before he dies. McNally House staff went to work, and 48 hours later Alissa was walking along an outdoor patio at the hospice with her father behind her in a wheelchair holding her hand.

Over half of older employees plan to work 'indefinitely' and never retire Money Magazine; by Amd Hardy; 8/11/25 Many retirement-age Americans are planning to continue working — forever. Some 51% of employed Americans 65 or older say they expect to work “indefinitely,” according to a recent report from Asset Preservation, a financial advisory firm. Meanwhile, about 6 in 10 respondents say they plan to work “at least five more years” before retiring, putting the earliest age they would consider retiring at 70. ... Why older Americans are working so late in life seems to be a fairly even split between necessity and choice. About one half works to cover basic living expenses, like food, health care and housing, while the other half chooses to work to stay mentally and physically active. Guest Editor’s Note, Mark Cohen: As many hospices are still trying to rebuild the ranks of their volunteers to pre-pandemic levels, this report indicates the challenges may continue to grow. It’s worth noting that half of the Boomers who say they will continue working past normal retirement age would do so out of choice and not economic necessity. That opens the door to demonstrating the value and rewards of volunteer service. And for those volunteer managers younger than Boomers, it’s important to keep in mind that, more than any other generation, Boomers define themselves and measure their success in life in large part by their work.

Family Hospice, Alzheimer’s Association partner on ‘Check In’ program for dementia patients Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/11/25Family Hospice is working with the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter, to improve safety for dementia patients through a new collaborative campaign. The #ICheckedIn campaign calls on community members to check on seniors in their community, particularly those who suffer from dementia or memory loss, through phone calls, visits or other modes of communication. Editor's Note: This article by Hospice News was reposted by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) under the title, "Hospice encourages public to check on older neighbors."

Amedisys pays $1.1 million for HSR compliance lapse amid pending UnitedHealth deal Lexology - Triage Health Law Blog; by Squire Patton Boggs; 8/12/25 Amedisys, a major provider of home health and hospice care, has agreed to pay a $1.1 million civil penalty to settle allegations that it violated the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act during the antitrust review of its pending $3.3 billion acquisition by UnitedHealth’s Optum division. ... In December 2023, while responding to a DOJ “Second Request” for information, a mandatory step in large merger reviews, Amedisys filed a sworn certification that its production was “true, correct, and complete.” In reality, the company knew that its email archiving system had malfunctioned, causing the loss of a month’s worth of emails from May–June 2023, a critical period in the merger negotiations. ... The DOJ emphasized that this was not a “minor paperwork glitch” but a material omission in a sworn filing.

[United Kingdom] Rethinking palliative care for people affected by homelessness Nursing in Practice; by Karita Razzell; 8/5/25 Well-timed palliative intervention can be a game-changer for people affected by homelessness facing advanced ill health, says Karita Razzell, palliative care manager at the charity St Mungo’s. ... There are various reasons behind the stark health disparities faced by people experiencing homelessness. ... Many individuals are living with serious mental health conditions, substance use issues, undiagnosed neurodiversity, and chronic physical illnesses – all of which can make clinical environments like hospitals particularly challenging for them. ... There are also digital hurdles: appointment systems and prescription services are increasingly online, yet many people without stable housing lack access to mobile phones or the internet. ... As a result, treatable conditions in people affected by homelessness often go undiagnosed until they reach an advanced stage.Editor's Note: People experiencing homelessness in the U.S. face similar challenges. Organizations such as The Hildegard House in Louisville, KY, and others in the national Omega Home Network of “comfort care homes” quietly provide palliative and hospice care for them. Click here to see a national map of these homes.

Have a question about death? A new project may have answers. The New York Times; by John Otis; 8/5/25 A new Times series examines the topic of death and dying in 2025. Ms. Pisapia, an editor on The Times’s Projects and Initiatives team, pitched a series to her team titled “Death in the Modern Age.” It would focus on end-of-life issues and serve as a resource for readers who might be grappling with their own mortality or coping with the loss of someone close to them. ... The cornerstone of the project is an F.A.Q. titled “Let’s Talk About Death,” compiled from several hundred submissions from Times readers who either asked questions related to death and dying or shared personal experiences.

Building a strong foundation for pediatric palliative care in Connecticut Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy at Yale Law School, Targeted News Service; by Wendy Jiang, Elle  Rothermich, Eugene Rusyn; 8/12/25 The Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy at Yale Law School has released a white paper outlining concrete pathways for Connecticut to guarantee pediatric palliative care (PPC) from diagnosis--not only at end of life--while building a workforce equipped to deliver it statewide. The report highlights two foundational barriers: coverage that generally triggers only when a child receives a six-month terminal prognosis, and a shortage of clinicians trained in primary palliative skills, leading to delayed referrals and fragmented support for families facing serious childhood illness. The authors recommend two primary coverage strategies for the state.Editor's Note: Though written for Connecticut, this 42-page white paper from Yale provides excellent information and recommendations to examine for one's own state. Its sub-title is "Establishing a statewide coverage pathway & expanding primary palliative care education for pediatric clinicians."

AI Code of Conduct for Health and Medicine presented in new NAM special publication National Academies - Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Washington, DC; News Release; 5/19/25 A new special publication from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) provides a framework to guide responsible, effective, equitable, and human-centered use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and medicine. The development and deployment of AI in health are accelerating, and the promise for transformative gains is substantial. Yet without close attention to risks posed by these technologies, the possibility exists for unintended, potentially harmful consequences, the publication says. The AI Code of Conduct framework is intended as a touchstone for organizations and groups developing approaches for use in their specific contexts. The publication presents six commitments and 10 principles to align the field around responsible development and application of AI. 

State Medicaid coverage policies for community-based palliative care: Lessons from NASHP’s State Institute National Academy for State Health Policy; by Ella Taggart, Wendy Fox-Grage; 8/11/25 Six states recently participated in NASHP’s two-year State Policy Institute to Improve Care for People with Serious Illness (the Institute): Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Ohio, Texas, and Washington. ... Specifically, the six participating states received guidance on policy mechanisms to cover palliative care services in the community and completed cost analysis on palliative care services for Medicaid beneficiaries. While all the states balanced the same forces and demands, ... each state modeled a benefit that was responsive to its particular needs and circumstances. ... CBIZ Optumas and TFA Analytics then designed a cost calculator for each state to help with different scenarios. 

Gov. Moore launches Longevity Ready Maryland, a landmark state plan to support thriving aging population The Bay Net, Annapolis, MD; by Governor Wes Moore; 7/30/25 Governor Wes Moore today launched Longevity Ready Maryland, the state’s first comprehensive, 10-year multisector plan to coordinate services and policies that support Maryland’s growing population of older adults. ... Longevity Ready Maryland is a collaborative, long-term plan that aims to support the work of service providers by consolidating resources; coordinating efforts across government, businesses, and communities; and transforming systems of care to more sustainably accommodate a greater number of older Marylanders. To advance the objectives of the plan, the Maryland Department of Aging will work to encourage collaboration between state agencies, support local initiatives, and improve access to home- and community-based services.