Literature Review

New Mexico nurse assistant charged with hospice fraud, misconduct Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 8/29/25 A federal grand jury in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, has indicted a certified nurse assistant for their alleged involvement in a hospice fraud scheme. Potential sentencing includes more than two decades of imprisonment. April Guadalupe Hernandez, 27, was an employee of Luna Del Valle Hospice, LilyCare of New Mexico and Hospice De La Luz. She allegedly assumed the identities of hospice nurses and illegally provided care to patients, according to a statement the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) released on Wednesday. Hernandez is charged with 19 counts of misconduct including allegations of identity theft, elder abuse, nursing without a license and Medicaid fraud, among other charges.  

Sharp HospiceCare Benefit Regatta raises more than $500,000 to support hospice homes Coronado Times, San Diego, CA; Coronado Times Staff; 9/2/25 More than 1,200 guests gathered on San Diego Bay for the 22nd Annual Sharp HospiceCare Benefit Regatta, raising over $500,000 in support of Sharp HospiceCare’s Homes for Hospice program. ... Funds raised will directly support Sharp HospiceCare’s mission of providing compassionate, holistic care for patients with life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones. This includes the ongoing expansion of hospice services and the operation of Sharp’s four hospice facilities — BonitaView, LakeView, ParkView, and the newly completed Moore MountainView Hospice Home in Poway.

[Global] Palliative care for special populations ehospice; by Howard Kinyua; 9/1/25

Golden Age Manor’s new hospice suite aims to give families comfort in final days Amery Free Press, Amery, WI; by Justin Runberg; 8/28/25 With a ribbon cutting set for Sept. 4, Golden Age Manor’s newly completed hospice suite will soon open its doors, offering families a more home-like space to spend time with loved ones during end-of-life care. In partnership with Adoray Home Health & Hospice, the project has been completed, and an open house will be held for the community to view the new addition. 

What do physicians want at the end? An international qualitative study on physicians’ personal end-of-life preferences and what influences them Palliative Care and Social Practice; by Sarah Mroz, Frederick Daenen, Sigrid Dierickx, Freddy Mortier, Ludovica De Panfilis, Luca Ghirotto, Toby Campbell, Kenneth Chambaere, and Luc Deliens; 7/4/25 Research Results: ... Most physicians prefer to avoid aggressive and life-prolonging treatment, physical and mental suffering, and being a burden. They prioritize being in a peaceful environment and communication with loved ones. Various factors influence preferences including cultural, social, and religious beliefs, and legislative environment, but most significant are the deaths of loved ones and clinical practice. Death and dying become normalized the more they are reflected upon and discussed, and this process can also provide personal growth which helps physicians provide better care to patients and families.

Celebrate National PACE Month: Your Health. Your Journey. Our Support. Olean Times Herald; by Melissa Sullivan; 9/2/25 September is National PACE Month and Total Senior Care invites our neighbors and friends to celebrate the Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE®) — an innovative, proven model that helps seniors remain living in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. This year’s theme — Your Health. Your Journey. Our Support. — reflects exactly what we do every day: walk alongside our participants and their family caregivers through every stage of the aging journey. 

VA end-of-life care honors Veterans and comforts families: Choosing the right placeVA News; by Sarah M. Tolstyka; 8/29/25End-of-life care is one of the most personal decisions a Veteran and their family will ever make. VA offers hospice services across a variety of settings—including its own Community Living Centers (CLCs), contracted community nursing homes and home hospice agencies. While each Veteran’s needs are unique, the setting in which hospice care is provided can profoundly shape the experience. One invaluable resource in this decision-making process is VA’s Bereaved Family Survey, which measures family satisfaction with end-of-life (EOL) care. The data consistently show families report higher satisfaction with VA CLC hospice care than with community-based hospice. Currently, 87% of families rate VA CLC EOL care a 9 or 10 on a 0–10 scale, compared to 81% for community hospice care. These findings reflect clinical excellence and VA’s commitment to honoring Veterans through every stage of life... Families frequently recall the small but meaningful details of VA care, like the Honor Walk or Final Salute, a ceremonial procession to honor a Veteran’s death. “The Walk of Honor is something I will always remember,” one family member shared. Another noted, “He was brought back to VA and, as my son said, ‘He was given back his dignity.’ I can’t even begin to say how wonderful VA is.”

A good Wednesday is day when we did things, and we did them well. ~ Liza Hawkins 

Palliative care and liver disease: Understanding hepatitis and beyond Ashland LocalTownPages, Aubrey, TX; by Press Services; 9/1/25 Sovereign Hospice, a woman-led hospice care provider serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, offers specialized liver disease support programs. The organization also provides targeted hospice home care services and palliative care programs designed specifically for patients facing hepatitis and other advanced liver conditions throughout North Texas.

Conversational AI in hospice care: risks and benefits Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/29/25 Numerous types of artificial intelligence (AI) have gained a substantial foothold in health care, including hospices, with conversational AI among them. Conversational AI uses natural language processing and machine learning to develop virtual assistants and chatbots that can automate certain functions. ... The use of conversational AI in health care for the most part falls into two categories — delivery of remote health services and administrative assistance to health care providers, according to 2024 research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. ... However, the technology has limitations, the study found. These include ethical challenges, legal and safety concerns, technical difficulties, user experience issues and societal and economic impacts.

Hospices nationwide pursue organic growth with new sites Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 8/28/25 Hospices from across the country have sought organic growth with the recent launches of new facilities.

NMDOJ charges ‘imposter nurse’ who treated hospice patients in Albuquerque KRQE News, Albuquerque, NM; by Fallon Fischer; 8/28/25 A certified nurse assistant in Albuquerque is facing charges for allegedly stealing the identities of three nurses and illegally providing care to hospice patients, and in one case, almost causing one patient to die via a morphine overdose, according to the New Mexico Department of Justice. This week, a Bernalillo County grand jury issued an indictment against April Guadalupe Hernandez, 26, for 19 counts of misconduct including identity theft, nursing without a license, fraud totaling approximately $40,000, abuse of a resident, violations of the Nursing Practice Act and more. “To exploit trusting patients in their most vulnerable moments is unconscionable,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated in part, in a news release.