Literature Review

[Japan] Clinical and communication factors associated with family conflict in palliative care units: A survey of bereaved families in JapanCancer Medicine; by Jun Hamano, Kento Masukawa, Masanori Mori, Takashi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Otani, Hiroto Ishiki, Yutaka Hatano, Isseki Maeda, Satoru Tsuneto, Yasuo Shima, Tatsuya Morita, Yoshiyuki Kizawa, Mitsunori Miyashita; 9/25Family conflict is a common problem in palliative care and has been identified as a potential barrier to providing appropriate care... Our findings suggest that abrupt clinical deterioration is associated with family conflict. Confirming patients' and families' wishes regarding CPR during hospitalization may help reduce family conflict in PCUs.

COUNTDOWN: 24 Days Until HOPE Tool Starts, October 1, 2025

Texas expands medical marijuana access under new law KFOX-14/CBS-4, El Paso, TX; by Harrison Parker; 9/1/25, updated 9/2/25 A new law expanding Texas's Compassionate Use Program took effect today [9/1/25], allowing more residents to access medical marijuana. The expansion, under House Bill 46, now includes individuals with chronic pain, traumatic brain injuries, Crohn's disease, and those in hospice care.

Hospice Insights Podcast - Where’s the line: When does poor quality create false claims liability JDSupra; by Meg Pekarske and Jonathan Porter; 8/27/25 Substandard quality care is the subject of survey citations and lawsuits, but it has also been used by the Justice Department to support false claim liability. While historically these cases were rare, a recent multi-million dollar settlement puts “worthless services” on the radar. Join Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Jonathan Porter as they explore what the “worthless services” theory of liability is, when it has been used, and whether the recent settlement could signal a resurgence of these types of cases. 

Bipartisan home health legislation introduced to protect Medicare beneficiaries and lower Medicare costs National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 9/4/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement today in response to the introduction of the Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Representatives Kevin Hern (R-OK) and Terri Sewell (D-AL), would protect home health care by pausing the devastating payment cuts proposed in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) CY 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System proposed rule. 

Shepherd’s Cove adds program The Advertise-Gleam, Albertville, AL, by Anthony Campbell; 9/2/25 Shepherd’s Cove Hospice is proud to announce the launch of Shepherd’s Cove Counseling, a new program that provides professional mental health services for individuals, couples and families. This exciting expansion enhances Shepherd’s Cove’s care offerings by giving the community access to licensed therapy through insurance or private pay, without affecting the organization’s long-standing commitment to maintaining access, at no cost, to grief support. “Shepherd’s Cove Counseling creates space for healing, growth, and support during life’s most challenging seasons,” said Stacey Johnson, LICSW, Community Programs Director. 

Hospice care co. can't duck claims it covered up death Law360; by Mike Curley; 8/27/25 A Texas appeals court has thrown out wrongful death and negligence claims against a hospice care provider in a suit alleging its employees are liable for a man's death from fentanyl overdose, but allowed claims that they covered up the cause of death by falsifying patient records to proceed.

Christmas for Lorie: Carmel neighborhood lights up August NBC WTHR-13, Carmel, IN; by Scott Swan; 8/21/25 On a warm August night, Christmas lights are twinkling on a street in Carmel. "One of our favorite traditions on Windbush is to decorate every house as much as possible," said neighbor Emily Clem. We may be 125 days away from Christmas, but for the family in this house, the beauty of the holiday needs to happen now. "When I saw the lights go up last Thursday or Friday, my heart sunk because I knew what it was," said Brady Young, who lives nearby. Lorie Graves, a 50-year-old wife and mom, is on home hospice as she battles ovarian cancer. "We did the Christmas decorations in the front yard because we have a very special neighbor right down the road who is battling cancer," said Shane Best. ... And so did the neighbors.

[United Kingdom] Stories of unpaid carers supporting loved ones with dementia at the end of their lives ehospice, London, UK; by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London; 8/30/25The artwork from Dementia Journeys, a powerful exhibition at Science Gallery London which ran from April to June 2024, can now be viewed online.The Dementia Journeys exhibition was created in response to Empowering Better End-of-Life Dementia Care (EMBED-Care) – a research programme that aims to generate a step-change in how care is provided for people at any age with any type of dementia. 

Pets get care during and after patients' Community Hospice stays; peace of mind for all The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, FL; by Corey Perrine; 8/29/25 Pamela LaPete and Tucker, an 8-year-old adopted Yorkshire Terrier, visit the Community Hospice & Palliative Care location in Fleming Island on Aug. 28, 2025. The nonprofit organization covers several Florida counties and runs a Pet Peace of Mind program that provides care for pets of patients who need that assistance and homes for them afterward. This was LaPete’s second dog adopted from the program.

Palliative care researchers use qualitative data to understand the full picture of patients' lives St. Jude Research; by Heather Johnson; 8/26/25 The central goal of palliative care is to provide comfort, relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for those dealing with serious illnesses. That care is interdisciplinary. It must be. Quality of life relates to physical, social, emotional, spiritual and psychological needs. Addressing those needs requires teamwork from physicians and clinicians in a range of disciplines. ... Palliative care studies often use mixed methods approaches to capture the full picture of what can be subjective outcomes. For example, scales and surveys may provide a foundation for assessing symptom relief, while qualitative research, such as patient interviews and focus groups, helps researchers understand the meaning behind the numbers.  Editor's Note: Yes. Measures for hospice and palliative success and growth are more than dollar amounts and the number of locations. Pairing qualitative research with quantitative data, researchers and leaders must seek to "understand the meaning behind the numbers." Ongoing, be sure to explore our newsletter's Saturday issues for relevant, timely evidence-based research articles--quantitive and qualitive data--to improve the care of persons who needing hospice and palliative care.

COUNTDOWN: 26 Days Until HOPE Tool Starts, October 1, 2025