Literature Review
Advance care planning in Hispanic populations with Parkinson’s Disease: Investigating disparities in end-of life care
08/30/25 at 03:25 AMAdvance care planning in Hispanic populations with Parkinson’s Disease: Investigating disparities in end-of life careClinical Parkinsonism & Related Disorders; by Taylor Peabody, Monica Abou-Ezzi, Lucila Hernandez, Henry Moore, Silvia Vargas-Parra, Alberto Cruz, Danielle S. Shpiner; 8/25ACP [advance care planning] is a topic of increasingly recognized importance among the PD [Parkinson's disease] research and patient communities. Despite evidence that many people with PD across ethnic groups consider this topic important, our study showed that Hispanic people with PD may have less access and experience with this aspect of care. These findings represent an important area for future study, so that all people with PD can benefit from the opportunity to participate in ACP if in alignment with their goals of care.
Physician billing for advance care planning among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 2016-2021
08/30/25 at 03:20 AMPhysician billing for advance care planning among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 2016-2021The Permanente Journal; by Nan Wang, Changchuan Jiang, Elizabeth Paulk, Tianci Wang, Xin Hu; 8/25In 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services started reimbursing practitioners for their time spent providing advance care planning (ACP) with patients. Results: The percentage of practitioners billing ACP visits tripled from 1.76% in 2016 to 4.56% in 2021, with the highest percentage among hospice and palliative medicine practitioners (36.94%) in 2021. ACP service volume was similar by metropolitan status for hospice and palliative medicine, but it was higher in nonmetropolitan regions for cancer-related specialties, non-cancer terminal disease specialties, and primary and geriatrics care. This nationwide analysis showed low adoption of ACP billing by 2021, and it varied widely across specialties. This may reflect practical challenges of ACP related to comfort level with ACP discussion and documentation burden among the professional communities.
Palliative care needs of older adults with and without dementia during post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities
08/30/25 at 03:15 AMPalliative care needs of older adults with and without dementia during post-acute care in skilled nursing facilitiesJournal of Applied Gerontology; by Joan G Carpenter, Elisha Oduro, Nancy Hodgson, Shijun Zhu, Merve Gurlu, Mary Ersek, Laura C Hanson; 8/25Seriously ill older adults, including those living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), often receive disease-focused rehabilitative care in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) with little consideration for their palliative care (PC) needs. Using baseline data from a pilot pragmatic clinical trial (N=52), we conducted a cross-sectional study to compare the clinical characteristics and the PC needs of older adults with and without ADRD receiving SNF care. Functional decline was the most common global indicator for palliative care among both groups. While there was no statistically significant difference in PC needs between the two groups, the most prevalent PC needs for all were pain (63.5%), feeling anxious or worried (59.6%), family and friends being anxious or worried (57.7%), and need for information (46.2%). Older adults with and without an ADRD diagnosis who are admitted to post-acute SNF care may benefit from universal screening and tailored PC services.
AI in palliative care: A scoping review of foundational gaps and future directions for responsible innovation
08/30/25 at 03:10 AMAI in palliative care: A scoping review of foundational gaps and future directions for responsible innovationJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Selen Bozkurt, Soraya Fereydooni, Irem Kar, Catherine Diop Chalmers, Sharon L Leslie, Ravi Pathak, Anne M Walling, Charlotta Lindvall, Karl Lorenz, Ravi Parikh, Tammie Quest, Karleen Giannitrapani, Dio Kavalieratos; 8/25AI holds increasing promise for enhancing palliative care through applications in prognostication, symptom management, and decision support. However, the utilization of real-world data, the rigor of validation, and the transparency and reproducibility of these AI tools remain largely unexamined, posing critical considerations for their safe and ethical integration in sensitive end-of-life settings... AI in palliative care remains in early development, showing promise in areas such as prognosis and documentation support. However, limited validation, insufficient cross-site testing, and lack of transparency currently limit clinical applicability. Future research should emphasize external validation, inclusion of broader patient data, and adoption of open science practices to ensure these tools are reliable, safe, and trustworthy.
Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about the future of generative intelligence
08/30/25 at 03:05 AMTop ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about the future of generative intelligenceJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Pragat Patel, Raj Patel, Gilad Kuperman, Monica Consolandi, David Collett, Shunichi Nakagawa, Nicolas Burry, Karl B Bezak, Jake Strand, Mihir Kamdar, Judith E Nelson, William E Rosa, Craig D Blinderman; 8/25Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming health care and has implications for palliative care (PC) and serious illness communication (SIC). This article integrates interdisciplinary and interprofessional expertise, providing key tips for PC clinicians to best leverage AI-driven tools to enhance PC practices, care efficiency, and patient- and family-centered outcomes. AI-driven tools range from predictive analytics to improve intervention delivery to AI-assisted communication and documentation of goals of care. Beyond these potential benefits are important ethical, logistical, and equity considerations that must be carefully addressed.
[Canada] Simplifying palliative symptom management: Elastomeric infusions in hospice and home care
08/30/25 at 03:05 AM[Canada] Simplifying palliative symptom management: Elastomeric infusions in hospice and home careBritish Journal of Nursing; by Vincetic Bozidar, Natalie Wm Hertzman, Daphne Broadhurst; 7/25Palliative care patients often require frequent, resource-intensive, intermittent subcutaneous injections or complex infusion pumps for end-of-life symptom management. Our findings suggest that continuous subcutaneous infusions via elastomeric infusion pumps offer a promising and feasible approach to end-of-life symptom management in hospice and home care. Elastomeric infusions may enhance simplicity, acceptability, safety, efficacy, and efficiency of care, compared to traditional routine subcutaneous injections.
NIH publishes plan to drive Gold Standard Science
08/30/25 at 03:00 AMNIH publishes plan to drive Gold Standard ScienceNIH press release; Jay Bhattacharya, MD PhD, Director, NIH; 8/22/25I am pleased to announce the release of NIH’s new plan to promote gold standard science across all agency activities. Building on NIH’s longstanding commitment to scientific integrity, this forward-looking plan incorporates the nine, interlocking tenets of gold standard science adopted by the U.S. Government and aligns with the Department of Health and Human Services’ framework for achieving these principles... Gold Standard of Science is:
Hospice Care Compare 8/27/25
08/30/25 at 03:00 AMThe 8/27/25 CMS release of Hospice Care Compare quality information is now available!
[Germany] Yes, we (still) can! A qualitative study on the dynamic process of team resilience
08/30/25 at 03:00 AM[Germany] Yes, we (still) can! A qualitative study on the dynamic process of team resilienceJournal of Management; Silja Hartmann, Matthias Weiss, Martin Hoegl; 7/25Research on psychological resilience in the workplace is on the rise, aiming to better understand how to successfully manage adverse events. To address this research gap, we conducted a qualitative study with a palliative care team that experienced work-related adverse events. This model specifies the experience of adverse events as loss events and illustrates how teams can counteract these losses and enact team resilience through the relational process of caring. Caring in teams can be enacted through four dimensions, which we refer to as understanding, being with, doing for, and enabling. By enacting these caring dimensions, teams can heal social safety and collective action capabilities and can moreover build valuable resources, which may buffer resource loss and fuel resource growth in subsequent team resilience episodes.
Hospice Research Information 8/30/25
08/30/25 at 02:00 AMResearch study participation, 8/23/25
NFDA honors Grief Awareness Day - Aug 30
08/29/25 at 03:10 AMNFDA honors Grief Awareness Day - Aug 30National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA); email; 8/28/25With Grief Awareness Day approaching on August 30, there's an untold story about the professionals quietly on the front lines of America's grief challenges—and it's not who you might expect. Funeral directors have become essential facilitators in helping families process loss in healthy ways. They’re challenging harmful cultural myths about grief. Through thoughtful service planning and creating space for open dialogue about death, funeral directors are guiding families toward healing. National Funeral Directors Association leaders are available to discuss:
New hospice house playground dedicated to A.B.A.T.E 18 motorcycle group
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMNew hospice house playground dedicated to A.B.A.T.E 18 motorcycle group The Hawk Eye - Iowa's Oldest Newspaper; by Tracey Lamm; 8/26/25 ABATE District 18 Motorcycle Club presented checks Friday to the Lee County and Home and Health Hospice House programs. An ongoing relationship between the motorcycle group and the hospice programs has resulted in an honor that will be a permanent part of the Home and Health Hospice House in West Burlington. ... [A] planned playground at the Hospice House will be dedicated to ABATE District 18 motorcycle organization. Jordan Price, Fort Madison, handles public relations for ABATE 18 and he said the motorcycle group has worked with the hospice programs for many years. ... "The proceeds are raised through motorcycle poker runs, donations, and lunches at Heartland Harley Davidson." The two hospice programs each received a check Friday night of $29,250, half for each of the total $58,500 that was raised during the annual Hospice Ride on July 20. Price said the amount far exceeded a goal to raise $40,000.
Reflections on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina - from Jamey Boudreaux, Executive Director for the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMReflections on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina - from Jamey Boudreaux, Executive Director for the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care OrganizationSpecial Guest Reflections for Hospice & Palliative Care Today; by Jamey Boudreaux; 8/28/25
Honoring the lives and legacies of hospice leaders - August 2025
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMHonoring the lives and legacies of hospice leaders - August 2025
Building the continuum: Inside New Day Healthcare’s growth & acquisition strategies
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMBuilding the continuum: Inside New Day Healthcare’s growth & acquisition strategies Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/27/25 New Day Healthcare in 2025 has been one of the home health and hospice sector’s most active acquirers. ... Founded in 2020, New Day’s roughly 10,000 employees provide hospice, home health, pediatric and personal care to roughly 180,000 patients annually. ... Brands under the New Day’s umbrella include Phoenix Home Care & Hospice, New Age Hospice, Compassion Hospice, Home Care Providers of Texas, Pathfinder Home Health, Envision Health Partners and AssistCare, among others. ... Hospice News sat down with New Day CEO G. Scott Herman to discuss the company’s growth, its approach to acquisitions, forthcoming changes in the C-Suite and where hospice fits into its strategy.
Social workers’ role in improving hospice live discharge processes
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMSocial workers’ role in improving hospice live discharge processes Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 8/26/25 A lack of standardized care coordination is challenging the ability for patients and families to receive support following a live discharge from hospice. Deeper integration of social work services may help address the issue. This is according to findings from a recent study published in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work, which examined different methodologies for preparing patients, family caregivers and providers for hospice-initiated live discharges from social worker perspectives.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina: "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?"
08/29/25 at 03:00 AM[DRAFT] Today marks the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
Do dementia care management programs work? A podcast with David Reuben and Greg Sachs
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMDo dementia care management programs work? A podcast with David Reuben and Greg SachsGeriPal podcast; by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, David Reuben, Greg Sachs; 8/28/25With all the attention focused on Alzheimer’s biomarkers and amyloid antibodies, it’s easy to forget that comprehensive dementia care is more than blood draws and infusions. On today’s podcast, we buck this trend and dive into the complexities and challenges of comprehensive dementia care with the authors of two pivotal articles recently published in JAMA.
Artificial intelligence in geriatric health care
08/29/25 at 03:00 AMArtificial intelligence in geriatric health careHealth Affairs; by Esther S. Oh, Peter M. Abadir, Joseph Grogan, Ravi Gupta, Anne Ollen, Daniel Polsky, Peter Weems, Phillip Phan; 8/20/25Artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies are quickly integrating into the US health care system. Unlocking their full potential for older adults—the fastest-growing demographic in the country—and rural populations facing health access and support crises is essential. On May 1, 2025, the Johns Hopkins Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory (represented by coauthors Oh, Abadir, and Phan) and the National Institute on Aging hosted a summit on the future of geriatric medicine and AI, focusing on the challenges and effects of implementing AI-based technologies. We identified policy gaps and opportunities to support the fair and efficient use of AI technologies for older adults [including:]
[United Kingdom] 'The word hospice can be terrifying - but this is why it's giving us extra life'
08/29/25 at 03:00 AM[United Kingdom] 'The word hospice can be terrifying - but this is why it's giving us extra life' Verve Times, story from Wetherby, UK; by Craig Fedirighi; 8/27/25 The word “hospice” often conjures up images of people living out their final days in a room surrounded by nurses. But one mother says the hospice she goes to with her family has given them a life they could never have imagined would be possible. ... The 32-year-old said: “It’s one of those things where obviously the word hospice, everyone finds it scary. One thinks it’s the worst-case scenario, but it’s not. It’s giving you that extra life that you didn’t know you could have. ..."
How to create meaning in every season of life with Dr. Trisha Welstad
08/29/25 at 02:00 AMHow to create meaning in every season of life with Dr. Trisha Welstad Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Trisha Welstad; 8/27/25 In this conversation, Dr. Trisha Welstad shares her philosophy on leadership, highlighting the importance of healthy leaders who can heal the world, demonstrating how personal pain can shape a person's purpose, and highlighting the value of reflection in leadership. Dr. Trisha Welstad explores how purpose emerges from our deepest wounds and why healthy leaders can heal the world through their wholeness. She shares her belief that purpose isn't a luxury, but a necessity for our identity, one that develops throughout all stages of life.
Indianapolis hospice patient’s final wish to drive around the track at IMS
08/28/25 at 03:10 AMIndianapolis hospice patient’s final wish to drive around the track at IMSWISHTV.com 8 [Indianapolis, IN]; by Kyla Russell; 8/25/25An Indianapolis hospice patient has one final wish: to take a few laps around the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway inside an IndyCar or NASCAR stock car. His caretakers are trying to turn his dream into a reality. 64-year-old Douglas Smith is living with both prostate and lung cancer. But, he’s determined to make his final days full of memories... These days, Smith is mostly driving his decked out blue scooter outside the cozy Morning Light Home, a free-of-charge residence for individuals on hospice and of limited means... Morning Light is a free home for the terminally ill in Indiana. The team serves everyone, including the unhoused or low-income. It’s the second largest home of its kind in the nation.