Literature Review

A peer support intervention for Black family caregivers of persons living with dementia: A feasibility studyJournal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Karen O Moss, Alai Tan, Abraham A Brody, Karen Bullock, Kathy D Wright, Kimberly Johnson, Mary Beth Happ; 12/25Black family caregivers of older adults living with dementia are at high risk for physical, spiritual, and psychosocial challenges. Culturally responsive interventions are needed to address disparities in this population. The purpose of this National Institute on Aging Stage Model 1A study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of the Peer Support for Black Family Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia (Pair 2 Care) intervention. Pair 2 Care is a culturally responsive, non-judgmental, flexible, co-designed virtual peer support intervention in which former caregivers are paired as peer mentors with current caregivers for 6 months.  On average, participants rated their overall Pair 2 Care satisfaction as very high (4.6/5).

Preparedness as a bridge: How religious coping shapes acceptance of death in dementia caregivingClinical Gerontologist; by L. Blake Peeples, Lauren Chrzanowski, Benjamin T. Mast; 12/25This study examined the role of religious coping and preparedness in shaping caregivers’ acceptance of death following the loss of a care recipient with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. Bivariate analyses indicated that both positive and negative religious coping were significantly associated with greater preparedness, and preparedness was strongly related to acceptance. Findings suggest that interventions focused on religious coping enhance preparedness which improves caregivers’ acceptance in the bereavement process.

Development of a mortality prediction model for incarcerated adults to identify palliative care needsJournal of General Internal Medicine; by W. James Deardorff, Alexandra K. Lee, Kaiwei Lu, Bocheng Jing, W. John Boscardin, Michele DiTomas, John Dunlap, Brie A. Williams, Sei J. Lee, Alexander K. Smith; 12/25The United States prison population has seen a rapid rise in the number of older adults, with roughly 14% of male prisoners and 9% of female prisoners aged 55 years or older in 2020.  Incarcerated adults experience accelerated aging, leading to reduced life expectancy and higher rates of chronic medical conditions, functional impairments, and mental health conditions compared with non-incarcerated persons. For individuals with advanced age, multimorbidity, and/or serious illness, advance care planning discussions, palliative care, and hospice services are crucial for improving quality of life and ensuring medical care that is consistent with an individual’s values and goals. As the number of incarcerated adults with limited life expectancy increases, there is a clear need for a systematic way to identify individuals who may most benefit from these services. Our 2-year mortality prediction model for adults within the California prison system performed well on measures of discrimination, calibration, and classification. The model can be used to flag individuals at higher risk for mortality for consideration of advance care planning interventions, palliative care and hospice referrals, and compassionate release.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Heart to Heart Hospice expands service in Oklahoma Cision PR Newswire, Plano, TX; Press Release; 1/13/26 Heart to Heart Hospice, one of the country's largest private providers of hospice care, has expanded its presence in Oklahoma with the recent acquisition of an agency in Oklahoma City. Heart to Heart Hospice of Oklahoma City is now open and serving patients and families across Central Oklahoma. ... his is Heart to Heart's second location in Oklahoma following its expansion into Southeastern Oklahoma with the opening of its Durant site in 2024.

AMA ‘disappointed’ in MedPAC for backing off deeper Medicare pay reform Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 1/15/26 The American Medical Association expressed disappointment after the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission voted Jan. 15 to recommend only a modest update to Medicare physician payments for 2027, backing away from more robust reforms it had previously supported. ... “The AMA appreciates that last year’s reconciliation bill provided a temporary 2.5 percent update for 2026; however, that increase expires in 2027,” David Aizuss, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees,” said in a news release shared with Becker’s. Editor's Note: Pair this with today's post, Alliance responds to MedPAC vote on home health and hospice payment recommendations.

The long quiet of Karen Andrews 15 - Utah's Art Magazine, by Shawn Rossiter; 1/14/25 When Alli Harbertson first walked into the Andrews home, it was the paintings that stopped her. “They’re everywhere,” Harbertson recalls. The living room—where Karen Andrews’ hospital bed had been placed—was filled with artwork, paintings covering the walls and leaning against furniture while ceramics, blankets and small sculptures covered coffee tables, bureaus and dressers. ... [After Karen's death,] Ron Andrews did not know what to do with the more than 130 painting, but he knew what his wife had asked of him. “She was so clear,” Harbertson says. “She said, ‘I made my mark. This is the mark I made—my paintings. Don’t let them go to the DI.’” ...

Retirement for Beth Dorsk: Her day is her own Jewish News; by Terri Denison; 1/15/26 A Virginia Beach native, Beth Koonan Dorsk retired as a hospice nurse in 2025.  She agreed to share with Jewish News some of her reasons for retiring and how it’s working out.

Executive Personnel Changes - 1/16/26

Gift of Life sets national record for most organs transplanted in U.S. history Gift of Life Donor Program, Philadelphia, PA; by Gift of Life Donor Program; 1/15/26 In 2025, Gift of Life Donor Program achieved a new national record coordinating the most life-saving organs transplanted of any organ procurement organization (OPO) in U.S. history and the most organ donor heroes in the organization's history. ... In 2025, Gift of Life:

Marion hospice volunteer wins major honor from New England Patriots SouthCoast Today | The Standard-Times; by Faith Harrington; 1/14/26 Giving back took center stage this season as the New England Patriots Foundation donated $185,000 to 17 local nonprofit organizations in honor of its 2025 Patriots Difference Makers. ... The feel-good initiative wrapped up during the Patriots’ season finale on Jan. 4, where all of the Difference Makers were recognized, including Marion resident Madeline Cooke, who earned the title of 2025 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year. ... As the 2025 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year, Cooke was presented with a $25,000 grant for Community Nurse Inc. ... The foundation called her “a trailblazer, determined to walk alongside patients and their loved ones with dignity, grace, and compassion.”

Interim HealthCare Inc. acquires its second-largest franchise Morningstar - Business Wire; Press Release; 1/13/26 Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation’s leading network of home health care and staffing services that span the care continuum, has acquired its second-largest franchisee and one of the longest-tenured franchise operations in the Interim HealthCare network. Effective January 1, 2026, Interim’s corporate operations expanded to include the Upstate and Midlands of South Carolina, along with a hospice location in Atlanta. Local franchise leadership will now report into Interim HealthCare’s headquarters.