Literature Review

Reimagining support for family caregivers and their loved ones Duke University School of Medicine; by Bernadette Gillis; 8/11/25 ... Duke population health researchers are gathering evidence to show what type of care leads to the best physical and mental health for the care recipients, and how to best support the caregivers themselves.  ...

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.

Hospice patients using virtual reality to fulfill final wishes WRDW-12 / WAGT-26 On Your Side News, Augusta, GA; by Staff; 8/7/25Patients at Crescent Hospice in Augusta are using virtual reality headsets to fulfill their last wishes. The headsets allow patients to experience new things before the end of their lives. The hospice aid and community liaison used one of the headsets and spoke about how one of the patients got to experience mardi gras through VR before he died.

Fear of death may undermine hospice care preparedness for future nurses McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 8/6/25 A new study from Central South University in China examined the relationship between nursing interns’ attitudes toward death and their attitudes toward hospice care. ... The researchers found that most nursing interns held a “neutral acceptance” view of death, defined in the study as the belief that death is a natural part of life. This attitude was significantly associated with more positive views toward hospice care. ...  The study also reported that interns who held stronger fear-based or avoidance-based death attitudes scored lower on all six hospice care subscales, including communication and family support.

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.

Governor creates new LTC oversight board, pledges to fill surveyor openings by year’s end McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Jessica R. Towhey; 8/12/25 A new politically appointed Nursing Home Oversight and Accountability Advisory Board is being proposed as a way to strengthen facility oversight in a state that has a 42% vacancy rate among its public inspectors. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) called for the board, which will consist of members appointed by the state Secretary of Health, in an executive order issued Monday. Both LeadingAge Virginia and the Virginia Health Care Association / Virginia Center for Assisted Living applauded the overall goals of the executive order but cautioned that resources to implement the directives are needed. Guest Editor's Note, Judi Lund Person: The Virginia governor, Glenn Youngkin, has taken steps to address surveyor vacancies and strengthen oversight for nursing homes in the state, calling on partnerships with other states for training. Advocates cited the state, as in many other states, is hampered by flatline funding from federal partners and the lack of clinical staff willing to fill surveyor roles.  

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.

[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.

Taking the magnetic approach to leadership: Stop chasing and start attracting through alignment and authentic presence. Psychology Today; by Jessica Schrader; 8/3/25 Key points:

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.

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. 

My wife of 52 years just died. My grief is so overwhelming, I can barely cope. HuffPost; by Ronald Paxton; 8/11/25 ... March 1, 2022, was the day our lives changed forever. ...  My spouse, my wife of 52 years, my high school sweetheart was going to die, and there was nothing I or anyone else could do about it. ... The house is quiet now. I’m trying to move forward, but it’s hard. I thought we would grow old together. We did, but not nearly old enough. Diane’s death has taught me that no matter how much we love someone, we all have our own lives to live. The best way for me to honor the life Diane and I had together is to live the rest of my life the best way I know how. It’s late. I should try to sleep, but I think I’ll turn on the television. I need something to cover the sound of crying.