Literature Review

[England] Almost one in three people in England die without the basic care they need Medical Xpress; by King's College London, edited by Lisa Lock; 2/16/26 About 170,000 people in England every year spend their final days in pain, distress or without vital support that should be available to everyone at the end of life. These are the findings of the first major study in more than a decade to estimate unmet palliative care needs among people at the end of life. The paper was led by researchers at King's College London and Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, with contributions from the University of Edinburgh and was published in the Journal of Health Services Research & Policy.

Trinity Health announces suspension of hospice services KFYR TV / KMOT TV, Minot, ND; by Kyona Rivera; 2/12/26 Trinity Health in Minot announced Thursday that its Home Health and Outpatient Hospice services are suspended. A statement provided to Your News Leader from Trinity Health indicates the provider is looking at other ways to transition these services. The decision came after careful consideration and a thorough review of current operations, according to the statement. Trinity said the timeline for the change will be announced when plans are finalized. 

Psychosocial oncology: The Omega Project Taylor & Francis | Death Studies; by Matthew Loscalzo and Linda A. Klein; 2/14/26This article reports on an interview with J. William Worden that focuses initially on the Omega Project (1968–1986) that studied end-of-life care. Worden explains the four phases of the project with specific populations, goals, and key concepts that emerged. The discussion then shifts to the development of psychosocial oncology and palliative care. Finally, Worden offers some thoughts on the development of the hospice movement in the United States, the role of religion in coping with mortality, coping with personal loss, and his advice to new medical or graduate students just starting out.

‘This place is love’: A prison unit for the dying — in pictures Prison Journalism Project; by Carla Canning and Eddie Herena; 2/11/26 California Medical Facility’s hospice program aims to ensure no one dies alone. In 1996, a 17-bed, state-licensed hospice began caring for dying incarcerated men at California Medical Facility in Vacaville, ... At that time, the hospice unit mainly took care of patients dying of AIDS. Today, many of the patients housed there are dying of cancer, the leading cause of death in U.S. prisons. In June 2024, I visited the hospice unit on a reporting trip, along with Eddie Herena, a former  staff photographer for ... a prison in the Bay Area. We were there to understand what it was like to receive a terminal diagnosis while in prison. 

Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service closing its doors but other options are available to those in need Los Alamos Daily Post, Los Alamos, NM; by Kirsten Laskey; 2/12/26 The closure of Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service (LAVNS) on Feb. 20 after more than 50 years of service marks the end of a significant chapter in Los Alamos. However, it is not the end of the story; there are still options available to those who utilized LAVNS’ services. LAVNS Clinical Manager Susan Edwards noted that there are several home health care and hospice options available.Home Health Agencies: La Vida Bella Home Health & Hospice. Presbyterian Home Health. Hospice: Ambercare. Red Willow. Roadrunner Hospice. Del Corazon Hospice.

Hawaiʻi Care Choices is expanding services, care options to North Hawaiʻi this month Big Island Now; Press Release; 2/11/26 Hawaiʻi Care Choices is expanding its palliative care program to North Hawaiʻi, ... Beginning this month, the Kupu Palliative Care Program will be available through a dedicated clinic space within the North Hawaiʻi Hospice office, extending palliative care services to residents of Hāmākua, Waimea, North Kohala, and South Kohala. ... “This partnership with Hawaiʻi Care Choices expands the support available to our community,” said Faye Mitchell, executive director of North Hawaiʻi Hospice. ... “We are both honored and excited to bring Kupu Palliative Care to North Hawaiʻi and to work with a trusted organization that shares our values of compassion, dignity, and community,” said Brenda Ho, CEO of Hawaiʻi Care Choices.

Expanding access to compassionate hospice care in Northern Virginia The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington; Press Release; 1/27/26 We are excited and proud to share that JSSA, a longtime Federation partner, is expanding its hospice services to Northern Virginia—an important step in ensuring individuals and families in our region have access to high-quality, community-based end-of-life care when it matters most. ... For more than 40 years, JSSA has been a trusted provider of hospice care in Montgomery County, supporting patients and families with expert clinical care alongside emotional and spiritual support. This expansion builds on JSSA’s more than 45 years of serving Northern Virginia through mental health services, aging-in-place programs, and its Holocaust Survivor Program.

Kids’ Grief and Healing Camp provides space for kids experiencing loss WVIR-29 News; Charlottesville, WV; by Kyndall Hanson; 2/7/26 Hospice of the Piedmont hosted its Kids’ Grief and Healing Camp on Saturday, February 7, giving children a space to share feelings and memories about their loved ones while connecting with others experiencing similar loss. “I’m not alone in this,” said Ella Matucci, an 11-year-old attending the camp. “Everyone is gonna lose someone in their life. Sometimes, I guess, it just happens earlier to some people, but we all have to go through it.” The free day camp works to provide children with a sense of togetherness and support during grief, offering a place for kids to come together, be kids, and express themselves in a safe space.

Community Hospice & Palliative Care unveils Advanced Cardiac Care Program Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/9/26 Florida-based Community Hospice & Palliative Care has launched an Advanced Cardiac Care Program to serve patients and families wrestling with heart disease. The hospice, an affiliate of Alivia Care, designed the program in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation. It will provide a suite of services specifically designed for patients with cardiac conditions.

Governor Hochul signs Medical Aid in Dying Act into New York state law New York State - Governor Kathy Hochul, Albany, NY; Press Release; 2/6/26 Governor Hochul today signed legislation S.138/A.136 that will allow medical aid in dying to be available to terminally ill New Yorkers with less than six months to live. This historic bill signing comes after careful reflection and deliberation with the sponsors of the bill, advocacy organizations, and everyday New Yorkers ... The bill, as passed by the Legislature originally included a number of protections in order to ensure that no patient was coerced into choosing medical aid in dying and that no health care professional or religiously affiliated health facility would be forced to offer medical aid in dying. The Governor worked with the Legislature to include additional guardrails that will make sure people won’t be taken advantage of, while still ensuring terminally ill New Yorkers have the choice to die comfortably and on their own terms, including: [continue reading] ...

[Austria] Hospice nurses' views about the necessity for palliative sedation in existential sufferingPain Management Nursing; Dana Hagmann, Susanne Fleckinger, Piret Paal; 1/26Disagreements between nurses and doctors regarding the assessment and management of existential suffering in terminally ill patients represent a critical challenge in palliative care, particularly in the context of inpatient adult hospices. The study highlights the limited involvement of nurses in decision-making processes regarding palliative sedation despite their critical insights into patients' existential suffering. The findings emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of nurses' perspectives to achieve more holistic and ethically sound care in inpatient hospices.

“This is what loneliness looks like”: A description of a high-risk population of palliative and oncology patients American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Tamia Ross, MSPH, Ruwanthi Ekanayake, BA, Lucy Rabinowitz Bailey, MPH, Kain Kim, MD, and Emily Pinto Taylor, MD; 1/9/26 Background: Loneliness exacerbates symptom burden and reduces quality of life in serious illness. Social prescribing–linking patients to non-clinical community activities–offers a novel approach to address loneliness in palliative care. Results: Most patients were older, non-Hispanic Black women experiencing financial strain, food insecurity, and transportation barriers. Anxiety exceeded depression severity; mood disorders, loneliness, and social isolation were leading referral reasons.

Honoring Black History Month: Advancing equity in hospice and end-of-life care Gilchrist; by Gilchrist Staff; 2/3/26 Black History Month is a time to honor the resilience, contributions, and leadership of Black Americans, past and present, while also reflecting on the work that remains to ensure equity across all areas of society, including healthcare. In hospice and palliative care, Black leaders, clinicians, advocates, and community members have played a vital role in expanding access, shaping compassionate care models, and addressing long-standing disparities at the end of life. At Gilchrist, Black History Month is not only about reflection, but also about action.