Literature Review

Love hurts: Leadership, quality, and the future of hospice & palliative care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN Talks); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Alex Smith and Dr. Eric Widera; 3/4/26 TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership host Chris Comeaux and co-host Cordt Kassner join forces with Dr. Eric Widera and Dr. Alex Smith of the GeriPal Podcast, leaders in Palliative Care and Hospice innovation discuss emerging quality measures, data-driven hospice analytics, research challenges, and the leadership needed to guide healthcare organizations through change. For professionals working in healthcare leadership and serious illness care, the conversation offers valuable insight into the policies, research, and innovations shaping the future of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Demystifying the end: Hospice care impact on the Black community Word In Black | Houston Defender; by Laura Onyeneho; 3/2/26 ... For African American, Afro-Caribbean and African immigrant families, generational trauma and a lack of trust in the healthcare system often lead to delayed decisions about hospice care. “There’s been a historical gap in access and trust,” said [Monica James, Community Engagement Coordinator for Houston Hospice]. “Our goal is to show up consistently, to listen and to let these communities know they have options and that they’re not alone.” ... “For communities of color, we have to meet people where they are. That means understanding family dynamics, faith and what dignity means to different people,” she said. 

Duxbury, Norwell groups have rebranded. Why the name changes? The Patriot Ledger, Su Cheible; 3/3/26 I recently learned that the former Norwell Visiting Nurse Association (NVNA) and Hospice had in December taken a new name, Croí Health. Croí is an Irish word for heart, chosen to reflect the agency's patient-centered mission. I also noticed that the Duxbury Senior Center is now called The Center, has a tag line: "Live Well. Age Strong." It also notes that it is "still powered by the Duxbury Council on Aging." Its newsletter has a stylish new design and name, The Current, replacing the former name Duxbury Doings. ... Why senior centers are changing their names: In their names and their branding, the centers are switching to what they see as more active, more inclusive and more modern ideas. It is described as part of being age friendly, attracting younger seniors and moving away from negative associations and stigma still attached to growing older.

Our hospice system subverts the very point of hospice care The New York Times; Opinion | Guest Essay by Sandeep Jauhar; 3/2/26 When my siblings and I decided to put our father in hospice care at his home in the spring of 2021, his Alzheimer’s was near end-stage. He could barely get out of bed or dress or feed himself. Hospice care seemed to be the best way for him to end his life with dignity. ... We soon encountered a harsh reality, however. Dying at home isn’t easy, even with hospice care. ... The main problem was funding. In 2024, the average per-patient Medicare payment to hospice agencies was about $200 a day, with an annual cap of $33,500. That outlay would barely pay for a part-time aide, yet it is also needed to cover medications, medical equipment and nurse visits.

Choices Healthcare CEO Michael Link eyes growth, innovation while staying true to hospice mission LNP | Lancaster Online; by Rachel Curry; 3/1/26 Michael Link always admired the loyalty it took for a long, stable career — in terms of being loyal to the company and vice versa. In October 2025, Link became CEO of Choices Healthcare, the parent company of Hospice & Community Care, where he began working as an IT trainer in 2001. ... For Link, it was quickly apparent that the work he found himself in was meaningful, and staying within the organization afforded him the opportunity to work across all kinds of departments. In 2024, Hospice & Community Care merged with Hospice of Central PA to form Choices Healthcare. Together, they provide care across 11 Pennsylvania counties. The organization also operates the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss in Mount Joy. Much of Link’s new role involves maintaining a strong legacy of care.

Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske: Hospices facing ‘huge pendulum shift' Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 2/27/26 The hospice space has seen waves of regulatory changes in recent years that are affecting sustainable access, according to Meg Pekarske, partner at the law firm Husch Blackwell. Ensuring program integrity and quality will take an overhaul of hospice regulation. Pekarske, a hospice and health care attorney, is retiring with more than 25 years of legal experience, effective March 31. She recently sat down with Hospice News to reflect on the most significant regulatory changes impacting the future scope of hospice care delivery. Greater consideration is needed around a potential revamp of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, Pekarske said.

A multidimensional narrative review of disparities in hospice care use American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Komal Patel Murali, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, Gwenneth Wang, BS, Daniella Torres, BA, Laura Tycon Moreines, MSN, RN, Abraham A. Brody, PhD, RN, FAAN, Karen Bullock, PhD, LCSW, and Leah V. Estrada, PhD, RN; 2/19/26  ... Findings: Guided by the Social Ecological Model, the objectives of this narrative review are to (a) discuss disparities in hospice care use, (b) explore multidimensional levels and factors contributing to such disparities, and (c) outline implications and imperatives for improving access to and use of hospice care. ... System-level solutions include integrating hospice referrals into routine care workflows, improving hospice-related policies, strengthening partnerships with community organizations, and transitional care research. Clinicians are uniquely positioned to identify care preferences, advocate for timely referrals and support the hospice transition, and build trust with patients and families at the end of life.

Outlook for hospice care in Minot area following suspension of Trinity’s services KFYR/KMOT TV, Minot, ND; by Kyona Rivera; 2/19/26 Last week, we told you about Trinity Health suspending its hospice services. Families are raising concerns about what this means for those who rely on this kind of care in our community. When Trinity Health ends its hospice services, that will leave two providers in Minot, one of which is HIA Hospice. Staff member Brenda Iverson said the need for this type of care goes far beyond the area.

Is your ladder leaning against the wrong wall? Richard Mobley on leadership and calling | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); hosted by Chris Comeaux with Richard Mobley; 2/18/26 What if you spend decades building a successful career—only to realize you were climbing the wrong ladder?  In this episode of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, executive leadership coach Richard Mobley, Founder and Principal of the Seven Four Group, Inc. and the Be Far More! System, joins Chris Comeaux to explore one of the most important questions leaders face: What comes after success? For CEOs, healthcare executives, and Hospice leaders approaching retirement or transition, this conversation centers on the critical shift from achievement to lasting significance—and what it truly means to finish well. 

The Alliance and the Research Institute for Home Care release 2025 Hospice Chartbook National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 2/19/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) and The Research Institute for Home Care (the Institute) are excited to announce the release of the 2025 Hospice Chartbook. Highlighting the vital role that hospice plays in caring for an aging demographic, the Chartbook provides a look at the patients being served in hospice, who they are demographically and clinically, and more.  Now in its second year, the 2025 Hospice Chartbook, co-sponsored by the Alliance, provides an overview of national patient and workforce data with an emphasis on state-specific information and trends, including key data on hospice patients and providers, Medicare spending on hospice, and more. 

New ‘care home’ for seniors aims to bring alternative to home health care WCAX-3 CBS, East Middlebury, VT; by Laura Ullman; 2/18/26 Vermont has a housing crisis for seniors trying to age in place. A nonprofit in Addison County is hoping to pioneer a new model to meet the needs of Vermont’s aging demographic. “Addison County Home Health looked for about a year and a half to find a space, ...” said Deb Wesley, the CEO of Addison County Home Health & Hospice. ... “Our goal is to provide a home for eight individuals who really are medically frail, are really unable to live at home alone, or require some increased assistance for their care,” Wesley said. ... Addison County Home Health & Hospice is hoping to open this care home in late spring.

Is your ladder leaning against the wrong wall? Richard Mobley on leadership and calling | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); hosted by Chris Comeaux with Richard Mobley; 2/18/26 What if you spend decades building a successful career—only to realize you were climbing the wrong ladder?  In this episode of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, executive leadership coach Richard Mobley, Founder and Principal of the Seven Four Group, Inc. and the Be Far More! System, joins Chris Comeaux to explore one of the most important questions leaders face: What comes after success? For CEOs, healthcare executives, and Hospice leaders approaching retirement or transition, this conversation centers on the critical shift from achievement to lasting significance—and what it truly means to finish well. 

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.