Literature Review

What do UK hospice websites communicate about the meaning of palliative care? BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Lucy Williams, Charlotte Browne, Paul Perkins, and Vanessa Taylor; 6/30/26Objectives: Hospice websites are an important source of information for the public. This study examined whether information communicated about palliative care aligned with WHO and the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) definitions of palliative care. ... Conclusions: Key information was often missing, and opportunities to educate the public and address misconceptions are being lost. Hospice websites need reviewing and content updating to help improve public understanding of palliative care. Editor's Note: What does your website communicate? What information does it omit, and why? In a time of heightened scrutiny and rampant fraud, examine your website for strengths, gaps, and opportunities to educate and support the public with integrity, authenticity, and empowered choice.

Improving trauma-informed end-of-life support for indigenous populations Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/29/26 The end of life can come with significant challenges for underserved and under-resourced patient populations, including indigenous tribal communities. Hospices seeking to improve quality and disparities need a trauma-informed care delivery approach, as well as greater cultural staffing diversity and education. Culturally inclusive recruitment and retention policies can help hospices to bridge wide gaps of unmet needs among terminally ill patients and their families, according to Dr. Sophina Manheimer Calderon, CMO, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Health System in Baraga, Michigan. Calderon is from the Navajo Nation in Arizona and previously worked within the tribal community’s health system to collaborate with local hospice and home health providers. Increasing diverse staff representation allows hospices to have a deeper understanding of the unique challenges a community faces ...

MSU nursing program blends coursework and community care at Camp SMILE Morehead State Public Radio, Morehead, KY; by Morehead State University; 6/26/26 For many students, electives are a way to earn credits, but for Morehead State University nursing students, one course is also a chance to serve their community and gain life-changing perspective. Thanks to a partnership between Morehead State’s Department of Nursing and UK St. Claire Regional Hospice & Palliative Care in Morehead, MSU nursing students can gain unique experience working with children at Camp SMILE while working toward their nursing degree. Camp SMILE (Sharing Memories In a Loving Environment) is a bereavement camp for children [ages 7-17] who have lost a loved one.

Ahwatukee vet helps seniors stay in their homes Ahwatukee Foothills News, Tempe, AZ; by AFN Staff; 6/23/26  For Alexander Mock, helping seniors remain safely in their homes isn’t just a business model. It’s a mission shaped by military service, years spent working alongside hospice nurses and families, and a belief that caring for people often means caring for the homes they live in. ... [As a hospice volunteer for veterans, he noticed a pattern.] As people’s health declined, the condition of their homes often declined as well. Many families struggled with maintenance issues, accessibility concerns and repairs that made it increasingly difficult for older adults to continue living independently. Mock began to see an opportunity to combine his experience helping people with practical home services.

Grief experiences among LGBTQ+ populations: a scoping review BMC Palliative Care; by Tamara Rodríguez Pérez, Cristo Manuel Marrero González, Alfonso Miguel García Hernández; 6/23/26 Objective: To explore research published between 2021 and 2026 on grief and bereavement-related experiences among LGBTQ+ adults in healthcare and palliative care settings, identifying the main topics addressed and knowledge gaps relevant to clinical practice. Results: ... Four main themes were identified: minority stress, complexities of disclosure, disenfranchised grief, and gaps in professional training. Critical gaps included underrepresentation of transgender people, a scarcity of quantitative data, an absence of intersectional perspectives, and concentration in Western contexts.

Seniors stitch quilts for hospice patients, turning personal grief into community giving WTXL-27 ABC, Tallahassee, FL; by Tatyana Purifoy; 6/19/26 A group of seniors at the Gadsden County Senior Center is turning thread, fabric, and friendship into comfort for others — forming a quilting club that creates handmade quilts donated to local hospice patients. ... For Rose Jackson, the project is personal. She was eager to partner with hospice because of the care and support her family received when her mother passed away. ... Member Ora Green says the project has given the group more than just something to do. Green is 96 years old and began her quilting journey at age 10. She says the club has given members an opportunity to use their talents to help others.

Helping end-of-life patients helps us live fully BBC News, Bristol, England; by Jonathan Holmes, John Darvall, Sarah Turnnidge; 6/18/26"The reminder that we will all die is very difficult, but also really real, and it's the only truth we all have." Those are the words of 44-year-old Hazel Bulger from Bristol, who has spent the past year visiting her elderly neighbor Eric, 86. Living - in his own words - "in the shadow of cancer", recovering from a recent serious accident and managing alone after the death of his wife, Eric was matched with Bulger by St. Peter's Hospice as a "hospice neighbor." The chiropractor and yoga teacher was inspired to volunteer after losing both her parents suddenly in her twenties, said: "I think opening yourself up to end of life can actually allow you to live fully."

Designing the dream house of an 87-year-old tech visionary DNYUZ; 6/16/26 Brand’s life has been going for 87 years, but lately the going has been tough. The man known for creating the Whole Earth Catalog—the 1960s countercultural guide to self-sufficiency that Steve Jobs was fond of—has an incurable disease and is down to 130 pounds, an alarming weight for a nearly 6-footer. Brand’s mind is sharp as ever; you can’t talk to the man for five minutes without learning something. ... Brand is a world-class pragmatist and a philosopher of structures; he once wrote a book called How Buildings Learn about how homes and commercial properties evolve over time. ... We do a walk-through of the studio, all 715 square feet of it. Off of the living space, under an arch, is a motorized bed. There are no rails, and it looks nothing like hospital equipment. Brand grabs a remote and playfully shows me how it rises and kneels. The kitchen counters are lower than usual, to accommodate Brand if he ever needs a wheelchair. The bathroom is the space that’s most optimized for accessibility. ...

High schooler shares final milestone with Dad after hospice nurses help him organize bedside graduation ceremony People; by Abigail Adams; 6/12/26 A dad got to watch his son graduate from high school just days before he died in hospice care. Brad Case was put into hospice care after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, according to WPTA. So, his son Braden Case, a senior at Hamilton Junior Senior High School in Hamilton, Ind., did what he could to make sure his dad could see him graduate. Braden worked with nurses to put together the improvised graduation ceremony at Brad's bedside. A photo taken from the special moment, shared by WPTA, showed Braden in his blue cap and gown while standing by his father's side. Braden told WPTA that Brad had always been there for his big moments in life, and he wanted to ensure his dad witnessed this one.

National Father's Day Grief Helpline available through VITAS® Healthcare PR Newswire, Miramar, FL; by VITAS Healthcare; 6/9/26 Father's Day can intensify grief for millions of Americans, turning a day of celebration into one of quiet loss. Last year, more than 20,000 VITAS Healthcare hospice patients were fathers, representing tens of thousands of families who may feel that absence more deeply this month. To support those navigating loss, VITAS will host a free, confidential Father's Day Grief Helpline on Sunday, June 21, offering nationwide support from trained hospice bereavement specialists.

Stitching love The Ironton Tribune, Ironton, OH; by Mark Shaffer Patriotic-themed quilts made by the Ohio Hospice Quilters are on display at the Lawrence County Courthouse. Some of the quilts are for sale to buy more quilting supplies and the others will be donated to veterans. Ohio Hospice Quilters has made hundreds of quilts to comfort. For years, the members of the Ohio Hospice Quilters have put their skills to use to bring comfort. ... Each quilt is catered to the recipient as much as possible, they are designed for men, women, veterans or to a person’s interest or hobby.

What will people remember about you after you die? But legacy can manifest in different ways and even be an unconscious act Daily Sun; by BBC Future; 5/31/26 When Beth Hunter's father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, she asked him whether she could record them having a conversation, so she could listen back to it in years to come. He refused. He wasn't the type to have deep heart-to-hearts about their relationship, Hunter says – he didn't confront his diagnosis or talk about death. Instead, he prioritized writing his war stories, and did so by hand, before hiring someone else to type them. This is what he felt was most valuable to pass on after his death.

HopeHealth receives $200K grant to expand community engagement efforts Providence Business News, Providence, RI; by PBN Staff; 6/7/26 HopeHealth, the second-oldest hospice organization in the country, says it has received a $200,000 grant from Papitto Opportunity Connection to support the launch of a new community engagement program aimed at connecting underserved people with grief support, palliative care services and end-of-life care through hospice. The aims of the new program include building awareness of the benefits of palliative care, hospice, grief support and family caregiver support.