Literature Review

Father with terminal illness fights to attend MHSAA championship to see son play Northeaset Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo, MS; by Caleb McCluskey; 6/6/26 From the time Carter Barefoot, 17, could walk, he was playing baseball, especially with his father, Alan Barefoot, who played Division I baseball in college. But illness has limited his father’s ability to enjoy the game they have shared throughout their lives. ... “He never missed a game,” Carter said. After doctors diagnosed Alan, 55, with terminal cancer and admitted him to Sanctuary Hospice, he physically could not be there for most of Carter’s junior-year season. Sanctuary made it happen, arranging for Alan to attend the playoffs in Pearl, where he watched his son’s Mooreville team become Class 4A state champion. It meant the world to Carter to see his dad there. 

Families struggle to secure home hospice U.S. News; by Cameron Blake; 6/3/26 A woman’s effort to honor her husband Craig’s last wish to die at home became a second fight alongside his bladder cancer, highlighting growing strains in access to hospice care outside the hospital. The caregiver, who asked to speak about her experience, said the couple faced delays and mixed guidance when trying to arrange home-based support in the final weeks of his illness. Their story mirrors a national problem as more families seek comfort-centered care while agencies report tight staffing and stricter eligibility reviews.

Why pre-admission is hospice’s next operational advantage Hospice News; by Jack Silverstein; 5/29/26 When Dr. Darius Joshi named his San Jose, California-based hospice Redwood Hospice, the name had more significance than simply proximity to Redwood National and State Parks. [Rich metaphor of redwood trees for quality hospice care as related to referrals and admissions ...] ... Inside the rise of the pre-admission platform: three areas of improvement:

[Global] The Real World Charity Challenge surpasses 1,200 volunteer acts in 7 months BusinessWire, Miami, FL; Press Release; 6/1/26 The Real World members have completed 1,251 documented acts of community service through the platform's global Charity Challenge, New Era Learning LLC announced today. ... "The Charity Challenge was designed to test whether members would commit to high-effort work without immediate financial return, and the submission numbers gave us a clear answer," said Mark Berringer, spokesperson for New Era Learning LLC. "The 1,251 verified completions in seven months, across 14 countries and causes ranging from hospice care to environmental cleanup, show that the program's structure works across very different local contexts."Editor's Note: Beyond Compliance — Volunteer hours may fulfill CMS requirements, but what else do they tell you? How intentionally do you use volunteer data to recognize service, strengthen recruitment and retention, and better understand volunteer impact throughout patient and family care?

Tree of Life supporting hospice patients set up at YMCA Beatrice Daily Sun, Beatrice, NE; by Christina Lyons; 5/28/26The Cottonwood Hospice Charitable Foundation Tree of Life was set up on Wednesday morning at the YMCA in Beatrice. The tree is to honor the memory of those individuals who have been touched by local hospice services. Each leaf on the tree signifies a donation made to the foundation in memory of a loved one. The foundation uses the funds from the leaves to provide support to hospice patients. ... In addition to the tree, there are fliers and information for Cottonwood Hospice and the foundation in the lobby of the YMCA.

‘Behind the blue’: social work's Abbie Latimer on how to support those who are suffering UKNow | University of Kentucky HealthCare, Lexington, KY; by Kody Kiser; 6/1/26 When someone we care about is going through something painful, many of us struggle with the same question: what do I say? On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Abbie Latimer, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, discusses hospice and palliative care, serious illness communication and how people can better support one another during difficult moments. Latimer also holds an affiliate appointment in the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Palliative and Supportive Care. 

New Iowa law allows ‘adult close friend’ to make end-of-life medical decisions KCRG-9 ABC, Iowa City, IA; by Lacey Reeves; 5/28/26 Starting in July, a close adult friend can make end-of-life medical decisions for someone who is unable to make them themselves under a new Iowa state law. When a patient can’t make medical decisions for themselves, a hierarchy establishes who can make the decisions for them. Typically a spouse, adult child or adult sibling of the patient can make those decisions. “Not everybody has a family member who is available, willing, capable to make decisions for them,” said Sara Krieger, CEO of Iowa City Hospice. Iowa City Hospice said it has been working for years to add “close adult friend” to that list through legislation.

Bridging faith and palliative care: Catholic clergy and community engagement in the United States American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care; by Clotilde Dudley-Smith and Brian Stiltner; 5/27/26 ... Spiritual care delivered by community clergy when disconnected from contemporary palliative care principles may, in some cases, unintentionally contribute to delayed hospice referral and increased use of aggressive, nonbeneficial treatments near the end of life. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature in palliative care, chaplaincy, and sociology of religion, this paper examines structural, educational, and cultural barriers that limit collaboration between palliative care teams and Catholic clergy in the United States.

Nurse and provider perceptions of palliative care Nursing Management; by Eydie Tipton, Tracy Viers, and Chelsea Wilson; 5/1/26 Conclusions: Findings suggest that knowledge gaps may not be the primary barrier to palliative care (PC) utilization. Instead, systemic and cultural factors likely contribute to under-referral. Leadership-driven strategies, including standardized referral processes, enhanced interprofessional education, and supportive clinical environments, may help translate knowledge into consistent practice.Editor's Note: Yes, real persons are behind each research article we post. Read this community's pride in the palliative care nurses of Quincy, IL behind this study. Eydie, Tracy and Chelsea saw a need, developed a research project, and saw it through to publication: National journal publishes palliative care research by area nurses.

Klamath Hospice honors older Americans with 4th annual Senior Awareness Fair Herald and News, Klamath Falls, OR; by Courtney Neubauer; 5/22/26 Booths lined the walkways of the Klamath Hospice walking paths while a local musician played tunes, and many grabbed a hot dog and a bag of chips to mark the fourth annual Senior Awareness Fair. This event, organized by Klamath Hospice and Palliative Care, featured roughly 40 community booths offering resources and services to seniors and their families. ...  This year’s theme, Champion Your Health, encourages older adults to take action to support their health and prevent health issues, advocate for their needs, and make informed choices that support their well-being.

Pikes Peak Hospice honors veteran graves with flags for Memorial Day KXRM, Colorado Springs, CO; by Dara Korn; 5/23/26 Volunteers from Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care placed flags at the headstones of fallen heroes at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, to honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives. This is the third year that the hospice has placed flags at the graves of service members to prepare for Memorial Day. This year, volunteers placed about 4,500 flags, up from around 4,000 flags the previous year.

Iconic gay congressman Barney Frank passed away at age 86 [with hospice care] LGBTQNation; by Greg Owen; 5/20/26 He served for 32 years in Congress and was the first U.S. congressman to come out voluntarily and to marry someone of the same sex ... has died. He was 86. Frank is survived by his husband, Jim Ready. Frank had been in hospice care near his home in Ogunquit, Maine, for the past few months, receiving treatment for congestive heart failure. His family said he passed away Tuesday night [5/19/26].

How resolving moral distress unlocks physicians’ potential AMA - American Medical Association; by Bobby Mukkamala, MD, President; 5/20/26 The inability to do what feels right affects physicians to a greater degree and can keep us from delivering the care we know our patients need. ... Across medicine, many physicians are confronting something deeper: moral distress. New research shows it is widespread, distinct from burnout, and carries serious consequences for physicians, patients and the healthcare system itself.