Literature Review

Your living will could get you too much care, or too little: the living will doctors misread KevinMD.com; podcast by KevinMD; 10/21/26 When you can’t speak for yourself, a living will is supposed to speak for you. Too often, it doesn’t. Seventy percent of U.S. adults don’t have one, and those who do often keep it in a drawer at home. ...  80 percent of physicians equate the mere presence of an advance directive with a do not resuscitate (DNR) order. Mirarchi calls it the lethal glance, a split-second read by a clinician who has never met the patient. The errors go both ways: resuscitating people who never wanted it and failing to resuscitate people who chose full code. ...

Valley Hospice continues end-of-life care conversation with second theatrical performance TAPinto.net, Paramus, NJ; by Valley Health System; 10/19/26 Following the thoughtful discussions generated by The Final Act Part I: A Conversation on End-Of-Life Choices, a theatrical performance hosted by Valley Hospice last November, community members are invited to continue the conversation at The Final Act Part II: Setting the Stage for Hospice Care. ... Through storytelling, drama, humor, and education, the program explores what hospice care truly provides beyond the final days of life, including expert symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, caregiver education, crisis prevention, and guidance through difficult transitions.

The #1 thing to never say to someone when their pet passes away, according to experts The Telegraph, Macon, GA; by Aleksandar Mishkov; 10/18/26 Most people who say the wrong thing after a pet dies are truly trying to help and offer their support. They may try to find a phrase to use that sounds comforting—like maybe something they said that worked when a distant relative passed or when a coworker lost a parent—but instead, it may actually make someone who has lost a pet feel worse without the person realizing they’ve made the grieving person feel that way. ... "At least."  Whenever you say “at least” as in “at least they lived a long life,” “at least they’re not suffering anymore” or “at least you have other pets,” you are not being as comforting as you think you’re being.Editor's Note: For many of us, our first experiences of death and grief are when a family pet dies. This can transfer directly to our language and beliefs about people. Reflect back to the death of a beloved pet in your life. At that painful time, how were you supported best? Worst? What connections do you see in your communications about loss and grief?

A perfect strike: hospice resident relives glory days as professional bowler with special trip to Wayward Social Time-Republican; by Robert Maharry; 10/3/26 Barbara Rothman, a current resident at Iowa River Hospice, has lived an extraordinary life: she served in the U.S. Army and helped to design and create outfits for the soldier shows, and she also enjoyed a career as a professional bowler in the Newark, N.J. area many years ago. So when it was time to plan a special surprise for her through IRH's "Making Moments Matter" program, the answer was simple: she just wanted to go bowling one last time. [See inspirational photo]

Do you need to step back from caregiving? How to spot the signs WAND News, Decatur, IL; by LeAnne Gendreau, Katherine Ambrose , Sondra 'Sam' Cradduck , Amy Cameron O’Rourke and Dr. Rhea Rogers; 10/2/26 Caregiving is often called an act of love, but over time it can wear down your mind, your body and your relationships. The Aging Untold experts explain the warning signs of caregiver burnout, why stepping back can actually be the safer choice and how to make the transition without falling into guilt.

Inside "Good Grief," Sara Bareilles' new album and documentary Public Broadcasting System (PBS) | Amanpour & Co.; video interview of Sara Bareilles and Josh Alexander; 9/22/26 Musician Sara Bareilles has had a difficult few years. Behind the glamour of her successful music career, she has been dealing with loss. Her new album "Good Grief," and a documentary about its making, speak to the will to overcome. The album is out now and the doc, "Sara Bareilles: Good Grief," is available to watch on Kinema. Bareilles and her director, Josh Alexander, speak out about the journey.

[United Kingdom] Cream tea party for hospice breaks world record BBC News; by Caroline Robinson; 9/22/26 A hospice has broken a world record for the largest cream tea party. Cornwall Hospice brought 2,483 people together in the attempt to break the record previously held by Mercedes-Benz in Beijing with 1,088 attendees. The event at the Royal Cornwall Showground on Saturday was hosted by entertainer Johnny Cowling who said: "This is what Cornwall is all about - supporting one another." The charity said the record attempt also marked its 45th year of supporting people across the Duchy.

Finger Lakes Nurse Honor Guard gives late nurses a final tribute Democrat and Chronicle; by Mike Murphy; 9/21/26 As Ruth Benjamin was getting ready to retire after more than 50 years in nursing, two of her colleagues passed away. ... Nursing is a calling and a way of life, Benjamin said by way of explanation, and many like her and her colleague gave everything they had to their profession. ... After some research, Benjamin founded the Finger Lakes Nurse Honor Guard, which celebrates its third anniversary in October. The all-volunteer honor guard ensures that late nurses are recognized, in a similar way that honor guards pay tribute to late military or first responders. ... The service is free.Editor's Note: Though this article is behind a paywall, you can learn more about this inspirational Finger Lakes Nurse Honor Guard from their website.

HPNF awarded Spanish-language access grant Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation; Press Release; 9/18/26 The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) has received a $107,000 grant from Elea Institute for a new project titled the Spanish-Language Access to Hospice and Palliative Nursing Certification Initiative. Elea Institute is committed to ensuring all persons have access to high-quality hospice and palliative care and has awarded numerous grants supporting enhanced community access and educational resources. This grant project will address a critical barrier to equitable hospice and palliative care training: language access. Spanish-speaking nursing assistants are an essential part of the healthcare workforce, yet limited access to Spanish-language certification and educational resources creates barriers to professional advancement and equitable care delivery.

Loved ones remembered with release of 1,000 monarch butterflies The Courier, Waterloo, IA; by Maria Kuiper; 9/15/26 A break in the clouds Sunday seemed too good to be true as 1,000 monarch butterflies were released during Cedar Valley Hospice’s Release and Remember event. Despite the rain, about 2,000 people showed up for the fundraiser event where butterflies could be bought and dedicated to loved ones that died during hospice care. ... “Butterflies represent to so many people that transformation between one life and the other because they’re literally going through that transformation,” Suzanne Benda, Cedar Valley Hospice’s chief growth officer, said. “I think it does show that, I mean, what a special moment as they come out and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is playing and we see the butterflies start to take off.”

Family caregivers are the unsung heroes of many Granite State homes New Hampshire Union Leader; op-ed by Julie Stone; 9/15/26 ... According to AARP, nearly one in four New Hampshire adults serve as a family caregiver, providing care that is often unpaid and largely unseen. Together, they contribute hundreds of millions of hours of care each year. Without them, many older Granite Staters and individuals with serious illness would be unable to remain in the homes and communities they cherish. Yet while family caregivers provide extraordinary support, too many are carrying the burden alone. Many are balancing caregiving with full-time jobs. Others are raising children while caring for aging parents. ...

[United Kingdom] Dad who hates sand to take on Sahara trek BBC News; by Emma Stanley; 9/13/26 A dad who hates sand is trekking the Sahara Desert to raise money for the hospice that cares for his son. Andrew Privett, from Leyland in Lancashire, is one of 31 adventurers who are preparing to trek 30 miles (48km) across Morocco's Erg Chegaga Dunes over six days in November. They will face extreme temperatures, challenging terrain and long days beneath the desert sun, in the first overseas challenge for Chorley's Derian House Children's Hospice.