Literature Review

Elizabeth Earley explores the fear of death in new essay collection SGN - Seattle & The Pacific Northwest's LGBTQIA+ News & Network; by Lindsey Anderson; 9/26/25 ... Humans often push the idea of death to the fringes of our minds, especially in Western cultures. However, for writer and clinical research scientist Elizabeth Earley, this topic contains multitudes as vast as the human experience. The more she studied the history and science of mortality, the more she found an underlying beauty, which inspired her latest work, Little Deaths All in a Row, a collection of prose diving deep into death. ... Realizing death is the inevitable end for us all, Earley decided to face her fear. "I believe the best way to get over fearing something is just to get closer to it and more intimate with it, so that's what I did," she said. She began volunteering in a hospice program as a form of exposure therapy. 

Master gardeners in New Hampshire cultivate community and connection ABC WMUR-9, Auburn, NH; by Erin Fehlau and Mary-Paige Provost; 9/26/25 On Thursday mornings at the New Hampshire Audubon's Massabesic Center in Auburn, dozens of volunteers from the University of New Hampshire Extension's Master Gardener Program can be found getting their hands dirty, welcoming visitors and sharing their gardening knowledge. ... One way master gardeners give back is by volunteering at therapy gardens, such as the Community Hospice House in Merrimack. ... "The house has been designed so that every room has a private patio, and the patients can be outside. The idea is to bring life into the rooms and honor the life cycle," master gardener Jean Abramson said. 

Alzheimer's Association: New telenovela series highlights Alzheimer’s in Hispanic and Latino communities Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, IL; Press Release; 9/15/25In conjunction with National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month, the Alzheimer’s Association is premiering "Memories of My Grandfather" ("Recuerdos de mi abuelo"), a five-episode mini telenovela aimed at encouraging Hispanic and Latino families to have open discussions about memory loss, diagnosis and caregiving across generations. The series, available in both English and Spanish, follows the emotional journey of a multigenerational Hispanic family in the United States after their grandfather’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The telenovela will be screened during two webinars hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association: one in English on Sept. 30 and one in Spanish on Oct. 7. Both webinars will feature a moderated discussion hosted by actress, film producer and Telemundo news anchor Gabi Del Moral. ... Both webinars are free and open to the public. Register for the English-language webinar or the Spanish-language webinar.

Students lift patients' spirits with Words of Warmth The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; by Christian Jeter; 9/19/25 As pens hit paper with words of love and encouragement, students gathered to write letters to patients currently in hospice care at the Student Activities Board’s Words of Warmth event on Sept. 19. Hosted on the first floor of the Student Union Building, the event invited students to write a letter or decorate gift bags with uplifting words as a part of the SAB’s Service Week, a period of time in which the organization holds community service-focused volunteer events. ... Phrases such as “Peace and love” and “Wishing you comfort” were some of the many suggestions SAB members recommended students write on their letters. Students could also write more in-depth text or personal anecdotes.

[UK] Key themes and approaches in palliative and end-of-life care education for the general public: A systematic reviewBMC Palliative Care; by Muzeyyen Seckin, Rumandeep Tiwana, David Fry, Cara Bailey; 8/25 These [twenty] studies involved a total of 10,307 participants and identified 16 different educational programmes for the public, volunteers, and lay caregivers. The analysis revealed six main themes: foundational concepts and philosophies, communication and decision-making, planning and preparation, symptom management, end-of-life care practices, and caregiving support. This review highlights the importance of training programmes to improve community involvement in caregiving and enhance the quality of care for individuals with life-limiting conditions. Expanding access to such educational resources can empower more people to contribute confidently to end-of-life care in their communities.

How a novel coaching intervention is building resilience and hope in adolescents and young adults with advanced cancer: A conversation with Abby R. Rosenberg, MD, MS, MA The ASCO Post; by Jo Cavaloo; 9/15/25 Each year, nearly 90,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs; aged 15–39) are diagnosed with cancer, and approximately 9,300 die of the disease. ... AYAs are at increased risk for developing adverse long-term side effects from cancer and/or its treatment, including chronic conditions, secondary cancers, infertility, poor psychosocial health, and financial toxicity. ... The findings from a recent randomized phase III clinical trial investigating a novel resilience coaching intervention for AYA patients with advanced cancer are showing promising results in improving feelings of resilience and hope, as well as longer-term improvement in quality of life for these patients. ... In a wide-ranging interview with The ASCO Post, Dr. Rosenberg discussed the psychosocial impact of cancer on AYA cancer survivors, the results of the PRISM-AC study, and how AYA survivors are able to cope with having a terminal prognosis.

St. Charles fifth graders make greeting cards for hospice patients Hometown Stations - ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Lima, OH; by Pearl Lewandowski; 9/11/25 For the past 25 years, students have taken part in making greeting cards for local hospice patients. ... “Fifth graders are at an age where they may have already lost someone, or they may have someone who's sick, or they may have aging grandparents, so there's always concerns and questions,” said Dr. Amy Mestemaker, medical director of Mercy Health Hospice. “If we can help support them or help them better understand the process, we want to do that.” 

[New Zealand] 'Cuddle beds' for terminally-ill hospice patients BBC News, New Zealand; by Jack Silver; 9/5/25 A hospice in Guernsey has installed seven "cuddle beds" for patients with life-limiting or terminal illnesses. The beds, which cost £17,000 each, widen to allow patients to lie next to and embrace their love ones or pets. Les Bourgs Hospice, in St Andrews, said the beds brought "comfort, dignity, and human connection" to patients and their families. Rob Jones, from Les Bourgs, said the beds would help with the hospice's mission to "support people at one of the most difficult times of their life."

Benefits and burdens of research participation: A mixed methods systematic review in palliative and end-of-life careJournal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Cara L Wallace, Stephanie P Wladkowski, Ruaa Al-Juboori, Anna Wingo, Kathryn W Coccia, Rebecca Hyde, Verna Hendricks-Ferguson; 8/25Research participation of hospice and palliative care patients and family caregivers is essential to develop and test best practices. Yet, healthcare professionals are often hesitant to ask patients and caregivers to participate in research, fearing it is too intrusive or unethical during a sensitive time. This review focused on the motivating factors, benefits, and burdens of research participation for patients with serious illness and their family caregivers. For clinicians and researchers, connecting patients and caregivers to palliative and end-of-life research may be both beneficial as a contribution to scientific literature and as an additional source of ongoing support.

The hidden crisis in serious illness care and how we fix itMedCityNews; by Dr. Mihir Kamdar; 9/7/25 Every year, millions of Americans with serious illnesses find themselves caught in a dangerous limbo: not sick enough to qualify for hospice, but far too ill to be served by our traditional healthcare system. The result is care that’s expensive, fragmented, and often traumatic. These patients are shuffled between a revolving door of emergency rooms and ICUs, enduring a cascade of aggressive interventions that don’t match their goals or improve their quality of life. This approach not only undermines quality, it drives healthcare spending through the roof, particularly in the last year of life. This is the hidden crisis in serious illness care. And it’s getting worse. At the root of the problem is what many in the field call the “hospice cliff.” ...

Sexuality and intimacy in the context of palliative and end-of-life care: A scoping reviewInternational Journal of Palliative Nursing; by Michelle Traverse, Susan D Mueller, Susan DeSanto-Madeya, Melissa A Sutherland; 8/25This scoping review identifies what is known about patient/partner sexuality and intimacy needs during end-of-life care and how healthcare professionals' (HCPs) approach these needs. A total of 18 articles were included in the review. Four themes were identified: 1) negative impact of serious illness on sexuality and intimacy, 2) barriers and facilitators to addressing sexuality, 3) tension between expansive and genital-focused approaches to sexuality and intimacy, and 4) a disconnect between patient/partner needs and HCP preparation. HCPs require clear and comprehensive training to improve their ability to address sexuality and intimacy during end-of-life care. Taking an expansive view of sexuality and intimacy during this time may facilitate HCP interventions.

What do physicians want at the end? An international qualitative study on physicians’ personal end-of-life preferences and what influences them Palliative Care and Social Practice; by Sarah Mroz, Frederick Daenen, Sigrid Dierickx, Freddy Mortier, Ludovica De Panfilis, Luca Ghirotto, Toby Campbell, Kenneth Chambaere, and Luc Deliens; 7/4/25 Research Results: ... Most physicians prefer to avoid aggressive and life-prolonging treatment, physical and mental suffering, and being a burden. They prioritize being in a peaceful environment and communication with loved ones. Various factors influence preferences including cultural, social, and religious beliefs, and legislative environment, but most significant are the deaths of loved ones and clinical practice. Death and dying become normalized the more they are reflected upon and discussed, and this process can also provide personal growth which helps physicians provide better care to patients and families.

Trends in hospice and palliative care consults initiated in the emergency department: An eight-year utilization analysisThe American Journal of Emergency Medicine; by Satheesh Gunaga, Abe Al-Hage, Alyssa Buchheister, Harish Neelam, Jessica Corcoran, Michael Welchans, Kirby Swan, Mahmoud Awada, Joseph Miller, Fabrice Mowbray; 8/25Emergency departments (EDs) play a central role in end-of-life care, yet the early integration of hospice and palliative care (HPC) is often underutilized. A total of 8,055 HPC consults were ordered for 6,370 unique patients. The average age was 78.1 years, with 56.4 % female and 75.0 % White. Of the cohort, 91.7 % were admitted, 5.3 % discharged home, and 53.2 % died in-hospital. HPC consults increased from 369 in 2016 to 1,355 in 2023 (367 % increase ... ). The ratio of hospice to palliative care consults reversed from 1.5:1 in 2016 to 1:1.9 in 2023.