Literature Review

‘Behind the Blue’: Lindsay Ragsdale on growing pediatric health care and supporting Project ADAMUK Now, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; by Allison Perry and Kody Kiser; 2/6/26 From College of Medicine research labs to the halls of UK HealthCare, Lindsay Ragsdale, M.D., has spent much of her career at the University of Kentucky. Now the chief medical officer for Golisano Children’s at UK, she oversees a growing team of specialists and subspecialists dedicated to providing the most complex care for the children of Kentucky. In this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Ragsdale discusses her career at UK, the role of palliative care, the growth of the children’s hospital and her own son’s experience as a pediatric cardiology patient.

Longmont restaurant owner hits the road to make hospital patient's wish come true NBC 9 News, Longmont, CO; by Colton Chavez; 2/6/26 A Longmont restaurant owner is driving to Montana this weekend to personally deliver baked potatoes to a patient who listed visiting his establishment as one of their wishes. Eddy Ellson, owner of Big Bear Baked Potatoes, received a message through his restaurant's website from a hospice nurse in Montana asking if he could share his recipe or send food to a patient named Kristle, who wanted to visit his restaurant but was too ill to make the trip. "One of her last wishes she asked the nurse to take her to Denver because she wanted to go to Big Bear Baked Potatoes," Ellson said. Instead of sending a recipe, Ellson decided to make the journey himself. He plans to cook for Kristle, her family, and her nurses on Super Bowl Sunday, when his restaurant is normally closed.

Sheinelle Jones honors nurses who cared for her late husbandTODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle; YouTube segment from tv show; 2/4/26 TODAY's Sheinelle Jones pays special tribute to the nurses and caretakers who looked after her husband Uche Ojeh while in hospice and not only made the time he had left more comfortable, but also supported her and the whole family during their most difficult moments. "The only reason I even have the strength to talk about it, is because I believe that they're our heroes. They deserve all the love and attention we can give them," she says. Then, the care team, Jazzie Stickle, Denise James Wright, Nykyra Owens, Chanel Duff and Jessica Goldstein, get a special surprise.Editor's Note: This segment on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle honored Uche's birthday, the first birthday Sheinelle and her family are experiencing since his death from brain cancer in May 2025. Hudson Valley Hospice provided hospice care, and beautifully represented the best of hospice care's philosophy and care. In addition to nurses and aides, Sheinelle especially thanked Uche's speech pathologist who helped him voice "I love you." I invite you to watch this and be inspired:  Sheinelle Jones' late husband Uche relearned to say 'I love you' in hospice. And she has the video.

Crossroads House to launch 'talking about death over dinner' program The Batavian; by Howard B. Owens; 2/2/26  Crossroads House will launch a community conversation program this fall designed to help people discuss end-of-life wishes before a crisis makes those conversations impossible. The program, called "Talking About Death Over Dinner. Won't Kill You," will bring small groups together over meals to break the ice on what founder Kathy Panepento calls "one of life's most profound topics." ... The dinner discussions will be facilitated gatherings for friends, book clubs, church groups, neighbors or co-workers. A trained facilitator will guide conversations through thoughtful questions about quality of life, personal values and end-of-life care preferences.

The Parmenter Foundation expands compassionate care, bereavement community with 2026 grants Transcendental Meditation News Today, Wayland, MA; Press Release; 2/3/26 ... The Parmenter Foundation, based in Wayland, Mass., will provide $400,000 to nearly two dozen innovative and compassionate programs in four areas of support: children’s bereavement, caregiver support, family bereavement, and hospice care. “We are honored to provide funding to such deserving organizations in 2026,” said Executive Director Angela Crocker. ... Among this year’s grantees is long-term partner Good Shepherd Community Care’s Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence, ... and Empower Grieving Children, ... [Click here for the full list.]

VITAS Healthcare to be featured on CNBC's Now We Know! with Steve Guttenberg – airing January 31 1045 TheDan.com, Delray Beach, FL; by Now We Know!; 1/29/26The upcoming episode of Now We Know! with Steve Guttenberg, airing Saturday, January 31 at 11a ET on CNBC, will feature VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leader in hospice and palliative care dedicated to improving quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families. ... Hosted by actor, author, and businessman, Steve Guttenberg, this unique platform inspires the next generation of knowledge seekers and viewers around the country. 

Sanofi Collective - Foundation S stands behind transformative children's palliative care project in Kenya Global Treehouse Foundation; Press Release; 1/27/26 A significant grant from the Foundation S - the Sanofi Collective will enable a transformative three-year project delivering comprehensive grief and bereavement care to families affected by childhood cancer in Kenya. This is about more than funding: it’s about ensuring families are seen, supported and not left to navigate their most challenging moments alone. Foundation S’s investment is a significant milestone in integrating grief and social-emotional support into healthcare systems - an area too often overlooked, yet essential to the dignity and well-being of children and those who love them.

The most important thing you need to know about end of life planning Forbes; by Peter Ubel; 1/22/26 ... Many experts say I should document my preferences clearly and unambiguously in my medical records so that, in the case of mental incapacity, my doctors can look at what I say and honor those preferences. According to the AARP, leaving ahead detailed instructions about your end-of-life preferences means “that you remain the captain of your own ship.” ... I respect these experts. And I do not begrudge anyone who has filled out such a document. But I worry that this approach won’t work and could even backfire. That is why I prefer a different approach, which I will describe shortly. But first, I need to explain why these kind of detailed advanced directives could backfire. ...

Changing the story data tells about Black health The Seattle Medium, Seattle, WA; by Joseph Williams; 1/26/26 When it comes to the health of Black Americans, the numbers don’t lie. ... Last August, Word In Black launched its Insights & Research Division, a data-focused department centered on the perspectives, priorities, and lived experiences of Black Americans. The goal is straightforward: find out what Black people think about the issues affecting them most, analyze the results, and use those insights to reshape the narrative.

Integrating compassion and policy: Highlights from IAHPC Advocacy, 2025Palliative Medicine in Practice: by Katherine Irene PettusIn 2025, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) advanced advocacy for palliative care as an ethical, clinical, and human rights imperative. As a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), the association worked across policy, faith, and professional domains to integrate palliative care into universal health coverage frameworks. This report summarizes IAHPC’s global activities from February to November 2025, including engagement at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), collaboration with WHO and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the launch of the Leadership and Advocacy Development (LEAD2) program, and new interfaith and educational initiatives.Assistant Editor's note: As I peruse peer reviewed journals to bring you relevant and current summaries of research, I am amazed at the large number of articles published now about palliative care. It wasn't this way just a few years ago. As a long-time hospice and palliative care nurse, I am delighted to see the ground swell of interest in the principles, the need, the value, and the effectiveness of palliative care. I feel like 'We Have Arrived' (finally!). Kudos to all of you who have worked tirelessly over many years to educate professionals and the public at large, about palliative care and its virtues. I know we are not done; there is more to do. But we've come a long way baby!

Advance care planning in patients nearing the end of life: A pre-intervention study of racial disparities and provider factors Journal of General Internal Medicine | Springer; by Vedha Penmetcha BA, Mia Marcotte BA, Yashaswani Chauhan MD, Malathi Srinivasan MD, Adrian M. Bacong PhD, Amelia Sattler MD; 1/19/26 The pre-intervention study of Advance Care Planning (ACP) in patients nearing the end of life highlighted significant racial disparities and the impact of provider factors on ACP documentation. The study found that Asian patients were least likely to have ACP documentation in their charts, and minorities who had ACP conversations were less likely to have documentation. This suggests that ACP conversations are often not documented in the electronic health records of these patients, indicating a need for targeted interventions to improve ACP documentation rates. The study also revealed that providers may struggle to identify who and when to engage in ACP conversations, which can be a barrier to effective ACP.

How nurses assess care goals to boost patient satisfaction informa; by Sara Heath; 1/21/26 Nurses at New Jersey's Valley Hospital boosted patient satisfaction by 14% by soliciting and understanding patient care goals. Krystal LaNeve, a nurse at Valley Hospital in Paramus, New Jersey, often finds herself talking a lot with her patients. ... [Dialogue is] key to patient-centered care but operationalizing that can be an uphill battle. Healthcare teams are strapped for time, and it can be difficult to discuss care preferences with patients ...  Editor's Note: While most of this article is behind a paywall, a similar article is posted on the ANA Nursing Resources Hub, "Ways Nurses Can Improve Patient Care."

No time like the present: End-of-life simulation in the first semester of a 12-month accelerated baccalaureate nursing programJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Alexander T Wolf, Karen L Hunt, Maura D Penfield; 12/25Accelerated nursing programs face unique challenges in incorporating palliative care. This report describes a high-fidelity home hospice simulation developed for first-semester students in a 12-month accelerated baccalaureate nursing program in the northeastern United States. The simulation integrated foundational nursing skills with palliative care competencies. Thematic analysis of student reflections revealed 5 emerging themes: pain management, empathy, family involvement, communication, and knowledge and preparation. Despite challenges in creating a realistic home environment, the simulation provided valuable hands-on experience in palliative care, demonstrating the potential for early curricular integration of these crucial skills.