Literature Review

What caring for elderly parents really feels like and what people don’t talk about Sassy Sister Stuff; by Victoria Cornell; 3/29/26 A simple Reddit prompt, “What’s something people don’t realize about taking care of elderly parents?”, turned into a raw, candid conversation in r/AskReddit.  ... Readers shared specific, sometimes heartbreaking stories and blunt advice, and the result is a clear picture of how caregiving is far messier than the Hallmark version we imagine.

Feasibility and acceptability of a self-written, tele-delivered, LGBTQ+-affirming adaptation of dignity therapy for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancerAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Lexie Wille, Kristie A. Wood, Mike C. Parent; 2/26Dignity therapy (DT) is effective in addressing dignity-related existential distress in people with advanced cancer, but the traditional protocol assumes supportive family structures, uses heteronormative language, and requires synchronous clinician facilitation. These features may limit accessibility for LGBTQ+ individuals. This pilot demonstrated that a self-written, tele-delivered LGBTQ+-affirming DT adaptation was feasible and acceptable for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancer.

End-of-life care planning for individuals with special needsJD Supra; by Chamblis, Bahner & Stphel, P.C.; 3/23/26 Takeaways

How "The Pitt" can prepare you for the end of lifeKatie Couric Media; by Maggie Parker; 3/20/26 If you're sensitive to seeing death on screen, you shouldn't watch The Pitt. Set in a major city's emergency room, on the hit medical procedural, death is inevitable, and frequent. ... The way end-of-life issues are addressed on the show was carefully thought out and intentionally diverse. ... Unfortunately, it's rare for the media to portray death and dying authentically, according to Dr. Underleider's analysis of more than 141,000 scripted TV episodes from 2010 to 2020. ... This season, The Pitt takes its quest to realistically depict death to another level, with the introduction of a terminal cancer patient, Roxie, who knows what's coming and doesn't want to go home to face it. We spoke to Dr. Ungerleider about her reaction to Roxie's final moments, her experience working with the creators, what they get right about end of life, and why it matters. ...Editor's Note: Pair this with our previous posts, "HBO’s ‘The Pitt’ inspires viewers to consider organ donation, end-of-life planning" and "How ‘The Pitt' gets death right."

Thyme Care launches Integrated Social Support model, bringing proactive oncology social work to 8 million Americans upon diagnosis PR Newswire, Nashville, TN; by Thyme Care; 3/5/26 Thyme Care today announced the public launch of its Integrated Social Support (ISS) model, a redesigned approach to oncology navigation that positions licensed master's-level social workers as the first to intervene when members experience barriers to navigating their cancer. The announcement coincides with National Social Work Month in March, recognizing the essential role social workers play in improving health outcomes. An estimated 44% of individuals affected by cancer experience psychosocial burdens, which are associated with poorer health, clinical, and economic outcomes for patients and caregivers. Thyme Care's ISS model flips the approach by making licensed social workers one of the first points of contact for social, emotional, and practical needs, assessing members from day one and throughout their journey ...

Delivering palliative care in mental health nursing settings: A systematic review Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing; by Oladapo Akinlotan, Allen O'Connor, Ruben Seetharamdoo, Mo Ghoorun; 3/6/26 Palliative care can provide comfort, alleviate suffering, and improve quality of life; however, access to palliative care for people with mental illnesses at the end of their lives is extremely poor. As the need for palliative care is expected to rise significantly in the future, palliative care must be considered a global health priority. ...  Recommendations: Although care for people with complex mental illness is complex while dying, conversations around palliative care need to be as part of a therapeutic relationship and engagement. Also, palliative care staff have an important role in communicating end-of-life planning to patients' families and carers.

Why time becomes ever more precious towards the end of our days ehospice; by Brian Dolan, OBE; 3/2/26 In health care, conversations about finance, workforce, and facilities often dominate the agenda. Yet, the most valuable and universal currency within our health systems is something less tangible but far more immediate: time. ... Time is the thread that connects patients and staff, shaping experiences, outcomes, and well-being. For patients, time is deeply personal. It is the time that comes dripping slow as hours are spent waiting in emergency departments, days of confinement to a hospital bed, and, ultimately, the quality of the life they return to when they are finally discharged. For staff, time determines how effectively they can deliver care, make decisions, and balance the demands of an increasingly pressured system. 

[Spain] End-of-life preparedness and emotional suffering in patients and caregivers: Findings from an international cohort study spanning the period before and after deathPalliative Medicine; by Clément Meier, Verónica Inés Veloso, Bélen Carballo, Eva Víbora Martín, Pilar Barnestein-Fonseca, Dröfn Birgisdóttir, Valgerður Sigurðardóttir, Ida Korfage, Agnes van der Heide, Vilma A Tripodoro; 1/26Preparing for the end of life is believed to help mitigate emotional suffering for both patients and their caregivers. This study uses data from the international iLIVE project to examine how perceived end-of-life preparedness is associated with emotional suffering among patients and their caregivers before and after death. Feeling fully prepared for the end of life was significantly associated with lower levels of emotional suffering for both patients and caregivers. Among patients, preparedness was linked to reduced emotional suffering at baseline and follow-up. For caregivers, these associations were even more pronounced at baseline, follow-up, and after the patient's death.

Cancer support camps and the measurement of quality of life among children of parents with cancerSupportive Care in Cancer; by Mia K. Price, Marcelo M. Sleiman Jr., Muriel R. Statman, Duye Liu, Rachel Adams, Matthew G. Biel, Alexandra L. Baldwin, Joseph M. Stilwell, Kenneth P. Tercyak; 1/26Children of parents with cancer face elevated risks of anxiety, depression, and impaired social-emotional functioning. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the Kids’ Experience of Summer Enrichment Measure (KESEM), a parent-report tool assessing psychosocial well-being among children attending a cancer support camp due to a parent’s cancer [and] ... the majority of parents (78%) strongly agreed that camp was favorably impactful and would recommend it to others.

[Japan] Effectiveness of music therapy combining life review and songwriting in patients with terminal cancer: A pilot study based on a mixed methods investigationBMC Palliative Care; by Nanami Nakaya, Ami Yamasato, Mayu Kondo, Shigeki Okino, Makoto Tokuhara, Banri Tsuda, Tetsuji Iida, Osamu Matsui, Koji Hino, Kenji Yamamoto; 1/26Spiritual well-being is a key protective factor against psychological distress in individuals receiving terminal cancer care, and several approaches have been proposed to enhance this aspect of care. In this study, we developed and evaluated the effectiveness of a novel intervention combining life review (a method known to improve spiritual well-being) with songwriting, a form of music therapy. Qualitative analysis of participants’ feedback yielded 77 codes, which were integrated into four major categories: (1) Positive feelings toward researchers or the music, (2) Recalling the past and realizing it was a good life, (3) Hope for the future, and (4) Sharing with others. The intervention significantly improved spiritual well-being, depression, and anxiety in individuals with terminal cancer.

“This is what loneliness looks like”: A description of a high-risk population of palliative and oncology patients American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Tamia Ross, MSPH, Ruwanthi Ekanayake, BA, Lucy Rabinowitz Bailey, MPH, Kain Kim, MD, and Emily Pinto Taylor, MD; 1/9/26 Background: Loneliness exacerbates symptom burden and reduces quality of life in serious illness. Social prescribing–linking patients to non-clinical community activities–offers a novel approach to address loneliness in palliative care. Results: Most patients were older, non-Hispanic Black women experiencing financial strain, food insecurity, and transportation barriers. Anxiety exceeded depression severity; mood disorders, loneliness, and social isolation were leading referral reasons.