Literature Review

'They mourn just like you and me': Local nonprofit cares for animals of terminally ill owners The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO; by Kelly Hayes; 3/22/25 The car ride back to the home of Randy and Linda Gearhart was near silent that February day. The husband and wife from Colorado Springs had just picked up 12-year-old Kimi, a tan, medium-sized dog, and 11-year-old Sage, a slightly larger kelpie mix. ... Sitting in the trunk of the car was all the pups had known: several cushions, their bowls, plenty of toys and a heap of blankets. But there was something — or rather, someone — missing. Their owner, who died recently. “I didn’t wash these until last week,” Linda said, pointing to their cushions. “I think having the smells, having their same beds, that familiarity, was good for them.” For nearly three decades, Safe Place for Pets has served as a new home for animals of terminally ill owners in Colorado Springs. With the help of about 50 volunteers, two part-time employees and a handful of fosters such as the Gearharts, the nonprofit shoulders a heavy responsibility: caring for beloved pets after their person dies. [Continue reading this heart-warming story ...]

Etched in time: Hope Hospice making extra effort to recognize, appreciate New Braunfels-area veterans New Braunfels TheHerald-Zeitung, New Braunfels, TX; by Erica Wilson; 3/20/25 ... [Photo] The Veterans Plaza on Hope Hospice's New Braunfels campus is pictured on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.  ... Of Hope Hospice’s patients in the New Braunfels area, about one-fifth are typically veterans. ...  [Descriptions of their "We Honor Veterans" program.] ... [In] a show of support for community veterans, Hope Hospice’s main campus in New Braunfels has a veterans plaza honoring both living and deceased veterans. Bricks engraved with veterans' names surround a flagpole on the campus.  All veterans are eligible to have their names displayed in the plaza, whether or not Hope Hospice has served their families. Bricks can be purchased for $50, and funds go toward supporting Hope Hospice’s efforts to support veterans at the end of their lives.

[Australia] Advance care planning has brought 'comfort and peace' to Annaliese Holland ABC News; by Eva Blandis and Daniel Keane; 3/19/25Young South Australian woman Annaliese Holland, who is preparing for major high-risk surgery, has spoken about the importance of advance care planning. The 25-year-old was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease and terminal illness several years ago. Ms. Holland wants young people to have more open conversations about death and end-of-life care. ... "I say my life is like walking on a field of landmines, not knowing when it will go off,"  she said. While it is a harrowing statement, she is harnessing her situation to help others — Ms. Holland is a strong supporter of advance care planning.

Mannford nursing home quickly evacuated seniors as wildfire neared2 News Oklahoma, Mannford, OK; by Douglas Braff; 3/15/25Our crews have seen selflessness on full display in Mannford after March 14’s wildfires. ... As the wildfire was approaching nearby neighborhoods, staff at Cimarron Point Care Center in Mannford had to act quickly to get the 44 seniors living there out of harm’s way. “There are lots of things that need to be done, and it takes a lot of teamwork,” Frank Sullivan [the owner of CPCC] pointed out. ... Luckily, he said local authorities gave him an early heads up so the nursing home would have time. ... While most residents were transported by school bus, he noted, “Several had to be transported by ambulances. Some of 'em are on hospice ... and their condition is dire.”

Penny Stamps speaker Gary Tyler shares his wrongful conviction story, empowers communities through artThe Michigan Daily; by Talia Varsano; 3/17/25At 5:30 p.m. in the Michigan Theater Thursday night, nearly every seat was full as the audience welcomed Gary Tyler, a falsely convicted felon of first-degree murder turned artist, performer, youth mentor and community leader. ... On October 7, 1974, Tyler was framed and wrongfully convicted by an all-white jury of first-degree murder and sentenced to death at 16 years old. ... At the event, Tyler spoke about his experience as an inmate at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola for nearly 42 years before his release in 2016. Tyler said the trajectory of his life was completely shifted by his wrongful imprisonment. ... [Tyler's story of imprisonment continues.] Tyler began quilting while incarcerated to raise money for the hospice program at Angola, which provided end-of-life care for Louisiana State Penitentiary inmates. Tyler said he was inspired by his mother and grandmother, who were also quilters, as well as the communities surrounding him. ... Tyler said. “When I do quilts, I try to pull everything around me, because I try to build, I try to put everything that I feel, that someone would identify, someone would recognize, understand, in my quilt.” ... Tyler volunteered for the Angola Prison Hospice program for more than 17 years while incarcerated.Editor's note: Pair this with Death and redemption in American prison," posted 2/19/24 about Gary's friend and fellow quilter at Angola Prison Hospice program, Stephen Garner. 

Daughter asks US Marine to honor her dying war hero dad. She broke down when she answered the door next dayScoop Up Worthy; by Abhishek Bhatia; 3/13/25 The Korean War veteran's daughter, who was seen standing beside him in the footage, wanted her dad to be remembered as a national hero in his final moments. At the daughter's request, Tim visited her dad and thanked him for his service to the country. "Marine on deck. Good afternoon, Sir. Sergeant Chambers, reporting his order. You ever run across that horse in Korea that was running artillery rounds in evacuating wounded?" he asked the veteran, referring to Sergeant Reckless, a famous horse that served with the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.  ...

104-year-old WWII veteran honored for his service while in hospice WCCO via CNN Newsource, Cottage Grove, MN; by Reg Chapman; 3/9/25 A World War II veteran in Minnesota has the honor of being the oldest resident in his town. Even at his remarkable age, Don Tietz has not lost his wit or his humor. After he was drafted during World War II, Tietz found himself a long way from his hometown farm. Tietz served as a truck driver, hauling ammunition across America’s campaign into Europe. ... “We spearheaded across France,” he said. ... He also faced the true grim realities of war. ... “There was 212, only 12 of us came back,” he said. ... Tietz now represents a different era of grit and perseverance. Surrounded by friends and family, the Allina Health Hospice Team showed their gratitude to Tietz for his service by giving him a heartfelt ceremony, where he was awarded a pin and certificate. Most importantly, Tietz was given an opportunity to reflect on all of those years.Editor's note: Click here for the We Honor Veterans Program developed by NHPCO (now the National Alliance for Care at Home) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The staging of 'The Story of My Life' at Asbury Memorial filled with serendipitous moments Savannah Morning News, Savannah, GA; by Amy Paige Condon; 3/6/25 ... [Ray] Ellis, a retired music and drama teacher who works now as a caregiver, and fellow church member Dottie Kluttz, a retired hospice nurse, were hanging decorations in Asbury Memorial’s Social Hall. Ellis shared how his dream of producing “The Story of My Life” was back on his mind … A former hospice nurse, Kluttz founded Savannah Hospice’s Story Keeping program in 2001 as a way for people near the end of their lives to share the story of their lives. …  [Click on the title’s link to read the serendipitous, synergistic encounters that unfolded, resulting in shows March 28, 29, 30.] [Upon underwriting for production costs,] Ellis proposed that ticket sales for the musical could serve as a fundraiser for Savannah Hospice’s Story Keeping program and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research—a nonprofit near and dear to Ellis, who was diagnosed about three years ago with the progressive brain disease that causes tremors, stiffness and balance problems. … Stage and film actor Mark Rand, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s around the same time as Ellis, agreed to portray Thomas to Ellis’s Alvin—even after Rand thought he would never perform again. …

Lifelong ISU fan receiving hospice care attends Cyclone basketball game CBS KCCI News-8 YouTube channel, Des Moines, IO; 3/24/25 A care home in Boone worked to get a lifelong Iowa State fan to what might be her final men's basketball game tonight. Beverly Adrian is receiving hospice care. She is 79, but turns 80 at the end of the month. Her last wish was to attend an Iowa State event, and since she is such a huge sports fan, the workers at the home she lives in thought this game would be perfect. And as you can see, it was an emotional night for her. "Oh, awesome!" "Very good!" "I've been crying since I walked in." ...

A walk in the Bywater was just the medicine I needed NOLA.com, New Orleans, LA; by Danny Heitman; 3/2/25 Last fall, I asked Pico Iyer, a travel writer and spiritual thinker I’ve followed for years, how he keeps a sense of hope in a troubled world. Iyer touched on several points, but his parting comment is the one I remember most vividly. “During the worst days of the pandemic,” Iyer recalled, “I was asked to give a talk to a local hospice organization. At the end, the moderator asked me to offer some advice. I’m sure he was expecting something wise or sonorous or lofty. All I could say was, ‘Take a walk. If the world doesn’t look better after you do, you will almost certainly feel better.'” A few days later, Iyer’s words came back to me as my wife and I took a weekend walk in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. ... Editor's note: Just in time for Mardi Gras, enjoy this inspirational story. Whether at work or at home, find time to use this advice, "Take a walk."

VNA Hospice NWI celebrates staff, volunteers and community at annual dinner banquet NWI.Life; by Garrett Spoor; 3/4/25 For more than half a century, VNA Hospice NWI has been assisting seniors in Northwest Indiana with hospice care and the Meals on Wheels program. The organization hosted its Annual Dinner and Awards banquet on Monday, March 3, ... “The big purpose of the annual dinner is to thank all the people who made last year possible,” [Maria Galka, director of development] said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation for the staff, volunteers and our supporters. We present our annual report from the past fiscal year and look forward to what's coming in the new year.” ... VNA Hospice NWI was presented with a check for $32,798 from Don Quijote Restaurante to support VNA Meals on Wheels. The Legion Riders Post #94 provided a check for $12,500 for the VNA Hospice NWI. The dinner presented plenty of awards and scholarships to recognize some of the attendees ...Editor's note: What appreciation events and awards/recognitions do your organization regularly provide for your employes, volunteers, and community? Click on this article's title to explore the scope of this organization's highly valued Annual Dinner and Awards. When you have events such as these, remember to take provide "take-out" food for your employees who are duty elsewhere, like your on-call office and hospice inpatient care.

My mother and brother have terminal cancer. I'm worried I won't feel anything when they die. Business Insider; essay by Kimanzi Constable; 3/1/25 ... My brother was diagnosed with Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) three years ago, and my mother found out she had stage four lung cancer a year ago. I got a call earlier this year that the cancer was spreading, and I flew to spend time with them. I knew it would be hard seeing them battling late-stage cancer, but what I walked into was my brother in the Advanced Cancer Care Center, unable to move, and my mother wanting to hold an "end of life" planning meeting. It was worse than I anticipated. It was hard to see him not moving and the nurses having to help him do everything. My mother looked like she weighed 50 pounds ... I'm worried I won't feel anything when they pass away. ... I think it might be just another day when they pass away. I've been thinking — what does that say about me? Am I a bad person for not falling on the ground and losing it for over half of my family dying? Or is this nothingness an OK feeling due to the complicated relationship we've had most of my life? ... Editor's note: Leaders, welcome to the daily world of your clinicians, especially your social workers, chaplains, and grief counselors. Read this with openness to the normalcy of this author's conflicted relationships, emotions, thoughts, and empowered actions toward "not wanting to regret how I handled this opportunity to say goodbye more healthily."

Aging With Adventure: The challenge of caring Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, MA; by Eric Weld; 2/28/25 I made a mistake. I took a hiatus from writing in this space about aging with adventure because I thought I was taking a hiatus from adventure. Boy, was I wrong. I errantly thought that spending more than a year caring for my elderly mother in her final time on earth was taking me away from adventure. I am honored to have enabled my mother’s final days spent at home — not her home, but my sister’s private home — instead of in a public or private nursing facility. ... I assumed, in taking on the role of her co-caretaker, I would temporarily preempt my semi-retirement modus operandi of striking out on great adventures. To the contrary, what I learned from spending nearly two years co-caring for my aging mother is that end-of-life care is, indeed, every bit an adventure on many levels. And of course, it’s certainly about aging. [Click on the title's link to continue reading this inspirational caregiver story.]