Literature Review

Music in the last hours: finding humanity in the ICUAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, from Piura, Peru; Carlos F. Ugas-Charcape, MD, PhD and Cristopher A. Tarazona Chapilliquen; 3/27/26Objective: To describe the use of personalized music as a comfort measure during the final hours of life in the ICU and reflect on its impact on the patient, family, and care environment. ...Conclusions: Personalized music represents a simple, patient-centered adjunct that may enhance comfort and dignity in the final hours of life.Editor's Note: For more detailed research, case studies and therapeutic guidance for using music in the "last hours" with hospice and palliative patients and families, I invite you to explore "The Final Cadence," a chapter in my book Music of the Soul - Composing Life Out of Life. 

Sew Blessed honors Vietnam veteran with patriotic quilt The Herald, Roanoke Rapids, NC; 4/13/26 April 9 was a special Sew Blessed day for the quilt makers as they thanked Russell Crotts, a local U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, for his military service and presented him with a patriotic quilt. ... Crotts spoke to the group about some critical events during his military service, how they affected him and how eventually those events led him to the training of Flo, his service dog. ... This past year, as a veteran pet support volunteer with Liberty Hospice, Russ and Flo have traveled multiple counties, visited 27 hospice patients, and provided an opportunity for a unique connection of comfort between Flo and Liberty Hospice patients.

Saad Healthcare’s ‘The Retreat’ offers comfort for hospice patients and families Fox10 News - WALA, Mobile, AL; by Lee Peck; 4/3/26 Behind Saad Healthcare sits a place for families seeking comfort and support during end-of-life care. They call it “The Retreat” — Saad’s inpatient hospice center. Gloria Massingill recalls her first visit three years ago, when her husband Kenny was looking for hospice care for his 93-year-old father. ... Saad’s The Retreat has 24 hospice beds on site and an additional 15 at their Providence location.

Stanley Subaru donates "Round Up for Change" proceeds to local nonprofits Fox 22 / ABC 7, Bangor, ME; by Beth Jones; 4/6/26 A local car dealership gave a boost to hospice volunteers of Hancock County on Monday so they can continue helping Mainers. ... Stanley Subaru has been running their "Round up for change program," which asks guests to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar. The hospice organization says Stanley Subarau has been a steady source of support over the years. 

April is Global Volunteer Month Points of Light - Global Volunteer Month; retrieved from the internet 4/2/26 Global Volunteer Month is a time to honor and celebrate volunteers worldwide while encouraging volunteerism everywhere. Volunteers, you are the heartbeat of strengthening communities, and throughout the month, we recognize your vital role. We also urge everyone to join us in taking action, as every act of service contributes to a more connected world. During April, lend your time, talent and passion to making a real difference in your own backyard and cause a ripple effect around the world.Editor's Note: How is your hospice celebrating and honoring volunteers this April? We’re gathering meaningful and creative ways organizations express appreciation for those who serve in so many roles throughout the year. We’d love to include yours. Please email me at jberger@hospicepalliativecaretoday.com with a brief description and a link to more details (article or webpage). Let’s honor the heart of hospice—together.

Inspiration from a hospice patient to a medical student [story in the article, "Students from various bacgrounds succeed with WWAMI]University of Wyoming - Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI) Medical Education Program; by Communications Department; 3/31/26[Various medical students' stories ...]

Neenah pastor finds deeper calling after brother’s hospice journey WFRV Green Bay, WI; by Breanna Reinhart; 3/30/26 For the Reverend Niveen Ibrahim Sarras, walking with people through their final moments of life is more than a calling. It’s deeply personal. ... For years, Sarras has guided families through grief, offering prayers and presence at the end of life. But last summer, she found herself navigating that journey from a different perspective. Her brother, Odeh, traveled from Palestine to visit after a long battle with cancer. Just days later, doctors delivered devastating news. “The doctor, after having a CT scan, told me my brother was dying, and I shouldn’t let my brother go back,” Sarras said. Her family turned to hospice care, ... Through language barriers, cultural differences and grief, a team of local caregivers stepped in to help. What followed was a shared experience of compassion and learning. “I just want people to know that with hospice we are there to support you wherever you are at, no matter the cultural background,” said ThedaCare hospice nurse Briana Eggert.Editor's Note: To what extent does your hospice put this into action—supporting persons “no matter the cultural background”? Whatever your strengths, where are your cultural gaps, and how can you better align commitments with action through training, access to translated materials, interpreters, and community partnerships?

Generations: Women’s History Month helps us remember women in our own history The Bemidji Pioneer; by Sue Bruns; 3/28/26 Whether you’re a history buff or not, I encourage you to take the last few days of March to reflect on some of the women you know or have known who are worthy of your admiration and reflection. ... I did a little online exploration and read about a few women I don’t recall my history classes mentioning. I encourage readers to go online and search sites like www.history.com and www.nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org. ... I have been blessed with truly amazing, strong, industrious, intelligent and compassionate women. Starting with my own mother.

The good deaths of people who never marry: Lifelong single people are most likely to die pain-free and at peace. Psychology Today; by Bella DePaulo, PhD; 3/8/26 People who are single and want to stay that way are often taunted with scare stories about what will happen to them toward the end of their life—they will grow old alone, they will die alone, and all the rest. Same for people who have no children. But is the quality of the end of their lives really worse for those who never marry (or never have kids) than it is for those who are married, remarried, divorced, or widowed (or who have grown children)? We now have an answer, and it is not at all what those dire warnings predicted.Editor's Note: This Psychology Today article provides an additional focus on "people who never marry" from the article we posted on 3/20/26, “We make our own families”: Do child-free people die alone? Hospice worker shares her experience. Important: "child-free" does not necessarily mean the person never married. Likewise, "never married" does not necessarily mean the person is "child-free."

Akron-area teen remembered for facing cancer with grace, laughter Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH; by Ralph N. Paulk and Marilyn Miller Paulk; 3/18/26 Darren Hampton smiled and laughed almost incessantly. ... His family reminisced how he fought an agonizing battle with grace and a seemingly habitual smile long after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 at age 7. ... Darren wasn’t afraid to die,” Hampton said. “He understood what was going on.” ... Then, shortly after arriving at the hospice center, he asked Abood, “Are you telling me I don’t have to go to school?” Yet, he expressed a willingness to take his state tests. “He was always concerned about his schoolwork,” ... "(Darren) was full of energy and always positive. He wanted to step in and change the world. He talked about recycling in rivers and lakes.” ... On the day he died, Darren summoned his family.  ... 

Drew Brees visit delights Saints fan living final days in hospice care in Southern California Fox 8, New Orleans; by Ken Daley; 3/14/26 Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees this week paid a surprise visit to a devoted Saints fan living out his final days at a hospice care facility in Southern California. According to social media posts from the Southern California Hospice Foundation, a 48-year-old man identified as Eddie likely has 1-2 weeks to live after being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and undergoing four surgeries in the past month that were unable to improve his prognosis. The initial post last Tuesday said Eddie had been transferred to the Heavenly Home hospice in Mission Viejo, an Orange County community between Los Angeles and San Diego. It said Eddie was originally from New Orleans, has always been a devoted fan of the Saints, and especially admired Brees. The post said one of his final wishes was simply to meet an NFL player.

Mom of Frosty-loving daughter on hospice shouts out Wendy’s staff for ‘lovely gesture’ NBC Today Show; by Heather Marin, RD; 3/13/26 ... [Mary Adams] wanted to give a shoutout to a Wendy’s drive-thru employee in Palm Desert, California, who made her feel seen on a weekly Frosty run that’s deeply bittersweet. ... Purdie’s sister, Gretchen, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2023 [... and chose hospice care in January 2025]. Her appetite is limited these days. “Every week,” Purdie explains. “Someone from our family, usually my mom, goes to Wendy’s and gets six chocolate Frostys.” ... When Adams arrived at her local Wendy’s to pick up the weekly supply recently, a staff member recognized her. “Hey, you’re late!” said the team member, handing over the drink tray, “No spoons, right?” “Many days, there are very few reasons to smile while being a caregiver for her terminally ill daughter, but that interaction was a bright spot,” says Purdie. The whole family was touched that someone noticed the routine that is for them both life-sustaining and painful.