Literature Review

Husband and wife have emotional reunion after a year apart while dealing with dementia People; by Sam Gillette; 9/4/25 "We are humbled to help turn final wishes into treasured memories," a hospice official says of Everett Linton and his wife. ... An 88-year-old former truck driver from Cincinnati was able to hitch a ride to see his wife for the first time in almost a year, leading to an emotional reunion. “I'm ridin', I'm going to see my wife,” Everett Linton told a reporter from ABC affiliate WCPO from the passenger seat of a semi-truck. The nostalgic ride and reunion on Aug. 22 were organized by his care facility, Luminary Hospice Cincinnati, and the facility where his wife, Patricia, is staying, Majestic Care of Fairfield Assisted Living in Fairfield, Ohio.

Food drive will aid hospice patients The County, Presque Isle, ME; by Contributed; 9/3/25 Northern Light Home Care and Hospice is holding a patient food drive now through Sept. 22 to support patients experiencing food insecurity. Home Care and Hospice clinicians and home health aides make more than 169,500 in-home visits each year caring for patients across the state. They see first-hand the food insecurity patients are experiencing. “We know that nutrition helps patients have better healing outcomes from a recent surgery or a chronic condition. Worrying about where their next meal is coming from should not be one of their concerns,” said LeighAnn Howard, vice president of clinical operations at Northern Light Home Care and Hospice. Editor's Note: The autumn season is an excellent time to hold your own patient food drive to "support patients experiencing food insecurity." Read this learn from Northern Light Home Care and Hospice innovative outreach and support.

Christmas for Lorie: Carmel neighborhood lights up August NBC WTHR-13, Carmel, IN; by Scott Swan; 8/21/25 On a warm August night, Christmas lights are twinkling on a street in Carmel. "One of our favorite traditions on Windbush is to decorate every house as much as possible," said neighbor Emily Clem. We may be 125 days away from Christmas, but for the family in this house, the beauty of the holiday needs to happen now. "When I saw the lights go up last Thursday or Friday, my heart sunk because I knew what it was," said Brady Young, who lives nearby. Lorie Graves, a 50-year-old wife and mom, is on home hospice as she battles ovarian cancer. "We did the Christmas decorations in the front yard because we have a very special neighbor right down the road who is battling cancer," said Shane Best. ... And so did the neighbors.

From hospice to homecoming - a remarkable journey Buffalo Healthy Living; 8/26/25 On Christmas Eve, Tom Korn was frail and unconscious when he arrived at the hospice unit of Northgate Care Facility after his doctors told him that nothing more could be done. His husband, Mark, was reeling—another unfamiliar corridor, another devastating prognosis, and what seemed to be Tom’s final stop. Instead, Northgate’s partnership with Niagara Hospice became more than just an admission for comfort; it turned into an unexpected chance to live. ... 

Grateful leukemia patient thanks care team, paints butterfly mural Sentara, Norfolk, VA; by Kelly Anne Morgan; 8/27/25 ... Six years ago, Kressel was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, ... It was an emergency admission, and she remained in the hospital [for 70 days], receiving over 150 blood transfusions, several bone marrow biopsies, and a splenic embolization. ... When she was discharged from the hospital, Kressel began working on a butterfly mural composed of three large canvases. The butterflies symbolize hope for patients and families experiencing hospice and end-of-life comfort care, said Kressel. ... Recently, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital rededicated nine rooms on the oncology floor to house hospice patients. ... In August, Kressel was joined by family, friends, and her care team as she presented the mural to the unit. ...

[United Kingdom] 'The word hospice can be terrifying - but this is why it's giving us extra life' Verve Times, story from Wetherby, UK; by Craig Fedirighi; 8/27/25 The word “hospice” often conjures up images of people living out their final days in a room surrounded by nurses. But one mother says the hospice she goes to with her family has given them a life they could never have imagined would be possible. ... The 32-year-old said: “It’s one of those things where obviously the word hospice, everyone finds it scary. One thinks it’s the worst-case scenario, but it’s not. It’s giving you that extra life that you didn’t know you could have. ..."

How to create meaning in every season of life with Dr. Trisha Welstad Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Trisha Welstad; 8/27/25 In this conversation, Dr. Trisha Welstad shares her philosophy on leadership, highlighting the importance of healthy leaders who can heal the world, demonstrating how personal pain can shape a person's purpose, and highlighting the value of reflection in leadership. Dr. Trisha Welstad explores how purpose emerges from our deepest wounds and why healthy leaders can heal the world through their wholeness.  She shares her belief that purpose isn't a luxury, but a necessity for our identity, one that develops throughout all stages of life.

Marine veteran’s hospice wedding celebrates love and compassion Greater Good; Guest Contributor; 8/18/25 When Marine Corps Veteran Ivson Shelley entered hospice care at the Lebanon VA Medical Center in Pennsylvania, he had one final wish: to marry his lifelong love, Wanda Rivera. Their story, shared by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is a testament to enduring love, the compassion of caregivers, and the power of community. As a Vietnam War Veteran, Shelley’s journey is already marked by service and sacrifice. But it is this deeply personal moment—his wedding in hospice—that has touched hearts across the country and highlighted the dedication of VA staff in honoring Veterans' final wishes.

Late attorney leaves lasting legacy to St. Luke’s hospice Times News - tnonline.com; Press Release; 8/9/25 A recent gift to support hospice programs at St. Luke's deepens the impact of Justin K. McCarthy, Esq. ... Among his greatest accomplishmnets is his support of programs offered through St. Luke's University Health Network [in Pennsylvania and New Jersey]. ... For many years, McCarthy, who died in August 2023 at the age of 95, served on the board of trustees for the Network's Visiting Nurses Association and was an early supporter of the hospice program that evolved into an integral component of VNA services. In addition to sharing his time, talent and energy, he was also an extremely generous donor who contributed more than $2 million in support of St. Luke's.  

Hospice patients using virtual reality to fulfill final wishes WRDW-12 / WAGT-26 On Your Side News, Augusta, GA; by Staff; 8/7/25Patients at Crescent Hospice in Augusta are using virtual reality headsets to fulfill their last wishes. The headsets allow patients to experience new things before the end of their lives. The hospice aid and community liaison used one of the headsets and spoke about how one of the patients got to experience mardi gras through VR before he died.

‘You made my life’: VITAS caregiver scores NHL tickets for hospice patient through Wish Maker program McKnights Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 8/8/25 When hospice nurse Natalie Villabrera-Williams came to visit her client and hockey lover, Alan Reddish, last year she noticed that he was growing a beard that would make Rip Van Winkle blush. When she asked him if he wanted to shave it off, he explained that his beard would remain unkempt as long as his beloved Florida Panthers remained in the 2025 NHL Playoffs. ... After that interaction, Villabrera-Williams, a nurse for VITAS Healthcare in Broward County, FL, saw an opportunity to bring Reddish, of Lauderhill, FL, closer to the action on the ice.  ...

Hospice volunteers recognize local floral donors Uvalde Leader News, Uvalde, TX; 7/27/25 Uvalde Memorial Hospital hospice volunteers recently recognized the Flower Patch and Uvalde H-E-B for their weekly donations of fresh flowers for hospice patients. Hospice volunteers deliver the gifts, valued at approximately $1,950 annually from each business, to patients, brightening their homes and hospital rooms while providing emotional comfort during difficult times.

[United Kingdom] Hospice to become 'first for LGBTQ+ people in UK' BBC News, Sussex Beacon; by Josh McLaughlin; 8/5/25 A hospice in East Sussex has announced it is to become the UK's first dedicated hospice for the LGBTQ+ community. The move by Sussex Beacon, based in Brighton, has been dubbed a "landmark development" by NHS Sussex, aiming to combine inclusive care with expertise in specialist HIV care. The charity has been offering palliative and end-of-life care to people with HIV for more than 30 years, recently expanding its services to the wider LGBTQ+ community, regardless of HIV status.