Literature Review

Nevada hospice provider launches first-of-its-kind palliative care in Las Vegas education program ABNewswire; by Summerlin Hospice and Palliative Care; 9/29/25 Summerlin Hospice and Palliative Care has announced the launch of an innovative educational initiative designed to increase awareness and understanding of specialized comfort care services throughout Nevada. ... Summerlin Hospice and Palliative Care has developed partnerships with local medical centers, healthcare providers, and community organizations to maximize the program’s reach and effectiveness. These collaborations ensure that educational resources reach diverse populations throughout the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding Nevada communities.

End-of-life outcomes and staff visits for hospice recipients residing in assisted living Journal of the American Medical Directors Association; by Wenhan Guo, Shubing Cai, Yue Li, Brian E McGarry, Thomas V Caprio, Helena Temkin-Greener; 9/26/25 Objectives: ... We hypothesized that more frequent staff visits and specific regulatory provisions would be associated with improved EOL outcomes. ... Conclusions and implications: Hospice staffing intensity, especially clinical visits, appears to be associated with EOL outcomes for AL residents. AL state regulations are also associated with hospice quality. These findings underscore the role of both organizational practices and regulatory policy in shaping hospice experiences in AL settings.

Melinda Mullet: Hospice helps us die well. But barriers and misconceptions prevent access to services. The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA; by Melinda Mullet; 9/28/25 Hospice helps us die well. But barriers and misconceptions prevent access to services. ... To read an in-depth analysis of the barriers to hospice and the steps needed to ensure a robust end-of-life care in the future, my full report, “The Hope of Hospice: Reimaging End-of-Life Care in an Aging America,” is available at cpjustice.org/flipbook/2025-hatfield-prize-reports.

Shepherd’s Cove helps students cope with loss Messenger, Gadsden, AL; by Karla McArthur; 9/25/25 ... “When people think of Shepherd’s Cove, they think of a hospice facility, which is accurate but not the complete picture,” Smothers said. “They don’t necessarily connect the grief support with the hospice services.” The nonprofit’s hospice facility serves nine counties, but its in-school bereavement program currently reaches only four. Portions of Etowah County are included, allowing counselors to support students at several schools, including West End, Duck Springs, Highland, Sardis-area campuses and Attalla City schools. Smothers said the goal is to expand as more staff are added. A team of four social workers provides monthly counseling for students in grades K-12 who have experienced a loss. The loss does not have to be recent. “We operate under the precept that grief doesn’t have a timeline,” Smothers said. 

Avow recognizes World Hospice and Palliative Care Day Priority Marketing; Press Release; 9/25/25 Avow joins organizations around the globe in observing World Hospice and Palliative Care Day on Saturday, Oct. 11, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the critical role hospice and palliative care play in supporting patients and families facing serious illness. Editor's Note: For information to honor hits at your organization, visit our 7/15/25 post, World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 - Achieving the Promise: Universal access to palliative care 

Community turns out for Banner's Senior ExposCleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland, TN; by Will Bublitz; 9/19/25 Hundreds of seniors enjoyed the food, door prizes, free samples and information to improve their lives during the Living 55Plus Senior Expo, held Thursday in Wacker Commons at the PIE Innovation Center in Cleveland. This was the sixth year for this popular and free event sponsored by the Cleveland Daily Banner. It was co-sponsored by Bradley Medical Center, Cleveland Utilities, Garden Plaza of Cleveland, Ahlberg Audiology, Companion Funeral Homes and Life Care Center of Cleveland. "The 2025 55Plus Senior Expo was the best expo thus far, with the most vendors and attendees yet," said Joyce Taylor, publisher of the Cleveland Daily Banner. [Vendors included, but were not limited to Adoration Hospice, Hearth Hospice,  and Hospice of Chattanooga.]

Neil Heinen: We give precious little thought to the meaning of life Madison Magazine, Madison, WI; by Neil Heinen; 9/17/25 An Op-Ed on the importance and profundity of being with a person at the end of their life, and how hospice plays a special role. We don’t think about death enough. How’s that for an opening sentence? ... We’d be considerably better off if we did think about life’s end a little more. The main topic of this column is hospice, which adds a bit of a buffer to the existential angst of contemplating death. ... Being with a person at the end of their life is one of the most profound and loving of life’s many possible experiences. And what brings meaning to a dying person is as varied as life itself. A song, a poem, a pet, a knitting needle and yarn, a recognition of service, stories, pictures, memories, another person who will listen, who cares; the list is long and filled with small acts of kindness so many of us could easily provide.

Low-cost respite service offered North Central News, Phoenix, AZ; by NCN Staff; 9/17/25 A new program is bringing together Arizona State University students and Hospice of the Valley to provide support to families caring for a person with dementia at home or in a facility. RISE — Respite In Student Engagement is a unique partnership between ASU and Hospice of the Valley’s Supportive Care for Dementia program. RISE connects students with families to provide affordable respite for caregivers and meaningful engagement for the person living with dementia in their home or in a facility. The rate is $20 per hour and families pay the student directly. RISE students are not employees or contractors for ASU or Hospice of the Valley. All students are background checked, and ASU students who join RISE receive evidence-based dementia training from the Dementia Care and Education Campus in Phoenix.

Hosparus Health breaks ground on region’s first standalone hospice care center Hosparus Health; Press Release; 9/16/25 Hosparus Health proudly announces the groundbreaking of its new Hospice Care Center, the region’s first and only standalone inpatient hospice facility, following the successful achievement of its $9.2 million fundraising goal by raising nearly $9.6 million to launch construction. The Hospice Care Center is a critical expansion of compassionate end-of-life care for families across the region. Designed to serve patients with complex needs in a peaceful, homelike setting, the nearly 30,000-square-foot facility will offer 21 private patient suites, family gathering spaces, a chapel, and serene gardens for quiet reflection. “When families can no longer care for a loved one at home, this facility will offer a supportive space that blends expert care with dignity and comfort,” said David W. Cook, President and CEO of Hosparus Health. 

St. Charles fifth graders make greeting cards for hospice patients Hometown Stations - ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Lima, OH; by Pearl Lewandowski; 9/11/25 For the past 25 years, students have taken part in making greeting cards for local hospice patients. ... “Fifth graders are at an age where they may have already lost someone, or they may have someone who's sick, or they may have aging grandparents, so there's always concerns and questions,” said Dr. Amy Mestemaker, medical director of Mercy Health Hospice. “If we can help support them or help them better understand the process, we want to do that.” 

New van opens doors for Hospice of West Alabama clients Tuscaloosa News, Tuscaloosa, AL; by Gary Cosby, Jr.; 9/8/25 A new Hospice of West Alabama transport van is rolling through the streets, courtesy of the generosity of community donors. Hospice Executive Director Latrelle Hallum said the new vehicle will greatly expand the services they can offer to their clients. Before purchasing the new Toyota Sienna minivan, the organization did not have the ability to take clients places they needed to get to. "It's going to allow us to do a lot of extras. We will do Christmas lights tour for our patients and families in December, take them to graduations, or to see a newborn baby, or a Thanksgiving gathering, or to doctor's appointments. The only requirement is that it is not an ambulance. We can only transport people who are in a wheelchair," Hallum said.

The keys to building solid disease-specific hospice programs Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/8/25 Understanding the most prevalent medical conditions among aging patient populations is a significant part of developing disease-specific programs that better address physical, emotional and practical needs. ... Community needs assessments play a large role in steering the direction of a disease-specific program, said Evan Dressel, director of strategy, program development and innovation at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.  ... Navigating service needs, strategic execution and establishing successful care collaborations are crucial components to consider when building a disease-specific program, according to Kelly Gadison, vice president of clinical practice, strategy and programs at Amedisys. ... 

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.