Literature Review

Hospice executive highlights Medicare benefits during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month ABC-WWSB, Sarasota, FL; by Thad Randazzo and Summer Smith; 11/5/25 November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, a time to discuss the benefits of hospice care and its importance to communities. Casey Cuthbert, executive director of Affinity Care Hospice of Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, said people often don’t understand that hospice care is a journey everyone faces. ... Many people don’t realize they have paid into Medicare hospice benefits throughout their working lives, Cuthbert said. Medicare covers hospice services at 100%, including the caregiving team of nurses, aides, social workers, and chaplains.

Palliative care & hospice poll reveals major gaps Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan; by Michigan Medicine; 11/6/25 Many older adults don’t know much about care options for people with serious illness, but express interest once they’re explained to them. ... In all, 33% of older Michiganders were aware of palliative care, ... leaving 67% saying they knew little or nothing about it. But after being given the definition of palliative care, 79% of Michiganders were interested in receiving palliative care if they had a serious illness ... Michiganders were as likely as those in the rest of the U.S. to know about (68%) and be interested in (82%) hospice care. However, there was a sizable gap in hospice interest between Black Michiganders (70%) and white Michiganders (84%). 

“We See the Whole You”: NPHI celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 11/1/25 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care, proudly celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November by recognizing the impact of care delivered by nonprofit hospice and healthcare providers across the nation. This year’s national theme, “We See the Whole You,” honors the professionals and organizations who care for people as individuals — each with their own stories, values, and hopes — while supporting families through life’s most meaningful and challenging moments. The theme underscores NPHI’s commitment to care that puts people over profits, ensuring every person is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

The Katherine House: Hospice care for homeless people coming to Dallas Dallas News, Dallas, TX; by Steve Hamm; 10/31/25 The $5 million project is scheduled to kick off renovations at the home in January 2026. A 1896 Victorian-style house in the Wilson Historic District will be converted into a hospice house, providing end-of-life care for homeless individuals in Dallas at no cost. The Visiting Nurse Association of Texas is a 91-year-old nonprofit organization that provides home-delivered meals free of charge to individuals unable to obtain or prepare their own meals and offers home health, hospice, and community health services. The association has partnered with The Meadows Foundation to bring the project to life. 

Health Talk: National Care at Home Month Rutland Herald, Rutland, VT; by Nicole Moran; 11/1/25 Throughout the month of November, VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) will join organizations across the nation in recognizing and celebrating National Care at Home Month.Editor's Note: This article demonstrates great community outreach and education through local new outlets and national observances. For more visit our post, "November 2025 Healthcare Observances," and our ongoing Healthcare Observances webpage for additional dates.

The Alliance celebrates National Care at Home Month 2025 National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 10/31/25November marks the start of National Care at Home Month, an annual observance created to honor the valuable contributions of home care providers nationwide and inspire outreach to communities, media, and policymakers. ... The Alliance encourages individuals and organizations to participate in its annual Social Media Action Day on Friday, November 7, using the hashtags #CareatHomeMonth and #OneVoiceforCareatHome. Alliance members also have access to a range of other National Care at Home Month outreach resources. For more information on planning for and receiving care at home, visit the Alliance’s free consumer resource, CaringInfo.org. Editor's Note: For more information, visit "November 2025 Healthcare Observances" and our newsletter's ongoing "Healthcare Observances" (under the "Resources" tab on our website).

Scout completes Eagle Scout project to replace a former Eagle Scout project at Kathy Hospice Washington County Daily News, Town of Polk, WI; by Grayson Sewell; 10/30/25 In 2013, Derek Palecek made and installed eight handcrafted bird feeders at Kathy Hospice for his Eagle Scout project, but after years of wear and tear, a new scout, Tyler Szabo, stepped up to replace them for his Eagle Scout project in October. “It meant a lot for me to be able to have this opportunity to make sure I can make something that can have a lasting effect on not only on the loved ones, but the ones who are passing away,” said Szabo. “It’s an amazing feeling to make sure they can enjoy the little bit of time they have left. It almost brings me to tears.”

EverHeart Hospice to be featured on all access with Andy Garcia Mercer County Outlook, Greenville, OH; 10/27/25 EverHeart Hospice is set to be featured in an upcoming national documentary distributed to public television on “All Access with Andy Garcia.” The segment will provide vital education on the topics of hospice and palliative care, highlighting the compassionate, specialized support EverHeart Hospice provides to its patients and families. ... The feature will be distributed nationally, reaching major markets in all fifty states, with an anticipated availability in early 2026 for circulation. The national emphasis on distribution will help demystify end-of-life care and promote a greater understanding of the benefits of both hospice and palliative services to viewing audiences.

Mentorship, military legacy, and making a difference with Susan Combs Advisor Today; podcast with Susan Combs; 10/25/25 Susan Combs is the Founder of Pancakes for Roger, a nonprofit that honors veterans and amplifies their stories through a grassroots “pancakes” movement. She created it after her father, a Major General, asked for pancakes while on hospice, inspiring a campaign, book, and advocacy project.Editor's Note: Though Veteran's Day is only two weeks away, you have time to implement Susan's amazing "Pancakes for Roger" for the veterans you serve, via their annual national (and international) campaigns each February. Explore more information. 

Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care unveils scholarship program for health care, social work studentsHospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/14/25 Chicago-based Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care has launched a new initiative designed to bolster its workforce. The company’s charitable arm, the Oasis Foundation, is now offering the Pathway to Purpose Scholarship, which includes $2,500 in tuition dollars for students whose lives have been shaped by hospice or palliative care. New clinicians and other interdisciplinary group members who have had past, personal experience with hospice and palliative care can enrich hospice teams, according to Toso Mohammed Haruna, content strategist for Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care. 

Nonprofits can profit from customer experience practices Evolve-Success; by Rick de Yampert; 10/14/25 Becca Gatian is grateful for each of the gifts she receives as executive director of Halifax Health – Hospice.“When we notice a gap in service or someone has a concern, we don’t call it a complaint,” said Gatian. “We see it as a gift, an opportunity to improve.” For Halifax Health – Hospice, a nonprofit that services Volusia, Flagler, Orange and Osceola counties, “We always focus on the patient and family – they are our customers,” Gatian said. “‘Client’ seems like a clinical term. It’s really about meeting the customer where they’re at versus having a product that we sell. When you think about a customer and a great experience, it’s because that organization individualized that experience for that particular patient and family.”

New art exhibit on display at MaineHealth Waldo Hospital MaineHealth, Belfast, ME; 10/14/25 A new art exhibit is now on display at MaineHealth Waldo Hospital, featuring works by Kristin Golden, Penny Linn and Penny Markley. Their works are on display along the first-floor hallway near the hospital’s laboratory and cardiac rehabilitation department. The exhibit is part of an ongoing effort at MaineHealth Waldo Hospital to showcase a range of artists and mediums from across Maine. The MaineHealth Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals Art Committee, made of care team members from both hospitals, put out a call for artists in January, looking for artists with ties to Maine and New England to display their work in a series of 12-week exhibits at the hospitals. Editor's Note: MaineHealth Waldo Hospital’s rotating art exhibits show how creativity can enhance healing spaces for patients, families, and staff. Consider adapting this idea—partnering with local artists or schools to display works that bring comfort and reflection—to enrich your hospice units, grief counseling rooms, or offices.