Literature Review

'We’re seeing these struggles.' Rainbow works to support end-of-life caregivers Daily Jefferson County Union, Jefferson, WI; by Hannah Brock; 2/10/25 Rainbow Community Care is facing a growing need in Dodge and Jefferson counties: the overwhelming burden placed on caregivers, both family members and healthcare workers, as they navigate end-of-life care. “There’s this need in the community to support caregivers, where whoever they are,” said Carol Brown, president and CEO of Rainbow Community Care. The backbone of the healthcare system isn’t just hospitals or insurance plans—it’s the unpaid, often invisible labor of family caregivers. ... The newest initiative, the respite care program, is being designed to give caregivers much-needed breaks. Many family caregivers go months—or even years—without a full night’s rest, a doctor’s visit for themselves, or even an afternoon off, according to Rainbow Community Care. To help address this, Rainbow Community Care secured the necessary funding for the program. 

In the wake of California fires, a hospice opens its arms to help a community heal Pasadena Now, Pasadena, CA; 2/8/25 A Los Angeles hospice organization announced Thursday it has extended its expertise in grief counseling to help residents process the collective trauma of the recent destructive wildfires. In the Arms of Grace Hospice, based in Los Feliz, will begin offering free weekly drop-in support groups for those affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires starting February 4. The open-format sessions at St. Gregory Church in Pasadena will be led by Dr. Ani Karayan, PhD, a clinical psychologist with more than two decades of experience in trauma-informed care. “The fires have caused significant disruption in the lives of many in the community,” said Kevin Tutunjian, president of In the Arms of Grace Hospice. “We wanted to create a safe and supportive space that validates the complex and nuanced emotions this community is going through.”

Hospice Alliance hosts CNA walk-in interviews Kenosha.com, Kenosha, WI; Press Release; 2/5/25 What: Hospice Alliance is looking for dedicated Certified Nursing Aides to join our award-winning team. We will be hosting walk-in interviews on Thursdays throughout the month of February from 1 – 3 pm for full-time 1st shift aides. Wages start at $18.50 an hour, and positions are benefit eligible (i.e. PTO, 403b match, health, vision and dental insurance). Please bring your resume, CNA certification, driver’s license, and auto insurance with you (all of which are required for the position). Who: Open to anyone who is a Wisconsin Certified Nursing Aide Where: ... When: Thursdays, February 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 1 – 3 pm Applications can be completed ahead of time at ...Editor's note: We're posting this as an innovative, user-friendly recruitment initiative.

Garlock: How to prepare children for hardships and tragedies The Citizen; by Dr. Victor Garlock; 2/4/25 All of us must face hardships and tragedies. How well we are able to get through difficult times is a major factor affecting the overall quality of our lives. Sometimes these challenges arrive individually, as in a sudden serious illness, an accident, or the death of a loved one. Sometimes — as in last fall’s devastating floods in North Carolina or the recent wildfires in Southern California — entire communities must find a way to move forward. ... Resilience is the capacity to recover from challenges and adversity. Tragic optimism is the determination to remain optimistic and find meaning and purpose in the face of tragedy. [With children:]

Father keeping a promise to son to 'never miss a baseball game' despite entering hospice Fox 13 - Tampa Bay, FL; by Briona Arradondo; 1/30/25 A father diagnosed with cancer left hospice Thursday to spend the evening making final memories with his family on a baseball diamond in Tampa. Family and friends surrounded Steve Uhal and his wife Amy with love and support as he arrived to see his 9-year-old son Charlie play one last game.  ... 

Paula's Donuts is trying out new flavors for a good cause NBC WGRZ 2, Buffalo, NY; by Tommy Gallagher; 1/29/25 People in Cheektowaga had the chance to try out Paula's Donuts' newest flavors for a good cause. Paula's teamed up with Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo to find this year's hospice spring bouquet sale doughnut. For one week in March, customers will be able to purchase the officially crowned hospice spring bouquet sale doughnut, as well as flower bouquets, to raise money for individuals suffering from serious illness as well as their families and caregivers.

‘Small but significant’ keys to amplifying hospice grief support Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/29/25 Grief support service lines can be an important pathway for hospices to reach communities outside of their patient populations. Building strong bereavement programs comes with myriad considerations around community outreach, collaboration development and strategic planning. ... Similar to many hospices nationwide, Angela Hospice offers bereavement services to its hospice patient families and across communities throughout its service region. The hospice provider’s bereavement program includes one-on-one counseling sessions, group therapy, as well as education and informative online and in-person workshops. Angela Hospice additionally offers an annual summer grief camp for children, Camp Monarch. Editor's note: The CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoPs) require each hospice to provide bereavement/grief support patients' families, both before the death and after. The CMS Hospice CoPs identify "bereavement" and/or "grief" 155 times. 

How a St. Louisan helps her community navigate death by filling out advance directives NPR - St. Louis on the Air; by Jada Jones; 1/28/25 When Vivial Lopez’s grandmother was on life support, her family was faced with many difficult decisions. Her grandmother did not have an advance directive, so her family did not know her final wishes. The experience of navigating her grandmother’s end-of-life plan without any direction led Lopez to advocate for families to prepare advance directives - especially those in Black and brown communities. Approximately only on ein three adults complete an advance directive for end-of-life care. Lopez works with the Gateway End-of-Life Coalition to empower members of the St. Louis community to navigate death through quality end-of-life care.  Editor's note: Click here for AARP - Find Advance Directives Forms by State, also available in Spanish.

Bettis Academy instills leadership skills with Eagles L.E.A.D. Program The Post and Courier, North Augusta, SC; by Bianca Moorman; 1/27/25 Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy is helping to build the next generation of leaders with its new Eagle's L.E.A.D. Initiative. Eagle's L.E.A.D. – which stands for Learn through Experience, Excel in Academics, Aspire to Inspire and Drive for Change – aims to teach students the skills needed to become leaders through hands-on service projects. The school officially launched the program on Oct. 28, 2024. ... Each grade level has selected a unique service project for the program. ... First-graders are partnering with Gentiva Hospice to learn about the work of first responders. Second-graders are collaborating with heart doctors to raise awareness about childhood heart disease. Third-graders are creating "little libraries" to place in various locations throughout the community. [Click on the title's link for grades 4-8.]

Hospice rationale should be reassessed, says ethicist Medscape; by Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, Medical Ethics at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine; 1/23/25 ... Decades ago, I first found out about the idea that came from England and a nurse, Cicely Saunders, to change the setting in which people die. ... I think that was a wonderful idea, and it has revolutionized end-of-life care. We have many excellent, superb hospice programs. ... The hospice institution is decades old, and it’s time to take another look at what’s going on there.  ... Private equity is all over this area, buying up hospice chains and home care hospice — looking to make big profits but not looking to maintain the quality requirements that ought to be there or to do more than is minimally required to set up and staff hospice. ... ... For reasons of serving the best interests of hospice patients, we should be rechecking the fairness of reimbursement, not overburdening families with care that ought to be provided by hospice programs, and making sure that those who are dying are monitored adequately and receiving checkups regularly. ...

Stillwater Hospice CFO: A winning recipe for improving rural hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/23/25 Montana-headquartered Stillwater Hospice has found a successful rhythm to strategic rural-based growth and sustainability. The strategy hinges on building culture, staffing resources and a reputation for quality, according to CFO and Co-founder Chris Graham. Launched in 2017, the hospice company serves predominantly rural-based populations in Montana, northern Wyoming and South Dakota. ... What are the most significant concerns among rural-based hospice providers currently? How have the challenges of rural care delivery evolved in recent years? "Staffing is very hard. You’ve got to find staff who are willing and like to travel because they have a lot of windshield time. It’s also the logistics of remote care. We have patients that live 75 miles or more outside of a town, then once you get there it’s another 20 miles on a dirt road that could be covered in snow and ice. ..." [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Red Cross urging blood donations amid severe weather, wildfires ABC News 27 WKOW, Madison, WI; by Chad Thompson; 1/22/25 The American Red Cross is encouraging donors to give blood or platelets as winter storms and California wildfires have impacted blood supply. Donors of all blood types – particularly type O negative blood donors and those giving platelets – are needed to help save lives this month, according to a press release. "As dangerous snow and ice continue to sweep across the country, and wildfires in Southern California continue to burn and impact air quality, Red Cross blood drive cancellations have grown into the hundreds," the release stated. Red Cross said those events have resulted in more than 12,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations in January. More winter storms are forecast for this week could further strain the blood supply.Editor's note: Does your agency partner with your local Red Cross? The hospice I served regularly used our Community Room for Red Cross blood donations, a couple of times each year. These interactive experiences fostered great morale and humanity across all roles--side-by-side--giving "life" in a practical, affordable, meaningful way.