Literature Review

Thanksgiving tradition brings meals to hospice families in Northeastern Pennsylvania  ABC News 16 WNEP, Scranton, PA; by Jack Culkin; 11/28/24 It's become a holiday tradition for many volunteers to fill their cars at Mansour's Market in Scranton on Thanksgiving morning, delivering meals to those in hospice care. Ray Gillette, a long-time volunteer, shared, "We've been doing this for a long time, and we've taken the boys with us. Our oldest grandson is 14. This is his 14th year that he's come to deliver with us." ... [Diane Baldi, CEO of Hospice of The Sacred Heart] says the event began as an idea. Quickly growing to not just caring for their patients, but their families too.  "19 years ago, in our very first, we may have had 20 patients. Today we have 200. So it has grown exponentially," said Baldi. ... Along with classic holiday staples like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, each meal includes a hand-made card. "I like it because it has like a turkey on the front and it has like all the stuff that you would eat," Said nine-year-old Olivia Catalano. She and her classmates made dozens of these cards, each featuring a Thanksgiving message or drawing. ... With each card placed and each meal delivered, workers successfully brought more than 600 meals to hospice families across Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Tidewell Foundation volunteers give back during Thanksgiving Observer, Sarasota, FL; by Jay Heater; 11/29/24Those in the parking lot of the Tidewell Hospice administration building the day before Thanksgiving in Lakewood Ranch weren't focused on the "being thankful" part of the holiday. They were concentrating on the "giving back" part. The Tidewell Foundation's fifth annual Meal Drive provided more than 500 meals that were delivered through Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties to provide, in many cases, what might be the last holiday meal a couple or family would be able to share. Morton's Gourmet Market, the Venice Yacht Club and Michael's on East made the meals possible and then volunteers packed and delivered the meals Nov. 27. Among those in the parking lot was Bradenton's Terry Dale, who was volunteering in the event for the first time. "I am trying to give back," Dale said as she was busy handing out meals to other volunteers who drove up to take care of the delivery. "Two years ago, these people (Tidewell Hospice) were a godsend." Her husband of 47 years, Bill Dale, died at that time and Terry Dale doesn't know how she would have made it through without Tidewell Hospice. She knew the importance of the food that was being sent out with the volunteers.

Holiday tradition: Hospice of Health First volunteers deliver Thanksgiving meals to patients and families Space Coast Daily, Brevard County, FL; 11/27/24  A Brevard County holiday tradition dating back to 2004 continued this week as Hospice of Health First volunteers gathered to box and deliver Thanksgiving holiday meals to hospice patients and their families. Nearly three dozen Health First volunteers met at the Hospice of Health First office in West Melbourne to sort and load more than 100 Publix Thanksgiving meal boxes for delivery. Juanita Yarber of Melbourne was one of the first recipients of the holiday meal. She said the Thanksgiving meal delivery was special but just one of the many special touches she receives from the Hospice team and Sharon Berrier, a hospice volunteer. 

How the St. Francis Foundation supports healthcare for Santa Barbara’s most vulnerable Noozhawk - Special to Good for Santa Barbara; 11/26/24 The foundation grants nearly a million annually to local organizations focused on health, end-of-life, palliative and geriatric care. Maximize the impact of your generosity this holiday season by supporting the nonprofits that matter most to you. There’s no better way to close out the year than by giving back to your community. This #GivingTuesday, Noozhawk invites you to contribute to one of the incredible local organizations featured in our  Giving Guide. On December 3, 2024, join us and nonprofits across Santa Barbara County in celebrating this global movement of giving. Together, we can make a difference! ...Editor's note: This interview provides a great example for ways that you, too, can still fast-track your community outreach before next week's December 3rd "Giving Tuesday."

Hospice of Northeast Missouri marks 30 years, eyes future growth KBUR, Burlington, MO; by collinleddy; 11/25/24 Hospice of Northeast Missouri recently marked 30 years of service, expanding from its original focus in Adair County to cover a ten-county region. This growth addresses the critical need for end-of-life care in rural areas, providing support for patients and their families in managing symptoms and caregiving responsibilities. The organization has seen an increase in demand for its services, particularly among Medicare recipients in rural areas. Between 2010 and 2022, the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries using hospice care rose from 34% to 42%, reflecting broader trends in aging populations and the growing importance of caregiving. ... As the hospice looks ahead, it plans to further expand its resources and focus on community education, ensuring that more families are aware of the benefits hospice care provides during difficult times.Editor's note: Per the ongoing number of hospices that celebrate decade-marker anniversaries, we typically do not post those articles. However, the growth patterns in these descriptions reflect hospice organizational trends nationwide: expanding geographical access, rural utilization, increased priorities for caregivers, snf the importance of community education.

If my dying daughter could face her mortality, why couldn’t the rest of us? DNYUZ, appearing first in The New York Times; Ms. Wildman; 11/25/24 The first week of March 2022, I flew to Miami with my 13-year-old daughter, Orli; her 8-year-old sister, Hana; and my partner, Ian. We were, by all appearances, healthy. Robust, even. In reality, we were at the end of a reprieve. Orli’s liver cancer had by then been assaulted by two years of treatments — chemotherapy, a liver transplant, more chemotherapy, seven surgeries. Now new metastases lit up a corner of one lung on scans, asymptomatic but foreboding. We asked her medical team if we might show her a bit of the world before more procedures. Our oncologist balked. Hence, this brief weekend away. When we arrived at the beach Orli ran directly to the water, then came back and stretched out on a lounge chair. She turned to me and asked, “What if this is the best I ever feel again?” Three hundred and seventy-six days later, she was dead. In the time since she left us, I have thought often of Orli’s question. All that spring, Orli asked, pointedly, why did we think a cure was still possible, that cancer would not continue to return? Left unspoken: Was she going to die from her disease? It was a conversation she wanted to have. And yet what we found over the wild course of her illness was that such conversations are often discouraged, in the doctor’s office and outside it. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading this profound story.]Editor's note: While families are gathered for Thanksgiving, many health changes will be observed since this time last Thanksgiving, with countless unknowns to unfold until Thanksgiving next year. Tune into the wide scope of conversations that people do want to have, don't want to have, and--perhaps--that your own family needs to have, with grace and care for all.

Veterans enjoy early Thanksgiving meal ABC KOLO 8 NewsNow, Reno, NV; by Terri Russell; 11/22/24 More than 250 Veterans and their families gathered at the Washoe County Senior Center to eat an early Thanksgiving meal courtesy of several local businesses and organizations. ... With such a large crowd it was all hands-on deck. But those who came to help say they were more than willing to lend a helping hand. “I knew it was above and beyond fabulous,” says Katie Hurst, with St. Mary’s Hospice of Northern Nevada. “And being in hospice business it is really important to reach out to those who are on this side of their journey. And we couldn’t find a better calling.” Plenty of donations came in to pay for the meal. ... This won’t be the last time Veterans get together for the holidays. Another meal is planned for Christmas on December 19th at the Washoe County Senior Center.

United Hospice celebrates success with “A Night in the Catskills" [$215,000] MidHudson News, Hudson Valley, NY; by News Staff; 11/24/24 In late October United Hospice held its annual gala, “A Night in the Catskills” and a silent auction at the Hilton Pearl River which drew more than 300 attendees and was the most successful gala in the organization’s history, raising more than $215,000. During the event, CEO Cara Pace recalled all of United Hospice’s achievements this past year, including the successful start of a new and innovative program, Living Well New York, in which palliative physicians make recommendations to patients’ primary care teams that will ultimately improve the quality of life for every patient and their families who participate in the program. 

Lamar Area Hospice’s grief programs are made possible from BBB donations The Prowers Journal, Lamar, CO; by Barbara Crimond; 11/20/24 The words “good” and “grief” don’t commonly go together.  At the Lamar Area Hospice, however, they not only go together but, when combined, embrace the idea of a place to go which allows children and adults to normalize their grief, receive support from others experiencing similar emotional struggles and education in healthy ways to move through their grief.  They learn that they can tell their stories in a safe, loving and nurturing environment.  I recently met with Deb Pelley (Executive Director of Lamar Area Hospice). Roni Vallejos (Children’s Good Grief Coordinator) and Kelsie Cedeno (Adult Bereavement Coordinator) to learn more about these programs.  I could immediately sense the compassion and love for their jobs that all three women have. Before telling me about the programs though, they told me that it was only because of the generous donations from the BBB each year that the programs can even exist. They wanted to express how extremely grateful they are to BBB for enabling them to continue Jillian Sweet Tinnes’s legacy. ...

Hospice of the Panhandle veteran volunteers reflect on their service to veteran patients The Journal, journal-news.net, Martinsburg, WV; by Hospice of the Panhandle; 11/17/24 In recognition of Veterans Day, we asked our veteran volunteers at Hospice of the Panhandle to talk about why they perform this service for their fellow veterans. Hospice performs Veteran Recognition ceremonies to all veteran patients and families who wish to take part.  ... Leroy James — Being a Veteran who served during the Vietnam era, I can appreciate the importance of the work that Hospice does when recognizing a veteran’s service to our country. Several of the veterans who I have had the honor of recognizing served during the Vietnam War years. They were grateful that we took the time to show our appreciation when the country did not do so upon their return from serving overseas. [Click on the title's link to continue reading volunteers' stories.]

CMS ramps up efforts to root out ‘door knocker’ hospice schemes Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 11/15/24 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently elaborated on its plans to expand public education campaigns designed to help protect hospice beneficiaries from fraudulent actors in the space. ... “One of the areas we’re working with right now is to enhance education — beneficiary education specifically,” Pryor said during a recent CMS webinar. “We have hospice beneficiaries who are unfortunately fraudulently signed up for the benefit in these kind of, what we call, ‘door knocker scams.’” The scams include bad actors reaching out to beneficiaries with offers of free goods and services, such as groceries, TVs, reclining chairs and furniture, Pryor explained. The fraudulent marketing tactics are posing significant complications for Medicare beneficiaries, he said.

Area hospice starting new charitable tradition CBS News 6, Wichita Falls, TX; by Cecil Witherspoon; 11/15/24 Complete Hospice & Palliative Care of Wichita Falls is hoping to kickstart a new holiday tradition to help those in need. The organization is hosting its first annual Winter Coat Drive and is asking community members to donate coats, gloves, scarves and other warm winter apparel. Donations can be dropped off at the Homeless Lives Matters building at 921 7th St., Wichita Falls. From there, donations will be handed out to those in need on Dec. 9. That day will also feature a chili cookoff.Editor's note: Beautiful. Thank you Complete Hospice & Palliative Care of Wichita Falls for engaging your community and giving back in such an easy, meaningful, practical way. May your "new charitable tradition" spark similar ideas and actions by other hospice organizations.

Beacon Hill resident contributes to success of VNA Care’s annual Gala Patch, Beacon Hill, MA; by Deborah Corkum; 11/14/24 Sold-out Heroes in Health Care raised essential funds for home health and hospice care. VNA Care, the first organized visiting nurse association in the United States, raised $220,000 for patient care services during the sold-out annual Heroes in Health Care Gala at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston. Heroes in Health Care is VNA Care’s signature fundraising event and has raised nearly $4.5 million in essential funding for home health and hospice care in Massachusetts.