Literature Review

Big Bend Hospice opens new resale boutique benefiting local families Apalachicola The Times; by Bill Wertman; 1/15/25 At Big Bend Hospice (BBH), every decision we make is guided by our commitment to serving families across North Florida with compassion and care. For more than 40 years, we have been a cornerstone of support for patients with advanced illnesses and their loved ones. Today, I am proud to share an exciting new chapter in our story: the opening of Oak Tree Treasures, a resale shop located at 3260 Mahan Drive in Tallahassee. ...  Oak Tree Treasures embodies our mission of ensuring every family has access to the highest quality hospice care, regardless of financial barriers. All proceeds directly support our hospice services and therapeutic programs, bringing comfort and dignity to families during life’s most challenging moments.

Hospice of Baton Rouge: New grief center opens offering vital support and healing Unfiltered With Kiran, Baton Rouge, LA; by Megan Kelly; 11/25/24 As the holiday season approaches, a time often filled with joy and togetherness, it can also be a profoundly challenging period for those experiencing grief. The Hospice of Baton Rouge has recognized this need and has transformed a property into a haven of healing: The Retreat at Quarters Lake. This newly established grief center aims to address the significant gap in resources for grieving individuals, a void that became especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Retreat at Quarters Lake provides hope, healing, and connectivity for the grieving through counseling, support groups, alternative grief therapies, and community education,” reads a statement on their website. The facility offers both traditional grief services, such as individual counseling and support groups, and unique, holistic approaches that include art therapy, music therapy, and pet therapy. The goal is to provide a comprehensive support system that caters to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. “We are focusing on some alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, gardening, and even fishing,” said Catherine Schendel, CEO of The Hospice of Baton Rouge. “We want to utilize the beautiful landscaping here to offer non-traditional grief support as well.” 

Rabbi Benjamin Shalva brings comfort, music to hospice patients Baltimore Jewish Times; by Ellen Braunstein; 11/6/24 Jewish songs and prayers offer comfort to individuals nearing the end of their lives and their grieving families. That’s just one of the impromptu services offered by Rabbi Benjamin Shalva, a Jewish musician and chaplain at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Baltimore. He oversees the care and support for Jewish patients and families who come into hospice through Gilchrist, a nonprofit provider of serious illness and end-of-life care. He also manages rabbinic services. “We help guide families and patients on how to approach the end of life in a meaningful and Jewish way,” said Shalva, who joined Gilchrist two and a half years ago.  The 48-year-old Pikesville resident said he brings a guitar and the practice of meditation and mindfulness to patients and families. “It really provides a sphere of comfort and healing in a space that might otherwise be very difficult for folks,” Shalva said. 

Terminally ill Illinois woman meets her idol, Jelly Roll NBC WETM 18, Elmira, IL; by Taylor Harris; 10/27/24 An Illinois woman battling terminal cancer fulfilled the dream of a lifetime Wednesday — meeting country music sensation Jelly Roll. Keita Miller, of Granite City, was diagnosed with a terminal illness in February 2022 and given just months to live. She has defined the odds, and now she’s been able to meet her musical hero, country star Jelly Roll. Her favorite Jelly Roll song is “Son Of A Sinner,” and she says his music has been a source of comfort during her illness. But more than just meeting the artist, Miller had one special request. ... The James Bess Foundation, a nonprofit that grants dreams to adults from 21 to 65 years old who are battling terminal illness, is making this dream come true.

Music therapist helps patients navigate end-of-life journey on Long Island CBS New York / YouTube; by Jenna DeAngelis; 10/15/24 Music therapy helps with emotional and physical health, and now the healing power of music is being brought to hospice patients on Long Island.

[Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month] Artists on death, grief, and cancer Burnaway; by Carolina Ana Drake; 9/17/24... Living in Miami and raising my toddler in this city, I’ve discovered artists who similarly lost a parent to cancer. Many, like me, happen to be the children of immigrants. Their works exemplify challenging, at times experimental, art that doesn’t fit the glitzy, market-driven Miami narrative. Through conversations and email exchanges, I learned more about how these artists transformed the darkness and grief of that period into something beautiful that is worth sharing with others. [Click on the title's link to see photos from the following exhibits.]

Bittersweet bouquet: Hospice worker transforms her grief into a garden of memories ABC 13, Grand Rapids, MI; by Matt Gard; 9/5/24For the most part, Kaitlyn Dawson’s desk at the Emmanuel Hospice office is exactly what you’d expect it to be. On her left, she has office supplies, ... but it’s what’s on the wall over her left shoulder that really gives this workspace character. Inside three separate picture frames are hundreds of flowers. Kaitlyn was an art major at Grand Valley State University before she switched to social work, and she still has a passion for creativity. Every one of those flowers – whether red, purple or orange - was her creation. ... “These flowers represent patients that I have been able to be a part of their journey at end of life,” said Kaitlyn, who has worked in hospice for about four years. “I had one particular case that was really difficult, and I remember leaving that visit and thinking ‘I'm going to start doing this process in honor of her.’ And I went to the store and I bought pencils and a notebook and decided I was going to do flowers. It was easy. It was simple. It was something I could sit down and do in the evening, and if I lost a couple of people that day, I could draw a couple of flowers.” Before Kaitlyn knew it, she had a "bittersweet bouquet."

Patient outcomes of a virtual reality-based music therapy pilot in palliative care Palliative Medicine Reports; by Adreanne Brungardt, Angela Wibben, Prajakta Shanbhag, Debra Boeldt, Jeanie Youngwerth, Amanda Tompkins, Abigail J Rolbiecki, Heather Coats, A Blythe LaGasse, Jean S Kutner, Hillary D Lum; 7/19/24 Hospitalized patients with palliative care needs often have high levels of physical and psychological symptom distress. Virtual reality (VR) with a music therapy intervention may improve physical and psychological symptoms. Results: Seventeen patients completed VR-MT (range 20-79 years of age, 59% women). Moderate clinical improvements were observed for total ESAS-r score (Cohen's d effect size, 0.68), physical distress subscale (0.52), and psychological distress subscale (0.60); small improvements were observed in total MQOL-r score (0.26) and the existential subscale (0.27). Health care team members described the value of VR-MT as facilitating meaningful conversations.

Children experiencing grief can build coping skills with library storytime The Mountaineer, Waynesville, NC; by Jennifer Stuart; 7/13/24 Seasons of Grief Storytime will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Public Library. This is a story time that aims to reach out to children experiencing grief, being held in partnership with Haywood Hospice and Palliative Care. The group will read a story and create a personalized keepsake. It is a program ideal for ages 5-10. The program is free, but registration is required.Editor's Note: This simple, meaningful support for children can be replicated easily with other local libraries, schools, community/faith groups. 

Hospice patient's wish fulfilled with playing the blues, family, and his favorite pizza ABC 13 On Your Side YouTube, Grand Rapids Township, MI; by Jeremiah Brown; 7/5/24 Coming from a family of musicians, Peter's family believes music has helped save him, as they gathered from throughout the country to listen to his blues. In the audience were his five older siblings, and other family members who had come from throughout the country for "Peterpalooza." "He would play his harmonica, and we would just jam together," said Peter's music therapist Miranda Eden from Emmanuel Hospice which organized the event. "He talked about how musical his family is, and how much he enjoyed spending time with his family, and he also mentioned how much he loves pizza from Lou Malnati's  in Chicago, so I thought, well, we need to make this happen."

Psychological health in Palliative Care: Thematic analysis of a psychiatrist's and an art therapist's clinical reflexive journals Palliative Medicine; by Wen Phei Lim, Roxanne Jia Yu Chew, Clare O'Callaghan; 6/19/24 online ahead of print Aim: This study aims to describe how patients receiving palliative care experience psychological health, explore the meaning of a palliative care clinician's work and contribute to the understanding of psychological health in palliative care through the reflexive and visual journals of clinicians.

The latest research indicates massage therapy has benefits from birth to end of life Cision PR Newswire; by American Massage Therapy Association; 6/5/24 The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) is sharing recent research on how massage therapy can provide benefits from infancy through end of life. Across all ages, massage therapy can be a therapeutic approach to enhancing physical and emotional well-being. Explore the latest studies on how massage therapy can help improve the quality of life for infants, middle-aged individuals, and older adults. ... A nationwide survey of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners in palliative care documented recommendation rates of integrative therapies to target symptoms of palliative care patients. The survey found that massage therapy was the third most recommended integrative care modality behind mind-body interventions like meditation and biofeedback. The integrative therapies aimed to reduce pain, anxiety, mood disturbances, and distress.Editor's Note: While hiring a professional massage therapist might not be practical for your budget, explore contracting with massage therapist who is trained in working with medically-fragile persons to provide simple trainings for your nurses and nurse aides. Additionally, professionally trained massage therapists might be interested in volunteering their services, within appropriate parameters (i.e., not transferring the medically-fragile patient to a massage table, having a caregiver present to assist with communication, etc.). 

Musician grants dying wish to hospice patient The Platte County Citizen; by Rimsie McConiga; 5/14/24 Jazz musician Stanton Kessler was surprised when he was contacted recently by his friend, a hospice nurse, who reached out to him with an unusual request. A patient at the Kansas City hospice where she works told her his last wish would be to hear his favorite song, ‘Feels So Good’ before he died. During their conversations Kessler’s impression was that this was his friend’s first experience with a request such as this. “There was an element of urgency,” Kessler said. “She said he was near death.” ... An incredibly emotional and rewarding moment followed when Kessler began to play the patient’s beloved song. The man’s eyes remained closed, but his fingers began to move. ...Editor's Note: For research-based, hospice clinical stories, and rich music metaphors for ways use music with the dying and bereaved, examine the book, Music of the Soul, Chapter 7 "The Final Cadence," in Routledge's international Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement (series edited Robert A. Neimeyer), authored by Joy S. Berger, DMA, FT, BCC, MT-BC (editor for this newsletter).