Literature Review

[UK] Play 'humanizes' pediatric care and should be key feature of a child-friendly NHS, report suggests Medical Xpress; by University of Cambridge; 3/30/25 The report, by University of Cambridge academics for the charity "Starlight," calls for play, games and playful approaches to be integrated into a "holistic" model of children's health care—one that acknowledges the emotional and psychological dimensions of good health, alongside its physical aspects.  ... Both internationally and in the UK, health systems have, in recent decades, increasingly promoted play in pediatric health care. There is a growing understanding that making health care more child-friendly can reduce stress and positively improve younger patients' experiences. Despite this recognition, play often remains undervalued and inconsistently integrated across health care contexts. For the first time, the report compiles evidence from over 120 studies to make the case for its more systematic incorporation. [Continue reading ...] Editor's note: Click here to access the report, Playing with children's health? 

My Stories program preserves cherished memories of patients in hospice The Alpena News, Alpena, MI; by Reagan Voetberg; 3/8/25 The Hospice of Michigan in Alpena preserves the stories of patients, not in a book or photo album, but on a flashdrive. It’s called the My Stories program. Patients in hospice are given the opportunity to video record their stories and memories for their loved ones to hear once they’ve passed. Patients do not have to pay a dime to record their life stories. Alpena’s Hospice of Michigan Volunteer Program Coordinator Kristie Lukes talked about how meaningful the My Stories project is to patients and their families. Lukes coordinates volunteers to help patients with their recordings. Lukes explained further what My Stories is. “It’s a recording of the patient’s life and the stories that they want to share with family and patients,” she said. “So it becomes kind of a legacy project.” 

[Scotland, UK] ‘There’s still hope and joy to be had’: Art adds colour to end-of-life hospice care The Sunday Post; by Paul English; 3/2/25 For Alison Couston, hope is as simple as a brush stroke. ... Alison might have been forgiven for abandoning her creative energies following a devastating diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) last year. ... Alison’s speech, mobility, balance and co-ordination have been affected in the period since her diagnosis. But rather than giving up, the Glasgow theatre producer is still pushing creative boundaries. ... Now Alison is herself receiving the benefit of artistic practice at a challenging time as a weekly visitor to the art room at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park. ... “Because of her diagnosis, she has certain limitations now and we had to work together to overcome those. She has been painting with her non-dominant hand and has embraced a more abstract expressive approach.” ... Alison’s paintings are now being gathered together for a book ... Alison said: “The book was my idea first of all as a way to raise money for the hospice. I thought if I sold my paintings in book form it would encourage more donations. 

Writing book, getting tatoos Cowboy State Daily, Casper, WY; by Dale Killingbeck; 3/1/25 One of many tattoos on her left forearm is a dandelion in seed stage ready to blow in the wind. Deanna Cotten calls it “the wish flower” because in Texas where she was born that is its name. And like a seed ready to fly, Cotten finds herself in her last days on Earth and understands existence here is temporal. She considers each dawn a blessing. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has already claimed a lot of ability from the 43-year-old Glenrock, Wyoming, wife and mother of four. ... With the help of a friend, she is completing a book she started writing for her business clients that has morphed into a book for people in similar circumstances who are facing some sort of crisis and end. ... In November, she entered hospice treatment at home where a team ... from Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions cared for her and offered assistance to her family at their Glenrock home. 

[UK - St. Christopher's Hospice] Woman with rare brain disease dances with husband for first time in yearsReposted in Daily Journal from Talker News, Tupelo, MS; by Isobel Williams; 2/20/25 This is the touching moment an elderly woman living with a rare brain disease slow danced with her husband - for the first time in years. Constance Bartholomew, 69, has progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a neurological condition which has left her struggling to walk. The disorder - which is estimated to affect around 4,000 people in the UK - can cause problems with balance, movement, vision, speech and swallowing. Constance began physiotherapy at St. Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham, south-east London in September last year - at which point husband Dennis, 72, joked he would pay a million pounds to dance with her again. Upon hearing the remark, rehab assistant Ralitsa Angelova ... made it her mission to make it happen.  ... “She is unable to walk, to articulate, her eyesight has failed. It’s a terrible condition. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But she is fully aware. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her memory or comprehension. ..." The video has been released as hospices in London come together to change perceptions of hospice care and highlight the vital importance of gifts in wills to their holistic palliative care services for adults and children in their communities. The hospices are taking part in the This is Hospice Care campaign, a national collaboration of 143 hospices across England, Scotland and Wales, brought together by Hospice UK.Editor's note: St. Christopher's Hospice--founded by Dame Cicely Saunders--is the home for modern day hospice care.  Click here for a YouTube video of Constance and Dennis. Click here for the article we posted on 2/21 about the UK's "This Is Hospice Care" initiative.

How music is rewriting end-of-life care The Daily Iowan; by Madison Schuler; 2/18/25 The form of therapy relieves not only patients but also family members. Over the years, music has been used to express emotions for some while creating connections and memories for others. Listening to a certain song can take people back to a specific moment. Whether it elicits joy, pain, anger, or sadness, music has a different effect on each individual. Music stays with people throughout their lives, always bringing forth those emotions or memories. For those in end-of-life care, music can do the same. ... Today, hospitals and hospice centers are seeing an increase in the use of music therapy, specifically in end-of-life care. [Click on the title's link to learn more.] Editor's note: Click here for the national directory of CBMT board certified music therapists. Click here for my 2005 book in Routledge's Series in Death, Dying and Bereavement, Music of the Soul - Composing Life Out of Loss.

Grief and bereavement books for kids and teens Evermore; list developed in collaboration with Dr. Donna Gaffney; 2/1/25... How can a young person grasp the enormity, meaning, and consequences of an occurrence that brought death, injury, or harm into their life? ... Because books can be such a powerful balm during a time of grief, here’s our list of favorite books for kids and teens that explore the difficult experiences of death, grief, loss, and bereavement. [Click here for the full article with book descriptions, photos, and links.]

What can we learn from the dying? Newscastle's News Letter Journal (NLJ), Newcastle, WY; by Kelly Evans-Hullinger, MD; 1/26/25 For the last five years, I have had the great privilege of serving my local health system as Medical Director for Home Hospice. Every week I sit in a meeting with the multidisciplinary caretakers on this team ... Patients facing their own deaths want to talk about their lives. Our staff frequently tries to facilitate what they call a “life review” in which a patient can openly talk about their childhood, family, career, service, and sometimes their regrets. This is therapeutic for the dying patient and their loved ones.  ... I have recently thought about this particular human need – to reflect and remember one’s life. I take this as a reminder to both seek those stories from my own loved ones (I wish I had asked my grandmother more questions about her life) and, perhaps, to tell and write about the things in my own life I would want to be remembered after I am gone. For if there is another thing I’ve learned serving patients on hospice, it is that my death is also inevitable; but, I think, life’s finality is what gives it beauty and meaning. 

Visiting Nurses Foundation awarded $132,000 in grant funding to Assured Hospice for comfort therapies in 2024 The Chronical, Centralia, WA; by The Chronicle; 1/22/25 The Visiting Nurses Foundation awarded $132,000 in grant funding to Assured Hospice in 2024 to deliver essential comfort therapies to end-of-life patients across Washington state, the foundation announced Wednesday. "Since the partnership began in 2002 with a $600 grant, the program has expanded significantly, reaching hundreds of patients and their families each year," the Visiting Nurses Foundation said in a news release. Comfort therapies — including acupuncture, massage, music therapy, guided imagery and animal-assisted therapy — are proven to reduce pain, foster relaxation and enhance overall quality of life, the news release stated.

[Irelan] How digital storytelling can support families of very ill children RTE, Ireland; by Veronica Lambert and Razieh Safarifard; 1/17/25 Imagine a family gathered around a young child's bed at home or in the hospital, facing the heart-wrenching reality that their time together is limited. The moments they share now - the stories told, songs sung, laughter, and tears - are more precious than ever. But how can these memories be preserved, not just for the present but for a lifetime? Memory-making activities provide a way to capture these moments, offering comfort during and after their journey through palliative care. In Ireland, the need for such interventions is growing, as more children live with life-threatening conditions and families often find themselves without adequate support in these difficult times. Our new project addresses this gap with a digital storytelling memory-making programme tailored to the unique cultural and practical needs of Irish families.

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.” 

'Art helps me deal with my cancer diagnosis' BBC News, West Midlands, United Kingdom; by Sophie Madden; 11/18/24 After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Wendy Brookfield said she had lots of emotions. But a referral to art therapy through the Severn Hospice, based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, helped her deal with what she was going through. "There is so much going on in your mind that being able to go along to art therapy, I could just get it out and get it down on paper," she said. "It just such a good outlet for me." Her therapy sessions led to her starting a book of sketches which she regularly filled in, sometimes during her treatment sessions. They inspired the hospice to host its own art exhibition, built around Ms Brookfield's work and with other pieces created by patients. 

Creating death box eases stress, brings 'peace of mind' to those left behind BradfordToday.ca, Canada; by Andrew Philips; 10/26/24 Creating a death box might sound like sort of a morbid thing to do, but it’s vitally important. That’s according to Tammy Vaters, supportive care coordinator at Hospice Huronia-Tomkins House, ... who leads upcoming workshops on creating a death box or a “legacy box or final wishes box” for those uncomfortable with the more succinct terminology ["death box"]. ... Besides end-of-life wishes, Vaters says the box can include photos that someone would like displayed at a celebration of life or similar offering along with personalized letters to family and friends and personal mementos that have special meaning. “It gives you more opportunities of expressing how you feel about somebody,” she says, noting the boxes should also contain usernames and passwords that may aid one's loved ones after death. “They can be more thoughtful and personal.” Vaters, who is a specialist in thanatology (the study of death, dying and bereavement), says people will often use another term for death.