Literature Review

Your middle initial: The weight of a single letter The DO - End-of-life care; by Wendi J. Lovenvirth, DO; 1/13/26 A physician recounts her hospice patient’s final days and the unexpected gravity of completing his death certificate, when one small choice becomes an act of remembrance.

How physical therapy supports comfort and connection in hospice care CBS News Baltimore, Baltimore, MD; by LifeBrdge Health; 1/13/26 ... Physical therapy in hospice looks different from traditional rehabilitation. Instead of focusing on long-term recovery, it centers on day-to-day steadiness and comfort. Every visit is shaped around what the patient feels able to do that day. "I try to emphasize what patients can do versus what they can't," Jennifer says. "Big goals can always be broken into smaller and more manageable steps." Therapy commonly supports three important areas.

Novel AI tool offers prognosis for patients with head and neck cancerDana-Farber Cancer Institute; 12/23/25A team led by investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham has developed and validated an artificial intelligence (AI)–based noninvasive tool that can predict the likelihood that a patient's oropharyngeal cancer—a type of head and neck cancer that develops in the throat—will spread, thereby signaling which patients should receive aggressive treatment. The research is published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Home-based care type II workplace violence nurse provider experience a literature review Home Healthcare Now; by LaDawna Goering DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, BC-ADM, CDP and Tracy Ashby, MLIS; Jan/Feb 2026 Home-based healthcare workers are at risk of violence from patients or visitors, known as Type II workplace violence (WPV). A review of studies from 2014 to 2024 found that WPV in home care is often underreported, and current training programs are not tailored for home settings. This leaves workers vulnerable to physical and psychological harm. The review suggests the need for specialized training for home care providers, focusing on patient screening, situational awareness, and de-escalation techniques. Future efforts should aim to create specific WPV prevention and reporting protocols to enhance safety and accountability in home healthcare.

Reconnecting at the end: The healing power of nature in hospice and palliative care ehospice; by Dr. Owen Wiseman; 1/5/26 ... Humans are wired to feel better in nature. We feel calmer when we see the colour green or hear water flowing from a stream nearby. ... Evidence shows that simply viewing nature can reduce pain, anxiety, and stress. In one of the most-cited studies, patients recovering from surgery who had window views of nature used 21% fewer pain medications and shortened hospital stays. ... I’ve had a front-row seat to the power of nature in palliative care, both professionally and personally. ...Small Ways to Bring Nature In - Not every hospice or palliative care space has access to large gardens or forests. That said, nature can still find a way in:

Malnutrition deaths are soaring in the US – especially among seniors Independent; by Brendan Rascius; 1/5/26 Malnutrition deaths are soaring in the United States — particularly among seniors — and the reasons are unclear, according to a new report. In roughly the last 10 years, deaths linked to malnutrition have skyrocketed by a factor of six, making it the fastest-growing killer in the country, The Washington Post reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Pediatric respite homes provide a survival mechanism for struggling families [podcast]Medpage Today's KevinMD.com; by KevinMD; 1/1/26Certified coach and professor Kathleen Muldoon and co-founder of Ryan House and Children’s Respite Homes of America Jonathan Cottor discuss the article “The need for pediatric respite care.” Kathleen shares the personal story of raising her son Gideon who lives with over 42 medical diagnoses and explain why the family had to move across the country to find safety. They highlight the critical difference between taking a break and surviving the relentless cycle of 24/7 medical vigilance required for medically complex children. 

Early palliative care interventions linked with reduced mortality in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing ICI treatment Lung Cancers Today; by Cecilia Brown; 12/24/25 Early palliative care interventions were associated with reduced mortality and longer survival among patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), according to a recent study. Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center presented the study findings at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025 North America Conference on Lung Cancer.

Alzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care? The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA; by Dana Territo; 12/29/25 ... Since the span of Alzheimer's disease can run from seven to 20 years, it is often difficult to know when the person warrants hospice care. Generally, an individual with Alzheimer's is ready for a hospice referral when they become severely impaired in function, (no longer can walk or feed themselves); when the person has become incontinent; when they experience frequent choking episodes or have difficulty in breathing, are unable to speak or communicate meaningfully (limited to about a half dozen or fewer intelligible words), or have significant weight loss. ...Editor's Note: This local advocacy article provides important information for all hospices, with references to their state organization--Louisiana-Missisippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization--for ongoing resources. 

Laramie Car Club hosts private show for 11-year-old boy fighting cancer Cowboy State Daily, Laramie, WY; by Dale Killingbeck; 12/22/25 Like many 11-year-olds, Wyatt loves cars, especially tricked-out classic rides that are blinged-out to the max. But as a cancer patient in hospice care, he can’t get out to the car shows he loves. So, the show came to him Sunday. Wyatt got to watch from hospice as a parade of classic cars and trucks slowly cruised by. Jimmy Mora, a member of the Rollerz Only Car Club and owner of a 1936 Plymouth P2 Deluxe Coupe, helped organize the private parade for Wyatt.

Interprofessional collaboration between hospital-based palliative care teams and hospital ward staff: A realist review PLoS One; by Louana Moons, Fouke Ombelet, Mieke Deschodt, Maaike L De Roo, Eva Oldenburger, Inge Bossuyt, Peter Pype; 12/19/25  Conclusion: This realist review highlights the complexity of interprofessional collaboration between PCTs and ward staff, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches that address specific contextual needs, expectations, and norms. Strengthening positive attitudes, clarifying roles, and fostering partnerships can enhance interprofessional collaboration, ultimately improving palliative care quality in hospital settings.

Palliative care staff attitudes toward music therapy for hospitalized adult patients American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AJHPM); by Katherine A. Carney, APRN, CNP, MS, Rachel M. Wiste, APRN, CNP, MSN, Susanne M. Cutshall, APRN, CNS, DNP, MS, Christina Wood, MA, MT-BC, Rachel C. Gentes, APRN, CNP, MSN, Brianna E. Larsen, MA, MT-BC, Nana A. Tiwaa, MAS, Amelia E. Tetlie, APRN, CNP, DNP, and Regina M. Mackey, MD; 12/18/25 ... Top reasons for music therapy (MT) referral were psychosocial support, pain and symptom management, and coping. The most common symptom-focused indications were anxiety, mood, and existential distress. A variety of factors influenced decisions to refer for MT. Most felt that at least half of their patients could benefit from MT, and nearly all rated MT as “extremely” or “very” effective for improving patients’ quality of life.Editor's Note: Visit stories about music therapy the American Music Therapy Association. For extensive uses of music therapy in hospice and bereavement care, I invite you to explore my book, Music of the Soul - Composing Life Out of Loss, published in Routledge's Series in Death, Dying and Bereavement, 2006.