Literature Review

Wisconsin rarely grants compassionate release as aging, ailing prisoners stress systems Wisconsin Watch; by Mario Koran and Sreejita Patra; 10/7/25 Increased use of compassionate release could ease costs and crowding with minimal risks to public safety, experts say. But it remains off limits to many prisoners. ... Wisconsin grants few applicants compassionate release, leaving many severely ill inmates in short-staffed prisons that often struggle to meet health care needs. Wisconsin courts approved just 53, or 11%, of 489 compassionate release petitions they received between January 2019 and June 2025 — about eight petitions a year, Corrections data show. Courts approved just five of 63 petitions filed in all of 2024. 

Older COVID-19 survivors more likely to develop new-onset dementia, study finds McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Foster Stubbs; 10/3/25 Adults 50 years and older who survived COVID-19 had higher chances of developing new-onset dementia (NOD) compared to those who were not infected, according to an October study published in npj Dementia. Researchers analyzed data from 54,757 participants aged 50 years and older obtained from the UK Biobank. The sample included 16,017 participants with COVID-19 and 38,740 non-COVID participants. The COVID-19 group consisted of participants who were infected between Jan. 31, 2020 and Feb. 28, 2021, and the median observation period was about two years. 

Life lessons from a palliative care psychologist - and how to support a dying loved one HELLO! onMSN; by Pilar Hernán; 10/5/25 ... Psychological support becomes a fundamental pillar for providing comprehensive and humane care, from managing emotional pain to adapting to the new reality. MD Anderson Cancer Centre psycho-oncologist Fátima Castaño helps us understand the process, explaining how we can support a loved one in palliative or end of life care, and shares the powerful life lessons she has learned through her work.

Grief etiquette in the digital age: Why waiting, listening, and respecting family wishes matters more than ever National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) - Remembering a Life; by Dr. Camelia L. Clarke; 10/2/25When my nephew died unexpectedly, I was still reeling from the news when my phone began to buzz with notifications. Within an hour, his death was already circulating on social media. The world had found out before our family had even begun to process the loss, let alone notify our closest friends and relatives. I remember feeling overwhelmed, exposed, and, most of all, heartbroken—not just by the loss itself, but by how quickly and impersonally it became public knowledge. As a funeral director and grief educator for nearly thirty years, I’ve witnessed this scenario unfold countless times. 

Grieving someone who’s still here Psychology Today; by Bob Uslander, MD; 10/2/25 Grief does not always begin after death. For many families facing dementia, terminal illness, or a slow decline, it arrives before the final goodbye—quietly, persistently, and often without recognition. This is known as anticipatory grief: the emotional process of mourning a loved one who is still alive. As a palliative care physician, I see this every day. Spouses tell me they feel like they have already lost their partner. Adult children struggle with the reversal of roles, becoming the caregiver to the parent who once cared for them. Caregivers often oscillate between love, exhaustion, guilt, and detachment. None of this means they are doing it wrong. It means they are grieving.

Doyel: I didn't know how strong and kind my special Mom was. Not until she started dying. Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, IN; by Greg Doyle; 10/1/25 The last time we talked, I told my mom the truth: I’d missed just how wonderful she was. Make no mistake, I knew she was wonderful. Kind, considerate, strong – she checked all the best boxes. And generous? Mom’s the most generous person I’ve ever known, and I’ve known it for years. But I didn’t know just how generous she was. Not until she started dying. Didn’t know how strong she was, either. Not until she was so weak she couldn’t stand on her own two feet. That’s when I finally saw it. ...

Rise in late-stage lung cancer in nonsmokers highlights need for awareness and screening Medscape Medical News; by Evra Taylor; 9/5/25 ... The common thinking is that lung cancer is a smoker’s disease, but that isn’t the full picture, Jessica Moffatt, PhD, vice president of programs and health system partnerships at Lung Health Foundation in Toronto, told Medscape Medical News. ... Moffatt and her colleagues are working to dispel the stigma that smokers “get what they deserve.” Rosalyn Juergens, MD, professor of oncology at McMaster University in Guelph, Ontario, and president of Lung Cancer Canada, said, “If you find out someone has lung cancer, your first question shouldn’t be ‘Did you smoke?’ It should be ‘What can I do to help you along this journey?’ ” 

Long COVID hitting doctors and nurses hard Medscape; by David Brzostowkicki; 9/3/25 Jeffrey Siegelman, MD, contracted COVID-19 in August 2020 and, 3 months later, published a paper online in JAMA about his experiences. Today, he’s still dealing with the symptoms, as one of many healthcare providers who have long COVID. He said his experience highlights the impact of long COVID on hundreds of thousands of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, by some estimates, who have been on the frontlines fighting the pandemic from the beginning. “I reflect on that paper from JAMA, and I thought that 3 months was a long time,” said Siegelman, associate professor of emergency medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine and a practicing emergency room doctor in Atlanta. “And here I am, 5 years later, and I still have symptoms. I think that’s the case for a lot of patients with long COVID, that it just keeps getting longer.”

6 Coloradans took to the Colorado River to grieve. What they found was a way to feel less alone. The Colorado Sun, Loma, CO; by Shannon Mullane; 9/28/25 Losing a loved one leaves people reeling. It forces the body to reconfigure deep bonds and impacts health. One Colorado River retreat aims to help people navigate. ... One by one, the members — all Colorado residents who ranged in age from their 40s to their 70s — shared their stories of death and grief. It was the start of a grief therapy retreat on the Colorado River, and the clients and crew members on the trip had lost parents, children and life partners. This moment was what they came for: a chance to open up space in their day-to-day lives to grieve. With other people who know what it’s like. Without having to act like they were holding it together. ... In their seven years of operation, Podmore and Pathfinders have offered about 20 grief retreats on the Colorado River for over 160 clients of all ages — including everyone from children to seniors — mostly from the Roaring Fork Valley in western Colorado. 

Cancer patients are living longer than ever. Pain drugmakers haven’t kept up. Biopharma Dive; by Jacob Bell; 9/25/25 Decades of slow-moving research, along with broader failures of the healthcare system, have left millions of people in daily pain. Doctors fear that’s bound to continue. ... More than 2 million people in the U.S. alone are diagnosed with cancer each year. Conservative estimates hold that between 20% and 50% experience related pain, though that figure can climb as high as 80% for patients with advanced disease. Despite the large number of patients and the need for more therapies, drugmakers have mostly shied away from pain altogether, fearing that its complicated biology makes for too risky a research investment.  ... Opioids remain the core of many treatment regimens. This lack of drug choices is aggravated by much broader failures of the healthcare system. 

Carolina Caring Foundation helps hospice patient fulfill dream at North Carolina Zoo Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; Press Release; 9/23/25 A hospice patient fulfilled her lifelong dream of meeting and feeding a giraffe thanks to the Life Enrichment Fund through the Carolina Caring Foundation. Deborah, a patient at Carolina Caring, has always been fascinated by the wildlife of Africa, the work of Jane Goodall, and the unique beauty of giraffes. ... Deborah has always had an adventurous spirit. In the past, she tried many new experiences—including a fun helicopter ride with her family during a beach trip—but one thing she always yearned to do was meet a giraffe. Her Carolina Caring social worker, Carley, recognized this dream and soon created a pathway for this wish to come true. . ... Carolina Caring gave this family more than just a trip to the zoo. They provided a celebration and memory-making that the family will now forever carry in their hearts and minds.

How some people are using playlists to prepare for dyingBBC News; by Alex Taylor; 9/21/25  For years, local DJ Dave Gilmore soundtracked other people's nights out in pubs and clubs. But now he's curating a uniquely personal playlist - the songs of his own life to carry him through terminal illness. The list includes both November Rain and Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns and Roses, The Shadows by Apache - which inspired Dave to play guitar - and Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. ... Moments like this emphasise the power of music to forge everlasting connection. ... The impact is neurological as well as emotional, explains Sarah Metcalfe, managing director of the Utley Foundation's Music for Dementia campaign. Brain activity scans show music "lights up" multiple parts of our brain, simultaneously touching physical and emotional sense centres. "Even if one part of the brain is damaged, those other parts can still be accessed," Sarah says.

How hospice chaplains improve patient outcomes Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/19/25 Patients may seek spiritual guidance from a number of places, but hospice chaplains remain essential. Hospice chaplains receive specialized training in caring for patients at the end of life that clergy in the larger community may not have. They are trained in active listening and to address the intricacies and sensitivities of end-of-live conversations with patients and families. Nearly 8,000 hospice chaplains are working in the United States, according to a study in the journal Work, Employment and Society. About 66% of these chaplains identify as men, and 20% are members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Close to 72% are white, 10.8% are Black and 8.5% are Latino. Nearly 42% of hospice chaplains have a bachelor’s degree, an equal percentage have masters degrees and 7% hold a Ph.D., the study indicated. Editor's Note: Hospice chaplains are often misunderstood or underestimated. Their role is not simply to pray or read Scripture, but to offer skilled, sensitive spiritual support—often through life-review, family conflict, presence, words and actions that honor diverse beliefs. Effective chaplains know when not to pray, how to avoid imposing religious language, and how to remain aware of their own biases while creating space for another’s faith or worldview. Their contributions can profoundly shape the patient and family experience at the end of life. When hiring, look for credentials such as BCC, BCCI, or BCC-PCHAC and learn more through the Association for Professional Chaplains.