Literature Review

Hyperactive Delirium during hospice patients’ last week of life in a home care setting 

Cambia Health Foundation releases comprehensive evaluation of Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program Business Wire, Portland, OR; Press Release; 3/3/26 Cambia Health Foundation today released the results of a comprehensive evaluation of its Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, demonstrating the significant impact of a 10-year, $25 million investment in developing the next generation of palliative care leaders.  ... The program’s goals were measured against more than 175 sources, as well as 18 individual interviews, 5 focus groups and a comprehensive written survey completed by 117 individuals, including program participants and industry experts. Notable findings include:

Palliative care physician explains living and dying with ALS Forbes; by Adaira Landry, MD, MEd; 2/26/26 Actor Eric Dane’s recent death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has drawn national attention. ... Beyond the headlines lies a deeper and more urgent discussion: what life—and death—look like for patients living with ALS. To better understand both the clinical and scientific landscape, I spoke with Dr. Maria “Marissa” Mapa, an internal medicine and palliative care physician who treats patients with ALS, and Dr. Melanie Leitner, chief scientific officer of the ALS Investment Fund, about current and future research directions.

March is Social Work Month: "Uplift. Defend. Transform." NASW - National Association of Social Workers; retrieved from website, 3/2/26 Social Work Month was first celebrated in March 1963 to build public support for the profession. It has become an event celebrated by hundreds of thousands of social workers – and their supporters – each year. This year’s theme is “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.” Learn more about why this theme was selected and what activities are planned for Social Work Month 2026!

“You’re not just there to do a job”: a qualitative examination of Canadian long-term care worker strengths BMH Health Services Research; by Duneesha Goonetilleke, Nick Boettcher, Sofia Celis & Bonnie Lashewicz; 2/25/26, online ahead of print Results: We present three themes identifying interlocking expressions of strength. First, during crisis, workers stretched roles, redistributed tasks, and supported one another to sustain care under extreme constraint. Second, staff upheld person-centred care in their daily actions, working from values of dignity, relationships, and residents’ goals. Third, workers translated experience into learning and advocacy, articulating ideas to improve staffing, role clarity, leadership practices, and visitation approaches. Across these expressions, workers’ tenacity, togetherness, and shared purpose enabled collective action, although these strengths often entailed costs such as fatigue and moral strain. 

My family member passed away — do I get a discount for bereavement travel? Fodor's Travel |"Dear Eugene"; by Eugene Fodor; 2/23/26 In this month’s "Dear Eugene," we explore the benefits bereavement travelers have and tap experts for the best way to navigate grief while moving through the world. ... Several airlines (not all) offer bereavement fares, waivers, or what’s sometimes called “compassion fares,” but that doesn’t always mean you’ll save money. The real benefit of bereavement fares is the greater flexibility they offer.

Hollywood Health System, Inc. announces major expansion of palliative care services amid record demand The America Watch, Toluca, CA; Press Release; 2/20/26 Hollywood Health System, Inc. (HHS), a leading provider of comprehensive post-acute clinical care, today announced a significant increase in patient enrollment within its Palliative Care Services division. To meet this rising demand due to shifting demographics, the company is methodically expanding its clinical staffing and specialized resources, reinforcing its commitment to high-quality supportive care. ... To support the growing patient census, Hollywood Health System, Inc. has increased its clinical headcount by 25% over the last two quarters. 

The effect of race on patterns of care and utilization of palliative interventions in patients with lung cancer Holistic Integrative Oncology; by Calvin Walker, Jr., Zeytun Guyo, Davin Means, Martlin Emeasoba, Samantha  Robinson, Mohammod Mahmudur Rahman, Kingsley Nnawuba & Hanna Jensen; 2/6/26 ... Results: Altogether 2,048 (1,660 white and 388 black) patients were included in the study with other races excluded due to low sample sizes. Black patients were younger, more male, had higher rates of current tobacco use, and utilized Medicaid more often than their white counterparts. Black patients also had more comorbidities while having less family history of cancer, were diagnosed with more advanced stages of cancer, and had more active cancer status in follow-up. ...

Artificial intelligence-powered predictive tools to improve end-of-life decision-making: mini-review British Medical Journal (BMJ) Supportive & Palliative Care; by Abdullah Alabbasi, Muhanad Alzahrani, Faris Sultan and Mohammed Sayes; 2/18/26 Results: ... Preliminary qualitative work indicates that AI-generated summaries may assist communication among healthcare teams, though concerns persist regarding transparency, bias and over-reliance on algorithms. Conclusions: AI-driven prognostic models show promise in improving risk identification and facilitating earlier engagement with palliative care. Nonetheless, the current evidence base is preliminary. Future research should include prospective trials and strengthened ethical frameworks to ensure that the integration of AI-based prognostic tools into end-of-life decision-making is both safe and equitable. 

Comparison of patients seen by an embedded social worker and nurse practitioner palliative care model in hospital medicine versus referral-based specialty palliative care and their acute care utilization outcomes Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Laura P Gelfman, Li Zeng, Keisha Bergland, Elizabeth Rizzo, Cheyenne Higgins, Claire Doucette, Krishna Chokshi, Emily Chai; 2/17/26 Background: Hospitalized patients with serious illness often face delayed or limited access to palliative care. Embedded hospital primary palliative care (HPPC), led by social workers and nurse practitioners, may deliver more timely, needs-based support compared with referral-based specialty palliative care (SPC). Conclusions: An embedded SW/NP-led palliative care model in hospital medicine improves access, reduces acute care use, and is sustainable over time. This approach supports timely, culturally sensitive, needs-based palliative care and may be scalable for hospital-based delivery.

How to plan for a ‘good death,’ according to a VCU researcher VCU News, Virginia Commonwealth University; by Madeline Reinsel; 2/16/26 People talk a lot more about death than dying. That’s according to Yifan Lou, Ph.D., a Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work assistant professor who studies how expectations around death and end-of-life care differ across cultures. ... “My job is really trying to understand different populations and then help design a policy and health care system that can support their value of the good death.” Planning for a good death requires patients and families to make decisions around hospice care, pain management, quality of life, financial affairs and long-term care, ideally alongside a social worker.

What can we learn from death in the age of longevity? Time; by Arianna Huffington; 2/16/26 ... Research on those at the end of life shows that our values change as death approaches. At the end, we don’t crave more status or more things, but more connection. A study on terminally ill patients found that common reflections include concern for loved ones, gratitude, and spirituality. Another found that the most commonly discussed topics included accepting one's imperfections, celebrating and appreciating what you have, giving, and service to others. And a study of hospice patients found that they showed “the desire to grow and change at this critical time.” If hospice patients can grow and change at the end of life, why not grow and change now? ... It is a surprising, but important, lesson to learn: bringing death into our lives is what paradoxically allows us to live more fully.