Literature Review

Hospital workers share 26 deathbed regrets they’ve heard that changed their lives Boredpanda; by Ruta Zumbrickaite; 3/28/25 While painful, regret can also be a motivator for learning and growth, encouraging us to avoid repeating past mistakes and make better decisions in the future. We guess that’s why self-help author Debbie Ford once said, “Pain can be our greatest teacher.” Someone on the web asked hospital workers, “What regrets do you hear from dying patients?”, and folks who’ve been there in people’s last moments shared the words that hit them the hardest. Here’s a list of some of their most profound responses.  

Carolyn Hax: Does sibling love justify traveling to abusive mom’s deathbed?The Washington Post, Washington, DC; 3/24/25 Sister asks the letter writer to join her at their dying mom’s bedside — despite their PTSD-inducing childhoods. [The rest of this article may require a subscription to The Washington Post.]Editor's note: Even if you're not able to access the full article, what does this question stir in you? Be aware that many family caregivers (or simply family members) face complex, conflicted relationships with the persons they are tending--or in this case, even considering visiting or not. Be attuned to these common, everyday occurrences that your direct care interdisciplinary team members regularly navigate. What family systems' education and support do you provide for them?

Revamped tool can reliably assess pain symptoms in dementia patients: researchers McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Zee Johnson; 3/17/25 ... A team of researchers reconstructed the End-of-Life Dementia-Comfort Assessment in Dying, or EOLD-CAD, after a multifacility study showed that caregivers could adequately and reliably address a host of pain symptoms seen in end-of-life dementia patients. ... When clinicians working in the SNFs that were part of the trials used the EOLD-CAD, they were able to detect patterns in more than 600 residents that fell into four categories: physical distress, symptoms of dying, emotional distress, and well-being. Common symptoms observed across these categories were restlessness, shortness of breath, choking, gurgling, difficulty in swallowing, fear and anxiety. ...

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.” 

Local teen helps patients at the end of life preserve memories 10 Tampa Bay YouTube channel; 3/6/25 A bittersweet and beautiful story this morning. A local teen is helping  patients at the end of life preserve memories to pass on to family. The Lifetime Legacies program through Empath Health can be in the form of a journal or a video, too. ... It's hard to think about, losing a loved one, but this is a great way to celebrate their lived experience. ... While chipping away at Bright Futures Community service hours, Zoe Lazanowski found purpose and passion. ... A volunteer with Suncoast Hospice (a member of Empath Health), Zoe helps interview patients who want to be part of the Lifetime Legacies program. Memories are documented from their childhood, family history, and sharing special stories. "One of my favorite things to ask was what advice they would have for the family ..."

These Portland-area hospice patients need goods. Do you know how to knit or sew? Portland Tribune, West Linn, OR; by Hannah Seibold; 2/26/25 Dust off those sewing machines or grab a knitting needle because Positive Charge! PDX is inviting Portland-area folks to help those in hospice. The Stitches for Hospice project calls on Portland metro-area crafters — from beginner to expert — to sew or knit adult clothing protectors (bibs) and catheter bag covers for terminally ill neighbors and folks being served by hospice programs. “As a retired hospice social worker, I’ve seen firsthand over many years how fragile dignity can be in the final months and weeks of a person’s life. I wanted to do something that would enhance that dignity and brought the idea to Positive Charge! PDX. With a history of amplifying kindness with ‘crafting for causes’ projects—they ran with it,” said Maggie Alberton, a donor to the program.

National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29, 2025U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; by Crystal Peruski; 2/18/25 The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 designates March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration honors all Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time from November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location. To learn more about the Vietnam War Commemoration, visit 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration | Vietnam War Commemoration. Editor's note: Mark your calendars. Engage your volunteers who serve veterans. How might this intersect with your intergenerational employees and volunteers? Note that 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. For support specific to hospice and grief care:

Interdisciplinary strategies for establishing a trusting relation as a pre-requisite for existential conversations in palliative care: a grounded theory study BMC Palliative Care - Part of Springer Nature, Open Acces; by Annica Lagerin, Christina Melin-Johansson, Bodil Holmberg, Tove Godskesen, Elin Hjorth, Lena Junehag, Carina Lundh Hagelin, Anneli Ozanne, Johan Sundelöf & Camilla Udo; 2/19/25... This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) experiences of existential conversations with patients with PC needs and their next-of-kin by generating a theoretical model. ... To emphasize the importance of ethical competence for quality patient care, particularly in PC, a combination of care ethics, clinical proficiency, relational skills and effective communication is essential. ... The potential obstacles we identified that require attention include the need for managers ... to support HCPs by allowing time for reflection, developing new routines, and providing education focused on existential conversations in PC. However, the main contribution of this study is the description of the interdisciplinary strategies HCPs used to establish meaningful, existential conversations by maintaining presence, as this paved the way for trusting conversations with patients and next-of-kin. Editor's note: Pair this with today's article "Why being trustworthy is a leadership hack that drives success."

Heritage Hospice’s “Scatter Hearts” project honors veterans and patients The Advocate-Messenger, Danville, KY; by Josely Labarrere; 2/19/25 Heritage Hospice volunteers are spreading love and appreciation this Valentine’s season with the “Scatter Hearts” project, a heartfelt initiative designed to bring joy to hospice patients, particularly veterans. ... “The volunteers thought it would be a good time to honor our veterans, acknowledge the sacrifices they have made for us, and bring a smile to our hospice patients,” said Wendy Hellard, Director of Volunteer Services at Heritage Hospice. ... The wooden hearts, designed to be displayed on doors, were individually painted by Heritage Hospice volunteers and community members in bright and cheerful colors. Special hearts featuring patriotic red, white, and blue designs were created for veteran patients."

Death Matters: The gift of presence: Tips for visiting someone who is dying Squim Gazette, Squim, WA; by Jeanette Stehr-Green, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County; 2/12/25 We sometimes avoid visiting friends or family members who are terminally ill. We make lots of excuses. We don’t know what to say. We don’t know how to act. We don’t want to be a bother. The hard truth is that dying, the final stage of life, can be a lonely experience without the presence of family and friends. A visit during this time can bring comfort to the dying person and their family. It can also provide an opportunity to share feelings, reminisce, and say goodbye. Visiting a dying person seems difficult because most of us lack experience. It only takes a little courage and a few ideas to create a meaningful moment. ... Editor's note: These excellent guidelines empower hospice patients' families and friends--and protect patients' vulnerable energies and emotions--in multiple settings across the trajectory of dying. How might you adapt these for your own patient/caregiver support and community outreach?

How to live when you know you are dying Equity Atlas; 2/11/25 Living with the knowledge of impending death is an incredibly challenging and emotional experience. Whether facing a terminal illness or a life-threatening situation, the idea of living when you know you are dying can be overwhelming. However, it is possible to find peace, acceptance, and even joy in the midst of such difficult circumstances. In this article, we will explore how to navigate this journey with grace and courage. ... How does one navigate this difficult journey? We turned to professionals in the field for their insights on how to live when you know you are dying.

Volunteer and her 3 dogs provide joy through Hospice of the Valley's pet therapy program AZCentral; by Lin Sue Flood, Hospice of the Valley; 2/7/25 Marian Wallace loves dogs and loves volunteering, so she put the two together to provide joy to others. [Her] three adorable Labradors — Mattie, Harper and Richey — are the newest members of Hospice of the Valley’s pet therapy program. They visit youngsters at Ryan House, which provides respite support to families with medically fragile children. ... Marian joined Hospice of the Valley’s pet therapy program was about 10 years ago. A friend who had a therapy pet inspired her to rescue and train dogs. She began visiting hospice patients with her first two labs, Shiloh and Amy. ... “It’s that child-animal interaction that I find so incredible,” she said. ... One of the most endearing qualities she sees in all of her Labs is how intuitive they are, tapping into the moods and emotions of children to comfort them. ... Editor's note: Ensuring pet therapy training and certification is crucial, for both the pet and the owner. Click here for an extensive national list of Pet Therapy Organizations. If you have--or plan to provide--a pet therapy program, be sure that insurance is provided (by the pet therapy organization and/or by you) in case an incident occurs.