Literature Review

Health and health care access among Afghan refugee women in the United StatesJAMA Network Open; by Nazineen Kandahari, Nilufar N. Kayhani, Fareha Moulana Zada, Zahra Kayhani, Zarin Noor, Nicholas Nelson, Susan L. Ivey; 8/26Afghans are one of the world’s largest refugee populations. Afghan women face compounded health risks due to sociocultural restrictions, low literacy, forced displacement, and limited health care access, yet little is known about their experiences with health care after resettlement in the US. In this qualitative study of 23 Afghan women residing in the US who shared their experiences accessing health care, key barriers included sociocultural constraints on women’s autonomy, inadequate interpretation services, culturally insensitive health care, intergenerational stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health knowledge and care, and mental health challenges. Structural barriers produced mistrust in and miscommunication with clinicians and led to use of home remedies. These findings suggest a need for health care interventions that are sensitive to sociocultural contexts and immigration histories to address the needs of Afghan refugee women in the US.

9/11 Remembrances TodayHospice and Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger; 9/10/26

California and the federal government battle over hospice fraud, as victims lose coverage and care Regional Media News, Los Angeles, CA; by wrnnews.com; 8/26/26At 71 and a few years into retirement, Linda Henry felt like she was in good health, and only went to her doctor in Southern California for the occasional checkup. So it was a shock when she found out in 2024 that she had been enrolled in hospice, a specialized end-of-life care usually provided to people with six months or less to live. A Medicare worker told her the system said she had heart failure. Henry was a victim of rampant fraud in the hospice industry, a problem that’s been especially extreme in California, ... Henry believes her Medicare number was stolen after a healthcare payment portal that services insurances was hit by a cyberattack. She found out about her hospice enrollment in September 2024 after her doctor billed Medicare for an allergy test and was denied. Soon, other claims were being returned unpaid.

‘More than just a building:’ As Duke sells historic bereavement center, a town grapples with grief Duke Chronicle; by Dylan Halper; 8/26/26 When Maria Peluso’s father died in April 2014, her family directed all donations to one place: a memorial brick, to be laid in his honor on a pathway near the Duke Hospice Unicorn Bereavement Center in Hillsborough, North Carolina. ... Over the ensuing years, the brick became a place of solace and learning for Peluso’s family. Before she died, Peluso’s mother often visited the site, and Peluso [a former Duke University Health System nurse and recipient of this center's bereavement counseling] said she brings her children and grandchildren — who never met her father — to the brick to teach them about his legacy. Underneath her father’s name and lifespan, the brick reads, “I will love you longer than forever.” But while the love of Peluso’s family will endure, the brick itself will be torn up as part of a redevelopment of the property encompassing the former Unicorn Bereavement Center and Duke Hospice at the Meadowlands. 

The sandwich generation confronts the caregiver crunch: Sonia’s story IndiaCurrents; by Snigdha Sen; 8/28/26 The Indian American community is aging. As the U.S. faces a severe caregiver shortage, the community faces an even greater challenge: finding culturally and linguistically appropriate care. The Aging with Dignity project looks at efforts within and beyond the Indian community to help the "sandwich generation" care for aging parents. This is Part 1 of a three-part series.

[France] 'You cannot have a good assisted dying law without good palliative care’ GuardianTV; Press Release; 8/30/26 François Picard is pleased to welcome Anne Reynaud, Board Member of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity. France’s long awaited assisted dying legislation marks a profound shift in the country’s approach to end of life care, but as Reynaud makes clear, the parliamentary vote is less the end of a debate than the beginning of a new ethical and legal era. Speaking from both personal experience and her professional role, Reynaud argues that the law represents meaningful progress while remaining more restrictive than the recommendations of France’s Citizens’ Convention. 

District One Freemasons commit $50,000 to Aroostook Hospice Foundation Suite 1 dedication The County, Presque Isle, ME; by Aroostook Hospice Foundation; 8/30/26 The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is pleased to announce a generous $50,000 commitment from the District One Freemasons in support of the Aroostook House of Comfort. ... David Basley, representing District One of the Freemasons, shared the significance of the commitment, “The decision made by the 1st District Freemasons to present a gift of $50,000 to the House of Comfort was an easy one for us. Since the facility first opened in 2018, we have had several members of our Masonic fraternity or family members experience the most compassionate end of life care offered by staff and volunteers. ..."

Dr. Ricardo Schwarcz launches healthcare sciences scholarship to support future medical leaders Newsnet Los Angeles, Harlingen, TX; by Dr. Ricardo Schwarcz Scholarship; 8/28/26 The Dr. Ricardo Schwarcz Scholarship for Healthcare Sciences officially opens its application process, offering vital financial support to dedicated undergraduate students across the United States. Designed to foster the next generation of medical and allied health professionals, this scholarship initiative encourages aspiring clinical leaders to pursue their academic and professional ambitions in healthcare. Founded by Dr. Ricardo Schwarcz, a highly accomplished physician board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, Neurocritical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine, the program seeks to inspire students who display an enduring passion for patient-centered care.

9/11 Memorial Map: Prepare for next Friday, 9/11's 25th anniversary 9.11 Legacy Foundation; Editor's Note by Joy Berger; retrieved from the internet 9/1/26 Explore a growing map of memorials nationwide that honor the lives lost and the heroes who responded to the September 11 attacks. Each marker reflects a community’s dedication to remembrance, resilience, and unity.Editor's Note: Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001? How did you learn? Whom did you contact? What do you remember feeling? Fearing? What unfolded in your life, your family, your community because of the tragedies of 9/11? We--in hospice--know the longterm impact of both "normal" loss, and of tragic losses that live on in us until we die. I implore you to create ways to allow your employees and volunteers to honor this day in ways that can be meaningful to them, while respecting the tasks that need to be done on this standard workday. Perhaps, a message from your CEO, from a chaplain, a bereavement counselor, an employee who was directly affected by 9/11, or someone else. Perhaps--sent ahead of time, a link to a live-stream memorial service. Perhaps, a real-time text that marks a moment of silence on 9/11. Use your imagination and skills for healing, for compassionate care. Do you have a story to share? Please send the URL link to me.

Executive Personnel Changes - 8/21/26

Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties’ 19th Annual Golf Classic raises almost $75,000 for patient care FocusMedia, Newburgh, NY; Press Release; 8/19/26 Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties held its 19th Annual Golf Classic at Osiris Country Club in Walden, N.Y., on Aug. 10, drawing a sold-out field of 100 golfers for the organization’s best golf fundraising event in recent years. The tournament raised close to $75,000 to support Hospice services throughout Orange and Sullivan Counties. ... “Today’s outing is about more than just golf,” Eric Gastik, President and CEO of Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, told the golfers, sponsors and other attendees. “It’s about coming together as a community to support patients and families during one of the most difficult times in their lives. Every golfer, every sponsor, every raffle ticket purchased and every volunteer contributes to that mission."

The new health system CEO job description, per 23 leaders Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon, Kelly Gooch, and Kristin Kuchno; 8/20/26 The health system CEO job description is getting longer, and increasingly filled with responsibilities that barely registered five years ago. Today’s CEOs are expected to steer AI strategy, prepare for cyberattacks, shape culture, advocate in statehouses and on Capitol Hill, protect employees from workplace violence, address affordability and serve as trusted voices in their communities. That shift is playing out at some of the nation’s largest and most prominent health systems.