Literature Review

Locally and veteran-owned Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care expands healthcare offerings for Montana communities Business Post Examiner, Helena, MT; by Michael Brown; 1/22/25 In just one year since receiving the prestigious CHAP Accreditation, Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care has become a cornerstone of compassionate care in the Helena Valley, Montana. ... Building on this success, Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care is proud to announce its expansion into the Butte/Silver Bow County area, bringing its renowned services to even more Montanans. In addition to hospice care, the company will begin offering palliative care services in 2025. These services will not only provide an alternative provider for Helena but will also be the only in-home palliative care option available in Butte. 

Hospice of Santa Barbara surpasses $1 million  Legacy of Compassion Campaign goal Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara, CA; by Hospice of Santa Barbara; 1/21/25 Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) is thrilled to announce that it has reached and surpassed its 2024 Legacy of Compassion Campaign goal raising $1,155,410 during the year-long campaign which launched, in part, in celebration of the organization’s 50th anniversary. The campaign initiated a multi-stage effort to ensure the continued sustainability of HSB’s free compassionate care services, helping to meet current demand while building a stronger foundation for years to come. 

Big Bend Hospice opens new resale boutique benefiting local families Apalachicola The Times; by Bill Wertman; 1/15/25 At Big Bend Hospice (BBH), every decision we make is guided by our commitment to serving families across North Florida with compassion and care. For more than 40 years, we have been a cornerstone of support for patients with advanced illnesses and their loved ones. Today, I am proud to share an exciting new chapter in our story: the opening of Oak Tree Treasures, a resale shop located at 3260 Mahan Drive in Tallahassee. ...  Oak Tree Treasures embodies our mission of ensuring every family has access to the highest quality hospice care, regardless of financial barriers. All proceeds directly support our hospice services and therapeutic programs, bringing comfort and dignity to families during life’s most challenging moments.

Nonprofit opens home-based care facility for hospice patients Fox KNWA-24/KFTA, Lowell, AR; by Justin Trobaugh; 1/17/25 A nonprofit organization introduced a new resource Jan. 17 for those in Northwest Arkansas who need home-based care. Circle of Life provides hospice and in-and-out patient care services, and it opened its Joey Feek Center for Home-Based Care in Lowell. The facility will serve 93% of the non-profit’s patients and was donated by the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. 

The 'paradigm shift’ of hospice service diversification Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/17/25 Some hospices have delved deeper into service diversification to improve timely access and expand their patient reach, while others remain focused on end-of-life care delivery. The decision to launch into new service realms can come with a range of operational and reimbursement questions. Among the keys to diversifying services is establishing a business infrastructure that allows for innovative growth based on communities’ needs, according to Leslie Campbell, COO of Touchstone Communities. The San Antonio, Texas-headquartered company provides hospice, home health, veterans services, assisted living and skilled nursing services. ... Hospice leaders need to ensure that both back-office administrative and interdisciplinary teams are educated on how business growth impacts them, particularly when it comes to quality and compliance across the care continuum, Campbell stated.

‘Those who have made death their life’ Part 2: Family The Daily Yonder - Keep It Rural; by Hannah Clark; 1/16/25 Hannah Clark spent six months riding along with the nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) of Hearth Hospice who provide in-home care to those living in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. These hospice workers often drive up to a hundred miles a day to visit a handful of patients scattered across the Appalachian landscape in both rural towns and urban centers. What will follow this introductory essay is her photo reportage in three parts, documenting what she has witnessed accompanying these caregivers. The intimate portraits and vignettes show tender moments at different stages towards the end of one’s life. Their beauty lies in the companionship Clark captured in moments of need and vulnerability. Editor's note: Click here for Part 1, which we posted 1/16/25. 

Michigan hospice's training empowers African Americans to dialogue Catholic Health world; by Lisa Eisenhauer; 1/16/25 Rev. Diane Smith knows the hospice education program she leads for predominantly Black churches resonates with those who enroll. ... Rev. Smith directs The African American Church Empowerment Project at Livonia, Michigan-based Angela Hospice and gives certificates those who complete the training. She is also the hospice's director of ministry engagement and chief diversity officer. The Empowerment Project isn't about promoting Angela Hospice's services, Rev. Smith explains, but rather about educating the community on hospice care and listening to concerns about end-of-life issues. Rev. Smith sees another primary reason for the disconnect between Black Americans and hospice providers. She says many people of color have a distrust of the medical community that is rooted in historically being both denied care and exploited ...

Diana Franchitto named Board Chair as the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation celebrates 10 years National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; 1/14/25 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) proudly announces Diana Franchitto, President & CEO of HopeHealth, as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. A visionary leader in hospice and advanced illness care, Diana steps into this role as NPHI celebrates a decade of driving high-quality nonprofit care and innovation. “As we celebrate a decade of impact, we are thrilled to welcome Diana as the new Chair of our Board of Directors,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO of NPHI. “Her deep commitment to community-based, nonprofit care and her proven leadership make her uniquely qualified to help guide NPHI into this next phase of growth and innovation. I have tremendous respect for Tom and our members’ vision for NPHI, and I’m thrilled to work closely with Tom and our entire NPHI leadership team to bring that vision to life,” said Diana. “It’s an honor to serve as Board Chair during this pivotal moment as we celebrate our first decade of impact. I look forward to collaborating with our members and Board to advance the incredible work our nonprofit hospices deliver every day. Together, we will shape the next chapter of compassionate care and champion innovative, community-driven solutions that prioritize the needs of patients and families nationwide.”

CMS Call for Nominations: 2025 CMS Health Equity Award U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; by CMS Health Equity; via CMS email 1/13/25Nominations for the 2025 CMS Health Equity Award are now open to organizations working to advance health equity, showing others how to reduce disparities in health care access, quality, and outcomes. Nominations are due February 18 at 11:59 pm PT.  ... Health equity is defined by CMS as the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, preferred language, and other factors that affect access to care and health outcomes. 

 6 behaviors you must unlearn to be a relevant leader in 2025 Forbes; by Glenn Llopis; 1/7/25 Leadership today isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when a title or a corner office automatically commanded respect. Today, business leaders need more than authority, they need relevance. But being a relevant leader is not just about adopting new behaviors; it’s about unlearning bad habits. Especially those that do more harm than good. ... Here are six behaviors you must unlearn that once felt relevant and now may be holding you back. I’ve also included the six behaviors you must relearn.

Internal communication examples: Top strategies for 2025 lumapps; by Jade Burens; 1/13/25 In the dynamic world of business, the significance of effective internal communication cannot be overstated. The shift towards remote and hybrid work models has underscored the necessity for robust, captivating internal communication strategies. This goes beyond merely sharing information; it's about nurturing a culture where employees feel valued, listened to, and acknowledged. Organizations that excel in internal communications witness improved employee engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. ...

Agrace expands hospice services into Milwaukee County Agrace.org; Press Release; 1/14/25 Residents of Milwaukee County who are in the final months of life have a new choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. Agrace, the largest Wisconsin-based nonprofit hospice, has announced it is expanding its services into the county. For more than 45 years, Agrace Hospice Care has offered end-of-life care to people of all ages across southern Wisconsin. Milwaukee County residents can now enroll with Agrace to receive hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home. In addition to a new regional office ... in Wauwatosa, Agrace has offices in Oconomowoc, Janesville, Dodgeville and Baraboo, and a hospice inpatient unit and residence in Madison. The Wauwatosa office is home base for an interdisciplinary care team that includes local hospice physician Andre Cernasov.

Friday is final deadline for McKnight’s Women of Distinction award nominations McKnights Senior Living; by Lois A. Bowers; 1/13/25 The final nomination deadline for the 2025 McKnight’s Women of Distinction awards program is Friday [1/17]. The annual program is presented by McKnight’s Senior Living, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Home Care ... Eligible for recognition in 2025 are women working as direct care providers, managers, executives, corporate executives and owners in independent living, assisted living, memory care and life plan communities, as well as those working in those capacities in skilled nursing facilities and in home care, home health, hospice and palliative care. ... Nominators for the Rising Star, Veteran VIP and Hall of Honor categories should be prepared to share detailed qualitative and quantitative information about nominees’ work histories, exceptional achievements and contributions or service, and anything else the judging panel should consider. [Click on the title's link for more information.]