Literature Review

Veterans’ Memorial Garden to be dedicated May 25 Carteret County News-Times, Morehead, NC; by Cheryl Burkes; 5/20/26 Among ceremonies that will honor fallen veterans on Memorial Day, which is May 25, is dedication of a new Veterans’ Memorial Garden at the Crystal Coast Hospice House in Newport. ... The garden is behind the Hospice House, adjacent to the Memorial Brick Garden. Kay Coole, Executive Director of the Crystal Coast Hospice House, said, “I wanted to recognize the veterans in our area and we needed a flagpole. ... Memorial Day will be the first time the flag is raised." The garden contains a flagpole, military branch stones and bushes, and flowers.

Hospice fraud is real — but so is ethical hospice care Mountain Democrat, Placerville, CA; by Tim Meadows, CEO of Snowline Health; Molly Corbett, CEO of Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice; Deanna Brooks, CEO of Hospice of San Joaquin; Sarah McSpadden, CEO of The Elizabeth Hospice; and Craig Dressang, CEP of YoloCares; 5/20/26 Recent headlines detailing hospice fraud investigations across California are deeply troubling. ... These investigations are necessary, long overdue and effective. ... However, amid this justified scrutiny, it is critical not to lose sight of an equally important truth: Hospice fraud is not hospice care. ... Just as important, there are clear ways to identify ethical hospice providers. Families can protect themselves by taking a few simple, informed steps:

Trinity Homes sees home health, hospice transition Minot Daily News, Minot, ND; by MDN Staff; 5/21/26 Trinity Health has announced it has contracted with CHI Health at Home and Hospice and CaringEdge to provide hospice services to residents at Trinity Homes. Both are established Minot-area providers. Ensuring continuity of care has been the top priority throughout this transition, according to Trinity, which has worked closely with CHI Health at Home and Hospice and CaringEdge to facilitate a smooth transition for patients and their families. The transition of patients is complete, Trinity reported.

Calvert youth generosity celebrated at annual ‘Boots & Bling’ event Maryland BayNet, Prince Frederick, MD; by Hospice of the Chesapeaker; 5/19/26The can-do spirit of Calvert County’s 4-H youth helped make “Boots & Bling: A Culinary Experience” a fundraising success for Hospice of the Chesapeake. ... One of the evening’s featured moments focused on the story of the Hospice Hog, shared by T.J. Ireland. In 2019, Ireland and his brother, Colby Ireland, donated proceeds from the sale of one of their 4-H market hogs to honor their grandmother and support Hospice of the Chesapeake. Their first hog, Harry, raised $7,000 at the Calvert County Fair. After the Ireland brothers aged out of 4-H, the Said family continued the tradition. Together, the families have raised more than $150,000 through the sale of home-raised hogs. ... Ireland said the Said family plans to continue the tradition until Lena turns 19.Editor's Note: Do you need some inspiration? Read this. For context, revisit the 2026 "Boots & Bling" story we posted on 5/18/26 and celebrate this behind-the-scenes story of family tribute to a beloved grandmother. 

Paul Ledford: Program integrity should strengthen — not undermine — access to hospice care in Florida Florida Politics; by guest author Paul Ledford, president and CEO of the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association; 5/18/26 Few places in America are as closely tied to retirement and aging as Florida. [Background information on the recent CMS Hospice and Home Health Moratorium] ... CMS has previously acknowledged that targeted, geographically focused enforcement is the most effective way to combat localized fraud. A nationwide moratorium contradicts that approach. Rather than protecting patients, it risks cutting off access for the very people hospice is designed to serve. The right solution is targeted enforcement — cracking down on criminal networks in the specific communities where abuse is documented, without penalizing high-performing states and the families who rely on their care.

Reader opinion: HCS supports its nurses, programs, by Talee Messenger The Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH; by Talee Messenger; 5/17/26 For over a century, Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services has been built on a foundation of nurses committed to meeting patients where they are. From traveling by foot and trolley in the early years to delivering specialized care today, HCS nurses have continued to lead with compassion and innovation. This Nurses Month, we honor that legacy while reaffirming our commitment to supporting the next generation of nurses. Providing care in rural communities requires adaptability, independence, and a deep connection to the people being served. At HCS, we believe meaningful care depends on shared knowledge and continuous learning.

Butterfly Garden of Remembrance 2026 YubaNet.com, Nevada County, CA; by Foothills Compassionate Care; 5/15/26 Driving along the freeway between Grass Valley and Nevada City, passengers might notice three large butterfly statues in the nearby distance. The statues mark the annual Butterfly Garden of Remembrance, hosted by Foothills Compassionate Care [formerly known as Hospice of the Foothills]. ... In a community where neighbors care deeply for one another, few traditions capture that spirit more beautifully.  For more than 25 years, the Butterfly Garden has offered a sacred space for grief, healing and remembrance.

Compassus-Providence JV to move forward in Oregon Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/18/26 The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has cleared the way for a Compassus-Providence Health System joint venture to operate in the state. The home-based care provider Compassus has established a joint venture with the health system Providence in 2024 and expanded it last year. However, in Oregon the state agency must review all such transactions. ... The conditions are intended to ensure the proposed transaction serves the public interest by expanding access to home health and hospice services in medically underserved communities, according to OHA.

‘Boots & Bling’ raises over $115K for care in Calvert County Hospice of the Chesapeake, Pasadena, MD; Press Release; 5/14/26 Donning denim, cowboy boots and plenty of sparkle, the Calvert County community came together to raise more than $115,000 for Hospice of the Chesapeake at “Boots & Bling, A Culinary Experience”. The event was held May 9 ... Around 180 guests enjoyed international and Chesapeake Bay cuisine while learning about the mission of the nonprofit organization. Funds from this year’s event will support programs that teach, support, and guide Calvert County people experiencing serious illness and their families.

Locally owned and operated hospice center opens in downtown New Iberia, LA The Daily Iberian, New Iberia, LA; by Corey Vaughn; 5/12/26 It’s always a scary decision to leave your job and start your own business, but New Iberia native Tyler Robicheaux said it’s an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Robicheaux officially opened the doors to Foundations Hospice last year after being given the opportunity, alongside silent partners, to take his years of hospice care experience to the next level. ... One of the best parts of being the owner of his own hospice business has been implementing his vision for good care from the ground up. “You get to build it from the ground up: the good and not so good,” he said. 

SOS Hospice: Let’s ask ChatGPT to select a hospice programSubstack post; by Joan Teno; 5/11/26In this essay, I asked ChatGPT to identify the “best” hospice in Rhode Island and then examines the logic and data sources behind the answer. The analysis highlights how AI rankings can rely on non-validated or imputed measures and may overlook important Medicare Care Compare context. Comparing ChatGPT’s top picks with the author’s own assessment illustrates how different metrics can point to very different conclusions. Bottom line: AI can be a useful starting point for questions about quality, but patients and families should treat hospice rankings with caution and verify claims using transparent, validated measures.

Generous community support drives new hospice home project: longtime community member LeRoy Havel donates $500,000 to End of Life Hospice Home coming to Washington Southeast Iowa Union, Washington, IA; by Giovanni Coronel; 5/11/26 A generous donation of $500,000 from longtime community member and benefactor LeRoy Havel was given in support of an End of Life Hospice Home (EOLH) coming to Washington during a presentation on May 8. A EOLH is a place where individuals can spend their final days in comfort, dignity, and peace with around-the-clock-care in a home-like setting. It will be the first one of its kind in Washington and in Washington County.

We can fight fraud without threatening access to care RealClear Health; by Peter Pitts; 5/8/26 ... In recent months, the Trump administration has identified a small but significant number of bad actors that have cheated the system. These fraudsters aren’t just stealing taxpayer dollars — their actions are threatening access to quality care and undermining patients and families’ trust in Medicare. Those criminals should be removed from federal programs and prosecuted. ... But that’s not the full story. Not even close. ... This doesn’t have to be a choice between fighting fraud and protecting access to care. We can and must do both: root out fraud and protect access to high-quality hospice and home health care at the same time.