Literature Review

Hospice House reopens after $3.5M in renovations Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business; by TCA JOB Staff; 12/25/25 After several months of renovations, Tri-Cities Chaplaincy’s Hospice House is hosting a Dec. 29 ribbon-cutting to celebrate its reopening. The nearly 30-year-old building at 2108 W. Entiat Ave., Kennewick, helps care for hospice patients for short-term stays to help with severe symptoms or to give caregivers a break.  The $3.5 million renovation created a larger nurse station, an expanded front entryway, added a fireside room to honor loved ones, upgraded family gathering areas and enhanced patient rooms. “This renovation ensures it will continue to serve families with compassion, comfort, and dignity for decades to come,” said Laurie Jackson, CEO of Tri-Cities Chaplaincy.

10 ‘hidden gem’ Hospice News stories from 2025 Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/19/25 While reimbursement, regulation and large M&A deals dominated the headlines this year, several other significant trends also emerged. Below are 10 noteworthy Hospice News stories that flew under the radar. ...

[Canada] Posthumous effort helps 'Santa Al' raise $100,000 Pique News Magazine, British Columbia, Canada; by Roxanne Egan-Elliott; 12/24/25 With a white beard, rosy cheeks and a sparkle in his eye, Alan Paterson was known to many year-round as Santa Al. ... He started donating all proceeds from his Santa appearances to support Victoria Hospice’s services to show his gratitude for the compassionate care his wife, Sharon, received in 2009 at the end of her life. Over 15 years, Paterson raised more than $84,000 for the hospice. He wanted to bring that total to $100,000 this holiday season, but Paterson died on Sept. 29 at the age of 79. Paterson’s family continued his legacy of giving by inviting loved ones to honour his life with donations to the hospice to help him reach his goal. His fundraising pagerecently passed $100,000.

UVM hospice team holds “Honk and Wave” protest over contract negotiations NBC 5, Burlington, VT; by Yunier Martinez; 12/21/25 Nurses and supporters held a “Honk and Wave” protest Saturday along Shelburne Road to build community support for the hospice union’s ongoing contract negotiations. "We want the community to know the value of the work we do," says nurse practitioner Lindsay Gerdeman. ... A spokesperson for the hospital released the following statement: "... We value our hospice team and understand that negotiating for a first contract will take time. ..." Negotiations are set to resume in January.

Hospice News’ 10 most-read stories of 2025 Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/19/25 Large acquisitions, regulatory headwinds and the fate of COVID-era telehealth flexibilities were top-of-mind issues for hospice providers in 2025, as evidenced by the 10 most-read Hospice News stories of the year. ... The following are the 10 most-read Hospice News articles of 2025.

Seven-figure estate gift bolsters hospice care: Madeline Childs' generous bequest honors her late husband Hometown News, Rockledge, FL; Press Release; 12/7/25 The Health First Foundation is honored to announce a transformational seven-figure planned gift from the late Madeline Childs to support the William Childs Hospice House in Palm Bay and Hospice of Health First’s inpatient hospice programs. Madeline’s final act of generosity reflects a commitment that began more than two decades ago. In 2002, her husband, Bill, received hospice care during his final days. The experience was brief, but it left a lasting imprint on her. Out of that moment of personal loss, Madeline chose to give back by establishing an irrevocable estate gift that would ultimately lead to the naming of the William Childs Hospice House in Bill’s memory.

LifeBridge Health taps Hopkins executive as new president and CEO The Daily Record; by Daily Record Staff; 12/17/25 Jennifer Nickoles will succeed Neil Meltzer, who is retiring after 13 years in the position, according to a news release. Nickoles joins LifeBridge from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, where she has served as president. Her career spans nearly 30 years with Johns Hopkins Medicine in a variety of operations and leadership roles. Nickoles will assume her role on March 1. ... LifeBridge has grown into a system with five hospitals, hundreds of physician offices, more than 14,000 employees, and a wide range of programs from urgent care, hospice care, senior living and a fitness center.

West End Health Foundation awards $15,000 to Trillium House hospice care MyUpNow.com, Ishpeming, MI; by Alexandria Bournonville; 12/15/25 To support locally based hospice care, the West End Health Foundation (WEHF) awarded $15,000 to Trillium House, a Marquette-based hospice care center. ... “This grant will help cover some of the cost of caring for those who need hospice support at Trillium House for a total of 50 days a year for three years," said Trillium House Executive Director Melissa Cavill. "That’s 150 days of high-quality, compassionate care in a safe and home-like environment, and it’s all designated specifically for West End residents.”Editor's Note: By translating dollars into days of hospice care, this message makes the grant's impact visible and human. It reminds us that return on investment is not only financial, but measured in serving hospice patients and families through the dying moments that matter most. How does your organization give meaning to its numbers? 

A legacy of care: How Good Shepherd has served Newton for nearly 50 yearsFig City News, Newton, MA; by Parker Maslowski; 12/15/25 … The story of Good Shepherd began, fittingly, with an act of compassion that crossed an ocean. In the late 1970s, members of the Parish of the Good Shepherd learned about the revolutionary hospice movement emerging in England. … A group of parishioners believed Newton needed something similar. … Newton-Wellesley Hospital donated office space in the Ellison Building. The small program assembled a core team of nurses, a physician, social workers, and volunteers who provided direct patient support, administrative help, and fundraising. And the Hospice of the Good Shepherd opened its doors in the fall of 1979 – the first hospice in Massachusetts. 

Southern Care Collaborative a model for regional hospice collectives Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/12/25 As nonprofits seek to build scale in order to compete with larger competitors, some are banding together in regional collaboratives. In these efforts, the Southern Care Collaborative, founded in 2022, could serve as a model. The organization includes 11 hospice members operating in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The hospices are pooling resources and joining forces to build economies of scale and payer relationships without any change in ownership. 

Hospice of Wichita Falls expands outreach with renovated facility CBS News-6, Wichita Falls, TX; by Rachel Gomez Ramirez; 12/12/25 Today [12/12/25], Hospice of Wichita Falls held an open house showcasing their newly renovated facility, built by and for the community. Isha Howerton, Director of Development for Hospice of Wichita Falls, explained that the Building on a Legacy of Care fundraiser campaign initially began in 2017 and is nearing completion. Through this campaign, the community raised $15 million to build a new inpatient care center and renovate the existing one. Today’s event marked the new facility’s final renovation phase. ... [Additionally, by] meeting their campaign goal of $340,000, the non-profit hospice can continue to support charity care for those who need end-of-life care.

Providence Care appoints Werner Freymann, Jr. as new Chief Executive Officer Morningstar; by Business Wire; 12/10/25 Providence Care, a leading hospice, palliative and primary care for seniors organization, today announced the appointment of Werner Freymann, Jr. as its new Chief Executive Officer. In the role of CEO, Werner will lead the company’s strategic direction and drive continued growth and innovation across its continuum of care for the elderly wherever they call home. Mr. Freymann brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, previously serving as SVP of Discovery at Home. 

Volunteers woven into the fabric of Horizon Hospice and Palliative Care The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA; by Cindy Hval; 12/11/25 Ruth Wagley believes home is a profound place. The volunteer coordinator for Horizon Hospice and Palliative Care said her life experience has come full circle. “I had home births. I home-schooled my kids. Now, I work in a place where we value home death,” she said. “The heart of hospice is that no one dies alone, or in pain, and everyone can die at home.” Although she had managed volunteers throughout her career, she had never worked for a company where that type of service was essential to the funding and operation of the business. Medicare/Medicaid mandates that hospices provide at least 5% of patient care hours through volunteers. “Volunteers are woven into the fabric of Horizon Hospice,” she said.Editor's Note: Do you think of your hospice volunteers as being "woven into the fabric" of the services you provide, or as an add-on, an afterthought, just another regulatory requirement? Especially at the holidays, be sure to thank your volunteers in ways that are meaningful to them.