Literature Review

Woman in hospice gets final wish to experience the ‘horsey smell’ one more time when horses visit her bedsidePeople; by Rachel Raposas, Toria Sheffield; 10/4/26A hospice patient saw her final wish fulfilled when two horses walked up to her bedside. Denise Lee, a 79-year-old grandmother of four, always loved horses... But when she received a terminal cancer diagnosis three years ago, Lee’s condition separated her from the animals she loved most. In August, she told her daughter, Joanne Mullarkey, and her hospice staff at St. Barnabas House in Worthing, England, that she hoped to experience the “horsey smell” and touch a horse again once more. Joanne put out a call to the public for assistance on Facebook, and within hours, local horse owner Kerry Saunders offered to bring two ponies to St. Barnabas House for a visit.

NGHS Foundation tournament raises $280,000 for Hospice HouseSmokeSignals [GA]; by NGHS; 10/6/26Later this year, the new Chuck and Diane Stephens Hospice House will open its doors thanks to the generosity of donors, including those who participated in the Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) Foundation’s Medical Center Open golf tournament last week. The tournament, which has been raising funds for programs, initiatives, and organizations across Northeast Georgia for the last three decades, raised nearly $280,000 in support of the Hospice House... “We are grateful for the exceptional generosity of Chuck and Diane, whose vision and trust have led us to this point,” said Natalie McNeal, director of Hospice of NGMC.

Two Naples seniors find love in the midst of griefGulf Coast News; by Britt Leoni; 9/25/26At just 72 years old, Joan Hall had spent her life building a love story she thought would only grow stronger with time. She never expected time to cut that story short. "All of a sudden, the rug's been torn out from underneath you and you have to learn how to get through it," said Hall. 82-year-old Dennis Lloyd is also familiar with that pain. "She was in the ICU for 5 days and hospice for 5 days before she passed," said Dennis of Catherine, his wife who died. "It was a totally unexpected death." In both Hall's and Lloyd's grief, they didn't expect to find love again... But, to both their surprise, grief brought them together... A few years ago, at AVOW Hospice Center, Hall and Lloyd met in a grief support group... "We're just so happy and lucky us at this age in life to go through the rest of our lives with someone," said Hall.

Jessica Hausauer Appointed to National Quality Measurement CommitteeNCHPC email; by staff; 10/6/26Jessica Hausauer, PhD, CEO of the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, has been appointed to the Advisory Group of the Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Advanced Illness and Post-Acute Care Endorsement & Maintenance Committee.

Reserve Care, University Hospitals end joint venture to improve care coordinationHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/2/26Reserve Care [OH] has ended its joint venture with University Hospitals in a move designed to reduce burdensome transitions of care and improve timely access to hospice... Reserve Care and University Hospitals provided end-of-life care to thousands of patients during the nearly eight-year joint venture, which dissolves effective Jan. 1, 2027. The JV created unique opportunities to better reach patients in hospital settings, according to Reserve Care President and CEO Bill Finn. The hospital system and hospice are now seeking new opportunities to improve access to patient-centered care, Finn stated.

New Castlewood event raises $450,000 for Hope Hospice [CA]Pleasanton Weekly; by Jeremy Walsh; 10/4/26The inaugural “Plays for Hope” fundraiser held at The Club at Castlewood over three days this summer generated more than $450,000 to benefit Hope Hospice... “We are incredibly grateful to our partners at The Club at Castlewood and to everyone who participated, volunteered, sponsored, and supported the remarkable weekend,” said Skelly Wingard, CEO of By the Bay Health, the nonprofit that operates Hope Hospice.

Hospice East Bay workers strikeHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/5/26Dozens of workers at California-based Hospice East Bay on Monday launched a seven-day strike. The strike includes 70 bereavement counselors, chaplains, nurses, social workers and pharmacists at the hospice. The workers joined the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) in 2023.

Breast cancer awareness month BreastCancer.org; by Jennifer Carr; 9/21/26 October is about more than pink ribbons. ... Understanding the goals behind the global campaign and the emotions felt by the many different people living with the disease may help you decide if and how you want to commemorate the month. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign that’s held every October. The month aims to promote screening and reduce the risk of the disease, which affects 2.4 million women worldwide.1 Known best for its pink theme color, the month features a number of campaigns and programs designed to: ...

SBL Hospice Binga raises $31,000 for Willow Breeze Sarah Bush Lincoln; Press Release; 9/24/26 Sarah Bush Lincoln’s Hospice Binga event held in early September raised more than $31,000, with proceeds benefiting the Willow Breeze Hospice House Endowment. Earnings from the endowment help families with no or limited resources pay for their stay. ... “We’re so very grateful for our sponsors, donors, volunteers and Binga participants who come together to raise funds to help those in need,” said Amy Card, SBL Health Foundation director. “... The endowment is so important to help make it accessible to those who otherwise may not have the means to stay there.” Most insurance companies cover care in a hospice house, but many won’t cover room and board.   

The annual journey plan —turning strategy into an organizational rhythm Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Chris Comeaux; 10/1/26A great year is not created in the final quarter. It is created through a disciplined rhythm of listening, deciding, executing, learning, and renewing. A great year is not created in the final quarter. It is created through a disciplined rhythm of listening, deciding, executing, learning, and renewing. Consider a liturgical calendar. It does more than mark dates. It gives a community a shared rhythm with seasons for preparation, reflection, renewal, celebration, and recommitment. Each season has meaning because of what came before it and what follows. The calendar keeps people oriented to what matters most, even when daily life competes for attention.

Rebranding a ‘huge success’ in improved hospice access Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/28/26 Some rebranded organizations that have recently removed “hospice” from their company name are seeing increased awareness, utilization and other positive results. A rebrand can sometimes better position a hospice in terms of improved awareness, according to Tony Kudner, chief strategy officer of Transcend Strategy Group. Formerly RP Marketing, the Ohio-headquartered consulting firm works with hospice and home-based care organizations. The company rebranded in 2020 after 27 years of operation.

Hospice nurses, doctors take on Allina Health over pay, staffing in dueling strikes Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder; by Clint Combs; 9/28/26 Allina Health hospice nurses struck for a week over unpaid overtime and holiday pay, while 150 unionized doctors staged a historic four-day walkout of their own, as workers press for protections ahead of a proposed $26 billion merger with Sutter Health. More than 60 hospice nurses represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa picketed outside Abbott Northwestern Hospital for a week, demanding overtime and holiday pay from Allina Health after a year of stalled negotiations. The strike overlapped with a historic four-day walkout by 150 unionized doctors, who reached a tentative deal with Allina on Sept. 22.

Industry veteran launches ServingOverSelling movement to encourage health systems to curb promotional marketing News Chief, Minneapolis, MN; Press Release; 9/27/26 Chris Bevolo, former healthcare marketing agency owner, CEO and author of seven books calls on health systems to redirect money from self-promotion. One year after retiring from a 25-year health system marketing career, industry veteran Chris Bevolo has launched ServingOverSelling, a movement that encourages health systems to reallocate their promotional marketing spend and instead put those resources, energy and focus of those institutions back where they belong: on helping the people they exist to serve. The initiative, launched during the 2026 Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development 2026 Connections Annual Conference, already has a number of signatories to the movement’s pledge for health system marketing leaders to reallocate their promotional marketing spend in whatever way possible.