Literature Review

Bedford Hospice House seeks new partners Bedford Bulletin, Bedford, VA; by John Barnhart; 3/11/26The Bedford Hospice House will close on April 15, but this may not be the end. The hospice house was built as a community endeavor with Tom and Connie Messier spearheading the effort. The community raised the money to build a free-standing residential-style hospice house. The four-bedroom facility provided a home-like place where terminal ill people, who could not stay in their homes, could spend there last days. ... According to Amy Merrill Willis, President of the Board of Directors for Friends of the Bedford Hospice House, Cemtra notified them on Feb. 26, that hospice house would close.  ... "We remain very committed to the hospice house," she said. She said they are exploring options and have been in communication with the Bedford County Board of Supervisors. She said the supervisors are interested in maintaining it as a hospice house and she said her board hopes to find a new partner.

Shanti Niketan Hospice Home Campaign reaches $3.5 million goal WGRK K-Country 105.7, Glasgow, KY; by Josh Mickinney; 3/10/26 The T.J. Community Mission Foundation (TJCMF) announced the successful completion of the $3.5 million capital campaign to build Shanti Niketan Hospice Home during a special ceremony celebrating the facility’s five-year anniversary. The campaign, titled “Love Makes This House a Home,” was launched in 2015 with the goal of creating a residential hospice facility to serve families throughout south central Kentucky. Since opening in 2021, Shanti Niketan Hospice Home has provided care and comfort for more than 275 patients and their families. “Shanti Niketan Hospice Home reflects the very best of compassionate healthcare,” said Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health.

Social Work Month shines spotlight on profession of hope Ashe Post & Times, High Country, NC; by AMOREM; 3/9/26 AMOREM, along with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), proudly celebrates one of the nation's largest professions. March is National Social Work Month and this year's theme, "Social Workers: Uplift, Defend, Transform," highlights the profession's core mission to enhance human well-being, meet basic needs and empower vulnerable populations, especially during challenging times of economic, political and societal division.

How America’s nursing shortage impacts health care Deseret News; by Lois M. Collins; 3/8/26 America has a nursing shortage, but where it is and who’s affected is not evenly distributed across the country. And even communities with an adequate or near-adequate supply must be vigilant to ensure that shortages don’t creep in. Key Points:

Granite VNA names James Culhane President and CEO Granite VNA, Concord, NH; Press Release; 3/5/26 After a rigorous and comprehensive executive search, Granite VNA, New Hampshire’s largest not-for-profit home health and hospice agency, has named James Culhane as its next President and CEO. He will succeed Beth Slepian, who has served in that role since 2015, upon her retirement in June 2026. Culhane has served as President and CEO of Lake Sunapee Region VNA & Hospice in New London, New Hampshire, since 2015. 

Heart to Heart Hospice expands service in East Texas Cision | PR Newswire, Plano, TX; Press Release; 3/3/26 Heart to Heart Hospice, one of the country's largest private providers of hospice care, has opened two new agencies in East Texas, significantly expanding its ability to serve patients and families in the region. Heart to Heart Hospice of Huntsville and Heart to Heart Hospice of Hemphill are now making a broad range of hospice services available in nine additional Texas counties. The Huntsville agency serves the counties of Brazos, Grimes, Houston, Madison, Polk, Trinity, and Walker. The Hemphill location covers Sabine and San Augustine counties. 

Critical hospice facility reopens in Somerset County WTAJ Altoona, Somerset County, PA; by Colin Day; 3/6/26 Windber Hospice announced the reopening of its Somerset inpatient hospice facility on Friday. The facility has been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving elderly residents in the community void of essential care. After re-establishing ownership of the property, the “Children’s Aid Society Foundation” asked Windber Hospice to reopen and staff the facility for its intended purpose. The hospice will reopen on June 1, once final approvals from Medicare and the Pennsylvania Department of Health are confirmed. 

Love hurts: Leadership, quality, and the future of hospice & palliative care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN Talks); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Alex Smith and Dr. Eric Widera; 3/4/26 TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership host Chris Comeaux and co-host Cordt Kassner join forces with Dr. Eric Widera and Dr. Alex Smith of the GeriPal Podcast, leaders in Palliative Care and Hospice innovation discuss emerging quality measures, data-driven hospice analytics, research challenges, and the leadership needed to guide healthcare organizations through change. For professionals working in healthcare leadership and serious illness care, the conversation offers valuable insight into the policies, research, and innovations shaping the future of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Demystifying the end: Hospice care impact on the Black community Word In Black | Houston Defender; by Laura Onyeneho; 3/2/26 ... For African American, Afro-Caribbean and African immigrant families, generational trauma and a lack of trust in the healthcare system often lead to delayed decisions about hospice care. “There’s been a historical gap in access and trust,” said [Monica James, Community Engagement Coordinator for Houston Hospice]. “Our goal is to show up consistently, to listen and to let these communities know they have options and that they’re not alone.” ... “For communities of color, we have to meet people where they are. That means understanding family dynamics, faith and what dignity means to different people,” she said. 

UVM Home Health & Hospice volunteers among the longest serving in the nation Vermont Business Magazine | The University of Vermont Health Network - Home Health & Hospice; by Tim; 3/3/26 Among the longest‑serving hospice volunteers in the nation, Charlotte Kenney, Jan Watt and Lil Venner have each devoted more than 45 years to UVM Health – Home Health & Hospice because, they say, helping patients and their families make the most of the time they have left of this earth is a privilege, rooted in grace and connection. The notion that hospice work is defined by sorrow, is rejected by all three dedicated volunteers. "What I'm doing is enabling this person to live fully until the very last second," says Kenney. ... Venner adds, "You see the world differently when you're looking through the eyes of somebody who may be seeing this particular thing for the last time." Editor's Note: We celebrate these devoted hospice volunteers at UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice. Together, Charlotte Kenney, Jan Watt, and Lil Venner have given more than 185 years of service—an extraordinary testament to presence, compassion, and steadfast commitment. Who among your volunteers carries a stories of faithful service? What collective years of care live within your own program? Consider gathering and sharing that data—not simply as numbers, but as narratives of impact and catalysts for thanks.

Our hospice system subverts the very point of hospice care The New York Times; Opinion | Guest Essay by Sandeep Jauhar; 3/2/26 When my siblings and I decided to put our father in hospice care at his home in the spring of 2021, his Alzheimer’s was near end-stage. He could barely get out of bed or dress or feed himself. Hospice care seemed to be the best way for him to end his life with dignity. ... We soon encountered a harsh reality, however. Dying at home isn’t easy, even with hospice care. ... The main problem was funding. In 2024, the average per-patient Medicare payment to hospice agencies was about $200 a day, with an annual cap of $33,500. That outlay would barely pay for a part-time aide, yet it is also needed to cover medications, medical equipment and nurse visits.

Savage Boards expanding after partnering with Hospice of Wichita Falls KFDX Wichita Falls, TX; by Curtis Jackson; 2/27/26 Katie Fowler has recently formed a partnership between her restaurant, “Savage Boards,” and Hospice of Wichita Falls’ in-house bistro. Fowler partnered with Hospice about three years ago and offers several sandwiches, salads, and more, alongside her to-go “adult style” lunchables and some sweet treats. Fowler said two years ago she never would have thought she’d be in the position to expand her business, and what better way to do that than with hospice, and said she’s doing more than just providing food for patients, she’s helping to ease the burden for those families going through tough times.

Bedford Hospice House to close mid-April, shifts to home-based care WFXR Roanoke, Bedford, VA; by Samantha Trezevant; 2/27/26 Centra announced it will close the Bedford Hospice House on April 15, 2026, citing ongoing financial challenges despite years of community support. In a Facebook post, the nonprofit health system says operating costs at the hospice house have exceeded revenues and donations for several years. This led to what officials described as a difficult but necessary decision.