Literature Review

Norton KDH ending home health, hospice services March 31MadisonCourier.com, Madison, IN; by Bob Demaree; 3/6/25 Norton King’s Daughters’ Health has announced it will end its home health and hospice services effective March 31, providing a statement but not offering an explanation for the decision. “Helping local patients and families access important health services remains paramount to the mission and purpose of Norton King’s Daughters’ Health,” the state said. “While we will no longer be directly offering home health and hospice services, we worked with a variety of qualified regional providers to ensure that patients continue to receive appropriate care within their home setting. It has been a privilege for Norton King’s Daughters’ Health to support home health and hospice services for more than three decades. ..."

Mahogany CEO: Hospice on cusp of ‘tremendous revolution’Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/7/25 Mahogany Home Health and Hospice recently launched services in southwestern Ohio. The new hospice startup is the first Black-owned hospice and home health organization statewide with a drive to improve utilization among underserved populations. This is according to Victor Couzens, owner, founder and CEO of Mahogany Home Health and Hospice. The organization recently received a green light from state licensing agencies to begin serving Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio and surrounding communities. ... Couzens recently told Hospice News, ... "As a hospice chaplain, I was often confronted with the pressure of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole when it comes to how underserved communities are actually reached and cared for. It’s about offering insights, or even evidence-based approaches, to meeting the needs of Black and brown people, the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, the needs of immigrants and just any other groups who do not make up the majority of the patient population. ..."

Helios Care honors hospice social workers Allotsego,Oneonta NY; by Dan Ayres, President and Chief Executive Officer of Helios Care; 3/6/25March is National Social Work Month, a time to recognize and honor the invaluable contributions of social workers across the country. The theme for National Social Work Month this year is “Compassion and Action,” which 100 percent sums up our team of social workers at Helios Care, the hospice for Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie counties. All social workers are indeed special, but hospice social work is very unique. ... Hospice social workers at Helios Care are trained to provide a holistic approach to end-of-life care, helping patients and their families navigate emotional, psychological, and practical challenges. Community education, bereavement counseling, bearing witness to those at end of life, practical assistance in the home and advanced care planning are just some of the duties of a hospice social worker. Thank a social worker this month—their work is truly remarkable.

Unity Hospice and Palliative Care, with over 30 years experience, broadens services to southern Wisconsin EIN Presswire; by Unity Hospice and Palliative Care; 3/6/25 Unity Hospice and Palliative Care is expanding its services to Southern Wisconsin, bringing decades of expertise in delivering personalized, heartfelt care and support to individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses. The new location will serve patients in Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine counties, ensuring greater access to high-quality hospice and palliative care. "For over 30 years, Unity Hospice and Palliative Care has provided expert, compassionate support to patients and families," said Michael Klein, CEO of Unity Hospice and Palliative Care. "Expanding to Southern Wisconsin allows us to bring that same commitment to even more communities, ensuring that individuals facing serious illness receive the personalized care they deserve."

A hospice for kids: Grinnell family eyes Iowa City for state's first pediatric hospice Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA; by Richard Hakes; 3/6/25 A Grinnell couple’s dream to help other families after they lost their young son to a rare disease took a big step forward in Iowa City just a few days ago. Shanna and Curtis Sieck’s non-profit called Mason’s Light House has signed a contract for land just west of the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm as the initial step toward building Iowa’s first pediatric hospice. Named in honor of their son, the facility is expected to be only the fourth in the United States. ... Mason’s Light House would accept up to seven children for both hospice and respite care, provide family suites and be fully staffed with a pediatric palliative care team of nurses, social workers, therapists and other specialists in the field. There would be no cost to patients and their families who use it.

Central Coast VNA & Hospice expands registered nursing services in Monterey Buzz; 3/5/25 Central Coast VNA & Hospice is significantly expanding its registered nursing care services in Monterey, providing residents with increased access to high-quality, personalized healthcare delivered directly in their homes. … Key expanded services include advanced care planning, which helps patients and families make informed medical decisions, and a palliative care program focused on relieving symptoms and reducing stress for patients with serious illnesses. The organization also offers specialty programs targeting specific health conditions such as cardiac care, diabetic care, and orthopedic support. 

The feedback fix: A leadership playbook for scaling listening in hybrid teams Forbes; by Eric Johnson; 2/28/25 When I stepped into the CEO role at SurveyMonkey, I quickly learned that modern leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about listening. At a time when workplace trends like quiet quitting and “resenteeism” reveal the undercurrents of employee disengagement, leaders must ask: Are we doing enough to listen to our teams? ... Here’s how we turned listening into action, using a simple but powerful framework called "strategy circles."

The project: This is hospice care PA Mediapoint, United Kingdom; 3/1/25 Hospice UK approached us to support the launch of their national “This is Hospice Care” campaign. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about hospice care and encourage people to leave a gift in their will to their local hospice. ... To further strengthen the campaign’s storytelling, we encouraged hospice nurses to bring objects representing the diverse services offered by hospices. Some of props included a pug to represent pet therapy, a potted plant symbolising hospice gardens and outdoor spaces, a birthday cake reflecting the sense of community and celebration within hospices, and a gift box to emphasise the theme of leaving a legacy. Bringing together nurses from twelve hospices, the shoot successfully blended visual storytelling with the core campaign messages. The imagery not only highlighted the importance of hospice care but also created compelling content for national and regional media.Editor's note: This creative initiative can be adapted easily for hospice teams (clinical and non-clinical), volunteers, and more. Click on the title's link to read more about this project's meaningful design, implementation, and outcoms.

The Pennant Group to ramp up hospice, home health transactions during 2025 Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/28/25 The Pennant Group (Nasdaq: PNTG) plans to ramp up acquisitions later this year as it works to integrate assets purchased in late 2024. Among those deals was The Pennant Group’s acquisition of Signature Healthcare at Home’s hospice and home health assets for a price tag of $80 million which closed in January. The company also completed some senior living transactions. Pennant is on the hunt for more deals but will likely be more active later in the year. 

Medicaid health plans failing to pay hospices for nursing home room and board Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/3/25 ... Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is among the states that shifted management of its safety net health coverage to health plans. Under this system, Medi-Cal pays the health plans who then pass payments on to the providers. However, due to confusion among managed care plans that oversee Medicaid in most states, those hospices are not getting those dollars back, according to Craig Dresang,  CEO of YoloCares. This has caused hospices to lose thousands to millions of dollars in some cases. “Managed health care plans are saying they’re denying the claims, and they’re tying them up so that they age out. So the due date has passed and we can no longer bill,” Dresang told Hospice News. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Care America Home Care enhances access to compassionate hospice care in Irvine, CA East Coastsentinal, Irvine, CA; 2/28/25Care America Home Care, a trusted name in senior care, proudly announces its continued dedication to the Irvine community by expanding access to personalized hospice home care services. This initiative supports families navigating challenging times by providing compassionate and professional hospice support at home in Irvine, ensuring the highest standards of care and comfort. “At Care America Home Care, we understand families’ profound emotional and logistical challenges during end-of-life care. Our mission is to offer a reliable and comforting solution, enabling families to focus on cherishing their time together,” said Rina Boidon, the Founder and Co-Owner of Care America Home Care. 

'Dear God, I need help on this one': How a prayer from Hildegard House's founder was answered ABC News WHAS-11, Louisville, KY; by Doug Proffitt; 2/27/25 Up from the dirt of an 1800's camelback style house on Story Avenue, in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood, Karen Cassidy has a plan. "We’re standing on the original dirt floor of the house, that’s the way they built things," she said. She's the former nurse who founded the Hildegard House 11 years ago. Hildegard is a place for the terminally ill to die in peace. With three private bedrooms and around the clock care, it’s a peaceful haven for people who have no home, or loved ones to care for them, so that they may die with dignity.  ... It is funded successfully and solely by both private donations and foundations. Now, in the new space, the plan is to build a refuge called the "Center for Care Giver Education" at the Story Avenue location. “This is for caregivers that are at home trying to maintain their loved ones at home," Cassidy said. ... At the new center they will teach families the basics. ... The owners of the historic Story Avenue house helped by cutting her a deal. She says they told her they would sell it to her $100,000 less than what they put it on the market for. Donations from foundations helped her buy the house with cash. But then, she got estimates for the renovation and restoration totaling $450,000. “I said 'dear God, I need help on this one,'” Cassidy said. Then God, from that prayer, appeared in a most modern way. ... “Two weeks later I got an email from an attorney who said, ‘Can you meet me for lunch? Somebody has left their estate to Hildegard House,'" she told WHAS11 News. "It was $450,000. That did it!” The out-of-the-heavens donation means they are funding the renovation, top to bottom with cash. Nothing will be owed. Cassidy later learned why that money came her way. “We had cared for someone’s mother and they were so grateful,” she said. Editor's note: I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors of the Hildegard House. I continue to be amazed at the profound care and superb systems envisioned, implemented and moved forward by Karen Cassidy, her staff, 80+ volunteers, the Board, and community support.

Amedisys sees hospice growth as DOJ-UnitedHealth Group lawsuit looms Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/27/25 Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) saw hospice revenue growth during the fourth quarter of 2024 despite merger-related costs associated with its pending acquisition by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). The company’s hospice business saw net service revenues of $21.29 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, up from $20.6 million year over year. For the full year 2024, net service revenue reached $82.58 million, an increase from $79.8 million in 2023. ... On a consolidated basis, company-wide net service revenue hit $59.8 million in Q4, up from $57 million in the prior year’s period. These results come as Amedisys and UnitedHealth Group are embroiled in a lawsuit by the U.S. Justice Department intended to block their potentially forthcoming acquisition due to antitrust concerns.