Literature Review

Transforming care: MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center receives $6 million gift from Marilyn V. Adams to expand lifesaving geriatric emergency program and comfort services PR Newswire, Laguna Hills, CA; by MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center; 12/2/25 MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is honored to announce a landmark $6 million gift from the late Marilyn V. Adams, a former Laguna Woods resident and lifelong philanthropist. This extraordinary contribution will support palliative, hospice and geriatric emergency care, ensuring quality, compassionate care for patients who are seniors in need of emergent care or who have life-limiting illness—two vulnerable populations often overlooked.

$600K distributed to support UP seniors facing care difficulties, increasing isolation MyUpNow.com, Marquette, MI; by Alexandria Bournonville; 12/2/25 The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation (BCBSM Foundation) awarded $632,590 in grants to 14 Upper Peninsula with the goal of supporting the health and well-being of older adults. These grants were made possible in partnership with the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and Superior Health Foundation. The funds will go to caregiving initiatives, care coordination, chronic disease prevention, workforce development and programs to reduce isolation and loneliness. 

85-year-old woman in senior home brings down the house with Fleetwood Mac 'Landslide' cover: There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Upworthy; by Cecily Knobler; 11/16/25 On a hot Sunday in July, Carole Wade took the mic at a Dallas senior living facility where my mom lives. I happened to be visiting for the karaoke event, and the list of residents who couldn't wait to put their stamps on their favorite tunes was so long, the event had to be extended. ... When it was Wade's turn, the microphone was brought to her table. She took it in her hands as though it was an extension of her fingers as the music cued up. Then, as she began to effortlessly sing "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac, the room got still. Frozen. All eyes were on her, and most of those eyes were wet. The lyrics, so beautifully fitting:

End-of-life palliative care: Role of the family physician American Family Physician (AFP); by Tamara L. McGregor, MD, MA, Jared Morphew, MD, and Heather Ann Dalton, MD; 11/25 issue To care for patients at the end of life, family physicians should be able to evaluate the causes of symptoms, differentiate between distressing symptoms and common end-of-life changes, and balance treatment effectiveness with potential adverse effects, while ensuring alignment with the patient's values and wishes. Editor's Note: What networking, relationship-building, and education do you nurture with family physicians in your service areas?

When Medicare sent patients home sooner, Mary Naylor built the safety net Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Liz Seegert; 11/17/25 When Medicare’s diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system took effect in October 1983, hospitals adapted quickly, discharging patients faster to manage fixed reimbursement rates. Heart failure patients who once stayed eight to 10 days were going home in three to four days. But LDI Senior Fellow Mary Naylor, then a fellow with what was then known as the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging and Finance, realized no one had thought about what happened after discharge. She saw how these shifts created new risks for older adults, as hospitals lacked the infrastructure to support care continuity. ...

Home-delivered nutrition services for older adults under the Older Americans ActJAMA Network Open; Em Balkan, Emily A. Gadbois, Emma L. Tucher, Kimberly P. Bernard, Kali S. Thomas; 9/25... the federal government supports the provision of food to older adults through the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program. These funds are used by state and local aging agencies to administer OAA nutrition services primarily through contracts with nonprofit community-based organizations ... [including organizations like] Meals on Wheels (MOW) ... This qualitative study of 54 participants found that home-delivered meals meet the Older Americans Act’s stated goals to (1) reduce hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; (2) promote socialization; and (3) promote the health and well-being of older adults. In addition, participants said home-delivered meals improved the health, well-being, and finances of their caregivers. The findings also support funding the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program. 

[Italy] Can cannabinoids alleviate behavioral symptoms in older adults with dementia? A systematic reviewJournal of Psychopharmacology; by Adele Ravelli, Chiara Ceolin, Mario Virgilio, Margherita Vergadoro, Maria Devita, Marina De Rui, Paolo Simioni, Giuseppe Sergi, Alessandra Coin; 10/25Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) affect patients’ and caregivers’ well-being. Cannabinoids may offer a promising therapeutic option for managing BPSD. Ten studies ... showed cannabinoids helped reduce agitation and nocturnal disturbances. In conclusion, cannabinoids show promise in managing BPSD in dementia, with good tolerability and safety. 

Concierge medicine, explainedBecker's Clinical Leadership; by Paige Twenter; 10/24/25Health systems are increasingly offering concierge medicine, a market predicted to be worth over $13 billion by 2030... What exactly is concierge medicine, though? Concierge medicine is a direct primary care service model in which a healthcare provider offers their services for a fixed periodic fee, often through a membership or retainer fee. The costs and covered services vary widely, and many are out-of-pocket. Some aspects are still billed to insurance, though, including labs and imaging. In 2014, the average concierge medicine service charged $1,500 to $1,700 per year. By 2025, the median service rose to cost between $2,000 and $5,000 per year, according to concierge practice PartnerMD. Another estimate said annual fees range between $1,000 and $20,000.Publisher's note: How might the provision of concierge medicine impact the delivery of hospice care?

Hospice market expands at 9.6% CAGR, projected to hit USD 182.1 billion Market.Us Media; by Trishita Deb; 10/26/25 The Global Hospice Market is projected to reach USD 182.1 billion by 2033, growing from USD 72.8 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 9.6%. ... Challenges:

The pitfalls that derail home health providers’ new palliative care efforts Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 10/14/25 ... Though home health-operated palliative care is a rarity, companies like Visiting Nurse Health System, Contessa Health and Compassus have managed to successfully incorporate these services into their broader care delivery model. When structuring an effective palliative care services program, there are some common pitfalls home health providers should avoid. “One of the biggest ones is positioning palliative care as early hospice,” Nikki Davis, senior vice president of palliative care programs at Contessa, said at Home Health Care News’ FUTURE conference. “And just make sure that there’s also clear eligibility and referral pathways, so that when you’re partnering with your home health and hospice teams, you have those processes in place, so that it’s very clear who’s eligible for palliative care.”

Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter sees largest turnout for annual fundraiser walk WABI-5, Bangor, ME; by Grace Bradley; 10/11/25 For more than two decades, folks have hit the streets of Bangor to help raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s. On Saturday, Maine’s chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association says they saw the largest crowd yet of about 400 people for their largest annual fundraiser. “We provide free care and support for families and community members walking through this disease, whether it’s Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. So what we do enables us to do everything for free. But we also take a portion of that money and put it towards research,” explains Kris Baker, Development Manager of Alzheimer’s Association Maine. Editor's Note: Do you support and partner with the Alzheimer's Association?

Implementation of the Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative in the Department of Veterans Affairs: 5 years of improving quality for older veteransINQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing; by Andrea Wershof Schwartz, Shivani K. Jindal, Kimberly A. Wozneak, Robert E. Burke; 9/25The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative (AFHS) was developed to spread principles of high-quality care for older adults using the 4Ms Framework: What Matters, Medications, Mentation and Mobility. In 2020, the Veterans Health Affairs (VA) set a goal to become an AFHS, given nearly half of Veterans are over aged 65. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the first 5 years of Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative within the VA have resulted in significant spread of the 4Ms, reaching hundreds of teams and thousands of Veterans over a broad geographic area and multiple care settings. However, much work remains to continue to spread and study AFHS within the VA, an urgent priority given the aging Veteran population who deserve person-centered care focused on what matters to them. The early results of AFHS implementation in the VA offer a promising model for implementing Age-Friendly care within a large health care system.

Rehab patients practice skills by building hospice care packages as Oak Park police and Lincoln Rx donate supplies. Feiga Bowick connects it all.  The Detroit Jewish News; by Rochel Burstyn; 10/9/25 ... Small steps can quickly snowball and make a big difference. Feiga Bowick, LMSW, CDP, the manager of Social Services and Community Engagement at PARC Home Care and Hospice of Southeast Michigan, ... [described] her recent hospice collaboration with Life Skills Village ... a rehabilitation center mainly for patients who have developmental delays and traumatic brain injuries. “I met with their occupational therapist ...: "How could these patients help others in a way that would be helpful to their own recovery?” Bowick said. “Many patients at Life Skills Village are working on fine motor skills and organizational skills, and we decided to try and get items together so they could create care packages for PARC hospice patients — while practicing their skills.” [Continue reading this inspirational story.]