Literature Review

Healthcare technology: Smart tech, wearable devices, and robotics – 2026 health IT predictions Healthcare IT Today; by Grayson Miller; 1/6/26 As we wrap up another year and get ready for 2026 to begin, it is once again time for everyone’s favorite annual tradition of Health IT Predictions! We reached out to our incredible Healthcare IT Today Community to get their insights on what will happen in the coming year, and boy, did they deliver. We, in fact, got so many responses to our prompt this year that we have had to narrow them down to just the best and most interesting. Check out the community’s predictions down below and be sure to follow along as we share more 2026 Health IT Predictions!

Malnutrition deaths are soaring in the US – especially among seniors Independent; by Brendan Rascius; 1/5/26 Malnutrition deaths are soaring in the United States — particularly among seniors — and the reasons are unclear, according to a new report. In roughly the last 10 years, deaths linked to malnutrition have skyrocketed by a factor of six, making it the fastest-growing killer in the country, The Washington Post reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) The ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model tests an outcome-aligned payment approach in Original Medicare to expand access to new technology-supported care options that help people improve their health and prevent and manage chronic disease. The voluntary model focuses on conditions affecting more than two-thirds of people with Medicare, including high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and depression. It will run for 10 years beginning July 5, 2026.

Alzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care? The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA; by Dana Territo; 12/29/25 ... Since the span of Alzheimer's disease can run from seven to 20 years, it is often difficult to know when the person warrants hospice care. Generally, an individual with Alzheimer's is ready for a hospice referral when they become severely impaired in function, (no longer can walk or feed themselves); when the person has become incontinent; when they experience frequent choking episodes or have difficulty in breathing, are unable to speak or communicate meaningfully (limited to about a half dozen or fewer intelligible words), or have significant weight loss. ...Editor's Note: This local advocacy article provides important information for all hospices, with references to their state organization--Louisiana-Missisippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization--for ongoing resources. 

How palliative services can smooth over transitions of care Hospice News; by Kevin Ryan; 12/17/25 Transitions of care are crucial moments for patients, often fraught with risks, but palliative care providers can help ensure that the changes go more smoothly. One way of doing this is through transitional care. Transitional care is a dynamic and highly personalized type of care that provides care services to assist patients as they move between different levels of health care. This may include a patient transitioning from a hospital setting to another care facility, or to their home. Transitional care helps bridge service gaps and enhances communication as patients move between health care settings, according to Dr. Diane Meier, founder of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). 

Hospitalization experiences among nursing home residents with dementiaJournal of the American Medical Directors Association; by Jordan M Alpert, Jeffrey D Kovach, Nicholas J Casacchia, David Harris, Ardeshir Hashmi, Luke Dogyun Kim, Silvia Perez-Protto, Matthew A Pappas, Michael B Rothberg; 12/5/25Hospital admissions among nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are burdensome, expensive, and provide limited clinical benefit. ... Conclusions and implications: Patients undergoing hospital admission suffered distressing experiences, but most patients did not have do-not-resuscitate orders, and referrals to hospice and palliative care were rare. Patients and their family members should be informed about the hospital experience before admission and offered appropriate care services.

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.