Literature Review

Seniors who say they’re “not afraid of death” often still carry these quiet worries they don’t talk about Bolde; by Julie Brown; 4/1/26 My grandmother said it so matter-of-factly that it almost stopped the conversation. ... "I'm not afraid of it," she said. "I've had a very good life. When it's time, it's time." And she meant it. I believed her completely. But then, a few minutes later, she mentioned almost in passing that she hoped she wouldn't "get confused" at the end.

Language preference is associated with goals-of-care communication and end-of-life care in dementia Journal of General Internal Medicine; by Lauren R. Pollack MD, MS, Lois Downey MA, Ruth A. Engelberg PhD, James Sibley BS, Linda K. Ko PhD, Kimiko Domoto-Reilly MD, MS, Lyndia C. Brumback PhD, Annie T. Chen PhD & Rashmi K. Sharma MD, MHS; 3/30/26 Background: People with dementia and preferred language other than English (PLOE) in the United States may face communication-related barriers to high-quality end-of-life care.Objective: Compare end-of-life care characteristics among people with dementia and PLOE versus those preferring English. ... [Efforts] to improve end-of-life care for those with PLOE might prioritize ED and hospital-based interventions, recognizing their critical safety-net functions, as well as ensure that people with dementia and PLOE and their families have sufficient cultural and linguistic support to engage in high-quality end-of-life communication with their healthcare providers.Editor's Note: Pair this with today's post, "Neenah pastor finds deeper calling after brother’s hospice journey."

Sovereign Hospice guides Dallas-Fort Worth families through hospital discharge The Malone Telegram, Aubrey, TX; by Baaba Sampson; 3/12/26 Families facing hospital discharge for a loved one with a terminal illness often feel overwhelmed by the sudden shift in care responsibilities. Sovereign Hospice addresses this challenge by providing seamless coordination between hospital teams and home-based hospice services. The organization serves all counties within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, offering same-day admission and round-the-clock support.

Outpatient curricular content for hospice and palliative medicine trainees: A national survey Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Harry J Han, Angelika Golebiowska, Emily N Hansen, Michelle Park, Victoria I Sweetnam, Christian T Sinclair, Jonathan C Yeh, Mary K Buss; 3/2/26, online ahead of print Context: More health systems are establishing outpatient palliative care (PC) programs, increasing demand for ambulatory PC clinicians. ... Little is known about the outpatient-specific knowledge and skills PC trainees should acquire for competent outpatient practice. Conclusion: This national survey identified foundational outpatient-focused educational topics for hospice and pallitive medical (HPM) learners and suggests that outpatient curricula prioritize deliberate education on the unique application of core PC skills in outpatient settings. This prioritized list provides education leaders a roadmap to enhance existing curricula and informs the development of outpatient educational resources that can be shared across institutions.

Responsive emergency assessment and community team: an acute palliative medicine virtual ward with emergency department in-reach BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Emily Holdsworth and Clare Rayment; 3/2/26 Objectives: More than 50% of people who die in England and Wales use an ambulance at least once in their last 3 months of life, and around 50% attend the emergency department (ED). In Bradford, an estimated 1000 patients a year are not recognised as being within the last year of life and do not access palliative care services. ... Methods: We created the Responsive Emergency Assessment and Community Team (REACT), comprised of both ED palliative medicine in-reach and a community virtual ward. The virtual ward accepts patients as ‘step-down’ from the hospital and ‘step-up’ from primary care to avoid hospital admissions through intensive holistic support.

Mercy Hospital’s outpatient palliative care switches to for-profit model The Durango Herald; by Elizabeth Pond; 3/1/26 Outpatient palliative care through Mercy Hospital is now operating on a for-profit basis under new CommonSpirit Health at Home ownership. Meanwhile, the palliative care program – which offers symptom management for those with serious and terminal illnesses – is facing staff turnover. 

Why Silverado’s new CEO thinks memory care must ‘be bold’ to serve new customers Senior Housing News; by Austin Montgomery; 2/24/26 Memory care providers today must take bold approaches to develop the next generation of new leadership and serve the incoming baby boomer generation. That’s according to Silverado CEO Designate Wayne Sanner. Last year, Sanner joined the California-based memory care provider with plans to take over for longtime CEO Loren Shook, who will transition to a role as the operator’s executive chairman of the board later this year.

Connected care for older adults: A pilot intervention engaging community health workers to advance age-friendly care in rural OregonJournal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Bryanna De Lima, Lindsay Miller, Elizabeth Foster, Jodi Ready, Elizabeth Eckstrom; 1/26Aging in a rural setting presents unique challenges including limited access to in-home care, lack of social support, language and cultural barriers, and the lack of transportation. We conducted a pilot study embedding community health workers (CHWs) into rural primary care teams to assist with implementation of the 4Ms of the Age-Friendly Health System: What Matters, Mentation, Medication, and Mobility. The program made a positive difference for 95% of responding patients (n = 120) and 100% of responding providers (n = 19) were "very satisfied" with the program. Clinicians cited the CHWs' ability to support resource connections, address social isolation and social needs, provide regular check-ins, and help to get patients and families engaged in care as positive components of the model.

‘It’s a collaborative effort’: Northern Light Medical Transport paramedics providing hospice supportWABI-5, Bangor, ME; by Alyssa Thurlow; 2/19/26 ... Paramedics can help patients across Maine with a variety of needs, but some are embracing a slower-paced role, focused on assisting those who are at the end of life. “Patients have access to care 24/7, and part of that coverage for after-hours is now coming through the community paramedicine program,” said hospice educator Allie Rohrer, RN. ... “It’s not with lights and sirens. It’s very low key. It’s driving there in a car, and then it’s talking through the issues,” said paramedic Ed Moreshead. ... Northern Light’s community paramedics are contracted with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice. Families in need of assistance call the triage number, and a hospice nurse and on-call physician can respond if needed.

This American Heart Month, Carolina Caring elevates cardiac care for serious illness Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; Press Release; 2/9/26 February is American Heart Month, a national effort to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. As of 2025, 6.7 million Americans over the age of 20 are living with heart failure (Heart Failure Society of America, 2025). ... In response, Carolina Caring’s Advanced Cardiac Care program provides effective, tailored support to patients with chronic heart conditions. As the first cardiac care program of its kind in North Carolina, Carolina Caring combines nationally recognized standards of care with a home-based hospice approach. 

Suffolk paramedic students participate in 1st clinical hospice-specific rotation Patch, Westhampton-Hampton Bays, NY; by Lisa Finn; 2/12/26 In a groundbreaking new program, Suffolk County Community College paramedic students have begun participating in New York State’s first hospice-specific clinical rotation at the East End Hospice Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Westhampton Beach. As part of their program training, Suffolk students already complete more than 600 clinical hours in areas that overlap with emergency services, including emergency rooms, labor and delivery, and mental health, officials said. The new initiative introduces an unprecedented focus on hospice care within paramedic education, officials added.

[Canada] The quiet web of care: Hospitals, hospice, paramedics and community working as one The Millstone; Mississippi Mills area, Canada; 1/25/26 When we think about care, most of us picture the hospital: rooms, nurses, doctors, the moment a life changes. But real care in North Lanark is not anchored to a single building. It’s a living web the Mississippi River Health Alliance — Almonte General Hospital, Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital, Fairview Manor, and Lanark County Paramedic Service — working alongside Home Hospice North Lanark and Houle Healthcare so neighbors can get the right help at the right time, in the place that matters most. ... They are parts of the same journey, passing the baton back and forth so patients, families and neighbors are not left to navigate alone.Editor's Note: Pair this with today's post, "Why patient flow will decide hospital performance in 2026."

[UK] The effects of music interventions on behavioural and psychological symptoms in older adults with dementia: Systematic reviewAdvances in Mental Health; by Motunrayo A. Akinboye, Benjamin O. Ajibade; 12/25Dementia, affecting over 55 million people globally, often presents with behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSDs) such as agitation, depression, and anxiety. Pharmacological treatments can lead to adverse effects, highlighting theneed for safer, non-drug alternatives like music interventions. Findings show that music interventions significantly alleviated symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and agitation. Both active (e.g., singing, playing instruments) andreceptive (e.g., listening) music therapy formats were effective, with sessions ranging from 20–90 minutes. Interventions were most successful when personalized and culturally tailored.