Literature Review

My mother left me a garage full of mysterious ingredients—and so much more Vogue; by John Mok; 5/6/26 Late in the summer of 2024, my mother was moved into hospice after a brief hospitalization. ... I promptly returned home to Los Angeles from New York and steeled myself for her passing. The trip lasted five months. ... Over the years, I had tried to meet her in the kitchen, to learn through her homestyle dishes, to unlock some part of her Chinese heritage, even with her American adaptations. But there was never enough time. During those five months we did get a little more time—one more round of holidays and one more memorable moment, when she passed peacefully passed. ... What my mother left behind was an invitation. Our garage remains an apothecary of TCM, dried herbs, and dried seafood—all stored in repurposed mayonnaise jars and Costco biscotti containers, their labels scribbled over with her Chinese script. ...

Ambassador spotlight: Jill Nida’s lifelong commitment to Hospice of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara, CA; by Hospice of Santa Barbara; 5/5/26 For more than three decades, Jill Nida has been a steadfast advocate, volunteer, and champion for Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB). Her leadership and generosity have helped shape the organization into what it is today, and her personal story is deeply woven into its mission.  ...

Hand-stitched memory bears help grieving maker and recipients ArcaMax, Pittsburgh, PA; by Gretchen McKay; 5/1/26 Shirley Whitlinger knows all too well the profound, existential loneliness that follows a spouse’s death. When David, her husband of 50 years, died from prostate cancer in 2021, after two years of chemotherapy and trials at Hillman Cancer Center, it was almost impossible not to lose herself in grief. Whitlinger finally learned to move forward last year, she says, with the help of a support group and, more recently, a beloved hobby that started in childhood: sewing. Three months ago, she started making keepsake “memory” bears from a piece of clothing in honor of a lost loved one.

Mercy film starts dialogue on end-of-life care and dignity in dying The News Mill; 4/21/26 Director Mitul Patel revealed that his film ‘Mercy’ draws inspiration from actor Paresh Rawal’s account of his mother’s prolonged illness and coma, shared during an interview. This real-life story shaped the film’s exploration of end-of-life decisions and moral conflict. Patel told ANI, “As a writer, I look for conflicts in stories. I couldn’t find a bigger conflict than this where a son has to face this choice of letting go of his mother. ... “It will be better when we talk about mortality openly. End of life care, dignity in dying. We will start a conversation about all this. This is the goal of the movie.”

10 best, worst states for nurses in 2026 Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 4/28/26 ... To determine the best and worst states for nurses, the personal finance company evaluated all 50 states across two two dimensions: opportunity and competition, and work environment. Those dimensions were evaluated using 20 metrics, ranging from monthly average starting salary for nurses to average commute time. ... Here are the 10 best and worst states for nurses in 2026, per the ranking: Best: 1. Maine; 2. New Hampshire; 3. Washington; 4. Oregon; 5; Arizona; 6. West Virginia; 7. Minnesota; 8. Montana; 9. Connecticut; 10. Florida Worst: 50. Oklahoma; 49. North Dakota; 48. Alabama; 47. Mississippi; 46. South Dakota; 45. Louisiana; 44. Tennessee; 43. Arkansas; 42. Hawaii; 41. Virginia

A musical about hospice? Yes, and it actually works Baltimore Fishbowl, Baltimore, MD; by Aliza Worthington; 4/21/26 ... The hospice experience may not initially evoke thoughts of “musical theater,” but if music expresses that which cannot be put into words, the subject matter put to music makes a lot of sense. Benjamin Kintisch is a trained cantor and former chaplain from Columbia, Maryland. He created “Life Review: The Hospice Musical” from real hospice patient stories over more than a decade, turning those conversations into songs. ... It is a 2025 Maryland State Arts Council Creativity Grant recipient. “Life Review: The Hospice Musical” is set in “Hopeful Hospice” – the final home for a group of hospice patients. The audience is witness to private conversations between the patients and their chaplain, a rabbi, transformed into song. Each patient’s story invites reflection on one’s own life, relationships, and memories.

South Surrey hospice thrift shop getting crafty with fundraising Europe Says; 4/21/26A new initiative launching at the Peace Arch Hospice Thrift Store in time for Mother’s Day will showcase the heartfelt talents of volunteers, staff and patrons to help boost funds raised at the shop in support of hospice programs and services. Handmade with Love was inspired by a volunteer who offered up “beautiful” aprons she’d made, suggesting the store could sell them as possible gifts for the occasion. ... The idea sparked excitement, and a flurry of conversation and brainstorming that followed quickly transformed it. ... Robbins said another positive of the initiative is the opportunity it creates for crafty folks who want to support hospice but are physically unable to volunteer at the store or give cash donations. ... With a story behind each piece, it is “a reflection of the care, creativity, and connection that defines our hospice community,” a news release states.

Physician pay gaps by gender, race Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 4/16/26 Gender pay gaps continue to widen between male and female physicians, and physicians by race, Medscape’s Physician Compensation report found. ... The survey found that the gender pay gap has widened since 2023, going from men making $91,000 more per year than women to $102,000 more per year in 2025. This means men make about 31% per year more than women physicians. ... There are also substantial pay gaps based on race. White physicians make about $8,000 more than Asian Americans, the next highest paid group and $49,000 more than Black physicians, the lowest paid group. 

Local filmmaker releases new movie "Winter Hymns" shot in Menomonie WQOQ-18 ABC News, Eau Claire, WI; by Sam Fristed; 4/16/26 A Chippewa Valley filmmaker is excited about a new movie that is now on the silver screen. Nathan Deming's new film "Winter Hymns" recently premiered at the Wisconsin Film Festival. ... The plot centers around a doctor who visits multiple dying patients in one day. While helping the families, she struggles with balancing the compassion of her profession with the American health care system that prioritizes profits and efficiency. Deming was inspired to write the film because his father was a palliative care physician in Eau Claire for about ten years. 

‘We provide end-of-life care. Here is the advice we often hear from terminally ill patients’ Independent; by Rosie Shead; 4/13/26 For the fundraising drive, Capital radio DJ Kemi Rodgers met with nurses from the end-of-life charity. They showcased placards adorned with wisdom from patients at a Superdrug store in London. One placard urged individuals to embrace the present and release past grievances. Further counsel included not dedicating too much time to work at the expense of life experiences, cherishing memories made with loved ones, and utilising money to create happy moments rather than saving it all for a future contingency, the charity stated. 

The giant thrift store in Wisconsin that turns shopping into an all-day adventure Taking the Kids; by Hazel Vaughn; 4/12/26 ... Walking into Agrace Thrift Store for the first time, most people slow down just to take it all in. The layout is thoughtfully designed so that moving from one section to the next feels natural rather than chaotic. ... The store is operated to support Agrace, a nonprofit hospice and palliative care organization that serves patients and families throughout southern Wisconsin. Every purchase made in the store contributes directly to that mission. ... A customer loyalty program adds another layer of value for frequent visitors. 

Westhampton teen's care packages honor her late father WN.com - Newsday; by Michael R. Ebert; 3/29/26 ... Elizabeth Sultan, a junior at Westhampton Beach High School, recently spearheaded a program called Peter's Packages, named in honor of her father, Peter, who died last year at 54 after suffering a heart attack while competing in the Jamesport Triathlon. Sultan's initiative provides curated care packages that contain items ranging from books to blankets. She said she was inspired to launch the effort after she and her brother, William, received similar comfort items from community members following their father's death.

Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley grief services coordinator discusses deeper meaning for spring cleaning North Country Now, Potsdam, NY; by Kate Favaro; 3/26/26 There is something about those first few spring days in the North Country that makes us want to throw all the windows up and let in the fresh air and sunlight. Spring cleaning has become a ritual of sorts. ... Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley offers the following when considering a deeper meaning behind spring cleaning: ... widen your idea of what spring cleaning can involve. Start with the basics and work out from there. Clean out a drawer. Label a photograph. Update a document or password. Tell a trusted person where they can find the important papers. Sometimes the most meaningful spring cleaning happens where no one else can see it, but everyone you love will one day feel its impact.