Literature Review

The role of doctors is changing foreverThe New Yorker; by Dhruv Khullar; 12/19/25Some patients don’t trust us. Others say they don’t need us. It’s time for us to think of ourselves not as the high priests of health care but as what we have always been: healers.Publisher's Note: This dive into political healthcare delivers something rare: perspectives that will make each individual reader both cheer and cringe in the span of a single article.

A flight to the North Pole Fairfax County Times, Reston, VA; by Kristin Johnson; 12/12/25 Last Saturday morning [12/6], Gate D15 at Dulles Airport was filled with families wearing Christmas sweaters and pajamas. They were waiting for a 10 a.m. departure to the North Pole. The Fantasy Flight is a 30-minute plane ride that takes off annually on the first weekend in December. The event is for the families of children currently in hospice or long-term care. ... The mood at the gate is festive, but a little chaotic. The busyness helps to dull Tabitha Johnson’s grief. Her son died in hospice three weeks ago. She decided the family should still come. 

Social worker dies from injuries suffered in San Francisco hospital stabbing attack: Police ABC News; by Bill Hutchinson; 12/7/25 A social worker, described by colleagues as "remarkable" and "compassionate," has died from stab wounds she suffered when a patient armed with a steak knife allegedly attacked her inside a San Francisco hospital, according to authorities. The victim, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead on Saturday, two days after she was stabbed repeatedly inside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, according to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office. The victim was described by the sheriff's office as a 51-year-old University of California, San Francisco, social worker. 

Women are telling the truth in their out-of-office messages. It’s devastating Marie Claire, New York, NY; 11/25/25 A national campaign is delivering a radically honest wake-up call about childcare, burnout, and what it means to live in a country without paid leave. ... This year, working women across the U.S. hit a breaking point. More than 450,000 have left the workforce since January—one of the sharpest declines in recent history, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And, overwhelmingly, the women most likely to walk away are mothers with young children. ... Which is why today, some of them are finally saying so out loud. Not in op-eds or protests, but in their out-of-office replies.

Community puts together Christmas parade for 6-year-old in hospice care NBC WSAV-3, Savannah, GA; by Ava Cartes; 11/16/25 A Savannah community came together Saturday evening at a rally behind a little girl and her family. A six-year-old girl from the Willow Point neighborhood in Savannah recently entered hospice care, and after learning the news, her community came out to celebrate Christmas—her favorite holiday. Neighbors organized a display of Christmas lights and even a parade to show their support for the family.

What is healthspan, and how can you extend yours? MSN - Everyday Health; by Sarah Klein; 11/11/25 Many people want to live as long as possible. But what about living as well as possible? Thats the idea behind extending whats called your healthspan. Healthspan is the length of time you live in good health, able to stay active, independent, and mentally sharp while doing the things you enjoy, ... 

Influencer Kaelin Bradshaw's tragic death at age 29 shared by her husband Distractify; by Kelley Schepper; 11/3/25 Searches for Kaelin Bradshaw's cause of death surged after the TikTok creator’s tragic passing. Kaelin had documented her symptoms, diagnosis, and hospice move with unflinching honesty. She died on October 27, 2025, at the age of 29, peacefully and surrounded by family, according to her husband. ... Her last videos back that up with a clear timeline. 

How to prepare for your death [podcast] MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; podcast by KevinMD with Joseph Pepe; 10/31/25 Physician executive Joseph Pepe discusses his article, “A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death.” He shares practical and compassionate advice on planning for life’s inevitable end, from organizing essential documents and creating a “death folder” to protecting loved ones through wills, trusts, and life insurance. Joseph explains why facing mortality head-on allows people to live more freely and meaningfully. 

So you expect to live until age 100? Here are the financial issues you’ll need to address right now NTD; by Brian O'Connell; 10/28/25 Americans are growing used to the notion that they may live to a ripe old age, even as long as 100. According to a new study by Houston-based Corebridge Financial, 50 percent of U.S. adults say they’ll live to 100, and 49 percent say they hope hitting 100 actually happens. ... Living until age 100 brings so-called longevity risk, especially if you live 35 or 40 years after retiring. “That’s why you should focus on three pillars: long-term care planning, dependable lifetime income, and optimized Social Security,” Yehuda Tropper, CEO of Beca Life Settlements, a viatical & life settlement company, told NTD.

Mentorship, military legacy, and making a difference with Susan Combs Advisor Today; podcast with Susan Combs; 10/25/25 Susan Combs is the Founder of Pancakes for Roger, a nonprofit that honors veterans and amplifies their stories through a grassroots “pancakes” movement. She created it after her father, a Major General, asked for pancakes while on hospice, inspiring a campaign, book, and advocacy project.Editor's Note: Though Veteran's Day is only two weeks away, you have time to implement Susan's amazing "Pancakes for Roger" for the veterans you serve, via their annual national (and international) campaigns each February. Explore more information. 

From her hospice bed, Sister Grace Miller watches her new homeless shelter come to life WXXI News NPR, Rochester, NY; by Gino Fanelli; 10/15/25  The last mission of Sister Grace Miller is set to come to life through a partnership with the Open Door Mission. La Madonna Della Strada, or “The Lady of the Streets,” will operate a new low-barrier overnight shelter for men on West Main Street. The shelter has capacity for up to 25 people. Folding cots dot the floor of the space in a grid, and the space also includes a full kitchen and bathrooms. The building’s signage reads “Sister Grace’s Homeless Shelter.” Miller, who currently is in hospice care, first announced plans to launch a new shelter in 2023 ... 

More than 45,000 Kaiser Permanente workers strike in 4 states Modern Healthcare; by Hayley DeSilva; 10/14/25 An estimated 46,000 Kaiser Permanente staff members began a five-day strike Tuesday across multiple states over staffing, pay and benefit concerns. Employees on strike include registered nurses, lab professionals, pharmacists and other skilled healthcare workers from 23 different unions, a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente said. The unions are part of the Alliance of Health Care Unions, which represents an estimated 62,000 Kaiser employees. ... "[They] are demanding significantly higher increases than our 21.5% offer,“ the Kaiser spokesperson said.

Elizabeth Earley explores the fear of death in new essay collection SGN - Seattle & The Pacific Northwest's LGBTQIA+ News & Network; by Lindsey Anderson; 9/26/25 ... Humans often push the idea of death to the fringes of our minds, especially in Western cultures. However, for writer and clinical research scientist Elizabeth Earley, this topic contains multitudes as vast as the human experience. The more she studied the history and science of mortality, the more she found an underlying beauty, which inspired her latest work, Little Deaths All in a Row, a collection of prose diving deep into death. ... Realizing death is the inevitable end for us all, Earley decided to face her fear. "I believe the best way to get over fearing something is just to get closer to it and more intimate with it, so that's what I did," she said. She began volunteering in a hospice program as a form of exposure therapy.