Literature Review

Grief support matters beyond the hospice journey | opinion The Star | USA Today Network via Reuters Connect; by Miral Ackman; 7/26/26August is National Grief Awareness Month, a time to recognize that while grief is universal, every person's journey through loss is unique. I've learned that one of the greatest acts of integrity is continuing to support families long after a loved one's hospice journey has ended. When families invite us into their homes during one of life's most difficult seasons, they place extraordinary trust in us. ... Grief doesn't follow a timeline. It can resurface during holidays, milestones or ordinary moments, and no one should feel they have to face it alone. This National Grief Awareness Month, I encourage our community to make space for conversations about grief. A simple phone call, a listening ear or a kind gesture can remind someone they're seen, supported and not alone in their healing.   

Pierce County woman says scammers stole $117K as husband enters hospice care Fox 13, Seattle, WA; by David Rose; 7/23/26 A Pierce County woman says she lost about $117,000 to an elaborate phone scam while caring for her husband in hospice, leaving her uncertain how she will pay her bills after the man she has cared for through years of declining health dies. Charlotte Tripp said the scam unfolded at what she describes as the worst possible time in her life. Her husband of 17 years, who has dementia, recently entered hospice care after suffering a rapid decline following hip surgery and a urinary tract infection. ... "Basically, he can go any day now," Tripp said. "I'm trying to concentrate more on my husband to give him the time he needs." Instead, she said she has spent hours dealing with banks, law enforcement and mounting financial problems after scammers convinced her to drain her accounts.

Man donates van to hospice which cared for wife BBC News, Shropshire, England; by Andy Martindale and Chloe Hughes; 7/22/26 |A man whose wife was given end-of-life care by a hospice has donated a van to them as he said they "were there for us when we needed them most". Severn Hospice cares for patients from Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid-Wales, and the van will be used by its retail operation and maintenance teams which support its 31 charity shops. ... The van, grey with flashes of yellow and blue from the hospice's logo, also bears Barbara's name. "I know she'd [Barbara] love the idea - we used to love going to the charity shop in Oswestry, and I'm sure she'd be pleased to see her name travelling around Shropshire, hopefully doing a bit of good for the hospice."

When did we begin believing that showing up isn’t enough?The Newnan Times-Herald, Newnan, GA; by Scott Lakey; 7/20/26 4:27 A.M.: the garage door opens; the humidity is thick with the smell of Georgia pines ... I am departing for St. Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock, AR. [This first-person story describes a series of family caregiving needs across 2 days and multi-location family visits.] ... On the way home, it was quiet in the car. It felt like a version of the movie It's a Wonderful Life. Thinking about lives I saw pass before me. New birth, newlyweds building a life, mid-life health crisis, and end-of-life care. 9:11 P.M I arrived back home in Newna, GA. My wife and son came out to greet me. There were hugs and hellos to the dogs. Shortly thereafter, I was in bed, and I prayed. That's all I could do. ... For two days, sixteen hours, forty-four minutes, and 1,331 miles, I kept thinking "that's all I could do." Then I realized. Maybe showing up was enough. 

“I wish to be in the same room as my wife so I can hold her hand”: CalvertHealth grants husband’s final wishThe Baynet, Calvert County, MD; by CalvertHealth; 7/19/26 It was one final wish Phillip “Phil” Pfanschmidt shared after learning he had terminal cancer. Just days earlier, his wife of more than 66 years, Joyce “Joy” Pfanschmidt, had entered hospice care at CalvertHealth Medical Center. Now, Phil had entered hospice as well. When members of the palliative care team asked about his wishes, he didn’t hesitate.He wanted to be with Joy.Caregivers across CalvertHealth worked together to make that wish a reality. Phil was reunited with Joy, and the couple spent precious moments together, hand in hand. Less than two hours later, Joy peacefully passed away with her hand resting on Phil’s arm.

Most Americans prefer to die at home, but the US healthcare system often prevents it ArcaMax; by Karen Lutfey Spencer; 7/14/26 Ask people what they want at the end of their lives, and overwhelmingly the answers will revolve around comfort, dignity and time at home with loved ones. Yet the U.S. healthcare system often thwarts these wishes. Most Americans say they want to die at home, but only one-third do. What could be an intentional last chapter may instead become a roller coaster of hospitalizations and decisions made with incomplete information. News headlines reflect the challenges of facing the end of life in crisis mode. ... Unfortunately, these crisis scenarios are happening to millions of families each year.

The hidden cost of cancer's end: how financial strain shapes final months of care Fred Hutch Cancer Center, University of Washingon, Seattle, WA; by D. Moosavi; 6/25/26 ... Previous Fred Hutch research has shown that people with cancer are more than twice as likely to file for bankruptcy, and nearly twice as likely to experience what researchers call an “adverse financial event,” compared with people who don’t have cancer. But most of that earlier work focused on financial hardship as an outcome caused by cancer. This study flips the question: once someone is already dealing with financial strain, what happens to the care they receive as their illness progresses? 

[Canada] Palliative care is a fundamental human right TroyMedia; by Rebecca Vachon; 7/6/26 ... Despite the fact that everyone dies, and despite the fact that something like 180,000 Canadians and their families interact with some form of end-of-life care in a year, I keep confronting the perception that palliative care is a niche issue, not one of broad interest. But this reaction only underscores the poll's findings: namely that many Canadians continue to misunderstnad what palliative care is and isn't. On a more positive note, however, when Canadians do understand it, palliative care is, in fact, identified as a priority issue.

Scam alerts issued as fraudsters target Washington Parish residents The Bogalusa Daily News, Bogalusa, LA; by Kim Gerald; 6/26/26 Washington Parish residents are being urged to remain vigilant as several scams continue to circulate throughout the area, targeting individuals through phone calls, text messages and emails. Local authorities and healthcare providers have recently issued warnings about multiple fraud schemes designed to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting victims. One of the latest alerts comes from Riverside Medical Center, which is warning Medicare recipients about scammers offering free medical equipment or healthcare services. ... Officials caution that hospice scams can be especially damaging because victims may unknowingly be enrolled in hospice care, potentially affecting their access to regular Medicare benefits.

Ahwatukee vet helps seniors stay in their homes Ahwatukee Foothills News, Tempe, AZ; by AFN Staff; 6/23/26  For Alexander Mock, helping seniors remain safely in their homes isn’t just a business model. It’s a mission shaped by military service, years spent working alongside hospice nurses and families, and a belief that caring for people often means caring for the homes they live in. ... [As a hospice volunteer for veterans, he noticed a pattern.] As people’s health declined, the condition of their homes often declined as well. Many families struggled with maintenance issues, accessibility concerns and repairs that made it increasingly difficult for older adults to continue living independently. Mock began to see an opportunity to combine his experience helping people with practical home services.

Family caregivers' perspectives on challenges and support needs in hospital-based palliative care for persons living with dementia Baylor Medicine | Texas Medical Center Documents ; by Jung Kwak, Anita Chary, Sarah Stayer, Kwaku Duah Oppong, Sumin Yoon, Snehal Patel, and Elizabeth A Kvale; originally pub 11/17/25, reposted online 6/23/26Palliative care needs of hospitalized persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their family caregivers remain poorly understood. ... Thematic analysis of interviews revealed three themes: the value of palliative care in navigating end-of-life uncertainty in dementia, uncoordinated and reactive care during hospitalization, and lack of guidance for post-hospital transitions. While caregivers valued palliative care for emotional and decision-making support, findings underscore the need for earlier integration and improved coordination across hospital teams to better support families.

I was my mother's caregiver until her death. Four years later, I'm still struggling with the $17,000 medical debt. yahoo!finance; by Julie Peck; 6/20/26 My mom got sick, then gradually, and then all at once. In 2014, she survived a subarachnoid aneurysm that ruptured while she was driving on the West Virginia Turnpike. After stabilizing, she spent six months recovering with me in South Carolina before heading back to her townhouse in my hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. Unfortunately, her return was short-lived. Mom had a small stroke a year later, followed by a second, more serious stroke in 2016. The doctors told her it was no longer safe to live alone.