Literature Review

The estate planning mistake that could leave your family with nothing Due; by Petere Daisyme; 5/28/26 A friend’s father passed away last spring with $1.2 million in assets and no will. No trust, no beneficiary designations updated since the 1990s, no power of attorney documents. His ex-wife — not his current partner of 15 years — was still listed as the beneficiary on his life insurance and retirement accounts. Change your designations as soon as a life situation changes. ...

A husband’s story of end-of-life care at home MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Ron Louie, MD; 11/27/25... When my wife died at home, it wasn’t really a surprise. ... Over the previous few weeks, we had notified her primary care physician’s office of the need for a home hospice referral, but because of some snafu, the correct wording wasn’t used, and the paperwork stalled. ... Years before, we had already obtained a POLST (Portable Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment, our state’s “green form”), signed by a doctor, that made clear my physician wife’s choices in advanced directives: no CPR, tube feedings, or IV treatments. ... Since we didn’t have an active home hospice referral, I knew that firefighters could pronounce her death; my own license had lapsed in retirement. ... The firefighters left, but the police stayed quite awhile until they were cleared by the Medical Examiner’s office. ...Editor's Note: This caregiver story powerfully tells challenges experienced by a retired oncologist/spouse. Calling all leaders who are part of referral and admissions processes, pay attention to the problems caused by delays: firemen, police, and (not named) lack of bereavement care.

Butterfly Garden of Remembrance 2026 YubaNet.com, Nevada County, CA; by Foothills Compassionate Care; 5/15/26 Driving along the freeway between Grass Valley and Nevada City, passengers might notice three large butterfly statues in the nearby distance. The statues mark the annual Butterfly Garden of Remembrance, hosted by Foothills Compassionate Care [formerly known as Hospice of the Foothills]. ... In a community where neighbors care deeply for one another, few traditions capture that spirit more beautifully.  For more than 25 years, the Butterfly Garden has offered a sacred space for grief, healing and remembrance.

Big Bend Hospice launches Nutrition Shake Drive to support Jefferson County Patients WTXL-27 ABC, Tallahassee, FL; by Crystal Whitman; 5/8/26 Big Bend Hospice in Jefferson County is calling on the community to help provide vital nutrition for local hospice patients through a month-long Nutrition Shake Drive. For many in hospice care, eating full meals can be difficult or impossible. Meal replacements like Ensure, Boost, and Glucerna offer comfort and essential nutrients, but they are often not covered by health insurance, leaving families — especially in rural areas — to shoulder the cost themselves.

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. ...

A guide to visiting a nursing home: tips for meaningful connection U.S. News & World Report | Health; by Claire Wolters and Rachael Hood; 5/6/26 If you have a loved one in a nursing home, frequent visits can help them feel loved and fight loneliness. Here's how to make the most of your visit. ...

Mother's Day support for hospice families

Local students stitch comfort, compassion, and dignity for hospice patients Bennington Banner, Bennington, VT; Press Release; 5/4/26 A small group of students in a dedicated class at Mount Anthony Union High School have spent recent weeks carefully crafting handmade catheter bag covers and adult bibs for patients served by VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR). Each stitch tells a story — not just of skill learned, but of empathy in action. For hospice patients, small details can make an immeasurable difference. Everyday medical necessities, like catheter bags, can feel clinical and impersonal. These thoughtfully designed covers soften that experience, offering privacy, warmth, and a sense of normalcy. 

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.”

[For the public] How to protect yourself from hospice fraud CalMatters; by Lynn La; 4/29/26 ... What does hospice fraud entail and how can you protect yourself? ... To avoid being scammed:

A father's dying wish comes true at special graduation ceremony YouTube | ABC WNEP-16, by Michelle Charlesworth; 4/23/26 It's one of his last wishes, to see son Cooper Crawford graduate from Northwest area high school. It's one wish that came true Wednesday night. "I think it was really cool that we have a community that size that can come together to support my father and my family. ... I wish I could be half the man my dad is." ... The school district put together this ceremony for Cooper a little over a month before his graduation date. ...  Cooper's older sister gave a speech. His younger siblings were given honorary diplomas so that their dad could be there. Jess's mother, "I'm realizing the finality of what's happening." Editor's Note: Against the backdrop of hospice fraud headlines, this story reflects what hospice care can hold at its best—a father’s wish honored, a community leaning in, a moment this family will carry forward. May it inspire us all to create space for what matters, when it matters most.

Supporting family caregivers at work benefits employers too, report offers McKnights Home Care; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 4/17/26 Few employers are doing anything to support workers who are family caregivers, despite sometimes seeing the effects unpaid caregiving has on the workplace, such as absenteeism and underperformance, according to a report from CareBenefits by Care.com, published Wednesday [4/15]. The business implications are becoming clear, the authors said, adding that employers can support workers by offering family caregiving-related benefits.