Literature Review

Concordia Hospice of Washington Donnell House closes Observer-Reporter, Washington, PA; by Karen Mansfield; 8/3/26 For nearly 25 years, Concordia Hospice of Washington Donnell House has helped patients and their families through life’s hardest moments. Now, the hospice facility in Washington has closed its doors. “Concordia Hospice of Washington can confirm that inpatient hospice services are no longer being provided at the Donnell House,” the company said in a statement. “This change reflects a continuing decline in the need for inpatient hospice care as more patients and families choose to receive hospice services in the comfort of home, supported by advances in community-based care.” The hospice team continues to provide in-home care and support to patients and families throughout the region, according to a spokesman.

Karen Cassidy’s seed of compassion continues to grow at Hildegard House Voice Tribune, Louisville, KY; by Alisha Proffitt; 8/3/26The idea that became Hildegard House began with a gap in care that Karen Cassidy encountered every day as a palliative care nurse practitioner. ... She cared for patients approaching the end of life who qualified for hospice but had nowhere to receive it. Some were homeless. Others lived alone without family or caregivers. Without a home and support, hospice was often out of reach. ... That vision is now Hildegard House, Kentucky's first and only comfort care home, where people without housing or loved ones to care for them can receive hospice services in a home setting. The organization partners with Hosparus Health while relying entirely on donations, grants, volunteers, and community support to provide care at no cost to residents. Today, more than 150 Compassionate Companion volunteers serve alongside nurses, physicians, staff, board members, gardeners, meal providers, and countless donors. All of which has grown from a seed of compassion Cassidy planted in this community. As she hands leadership to Becki Romans, Cassidy speaks of her gratitude. "I had a vision and a dream. But no one can do it alone." As she prepares her next steps forward into retirement, she leaves behind her a legacy of genuine love and care.Editor's Note: I'm honored to have known Karen through the years, and to currently serve on the Hildegard House's Board of Directors. Its mission, volunteer caregivers, community support, and leadership inspire me at each and every interaction. Read more about its "Hildegard" name. We celebrate Karen's visionary leadership, her new retirement, and Becki's leadership into new chapters ahead.

‘It felt like a home:’ Caring House hospice home, in Torrance, celebrates 10 years Daily Breeze, Torrance, CA; by Madeline Armstrong; 8/3/26 When Torrance resident Rick Willson, 65, learned his wife had Leukemia, he knew that her diagnosis was likely terminal. But three months later, when told she would require hospice care, Willson had no idea where to begin. ... That is when they found Caring House. Caring House is the only nonprofit hospice home in Los Angeles County and it just happened to be in the Willsons’ neighborhood. Caring House – an actual six bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home on El Dorado Street – is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Torrance this year.

Hospice of Southern Illinois marks 45 years of care The Southern Illinoisan, Marion, IL; by Paul Wilcoxen; 7/30/26 Hospice of Southern Illinois has spent the past 45 years helping patients and families navigate the end of life. The Marion Chamber of Commerce recognized the anniversary Thursday. Hospice of Southern Illinois CEO Amy Richter said the milestone belongs as much to the people behind the organization as it does to the organization itself. “When I first came to the company 17 years ago, the census down in Marion, the number of patients that we served back then was half of what it is now, so it’s grown that much,” Richter said. “Again, it’s due to the staff and all of our volunteers, and the community and all of our community partners.”

Unity Golf Classic raises more than $80,000 to support compassionate hospice care, palliative care The Chamber Manitowoc County, De Pere, WI; Press Release; 7/28/2026Unity's 10th Annual Golf Classic brought together 124 golfers, 26 sponsors, 28 volunteers, and several community partners on Thursday, July 16, at Thornberry Creek at Oneida, raising nearly $80,000 to support Unity's mission of providing compassionate care and grief support throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Celebrating its tenth year, the Unity Golf Classic has become one of the organization's signature fundraising events, helping ensure patients and families receive expert, dignified care regardless of their ability to pay. "The Unity Golf Classic is about much more than a day on the course," said Alisa Gerke, Executive Director of Unity. "It is an opportunity for our community to come together in support of patients and families facing some of life's most difficult moments. We are incredibly grateful to every golfer, sponsor, volunteer, and donor whose generosity makes this event possible."

Executive Personnel Changes - 7/31/26

Grant supports hospice and home care in Juneau Juneau Empire, Juneau, AK; by Juneau Empire Staff; 7/29/26 A funding boost has provided a lifeline for home health and hospice care in Juneau. The Foundation for End of Life Care provided a $21,643 grant to Bartlett Regional Hospital to support critical equipment and staff training needs for home health and hospice patients and families. Bartlett Regional Hospital controller Andrew Erikson said Home Health and Hospice at Bartlett has relied on a medical equipment distributor to provide essential equipment for home health and hospice patients.

Suicide Survivors Support Group offered by Home Hospice of Grayson CountyNorth Texas e-News, Sherman, TX; by Nancy Jackson; 7/27/26 Home Hospice of Grayson County is pleased to announce the start of a new “Suicide Survivors Grief and Loss” Support Group ... “Experiencing grief over the loss of a loved one to suicide can be especially difficult” said Nancy Jackson, Group Leader. “However, it can become overwhelming in the weeks and months after the loss. People are often surprised how much it impacts them emotionally, mentally and physically. There is no magic pill or quick fix for your grief, but sharing your journey with others who have experienced a loss, can make it easier."

What Cleveland can teach us about aging with dignity: Robert Phillips-Plona Cleveland.com, Cleveland, OH; by guest columnist Robert Phillips-Plona, director of facilities for Reserve Care; 7/26/26 During my career, I have had the privilege of working in -- as well as participating in creating --hospice care environments in Northeast Ohio. ... These spaces evolved over time as the needs of patients, families and staff changed. Each space and project looked different. The integration of technology that supported, but did not distract from, the human experience of patients, their loved ones and caregivers offered new challenges. Community needs changed. But one thing remained constant: People deserve dignity, comfort and compassion during life's most difficult moments. As Cleveland's population continues to age, conversations around health care often focus on hospital capacity, staffing shortages and rising medical costs. Those challenges matter, but we also need to ask a different question: How do we create environments where people can age and die with dignity?

Blue Ridge Care expands in Fauquier County Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/22/26 Blue Ridge Care is expanding its hospice and palliative care services in Fauquier County in its home state of Virginia. The expansion is designed to improve access to care among rural and underserved communities in northern Virginia. It includes enhanced clinical visibility, increased care coordination and strengthened referral partnerships with area hospitals, assisted living and skiled nursing facilities and community organizations. “Fauquier County is a community with deep roots, strong values and a growing need for accessible, quality-trusted care,” said Jason Parsons, president and CEO of Blue Ridge Care.

Sterling Hospice home to close, expected to reopen under new ownership KWQC-6, Sterling, IL; by KWQC Staff; 7/22/26 The Rock River Hospice & Home is closing Aug.1, officials announced Wednesday. The organization, which has been serving people throughout the Sauk Valley area for over 40 years, is closing due to longstanding financial challenges, officials said in a media release. “Changes in healthcare reimbursement, increasing operating costs, and other economic pressures have made it increasingly difficult for standalone hospice providers to remain financially sustainable,” officials said. However, officials said care will continue to be available in the community. 

Agrace expands hospice services into Dubuque Associated Press | PR Newswire, Dubuque, IA; 7/21/26 Local residents who are in the final months of life have a new choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. Agrace, the largest Wisconsin-based nonprofit hospice, has expanded west of the Mississippi River for the first time, bringing its services to patients in the city of Dubuque, Iowa. For nearly 50 years, Agrace Hospice Care has provided compassionate end-of-life care to people of all ages across southern Wisconsin, with its headquarters located in Madison. Now, Dubuque-area residents can also choose Agrace for hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home. Agrace has opened a local office at 300 Main Street in Dubuque, strengthening its commitment to serving patients, families and health care partners in the community.

4 hospices see growth  Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/17/26 Some hospices have opened new locations in the Midwest and East, while other providers have expanded their geographic service reach. Additionally, one Texas-based hospice has unveiled a new children’s grief program.