Literature Review

Local business’ Round-up Drive raises $10,000 for Hospice of Santa Barbara Noozhawk; by Wavecomm for Hospice of Santa Barbara; 12/9/25 Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) has completed the October Round-Up Campaign, hosted by the Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center, raising $10,000 for HSB. Over the course of the 33-day campaign, customers were invited to round up their purchases at checkout or make an additional donation, directly benefiting Hospice of Santa Barbara’s services.

Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation receives $284,000 donation from the Robert Thomas Bigelow Medical Foundation, Inc. Nevada Business; by Nathan Adelson Hospice; 12/8/25 Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation has been selected to receive a $284,000 donation from the Robert Thomas Bigelow Medical Foundation, Inc. through its grant program. This gift will be used to purchase two new medical transport vans, new overbed lighting for patient rooms and new patio furniture for the patient room patios at the hospice’s in-patient Swenson facility.

Inside TRU Thrift’s Giving Room: How Boulder donations reach neighbors in need The Gazette, Boulder, CO; by Tricia Stortz; 12/6/25 In the back of TRU Community Care’s Thrift Shop in Boulder, past racks of winter coats and holiday decor, there’s a doorway most shoppers never notice. Step through it, and you enter the Giving Room, a bustling, volunteer-run operation where nearly nothing goes to waste and where unsold items find new purpose across Boulder County. The space is compact, but the impact is wide. More than 30 local partner organizations – from homeless outreach teams to youth programs, animal shelters, mobility-assistance nonprofits and more – rely on the items flowing through this little room. Editor's Note: Calling all hospice organizations that have a thrift shop, read on!

Combos Marathon and Half Marathon organizers provide $15,000 to support hospice The Albany Herald, Albany, NY; by Alan Mauldin; 12/25/25 In its 20th year, and fourth with the Combos branding, Albany’s annual marathon still has its eyes on the finish line: providing support for the mission of hospice care. Each year the 26.1-mile event winds its way through the city ... On Wednesday, the marathon board and host Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau presented a $15,000 check to the center, which provides specialized end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. ... Also on hand was Albany oncologist Dr. Jose Tongal, one of the founders of what has become an annual tradition that brings people from all over the world to Albany.

Bristol Hospice expands into Alabama with acquisition of DaySpring Hospice offices Bristol Hospice; New Locations; 12/3/25 Bristol Hospice is pleased to announce the acquisition of three DaySpring Hospice offices in Alabama, located in Enterprise, Dothan, and Andalusia. This expansion reflects Bristol’s continued commitment to delivering exceptional, patient-centered end-of-life care. The DaySpring name carries a strong legacy of compassionate service throughout the Wiregrass region and Bristol Hospice is honored to continue that legacy for years to come.

LAVNS appoints Ruben Vasquez as its executive director Daily Post, Los Alamos County, NM; 12/4/25 Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc. (LAVNS), “the community’s trusted not-for-profit partner in home health and hospice care since 1973”, has announced the appointment of Ruben A. Vasquez as executive director. This leadership transition marks the beginning of a revitalized strategic chapter for LAVNS as it heads into 2026, focused on strengthening its workforce, modernizing operations, and reaffirming its commitment to the community it has served for more than five decades. 

Nurse executive graduate brings life to hospice care  Augusta University - JAGWire, Augusta, GA; by Nina Siso; 12/2/25 When someone says the word “hospice,” words like “illness” or “dying” might come to mind. But for Ashley Perkins, it’s more than that. “We bring life to the rest of the time you have. It’s about what’s important to you, and how we can help you with that,” Perkins said. Perkins is graduating from the Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Executive program through Augusta University’s College of Nursing. The program is designed exclusively for chief nursing officers, vice presidents of nursing and other nursing leaders aspiring to pursue executive-level nursing positions. Already a vice president of hospice services at a not-for-profit organization, Perkins pursued an advanced degree to be able to contribute more. 

Data book: Beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid MEDPAC (Medicare Payment Advisory Commision) and MACPAC (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission); December 2025 This data book is a joint project of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The data book presents information on the demographic and other personal characteristics, expenditures, and health care utilization of individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Dually eligible beneficiaries receive both Medicare and Medicaid benefits by virtue of their age or disability and low income. This population is diverse and includes individuals with multiple chronic conditions, physical disabilities, and cognitive impairments such as dementia, developmental disabilities, and mental illness. It also includes some individuals who are relatively healthy.

Transforming care: MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center receives $6 million gift from Marilyn V. Adams to expand lifesaving geriatric emergency program and comfort services PR Newswire, Laguna Hills, CA; by MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center; 12/2/25 MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is honored to announce a landmark $6 million gift from the late Marilyn V. Adams, a former Laguna Woods resident and lifelong philanthropist. This extraordinary contribution will support palliative, hospice and geriatric emergency care, ensuring quality, compassionate care for patients who are seniors in need of emergent care or who have life-limiting illness—two vulnerable populations often overlooked.

Rainbow dedicates tree and memorial bench in honor of beloved nurse practitioner Kristina Heimsch Rainbow Community Care; Jefferson, Wisconsin; by Rainbow Community Care Team; 10/13/25Rainbow Community Care hosted a touching dedication ceremony on Monday, October 6, to honor the life and contributions of Kristina Heimsch, a cherished nurse practitioner who passed away in April 2025 at the age of 37. Held in collaboration with Kristina’s family, the event established a peaceful and lasting tribute to her presence within the Rainbow family. A Fire Maple tree, which was generously gifted by McKay Nursery of Waterloo, now stands on the front lawn of the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center. Kristina’s family also donated a memorial bench in her memory.

Salon De Coiffeur raises $2,305 for Hospice of Orleans OrleansHub.com, Orleans County, NY; Press Release; 12/2/25 Hospice of Orleans County is pleased to announce a generous contribution resulting from the dedication of a local business owner and the enthusiastic support of the community. Terah Jackson, owner and stylist at Salon De Coiffeur, has successfully concluded her salon’s Annual Christmas Raffle, raising $2,305 for Hospice of Orleans County. For the past two months, Ms. Jackson diligently sought donations and promoted the raffle, inspiring an outpouring of support from community members and local businesses. This massive effort resulted in over 55 generously donated baskets and raffle items. Editor's Note: One person’s generosity can open the gates for many others. Terah Jackson’s leadership did exactly that. Her dedication reminds us how individual vision can inspire collective generosity.

Countryside Memory Center and St. Benedict’s House marks 45 years of service Capital Journal, South Dakota; by Iain Woessner; 11/29/25 Countryside Memory Center and St. Benedict’s House is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, marking more than four decades of support for patients, families and caregivers in the Pierre community. The organization, established in 1980 and incorporated two years later, originally operated as a hospice program. While hospice care eventually transitioned to St. Mary’s Hospital in 2003, Countryside expanded its mission, launching several new services that continue to shape its identity today.

Retention first: The smarter recruitment strategy for nonprofits Forbes; by James Dismond; 11/25/25 Retaining talent at a nonprofit has always had its challenges, but today, it’s becoming unsustainable. ... A recent report found that nearly half of nonprofit leaders cite recruitment or retention as their top challenge, and nearly two-thirds report struggling to fill staff vacancies in the past year. In my industry of hospice and palliative care, the shortage of qualified talent is even more devastating. Right now, there are merely 13.35 hospice and palliative care specialists per 100,000 seniors in the United States. This is concerning because turnover of registered hospice nurses reached 25% in 2023—more than double the private-sector average.