Literature Review

Aging in place is a mobility problem: what Spain can teach America City of Yes; by Ryan Puzycki; 9/17/26 ... Aging in place, properly understood, is not merely about remaining in a particular dwelling but about retaining the ability to live independently in one’s neighborhood and community. It’s a mobility problem as much as a housing problem. ... In Spain, northern governments are responding by making major investments in vertical mobility infrastructure. The Basque city of Bilbao has built eighty-four elevators, escalators, and mechanical ramps to help pedestrians get from low elevation neighborhoods to higher elevation ones. In a city whose suburbs creep up the slopes of the surrounding mountains, these interventions help pedestrians avoid taking long detours or climbing huge staircases, ...

[Turkey] “Life still has meaning for me!” Exploring sources of meaningful life among palliative care patients: A qualitative studySupportive Care in Cancer; by Hazal Sonbahar Ulu, Güleser Güney Yılmaz, Ayşenur Baysal Yiğit, Elif Merve Cesur, Şeyma Sarışen, Rıfat Bozkuş, Sedef Şahin; 9/26 Palliative care has increasingly shifted from a biomedical model toward holistic approaches that address physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. Meaning in life is a key determinant of quality of life in advanced illness, yet patient perspectives on how meaning is constructed within inpatient settings remain underexplored. This study aimed to explore how individuals receiving inpatient palliative care at a tertiary hospital in Turkey construct and sustain meaning in their daily lives. Meaning in palliative care appears to be sustained through social connectedness, spirituality, hope, participation in meaningful occupations, supportive environments, and continuity of identity. Integrating occupation-focused interventions, spiritual care, and environmental modifications within palliative care services may help preserve continuity, dignity, and emotional well-being.

[South Africa] Children are dying in pain because our palliative care is so poorNews24; by Sean Christie; 10/6/26South Africa is failing to provide adequate palliative care, with children the most neglected population. Morphine is often out of stock, and doctors and nurses are terrified of administering it to children. Poverty and limited access to rural health services leave families with few palliative care options.

[Germany] Unmet needs of heart failure patients across the different domains of palliative care – A qualitative interview studyHeart & Lung; by Chiara Pfeffer, Felix Schoenratha, Lennart Tügend, Anahita Khamseh, Susanne Jöbges, Johann Ahne, Asita Behzadie, Moritz Blum; 9/26Currently, palliative care provision for patients with heart failure (HF) is limited and usually not tailored to the specific needs they might have. In this study, we sought to gain a better understanding of the needs and expectations expressed by patients with HF regarding palliative care. Participants expressed needs and expectations across all eight domains of palliative care. Some needs were specific to HF, e.g. for more HF expertise among all healthcare providers. Other needs were more generally associated with serious illnesses, e.g. long term access to psychological counselling for patients and caregivers, help with coming to terms with limited life expectancy, or provision of information in accessible language. Patients with HF express a host of unmet needs, many of which could be addressed by palliative care.

[United Kingdom] Cream tea party for hospice breaks world record BBC News; by Caroline Robinson; 9/22/26 A hospice has broken a world record for the largest cream tea party. Cornwall Hospice brought 2,483 people together in the attempt to break the record previously held by Mercedes-Benz in Beijing with 1,088 attendees. The event at the Royal Cornwall Showground on Saturday was hosted by entertainer Johnny Cowling who said: "This is what Cornwall is all about - supporting one another." The charity said the record attempt also marked its 45th year of supporting people across the Duchy.

[United Kingdom] Dad who hates sand to take on Sahara trek BBC News; by Emma Stanley; 9/13/26 A dad who hates sand is trekking the Sahara Desert to raise money for the hospice that cares for his son. Andrew Privett, from Leyland in Lancashire, is one of 31 adventurers who are preparing to trek 30 miles (48km) across Morocco's Erg Chegaga Dunes over six days in November. They will face extreme temperatures, challenging terrain and long days beneath the desert sun, in the first overseas challenge for Chorley's Derian House Children's Hospice.

[Portugal] International differences in the technical qualities of place of death classifications and data: A survey of researchers' perspectivesPalliative Medicine; by Mayra Delalibera, Sílvia Lopes, Inês Dias da Silva, Barbara Gomes; 9/26Place of death is a key population-level indicator for palliative care and health services planning. However, substantial international variation in how it is recorded limits cross-country comparisons and health system evaluations. This is the first study to assess place of death classifications and data from researchers' perspectives. Findings highlight critical limitations in current classification systems and provide guidance for developing an international classification aligned with UN and WHO recommendations. This will enable more meaningful cross-country comparisons and strengthen evidence to inform palliative care and health services planning worldwide.

[United Kingdom] Majority of nurses have given end-of-life care in corridors The Daily Mail; by Shaun Wooller; 9/1/26 More than half of nurses have treated patients receiving end-of-life care in corridors or other makeshift spaces, a damning report reveals. Terminally ill patients are being condemned to 'undignified' deaths and poor quality care in NHS hospitals due to crippling staff shortages, the health workers warn. Meanwhile, overcrowding means some of the most vulnerable are left languishing on trollies where they must go to the toilet and even die in 'full glare of the public.' Nurses told researchers of widespread problems in care planning ... and in some cases patients being resuscitated against their wishes. The survey of 1,153 UK nurses and healthcare professionals by the charity Marie Curie and nursing website Nursing Standard found 55 per cent had treated patients in corridors or non-clinical areas, such as cupboards and offices.