Literature Review

How to perform a Regret Audit: A simple question that can help you live with purpose and have fewer regrets. Psychology Today; by Jordan Grumet, MD; 7/20/25 As a hospice doctor, I’ve spent countless hours sitting at the bedsides of dying patients, listening to the echoes of lives well-lived and those haunted by regret. As Bronnie Ware described in The Five Regrets of the Dying, many end-of-life reflections center around missed chances to live more authentically, joyfully, and meaningfully. But we don’t have to wait until our final moments to face these truths. I’ve long advocated for the hospice life review as a proactive tool. It’s a structured set of questions used by hospice professionals to help patients process their lives and find peace. The questions are simple but profound:

Understanding the influence of culture on end-of-life, palliative, and hospice care: A narrative review Cureus; by Veena Hira, Sainamitha R. Palnati, and Saajan Bhakta; 7/15/25 ... This narrative review included 25 relevant publications related to influence of culture and patient demographics on end-of-life care, hospice, and palliative care. As each culture has its own unique views on death and dying, it is crucial to note these cultural differences when assisting with end-of-life care to best align with patients’ beliefs and values. Themes such as cultural barriers, communication preferences and family roles emerged from the publications. ... This narrative review offered a snapshot of how culture influences end-of-life decisions worldwide, specifically in East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America, while highlighting themes of 1) truth disclosure and communication preferences, 2) patient autonomy and family involvement, and 3) perception of illness and death. ... Central to providing effective end-of-life care is open, culturally tailored communication that respects patients’ and families’ values, facilitated through shared decision-making discussions. ... Ultimately, integrating cultural understandings of death and dying into end-of-life care planning is not simply a matter of sensitivity, but it is a matter of quality and equity. Health systems must not only provide choices but ensure those choices are intelligible, meaningful, and respectful within the patient’s worldview.Editor's Note: Pair this today's post, My health and my politics walk into a doctor’s office …

F.O.U.R. Steps to celebrate July 4th in a dementia-friendly manner Alzheimer's Foundation of America; 6/30/25 Fireworks and gatherings are staples of the July 4th holiday, but these can create unique challenges for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses. With Independence Day approaching, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is advising families to follow the F.O.U.R. steps to create a dementia-friendly 4th of July. ... AFA encourages caregivers to follow the F.O.U.R. steps to create a dementia-friendly 4th of July:

LP Quinn Elementary students raise nearly $13K for High Peaks Hospice; Each grade chose a different way to fundraise The Sun, Tupper Lake, NY; News Report; 6/24/25 The students of LP Quinn Elementary School have once again proven the power of community, creativity, and compassion. During May, the entire school united in their annual fundraising campaign and raised an incredible $12,600+ for High Peaks Hospice. Each grade level chose a unique fundraising strategy, highlighting the ingenuity and heart of LP Quinn students:

How thanatology is driving hospice care innovation Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/13/25 Thanatologists examining dying and grief practices have uncovered significant trends shaping hospice and bereavement care models in recent years. Thanatology is derived from the Greek word for death, “thanatos.” It is commonly described as the study or description of death, dying and loss and the psychological, social, cultural, biological and spiritual aspects of these processes. Editor's Note: Unfortunately, this article failed to identify the first and leading thanatology organization for end-of-life care professionals, ADEC, the Association for Death Education and Counseling: the thanatology association, at www.adec.org, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Though this article says "several studies have examined ...," ADEC's 50 years of leaders and members have included countless groundbreaking, prolific researchers, authors, academicians, and clinicians throughout our hospice field: William Worden (a founding member), Robert Neimeyer, Ken Doka, and so many more. When you see the "FT" or "CT" credential, you can know that this person has earned the professional credential "Fellow in Thanatology" or "Certified in Thanatology."

Colorado exemplifies how to build opon paid leave progress to meet families’ evolving needs A Better Balance; 6/3/25 Colorado continues to pave the way for strong work-family protections by modeling how these policies can be expanded to meet families' needs. This spring, Colorado expanded the state’s paid family and medical leave program (the FAMLI Act, which our Colorado Office helped write and pass) to include an additional 12 weeks of paid leave for parents with a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit. Governor Polis signed the bill into law on Friday, May 30th, and Colorado workers with a child in the NICU will be able to take additional leave under the expansion beginning on or after January 1, 2026. ... For parents with children in the NICU, additional time off work to remain present can be a lifeline during a stressful time.Editor's note: As we know, the fragile and uncertain health of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit can, heartbreakingly, lead to death. This—one of the most devastating forms of loss—often leaves parents to grieve in silence, their sorrow compounded by the experience of disenfranchised grief. While family and friends care deeply, they frequently falter in their efforts to provide meaningful support. Though it has been more than two decades since I served on the Pediatric Team at Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville—only four years in total—my memories remain vivid. The emotions expressed by mothers and fathers, grandparents and siblings still rise easily to the surface, reminding me how enduring and raw such losses can be. Bravo ti Colorado's FAMLI Act. May more states follow their lead.

"Taps" Bugle Call: USMC Drum & Bugle Corps [YouTube]YouTube, filmed at the National Mall, Washington DC, retrieved from the internet 5/22/25Editor's note: We invite you to start this Memorial Day with this reflective playing of "Taps," with backdrops of the Washington Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and more. Ongoing, we share with you these resources below for the veterans and their families whom you serve.

TCN Video/Podcast: A Whole New Mind with Daniel H. PinkTeleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Chris Comeaux with Daniel H. Pink; 5/14/25What makes us uniquely human in an age of artificial intelligence? Daniel H. Pink, the bestselling author of A Whole New Mind, offers a compelling framework for thriving in a world where machines increasingly perform tasks once thought exclusively human. In this episode,  Pink, the world-renowned author of seven bestselling nonfiction books, discusses his interdisciplinary approach to understanding human motivation and the evolving work landscape in the AI age. Pink emphasizes the importance of empathy, creativity, and the need for individuals to augment machine intelligence rather than compete with it.  He also explores the role of technology in healthcare, particularly in Hospice Care, and the significance of human connection and listening in providing care.

'I've already had my miracle': 26-year-old Savannah mom enters hospice care with only weeks to live ABC WJCL 22 News, Savannah, GA; by Savannah Younger; 12/4/24, posted in our newsletter on As the holiday season begins, Sara Long, a 26-year-old Savannah woman, is entering hospice care after a prolonged battle with kidney failure. Now the wife and mother is preparing to say her final goodbyes to family and friends. "I wanted to make sure that everything's kind of ready to go for when family visits and all that kind of stuff," Long said. "So, I just want to make things as easy as possible for everybody." Long has been told she has two to three weeks left to live and is now preparing her family for her passing. ... Their daughter, Riley, 4, is too young to understand what is happening, but Long is creating a hope chest so Riley can always remember her. "There are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of letters at this point, to open at different various points in her life. So, like her first day of school all through, or a graduate degree, potentially," Long said. "I feel like I've already had my miracle," Sara said. "I feel like Riley is my miracle. ..."Editor's note: Sara Long died sooner than expected, just 8 days later on December 12, 2024. Click here for the moving message from her husband, describing her death, paired with the video from December 4th. Click here for an additional "exclusive" interview from People magazine with Sara, describing her decision to enter hospice care.

Community gathers for special BHS graduation ceremony at CT Hospice Zip06 - Shore Publishing, New London, CT; by Jenn McCulloch; 5/2/25In a powerful display of love and unity, members of the Branford community recently rallied together to create a heartfelt, early graduation ceremony for Branford High School (BHS) senior, Michael Radziunas, whose mother, Kathleen, courageously battled glioblastoma for more than a year. As her health began to decline, friends and family quietly voiced the same hope: that she would be able to witness her son’s graduation. ... In a phone call filled with emotion and urgency, two close friends discussed taking photos of him in his cap and gown to share with his mother, but the simple idea soon grew into something much more meaningful — an early graduation ceremony. Upon reaching out to BHS administration, Principal Lee Panagoulias immediately offered to present Radziunas with his diploma in a private ceremony, setting a plan in motion. The graduation took place just two days later on April 24 on the picturesque grounds of Connecticut Hospice. With Radziunas donning his graduation cap and gown, as well as honors cords; family, friends, hospice personnel, and BHS staff gathered to watch Panagoulias present him with his diploma.

This weekend: Passover and Easter with hospice patients and familiesHospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger, DMA, FT, BCC, MT-BC, editor in chief; 4/17/25 This weekend brings a confluence of the Jewish Passover and Christian Easter holy days. Whatever your faith system, understanding at least a bit about the diverse faith systems of those you serve matters. We provide these hospice-specific resources as references:

20 leadership behaviors that undermine trust—and how to restore it Forbes; by Expert Panel for Forbes Coaches Council; 3/27/25 Trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership, yet even the most well-intentioned executives can inadvertently weaken it. ... Here, members of Forbes Coaches Council share 20 common ways leaders unintentionally compromise trust with teams, along with strategies to restore it.