Rural families have ‘critical’ need for more hospice, respite care

Rural families have ‘critical’ need for more hospice, respite care 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/6/25 
Economic and financial headwinds have increasingly posed significant challenges for rural-based hospice providers, with some shuttering their programs in recent years. ... Hospices in rural regions have particularly been hard hit by these labor pressures amid rising demand for their services, with recent years bringing program closures across the country. ... Having a hospice offer services wherever a patient lives was the top priority cited by 400 rural-based caregiver respondents in a recent research study from the Alliance’s Diversity Advisory Council and Transcend Strategy Group. However, roughly 40% of the caregiver respondents were not able to name a nearby hospice provider. ... The lack of hospice availability has left gaps in supportive services that address terminally ill patients’ full range of physical, emotional and spiritual needs.This has also worsened disparities among rural family caregivers.
Notable mention: Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance)