Literature Review

Palliative and hospice care in prostate cancer: A scoping review Urologic Oncology; by Andrew Glaza, Aidan Kennedy, Minhaj Jabeer, Siddharth Ramanathan, Agyeiwaa Obeng, Bernadette Zwaans, Jason Hafron; Jan 2026 Advanced prostate cancer presents therapeutic and prognostic challenges at the end of life. Palliative and hospice care improve quality of life, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance patient-centered decision-making. ...  On average, 40.4% of patients received palliative care, 14.74% hospice, and 1.3% received both. Early integration was associated with better quality of life, fewer hospital admissions, reduced aggressive interventions, and increased cost savings. Most referrals occurred late in the disease trajectory. ... Future research should focus on barriers to timely referral and evaluate their effects on clinical and economic outcomes in prostate cancer.

Southern Care Collaborative a model for regional hospice collectives Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/12/25 As nonprofits seek to build scale in order to compete with larger competitors, some are banding together in regional collaboratives. In these efforts, the Southern Care Collaborative, founded in 2022, could serve as a model. The organization includes 11 hospice members operating in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The hospices are pooling resources and joining forces to build economies of scale and payer relationships without any change in ownership. 

Chapters Health System announces national rebranding of grief support camps for children PR Newswire, Temple Terrace, FL; by Chapters Health System; 12/12/25 Chapters Health System, the nation's leading chronic illness innovator and largest nonprofit hospice provider, proudly announced a unified grief support camp name, Camp Brave Heart, and logo for programs across the country starting in 2026. Each camp program will remain tailored to the needs of the local community and the longstanding tradition of providing a supportive place for children to process and share.

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy. Pay attention to the cracks, ‘cause that’s where the light gets in. ~ Meryl Streep

[England] Hospice patient's hidden paintings on show BBC News, Bishop Auckland, England; by Gemma Sherlock and Stephanie Cleasby; 12/13/25 A hospice patient has had his wish come true as a set of his watercolours, previously hidden away in a cupboard, have gone on display. ... Now the 13 paintings are being viewed by the public for the very first time at Bishop Auckland's Artists' Hub. Mr. Scott, 86, who is receiving palliative care at St Oswald's Hospice in Gosforth, said: "All I've ever wanted is for people to see my paintings." ... It was not until a conversation between social worker Marisa Woodward and his sister Sue Coxon that Mr. Scott's paintings were discovered. Mrs. Woodward then contacted The Auckland Project ... for advice on how to display them.... Mr Scott's pieces will be on display for a month before they are donated to St Oswald's Hospice.

My patient was gone. I had to help his family see it: The art of medicine means sitting with families’ grief and hope Stat10 - First Opinion; by Raya Elfadel Kheirbek; 12/15/25 Bullets tore through Michael Thompson’s car at a stop sign, ending the life of a 35-year-old father in an instant. Just minutes earlier, he had dropped his 8-year-old daughter, Emma, at dance class, her pink tutu bouncing as she waved goodbye. Now, in the ICU, his young body lay tethered to machines — ... a ventilator’s hiss forcing his chest to rise. ... His family’s grief filled the room, raw and heavy, as I prepared to document our meeting. On the screen, a pop-up appeared: “Patient is deceased; do you want to continue?” Its cold bluntness paled against their pain. Michael looked alive. His chest rose and fell with the ventilator. ... Medicine isn’t just tests or machines. It is presence — sitting with families in their grief, faith, and love. Our tools should support that presence, not interrupt it with cold prompts. ... Most U.S. hospitals lack clear guidelines for these situations, leaving families and clinicians alike in limbo. They also worried about organ donation — a decision fewer than 1% of families consent to after brain death, often because the body still looks alive.Editor's Note: We thank the palliative care physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains who provide sensitive presence with families in the unbearable spaces between hope and loss, especially when life support decisions arise. In this season, may we pause to honor those who carry this sacred work—and remember the families who have had to accept harsh truths while machines still “breathe.”

Palliative care interventions for caregivers of people with advanced dementia: A meta-analysis Sigma Global Nursing Excellence - Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing; by Ita Daryanti Saragih, Ira Suarilah, Hsun-Kuei Ko, Ice Septriani Saragih, Bih-O Lee; 12/11/25 Conclusion: Palliative care interventions were successful in reducing conflict in decision-making of caregivers of people with advanced dementia. ... Linking Evidence to Action: Future palliative care interventions for caregivers of advanced dementia patients should focus on developing the contents of palliative care materials based on evidence-based evaluations and explore strategies to improve engagement between patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

Illinois is newest state to allow medical assistance in dying after Pritzker signs bill CBS News, Chicago; by Sara Tenenbaum and Charlie De Mar; 12/12/25, 11:02 am CST Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Friday making Illinois the newest state allowing medically assisted dying in terminally ill residents. Known as "Deb's Lawn," allows eligible terminally ill adults with a prognosis to live six months or less to request a prescription from their doctor that would allow them to die on their own terms. The legislation was narrowly approve by the Illinois Senate in October after the Illinois House passed it in May. People on both sides of the debate over the controversial legislation lobbied the governor up until the last minute. Medical aid in dying, also called assisted suicide or dying with dignity, is already legal in 12 states. Eight more are considering similar legislation. Pritzker's signature makes Illinois the first state in the Midwest to allow medically assisted death.

Long-term hospice stay: New edit to prevent overpayment CMS - MLN Matters - Medicare Learning Network; by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; 12/5/25Related CR Release Date: December 5, 2025Effective Date: April 1, 2026Implementation Date: April 6, 2026Action Needed: Make sure your billing staff knows about a new edit that will help identify and prevent overpayments of long-term hospice care for claims submitted with matching “admission” and “from” dates.Key Updates: This new edit in the CWF will close the gap in the system that allows claims to pay at a higher rate when the “admission” and “from” dates match. MACs will reject hospice claims when the “admission” date doesn’t match the election period start date on the corresponding election period. ...

Providence Care appoints Werner Freymann, Jr. as new Chief Executive Officer Morningstar; by Business Wire; 12/10/25 Providence Care, a leading hospice, palliative and primary care for seniors organization, today announced the appointment of Werner Freymann, Jr. as its new Chief Executive Officer. In the role of CEO, Werner will lead the company’s strategic direction and drive continued growth and innovation across its continuum of care for the elderly wherever they call home. Mr. Freymann brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, previously serving as SVP of Discovery at Home. 

TCMH Hospice of Care online auction raises record amount Houston Herald; by Helania Wulff; 12/11/25 The TCMH Healthcare Foundation announced that this year’s Hospice of Care online auction and new in-person wrap-up party set a new all-time fundraising record, bringing in $38,454.64 to support its Hospice of Care program. The hybrid format, online bidding throughout the week, capped with a live auction-style finale at Piney River Brewing on Friday night, helped drive engagement and push the event past last year’s record total. 

A flight to the North Pole Fairfax County Times, Reston, VA; by Kristin Johnson; 12/12/25 Last Saturday morning [12/6], Gate D15 at Dulles Airport was filled with families wearing Christmas sweaters and pajamas. They were waiting for a 10 a.m. departure to the North Pole. The Fantasy Flight is a 30-minute plane ride that takes off annually on the first weekend in December. The event is for the families of children currently in hospice or long-term care. ... The mood at the gate is festive, but a little chaotic. The busyness helps to dull Tabitha Johnson’s grief. Her son died in hospice three weeks ago. She decided the family should still come.