Health and health care access among Afghan refugee women in the United States
JAMA Network Open; by Nazineen Kandahari, Nilufar N. Kayhani, Fareha Moulana Zada, Zahra Kayhani, Zarin Noor, Nicholas Nelson, Susan L. Ivey; 8/26
Afghans are one of the world’s largest refugee populations. Afghan women face compounded health risks due to sociocultural restrictions, low literacy, forced displacement, and limited health care access, yet little is known about their experiences with health care after resettlement in the US. In this qualitative study of 23 Afghan women residing in the US who shared their experiences accessing health care, key barriers included sociocultural constraints on women’s autonomy, inadequate interpretation services, culturally insensitive health care, intergenerational stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health knowledge and care, and mental health challenges. Structural barriers produced mistrust in and miscommunication with clinicians and led to use of home remedies. These findings suggest a need for health care interventions that are sensitive to sociocultural contexts and immigration histories to address the needs of Afghan refugee women in the US.

How pet therapy brings joy to Hospice of the Valley patients 
AZ Big Media; by Lin Sue Flood; 9/3/26
Wagging tails and wet kisses are bringing a unique brand of medicine to local patients and families navigating a challenging time of life. Hospice of the Valley is celebrating the success of its Pet Connections program, which began 20 years ago when a medical director brought her golden Labrador to visit a patient and saw how much joy the dog brought. Today, the nonprofit agency has more than 50 dedicated pet therapy teams that bring comfort and smiles to patients, caregivers and family members. Among these beloved volunteers are Ed Gesten and his Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Huck. ...   

End-of-life care behind bars: regular reviews of articles and reports on key issues in prison hospice and palliative care.
End-of-Life Care Behind Bars - A Periodic Literature Search; September 2026 issue 
Highlights: Prison palliative care and compassionate release should be treated as interconnected rather than competing mechanisms; the constitutional crisis of end-of-life care for incarcerated individuals; prison officers matter in end-of-life care; community hospice engagement in end-of-life care in prisons; person-first language in correctional healthcare – two perspectives; critical reappraisal of policy and practice in correctional healthcare; conducting ethical health research in prisons

Update to 2026 hospice payment rate correction
From CMS; by Guest Editor Judi Lund Person; 9/9/26
CMS has informed us on September 9, 2026 that there is a correction notice in clearance right now, which hopefully will be out soon. The change is minor and the wage index issue was across all payment systems, not just hospice.

Navigating generational shifts: strategies for sustaining organizational knowledge and future-proofing the workforce 
Recruit-Talent.com; 9/9/26 
The modern workplace is in the midst of an unprecedented demographic transformation, driven by the mass retirement of Baby Boomers and the increasing entry of Generation Z. This confluence of generational shifts presents both significant challenges and unique opportunities for organizations globally. ...

• The Shifting Demographic Landscape: An Overview ..
• The Imperative of Knowledge Retention and Succession Planning ...
• Bridging the Generational Divide: Mentorship and Reverse Mentorship ...
• Attracting and Retaining the Next Generations: Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z ...  

CMS oversight did not prevent Medicare Part D sponsors from making $587.7 million in ineligible payments to pharmacies for drugs available over the counter but labeled as prescription-only 
United States Government HHS-OIG; Report number OAS-24-02-004; issued on 8/31/26, posted on 9/2/26 

• Why OIG Did This Audit ...
• What OIG Found: CMS oversight of Medicare Part D sponsors did not prevent payments to pharmacies for some OTC drugs sold under obsolete Rx-only labeling. ... 
• What OIG Recommends: We recommend that CMS issue guidance on timeframes for Part D sponsors to reject payments for OTC drugs sold under obsolete Rx-only labeling after an Rx-to-OTC switch. This step could have helped to prevent $587.7 million in ineligible payments for CYs 2021 through 2023. CMS concurred with our recommendation.

When end-of-life becomes the beginning of new life: Application of the Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines on Adult End-of-Life Care in the ICU to the setting of donation after circulatory death
Critical Care Explorations; by Ian M. Oppenheim, Rita N. Bakhru, Carolina B. Maciel, Katharina M. Busl, on behalf of the Donor Care Unit Network for Optimizing Recovery (DONOR) Group; 8/26
The recently published Society of Critical Care Medicine Guidelines on Adult End-of-Life Care in the ICU provide a detailed and well-thought-out approach to a vital component of critical care, although they explicitly refrain from discussing how they may apply to organ donation. As representatives of the Donor Care Unit Network for Optimizing Recovery (DONOR), a group of intensivists experienced in managing donation after circulatory death (DCD), we wish to endorse equal delivery of high-quality end-of-life (EOL) care for organ donors. Although some logistical differences must be addressed, the EOL recommendations outlined in the Guidelines are still applicable to patients being evaluated for or undergoing DCD. Recent accounts of unacceptable patient care in the setting of DCD highlight a critical threat to patient welfare and public trust. Our mandate is clear: implement and audit protocols that guarantee dignity and symptom control while demonstrating that DCD remains wholly consistent with a compassionate, honorable, and fulfilling EOL.

Senior health, home health & hospice stocks Q2 results
Fox-47; 9/3/26
The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who didn’t). Let’s take a look at how senior health, home health & hospice stocks fared in Q2, ... The 7 senior health, home health & hospice stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.5%. Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 8.4% since the latest earnings results. 

• The Pennant Group (NASDAQ:PNTG) ...
• Best Q2: BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG) ...
• Weakest Q2: AdaptHealth (NASDAQ:AHCO) ...
• Addus HomeCare (NASDAQ:ADUS) ...
• Brookdale (NYSE:BKD) ...

Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.

Celebrating Connie Fox: 96 years young and 25 years of giving back
HERLIFE Magazine; by HERLIFE Magazine; 9/1/26
This year, we proudly celebrate Connie Fox, our oldest active volunteer, as she turns 96 years young. Connie began volunteering with Hospice of San Joaquin in 2001, after our hospice cared for her husband. ... When asked why she continues to volunteer, Connie’s answer is simple. “The satisfaction. I’ve loved every minute of it. ... We are family. I love Hospice of San Joaquin.” The feeling is mutual. ... At 96, Connie continues to embrace life with enthusiasm. ... She firmly believes that staying involved and positive is the key to a fulfilling life.

Croí Health Hospice residence renamed to include Barbara Roch 
Access Newswire, Hingham, MA; Press Release; 9/8/26 
On September 8, Croí Health officially unveils a new sign renaming the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham, MA, to the Barbara and Pat Roche Hospice Home. The change honors the generosity of the couple, co-founders of the Roche Bros. supermarket chain, who helped make the residence possible. The Pat Roche Hospice Home first opened in 2013 as the region's first hospice residence, named for Patrick Roche following his passing in 2012. The organization is now expanding that tribute to include his wife, Barbara, who passed in November. The Roche family has long supported Croí Health's mission to expand access to hospice and palliative care across the 27 South Shore towns it serves.

Memory Care: Hospice of the Valley awarded grant to support first-of-its-kind in-home dementia program 
Lovin' Life, Tuscon, AZ; 9/6/26 
Hospice of the Valley has been awarded a $100,000 Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment Grant to support its Supportive Care for Dementia Program across Maricopa, Pinal and Pima Counties. This unique service is the only in-home program in Arizona delivering clinical and emotional care to support families caring for a loved one with any stage of dementia. Specific features of the program include in-home guidance and custom care plans from an experienced dementia team; free family caregiver education and support; low-cost in-home respite care through the RISE student engagement partnership; and 24-hour access to clinical advice and care coordination.

National Alliance VP: palliative care should occur throughout continuum 
Hospice News; podcast hosted by Jim Parker with Katie Wehri; 9/3/26 
Palliative care should be offered via home health, but not only through home health. This is according to Katie Wehri, vice president for regulatory affairs, quality and compliance at the National Alliance for Care at Home. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently clarified in a proposed rule that palliative care is available via the home health benefit. Hospice News recently sat down with Wehri on the Elevate podcast to discuss the implications of this clarification for providers, as well as other avenues CMS could consider to expand palliative care.

Everyone has a million problems until they lose their health. Then they have only one. Health is the real luxury. Stay grateful.