What is the quality of care at the end of life? Qualitative findings from a nationally-representative post-bereavement survey across England and Wales 
Journal of Health Services Research & Policy | University of Cambridge; by Joanna Goodrich Sophie Pask, Chukwuebuka Okwuosa, Therese Johansson, Lynn Laidlaw, Cara Ghiglieri, Rachel Chambers, Anna E. Bone, Stephen Barclay, Fliss E. M. Murtagh, Katherine E. Sleeman; 3/13/26 
... Our aim in this study was to explore the quality of end-of-life care in England and Wales using the experiences of bereaved family carers, and to develop person-centred quality of care domains for end-of-life care. ... Six themes were identified in relation to the quality of care for those with advanced illness and their family carers.

1. Accessing care ...
2. Timely and coordinated care ...
3. Individualised care ...
4. The nature of communication and care ...
5. Family-centred care and support ...
6. Safe and equitable care ...

... How care was provided was as important as what was provided: empathic relational care (in contrast to transactional, task-based care) led to dying people and their families reporting feeling reassured, supported and safe.
Editor's Note: These findings from England and Wales reveal a universal blueprint for end-of-life care—access, coordination, communication, safety, and care that is deeply personal. They closely mirror the quality frameworks of CMS, including the Hospice Conditions of Participation, CAHPS Hospice Survey, and H.O.P.E. tool—reminding us these are not just regulations, but foundations for meeting basic human needs. Even amid real challenges, these structures serve as essential guardrails for accountability and performance, ensuring care is consistently delivered at standards patients and families can trust.

Ahead of National Volunteer Month, NPHI calls on Americans to become hospice volunteers and strengthen human connection 
National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 3/19/26 
As more Americans look for ways to build connection and find purpose in their communities, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation is encouraging individuals to consider volunteering with their local hospice during National Volunteer Month this April. Across the country, nearly 30,000 volunteers already serve alongside professional care teams within NPHI's network of more than 125 nonprofit providers, bringing comfort, presence, and human connection to patients and families facing serious illness while also experiencing the personal benefits of giving back.
Editor's Note: As a crucial refresher, the Hospice Medicare Conditions of Participation set clear expectations for volunteer programs, including Standards §418.78 (a–e) for Volunteers—covering training, defined roles, cost savings, and level of activity—and §418.100(g) regarding the organization and administration of services.

Lanterns shine light on spiritual, financial help Fort Worth nonprofit gives to terminally ill 
FWR - Fort Worth Report, Fort Worth, TX; by Marissa Greene; 2/16/26 
Nestled within a grove of trees, more than 300 lanterns twinkled around the perimeter of the Keith House on a recent evening in the Clearfork neighborhood. The pulsing glow of the tealight candle inside each white paper bag illuminated a first name and last initial inscribed into the front of the lantern. Each name represented a patient served by Project 4031, a faith-based nonprofit aiming to provide peace and comfort to terminally ill children, adults and families facing end-of-life challenges by easing financial burdens and fulfilling last wishes. 

Palliative care in rural, remote, and northern communities: a scoping review 
BMC Palliative Care | Springer Nature; by Natasha Magyar, Katherine Kortes-Miller & Lynn Martin; 3/19/26 
... This scoping review provides an analysis of the current literature addressing palliative care in rural, remote and Northern regions globally and identifies themes in existing literature to determine areas of need for future research. ... Identified barriers include travel and cost of accessing care, policy issues, lack of communication, lack of knowledge/education. On the other hand, the identified facilitators include collaboration, advanced care planning, specialized education and training of care partners, utilization of telemedicine, and the use of volunteers.

“We make our own families”: Do child-free people die alone? Hospice worker shares her experience 
Daily Dot; by Rebecca Leib; 3/18/26 
According to a longtime hospice worker, being child-free doesn't affect end-of-life care, but having strong community ties does. The decision to have children is a deeply personal one, fraught with societal pressures and fears. One common fear is that a childless person might die alone. Recently, however, child-free advocate @wearechildfree shared a video dispelling that fear. Whether someone has kids or doesn't, she says, meaningful end-of-life care is not about children specifically, but the result of cultivating a close and loving community.

Centering end-of-life care around what matters most: Goal-of-care discussions drive earlier hospice access 
Cleveland Clinic; features Laura Hoeksema, MD, MPH, FAAHPM; 3/10/26 
Hospice experts help those with incurable disease maintain autonomy, reduce trauma and gain symptom relief. Yet studies show that the median length of stay in hospice before death is roughly 19 days. What can care teams do to ensure that patients and their families have access to this appropriate end-of-life care? As the Medical Director of Cleveland Clinic Hospice, Laura Hoeksema, MD, MPH, FAAHPM, and her team support physicians and patients in navigating this journey. ...

• Differentiating between palliative care and hospice care ...
• Deciding when hospice care is appropriate ...
• Framing discussion around end of life ...
• Mitigating fear at end of life ...
• Preserving patient autonomy and dignity ...
• Delivering interdisciplinary care ...
• Creating an individual care plan ...

Bayada offers scholarship program to address nursing shortage 
Williamsport Sun-Gazette; by Matthew Corter; 3/17/26 
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many industries experienced a shrinking workforce, and one of those hardest hit by the trend was the healthcare field. ... One of the biggest gaps currently is in home health aides. ... To face the shortage head on, Bayada has recently increased investment in its workforce and career development, including a scholarship program called Advance Through Nursing, which helps home health aides overcome financial and educational barriers on their path to becoming licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs).

A greener afterlife: Local cemetery champions natural burial 
PBS - WUFT, Gainesville, FL; by Alexis Vivanco; 3/17/26 
A wicker-woven casket emerged from a funeral hearse earlier this month at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery for what would be the final resting place of Barbara Finley James. The coffin, modest and held together by various plant materials, was placed on a wooden cart. ... Members of several generations of the James family approached the casket, and placed hands on the various handles attached throughout. With a silent signal, the family began the march through the inclining dirt path to their loved one’s burial site. ... Natural burials, also known as green burials, are an alternate form of end-of-life care that champion cleaner funeral practices. The three characteristics that distinguish a natural burial are no embalming, no vaults, and all burial containers used must be biodegradable. 

Scotland rejects assisted dying at final stage: MSPs cite coercion fears and palliative care gaps in decision 
Newser; by Arden Dier; 3/18/26 
Scotland has just turned down a chance to become the first part of the UK to allow assisted dying despite widespread support among the public. After five debate sessions and a rare Friday sitting, members of the Scottish Parliament rejected the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill late Tuesday by 69 votes to 57, ... The free vote cut across party lines, ... Opponents repeatedly warned of coercion ... and arguing efforts should instead focus on better end-of-life care. Supporters ... shared personal stories of family members' suffering, insisted robust protections—including doctor checks to determine whether a person was being coerced—were built in.
Editor's Note: Scotland's debate resonates with those throughout the U.S. and other countries. I invite you to revisit a "most read" article from our newsletters, "PositivelyJAX Award: The purple bench of Compassionate St. Augustine." Pair these with Daniel Goleman's "cognitive empathy," for which you might not agree--or feel it the same as another--but you do seek to learn and understand the other person's perspective.

Executive Personnel Changes - 3/20/26

• Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) extends a warm welcome to Dr. Alyson Emmons-Abbruzzi, DO, the agency’s new Medical Director for Home Health, Hospice, and the Palliative Care Consultative Service. Dr. Emmons-Abbruzzi succeeds Dr. Anthony Williams, who served as CVHHH’s Home Health Medical Director for over a decade. 

Social Media Watch 3/20/26

• Janet Abrahm, Palliative Care Expert, shares her interview Mastering serious illness communication: An interview with Dr. James Tulsky.
• Ira Byock, Physician and public advocate, comment's on Stacey Smith's (SVP, AccentCare) post regarding the NY Post's article LA's shameful hospice fraud crisis laid bare.
• Ernesto Lopez, shares CMS expanding enhanced oversight programs like PPEO and Expanded Prepayment Review into additional states should get the attention of every hospice leader. These programs are not just regulatory updates. They are signals...

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