Literature Review

[NY] Legislature passes bill banning new for-profit hospicesThe New York State Senate; by Sen. Liz Krueger; 4/9/25Today, the State Senate passed S.3437, carried by Senator Liz Krueger, a bill that would be ban new for-profit hospices in New York State. The bill, carried in the Assembly by Assembly Member Amy Paulin, passed that house on March 26th... I urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill."... S. 3437, which was previously vetoed by Governor Hochul in 2022, would prohibit the approval of new applications for the establishment, construction or increased capacity of for-profit hospice entities. New York is uniquely situated to prevent the deterioration of end-of-life care described above, as currently only two of 41 hospices in New York are for-profit, compared to a national average of two-thirds as of 2017.

Medical Aid in Dying Annual ReportsJust released:

Opportunities and barriers to artificial intelligence adoption in palliative/hospice care for underrepresented groups: A technology acceptance model-based review Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Tuzhen Xu and Gloria M Rose; 4/2/25 Underrepresented groups (URGs) in the United States, including African Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans, face significant barriers to accessing hospice and palliative care. ... Findings suggest that AI has the potential to improve decision-making, enhance timely palliative care referrals, and bridge language and cultural gaps. Artificial intelligence tools were found to improve predictive accuracy, support serious illness communication, and assist in addressing language barriers, thus promoting equitable care for URGs. However, barriers such as limited generalizability, biases in data, and challenges in infrastructure were noted, hindering the full adoption of AI in hospice settings. Artificial intelligence has transformative potential to improve hospice care for URGs by enhancing cultural sensitivity, improving communication, and enabling more timely interventions. However, to fully realize its potential, AI solutions must address data biases, infrastructure limitations, and cultural nuances. Future research should prioritize developing culturally competent AI tools that are transparent, explainable, and scalable to ensure equitable access to hospice and palliative care services for all populations. [Continue reading ...]

Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about dysphagia and adult swallowing interventions in serious illnessJournal of Palliative Medicine; Sanora Yonan, Taylor Wilde, Alexa Rogers, Kelly J Trumpatori, Kristie Calix, Christina Barnes, Terri Durkin, Eric Mecusker, Christopher A Jones, Caitlyn M Moore, Laura Chahda, Amanda Stead, Lisa A LaGorio, Paula Leslie; 3/25This article highlights the important role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in palliative care (PC), emphasizing their contribution to supporting people with eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties during serious illnesses and at the end of life. The recommendations underscore the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration among SLPs and other PC team members, the importance of patient and caregiver education, and the application of patient-centered, comfort-focused approaches to dysphagia intervention. Drawing on current research and expert insights, this article explores the use of SLP services in PC, as well as the challenges in supporting people with eating and drinking difficulties in advanced stages of illness, embedded with practical tips for clinicians.

2 key trends shaping the hospice workforce in 2025 Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 4/4/25 Hospice providers have unveiled two key themes that are impacting the ability to sustain and grow their workforce. Staffing shortages have long topped the concerns of hospice executives nationwide. Rising demand for hospice care has been outpacing the supply of clinical resources for several years running. Labor strains have also mounted among nonclinical and back-office administrative, billing and IT roles. ...

National Healthcare Decisions Week highlights the importance of Advance Care Planning JAX Chamber - Jacksonville News, Jacksonville, FL; 4/1/25 National Healthcare Decisions Week kicks off on April 14, 2025, with a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the importance of advance healthcare decision-making. This initiative encourages individuals to take proactive steps in planning for their future healthcare needs. Through various events and resources, the week aims to promote thoughtful conversations about healthcare decisions and the completion of advance directives to ensure patients' wishes are known and respected. ... For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, please visit http://nhdd.org.

Home care aides largest occupation in US as of last May, BLS reports McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 4/7/25 As of May 2024, home health and personal care aides made up the largest single occupation in the US with 4 million workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wages Summary report released Wednesday. The next highest groups were retail salespeople and fast food counter workers, which each had 3.8 million. Registered nurses also were among the top 10 largest US occupations, and they were one of only two top 10 workforces that earned above-average wages. RNs’ average salary in May 2024 was just over $98,000. Meanwhile, home health and personal care aides earned an average yearly salary of $35,000, or about $17 per hour.

Interprofessional advance care planning to enhance end-of-life care: A community assessmentCreighton Journal of Collaborative Practice and Education; Meghan Potthoff, Amanda Kirkpatrick, Jenny Jessen, Cathy Fox, Victoria Haneman, Megan Piotrowski, Beatriz Rodriguez, Sydney Langlois; 3/25Lawyers and financial planners are more often sought for estate directives than primary care providers for end-of life planning. Lack of role clarity and divergent views about advance care planning (ACP) responsibility among healthcare providers lead to further delay of these important discussions. A qualitative, exploratory design was employed to investigate ACP understanding, barriers, and needs among aging Nebraskans and Omaha-metro community agencies that serve these consumers. Conclusions: Improved ACP discussions are needed for supporting value-aligned end-of-life care by educating aging adults about, and documenting their wishes for, life-sustaining treatments and other decisions surrounding death. Enhanced role clarity, increased competence, and a collaborative approach are needed among interprofessional team members involved to improve these end-of-life discussions. 

Leaders’ past experiences bring fresh perspectives to home-based care Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 4/2/25 ... Home Instead isn’t the only home-based care company that has an eye for recruiting and leveraging outside talent. Multiple home-based care C-suite executives began their careers outside of health care and are now leveraging these past experiences to bring fresh ideas and strategies to their operations. Finance, journalism and fast food corporations are just a few examples of the industries that line the resumes of home-based care’s top executives. Home Health Care News heard from four home-based care executives and leaders who detailed their experiences working outside of health care, and the lessons they brought with them to benefit the industry. ...

The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do. ~ John Holt

Hiding in plain sight: A narrative review of non-parental relatives' perinatal griefJournal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care; Rennie Bimman, Nancy Graham; 3/25Perinatal loss frequently leads to disenfranchised grief, and members of family systems less proximate to the loss are at risk for additional disenfranchisement. Grandparents and siblings are especially vulnerable to complications in perinatal grief due to intersecting and disenfranchising factors of identity, including age, role within family, and type of loss. Evidence found attested to the uniquely complex grief experiences these populations face as a result of their confluent disenfranchisement, and their overwhelming lack of support and recognition. New insights uncovered may inform clinicians as they assess needs and provide support to these oft-ignored grievers. Significant research gaps remain in this subtopic, such as firsthand perspectives of nonparental grievers, data on other extended family members, and the effect of additional psychosocial stressors on nonparental perinatal grief.

Interventions for prolonged grief disorder in children and adolescents: A systematic reviewJournal of Child & Adolescent Trauma; Sarah Bondy, Haleigh Scott; 3/25 Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) was added as a new diagnosis to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). There is a need to tailor interventions to children and adolescent populations, but there is a lack of consensus on best practices for treating PGD in these populations. Interventions were grouped by modality including group treatments, hybrid treatments (combined group or individual therapy with family therapy), family treatment, and individual treatment. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Attachment Theory and Multidimensional Grief Theory were common theoretical bases for interventions and all shared elements of psychoeducation and integrating knowledge about the loss with existing knowledge. Results for each intervention were found to be generally positive in reducing PGD symptoms.