Literature Review

Pediatric respite homes provide a survival mechanism for struggling families [podcast]Medpage Today's KevinMD.com; by KevinMD; 1/1/26Certified coach and professor Kathleen Muldoon and co-founder of Ryan House and Children’s Respite Homes of America Jonathan Cottor discuss the article “The need for pediatric respite care.” Kathleen shares the personal story of raising her son Gideon who lives with over 42 medical diagnoses and explain why the family had to move across the country to find safety. They highlight the critical difference between taking a break and surviving the relentless cycle of 24/7 medical vigilance required for medically complex children. 

Awards and Recognitions: December 2025

Netflix: Goodbye June Netflix; retrieved 12/31/25 A messy yet affectionate family gathers round their mother's hospital bed to grapple with grief, complicated love and the tenderness of a final goodbye. Starring: Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Toni ColletteEditor's Note: Do you love movies? Are you transitioning from holidays back to your end-of-life care work? Goodbye June might be that just-right film for you. For readers with access to Netflix, check it out.

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"Taps" Bugle Call: USMC Drum & Bugle Corps [YouTube]YouTube filmed at the National Mall's Vietnam Memorial, Washington DC; compilation by Joy Berger, Editor in Chief; retrieved from the internet 5/22/25We invite you to begin this Memorial Day with this reflective playing of "Taps." Its simple, 24 notes evoke poignant memories and emotions for persons of all generations. Ongoing, we share with you these resources below for the veterans and their families whom you serve.

Flu cases continue to rise across the countryABC 6 News, Rochester, MN; by KAALTV; 2/10/25Flu cases are continuing to rise across the country as doctor visits for flu-like symptoms are now reaching their highest point in 15 years. The CDC estimates at least 24 million illnesses this flu season alone, with 13,000 turning deadly. Right now, about 31% of flu tests are coming back positive, nearly double the peak from last season. Doctors say your best line of defense is vaccination. Editor's note: We see this surge across news media sources, and compiled this state-specific list for you. 

One year after Hurricane Helene: Lessons in resilience, recovery, and renewal Hospice & Palliative Care Today; Joy Berger and Cordt Kassner with Vern Grindstaff, Millicent Burke-Sinclair, and Chris Comeaux; 9/26/25 At this time last year, Hospice & Palliative Care Today brought you a series of articles reporting on the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast, focusing on hospices in the North Carolina mountains. We remain deeply grateful for the many ways you—our readers and colleagues—rallied in support of those hospice organizations and their communities during their time of urgent need. This Saturday, September 27, 2025, marks the one-year anniversary of that epic disaster. To reflect on what has been learned and how recovery has unfolded, Vern Grindstaff (CEO of Compassionate Care WNC, Burnsville, NC), Millicent Burke-Sinclair (President and CEO of Four Seasons, Flat Rock, NC), and Chris Comeaux (President and CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network, Flat Rock, NC) gathered in conversation with Cordt Kassner (publisher) and Joy Berger (editor-in-chief). The insights that follow honor the hospice employees who persevered to provide urgent patient care. We celebrate their spirit of compassionate community and courageous problem-solving from the onset one year ago through ongoing recovery.

Follow-up: Helene and hospice care in the western North Carolina mountains Hospice & Palliative Care Today; summary from a meeting between Vern Grindstaff (CEO, Compassionate Care Western North Carolina), Chris Comeaux and Tina Gentry (Teleios Collaborative Network), Cordt Kassner and Joy Berger (this newsletter); 1/28/25 Hospice recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina's mountains have been massive, with extensive long-term needs ahead. Vern Grindstaff, CEO of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina described the "new normal" they are experiencing.  Photos of this hospice and its service area vividly portrayed this hospice before, soon after Helene, and in its current recovery. Key topics included unthinkable patient care challenges with creative problem-solving, financial implications amounting to a $350,000 deficit for repairs, and the trauma experienced by staff—both professionally and personally. Discussions highlighted the importance of long-term recovery strategies, including the involvement of larger trusts for sustained funding, while also recognizing community support efforts by organizations like the Cajun Navy and Samaritan's Purse. Additionally, Chris Comeaux is presenting to hospice organizations about Emergency Disaster Management, equipping leaders to learn from this tragedy. Editor's note: Click here for a map of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina's service area (CCWNC). Click here to donate to their ongoing recovery. We thank our readers for your previous support to this and other hospices affected by emergency disasters. Additional resources:

After her son’s painful death, a Cheshire mother highlights Connecticut’s pediatric hospice gap New Haven Register, Norwalk, CT; by Cris Villalonga-Vivoni; 10/26/25 Carolyn Torello believes that no parent should outlive their children, yet that became her reality. ...  As his condition worsened, the family faced his impending death without the support of pediatric palliative or hospice care. No provider, she said, seemed to know how to help or where to begin. He died at 15 years old in 2021. ... In 2020, an estimated 7,800 children in Connecticut were living with complex medical conditions that limited their life expectancy and could have benefited from palliative or hospice care, according to data from the National Survey of Children's Health. ... Torello thinks that if Michael had access to hospice care, he could have died with greater dignity, and their family could have focused on simply being together. ... Efforts to create a more formalized pediatric palliative care system have been underway since 2024, led by a state-commissioned working group that will make recommendations to the legislature on potential reforms.Editor's Note: Editor's Note: This article puts forth significant information (with links) for all states, for all hospices. Having served on the firmly rooted Pediatrics Team of Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville (begun in 1980) for four years (1997-2001), I take for granted how some type of pediatric hospice care needs to be available in every region. For related articles we have recently posted:

Risk of dementia diagnosis after injurious falls in older adultsJAMA Network Open; Alexander J. Ordoobadi, MD; Hiba Dhanani, MD, ScM; Samir R. Tulebaev, MD; Ali Salim, MD; Zara Cooper, MD, MSc; Molly P. Jarman, PhD, MPH; 9/24In this cohort study, new ADRD [Alzheimer disease and related dementias] diagnoses were more common after falls compared with other mechanisms of injury, with 10.6% of older adults being diagnosed with ADRD in the first year after a fall. To improve the early identification of ADRD, this study’s findings suggest support for the implementation of cognitive screening in older adults who experience an injurious fall that results in an ED visit or hospital admission. 

On this New Year's Eve, we run the most read stories 2024-2025! All stories had 5000+ clicks each, sorted from most read. Enjoy!

A time for community and kindness Senior Concerns; by Martha Shapiro; 12/24/25 I am inspired by the spirit of the holidays and hope to carry some of it with me into the coming year. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. Then Chanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and finally the New Year. ... In truth, each holiday brings its own traditions, but together they form a season that invites reflection, generosity, and connection. ... Recently, someone wished me “happy all the things.”  It was a sweet and funny way to say happy holidays without knowing what holiday I celebrate. Truthfully, I do not mind what holiday someone references if their intent is to be kind. ...  At the same time, I am reminded that the holidays are not joyous for everyone. ... This year, I am making a conscious effort to practice small acts of kindness towards others, and to intentionally recognize and thank those that do them for me.