Literature Review

Hearing loss, loneliness may contribute to cognitive decline in older adults McKnights Senior Living; by John Roszkowski; 7/28/25 Hearing loss and loneliness can contribute to dementia in older adults, and simple interventions to address hearing loss, such as hearing aids, may reduce cognitive decline in some cases, new research finds. ... Results of the study showed that higher levels and worsening self-reported hearing impairment were associated with steeper decline in episodic memory issues and executive functioning (verbal fluency). Further, the researchers found that individuals who were not socially isolated but still felt lonely saw their cognitive decline accelerate if they were deaf.

Casting hope: A last wish by the water The Citizen, Fayette County, GA; by Compassus Hospice; 7/27/25 For Compassus hospice patient Gerry Higginbotham of Fayetteville, GA, the simple act of casting a line into the ocean had long been a dream—one that felt just out of reach. But thanks to a compassionate care team and the support of the Angel Foundation, that dream became a reality. ... The Hospice Angel Foundation generously covered the cost of lodging near Tybee Island, GA. But transportation and food expenses remained a challenge. That’s when the Compassus Fayetteville hospice team did something extraordinary: they personally donated funds to cover the remaining trip costs, ensuring Gerry and his daughter could make the journey. ... This wasn’t just a trip—it was a moment of peace, purpose and joy for someone who had given so much of himself to others. 

S.2287 - Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act Congress.gov, 199th Congress (2025-2026); bill sponsored by Sen. Tammy Baldwin; introduced 7/15/25 Introduction: To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of permanent faculty in palliative care at accredited allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools and other programs, including social work, physician assistant, and chaplaincy education programs, to promote education and research in palliative care and hospice, and to support the development of faculty careers in academic palliative and hospice care. [Click on the title's link the full document.]

Why more seniors are going broke in the last 5 years of life SavingAdvice.com; by Riley Jones; 7/27/25 ... According to recent data, more seniors than ever are entering the last five years of life with little to no savings, and some are accumulating serious debt. Despite years of work, careful budgeting, and modest living, the final chapter of life is becoming one of the most financially devastating. ...

By the Bay Health CEO on stretching home health dollar, surviving proposed rate cuts Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 7/25/25 ... By the Bay Health CEO Skelly Wingard aims to improve the quality and accessibility of the company’s home health care line by enhancing the company’s clinical informatics and collaborating across service lines and managed care. These initiatives emerge amid regulatory uncertainty, as proposed Medicare home health rate cuts have raised alarms across the industry. Wingard warned that such cuts could force many providers out of business.By the Bay Health is an affiliate of the University of California San Francisco Health. The organization’s service lines include hospice, palliative, pediatric and skilled home health care. The company serves the entire Bay Area.

There'll be a part of me that goes on.You created something. You made a mark on your time. I don't know why that's so important to me. It just is. But I'm not finished!I'm as lost as everybody else.I'm still looking, I'm still searching.I may not ever figure it all out, but I'm trying.~ Billy Joel, from And So It Goes - Part 2 documentary 

Tell us more: Episode 1-Dr. Betty FerrellJournal of Palliative Medicine; podcast by Betty Ferrell, Yilong Peng, William E Rosa, Richard E Leiter; 7/22/25The Journal of Palliative Medicine'sTell Us More: The Palliative Care Oral History Project" seeks to tell the story of hospice and palliative care through informal interviews with pivotal leaders in the field. In each episode, hosts Drs. Ricky Leiter and Billy Rosa, along with research assistant Dr. Yilong Peng, sit down with an Hospice and Palliative Care luminary and do what our field does best-ask questions, listen, and reflect. In the first episode, Drs. Leiter and Rosa interviewed Dr. Betty Ferrell, Director of Nursing Research and Education, and a Professor at City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, California. Editor's note: Listen now to this inspiring interview with Dr. Betty Ferrell.

Hospice of Wichita Falls hosts ceremony for Wall of Service KFDX /KJTL Wichita Falls, TX; by Aaron Gonders; 7/24/25 The Hospice of Wichita Falls’ Wall of Service is empty following a first-of-its-kind ceremony in the hospice’s garden. The Wall of Service was created as part of a Texoma Gives project. It has room for 54 individual plaques, each recognizing a veteran or first responder who entrusted their end-of-life care to Hospice of Wichita Falls. Sheppard Air Force Base was also involved in the ceremony, with service members acting as volunteers and providing a guest speaker. Wichita Falls Hospice hopes to do more of these ceremonies, but only once the wall is filled again.

When grief involves trauma − a social worker explains how to support survivors of the recent floods and other devastating losses The Conversation; podcast by Gemma Ware with Dr. Liza Lane; 7/17/25 The July 4, 2025, floods in Kerr County, Texas, swept away children and entire families, leaving horror in their wake. Days later, flash floods struck Ruidoso, New Mexico, killing three people, including two young children. ... When death is sudden, violent, or when a body is never recovered, grief gets tangled up with trauma. In these situations, people don’t only grieve the death. They struggle with the terror of how it happened, the unanswered questions and the shock etched into their bodies. I’m a social work professor, grief researcher and the founder of The Young Widowhood Project, a research initiative aimed at expanding scholarship and public understanding of premature spousal loss. Both my personal loss and professional work have shown me how trauma changes the grieving process and what kind of support actually helps. To understand how trauma can complicate grief, it’s important to first understand how people typically respond to loss.

Dignity at risk: hospice care faces critical worker shortage amidst policy challenges ABC WCIV-4 News, Charleston, SC; by Webb Wright; 7/23/25 Officials are giving dire predictions for the future of palliative care and hospice care. There's a rapidly growing need for nurses and healthcare workers in those areas, including home healthcare and nursing home workers. Educators and facilitators in those areas of care are working to prevent a crisis that's expected to peak in less than a decade. By 2033, the number of new projected jobs in this area of healthcare is expected to be more than 820,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With a median starting salary of under $35,000, recruiters and workers are scrambling to fill the void sooner rather than later.

Willey Family Foundation dedicates patient suite and garden at Aroostook House of Comfort The County, Presque Isle, ME; Press Release; 7/24/25 The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is honored to announce the dedication of its first named patient suite at the Aroostook House of Comfort, made possible through a generous commitment from the Willey Family Foundation. This marks a major  milestone in the Foundation’s recently revitalized Naming Opportunities Campaign, launched to sustain and strengthen its mission while offering a meaningful way for donors to create lasting legacies. With a pledge of $15,000 annually, the Willey Family Foundation will fulfill and exceed the $50,000 naming level for a patient suite. This dedication is in loving memory of Philip and Vivian Willey. In addition to the suite, the family is also naming a garden area outside the suite  window, providing a serene space for reflection and comfort. Through donor-advised funding managed by the Maine Community Foundation, the Willey Family Foundation has contributed more than $47,000 to the Aroostook Hospice Foundation to date.

Your secret weapon: How simple recognition fuels success HR Daily Advisor; by HR Daily Advisor Staff; 7/23/25 In today’s fast-moving work world, the key to winning isn’t just about cool tech or smart processes. It’s about truly putting people first. Dr. Meisha-Ann Martin, VP of People Research at Workhuman and speaker at SHRM 25, recently showed us just how powerful this can be. She highlighted that when done right, recognition isn’t just a nice gesture – it’s a game-changer for your entire company.

Be on the lookout for this new Medicare scam Las Vegas Review-Journal; by Toni King; 7/24/25 Dear Toni: A hospice agent recently came knocking on the doors in my neighborhood saying he represented Medicare. He was giving away hospice gifts and told me that I could receive these Medicare services at no charge for me and my husband. I told him that I did not give out personal information to anyone that I do not know. Now, I’m concerned that I could have made a mistake. Should I call and ask if this Medicare service is still available? —Deidre, Katy, Texas Dear Deidre: Medicare is not giving away anything free! This is a new scam that is targeting America’s Medicare population.  ...Editor's Note: Though we’ve addressed this topic repeatedly in recent months, ongoing awareness and community education remain essential. Please continue seeking opportunities to collaborate with media outlets in your service areas to help inform and protect vulnerable populations. Use the following articles—previously featured in our newsletter—as reference points: