Literature Review

Hospice of Southern Illinois marks 45 years of care The Southern Illinoisan, Marion, IL; by Paul Wilcoxen; 7/30/26 Hospice of Southern Illinois has spent the past 45 years helping patients and families navigate the end of life. The Marion Chamber of Commerce recognized the anniversary Thursday. Hospice of Southern Illinois CEO Amy Richter said the milestone belongs as much to the people behind the organization as it does to the organization itself. “When I first came to the company 17 years ago, the census down in Marion, the number of patients that we served back then was half of what it is now, so it’s grown that much,” Richter said. “Again, it’s due to the staff and all of our volunteers, and the community and all of our community partners.”

Heart to Heart Hospice opens new Oklahoma City location Oklahoma Journal Record, Oklahoma City, OK; by Journal Record Staff; 7/31/26Heart to Heart Hospice celebrated the opening of its new Oklahoma City location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Edmond Chamber of Commerce. The event welcomed Heart to Heart Hospice as a new member of the Edmond Chamber and provided an opportunity for community members and business leaders to learn more about the organization’s services. Founded in 2003, Heart to Heart Hospice has expanded to more than 65 locations across Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas. The organization said its new Oklahoma City location will allow it to serve patients and families throughout Edmond and the greater Oklahoma City area.

Hospice doctor reveals the loved ones who will visit and those who won’t in your final dreams Upworthy; by Cecily Knobler; 8/1/26 “They had a pivotal role in the formation of who you were.” ... Hospice physician and neurologist Dr. Christopher Kerr, MD, PhD, recently appeared on The Oprah Podcast to discuss his experiences with people as they neared their last breath. After interviewing over 1,500 patients described as being in “lucid” mental states, he has discovered a common theme among the memories of their dreams. ... “End-of-life experiences testify to our greatest need to love and be loved, ... To be nurtured and feel connected. To be remembered and forgiven. They provide continuity between and across lives. ... The most common thing they would dream about is seeing their deceased loved ones. And it wasn’t just anybody. It was those that loved and secured the most. So there’s almost this form of final justice. If somebody withheld love, one parent, they were excluded, but the one who nurtured and loved and secured was included.”

MUSC College of Nursing expands global role in palliative care education through ELNEC partnership Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; Press Release; 7/30/26 The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Nursing (CON) has joined the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) as an official partner. This partnership strengthens national and global efforts to prepare the healthcare workforce for the growing demand for palliative care. Alongside City of Hope and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the MUSC College of Nursing reinforces a shared commitment to improving the quality of palliative care in the United States and around the world. “We are proud to join ELNEC in advancing palliative care education at a time when the need has never been greater. ...” said Catherine Durham, DNP, APRN, dean of the College of Nursing. 

Hospice and Palliative Medicine Advisory Committee Meeting Summary | Spring 2026American Board of Internal Medicince | ABIM Blog, Philadelphia, PA; by ABIM; 7/31/26 The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Advisory Committee held its spring meeting on April 28, 2026. Representatives from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and guests from the University of Colorado joined for a portion of the meeting. ... The following is a summary of the spring meeting. ... Furman S. McDonald, MD, MPH, President and CEO of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation, discussed progress on ABIM’s strategic initiatives, including:

Why traditional primary care fails frail elders and the future need for specialized models | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Bethany Snider; 7/29/26 Traditional primary care wasn't designed for today's frail elders—and that gap may be one of healthcare's greatest challenges. As America's population ages, healthcare leaders face an urgent question: Is the traditional primary care model enough to care for frail older adults with complex medical, functional, and social needs?  In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux welcomes Dr. Bethany Snider, Chief Medical Officer of Everent Health, to explore why the future of serious illness care requires a fundamentally different approach. Together, they unpack the emerging concept of the frail elder practice—a longitudinal, interdisciplinary model that extends beyond office visits to meet patients where they are, both physically and emotionally.

Opened floodgates: Why current M&A pressures favor home-based care consolidators Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 7/28/26 High interest rates have slowed and complicated home-based care M&A, but they may also be creating a favorable buying opportunity for investors willing to enter the market now.  Buyers able to absorb higher borrowing costs may find a slower and more complex dealmaking landscape — one where compliance has become a critical screening tool, particularly in Medicaid-funded care, according to experts speaking at Home Health Care News’ Capital+Strategy conference in March. At the same time, speakers pointed to opportunities to build regional platforms through smaller acquisitions and to capitalize on potential long-term upside in skilled home health. ... While eyeing an attractive future for home-based care investment, buyers have to keep the heightened focus on fraud, waste and abuse in mind when shopping for a potential home-based care provider.

There are moments that remind you just how powerful music can be. YouTube; by Navacare; 6/27/26There are moments that remind you just how powerful music can be. Recently, I had the privilege of attending a ceremony honoring a veteran for his service to our country. During the ceremony, Grace from AccentCare Hospice sang "I Will Always Love You." It was beautiful. It was moving. And if I'm being honest, it brought a few tears to my eyes. Not only because we were honoring someone who had given so much, but because it was also my dad's favorite song. Music has a remarkable way of connecting us to people, memories, and emotions that words alone often can't reach. For many older adults, especially those living with dementia or memory loss, music can spark recognition, comfort, and moments of connection that feel truly extraordinary. [Watch the video to the end, to hear the dad's response.]

Local nurse goes to Washington DC to meet with elected officials about hospice fraud YubaNet.com, Grass Valley, CA; by Foothills Compassionate Care; 7/22/26 Last month, at end of June, Registered Nurse, Kellie Bolle of Foothills Compassionate Care, traveled to Washington DC to meet with elected officials on the issue of fraud, waste and abuse in hospice care. ... With a rapidly escalating fraud crisis in hospice care, reputable, mission-focused organizations and providers are having to answer for a growing number of bad actors. Foothills Compassionate Care invites the public to an interactive town hall that will include: An update on national efforts to combat hospice fraud, insights from Clinical Care Manager Kellie Bolle, MSN, RN, CHPN, following her advocacy meetings in Washington, D.C., information about how to identify a reputable hospice provider, a discussion of hospice, palliative care, and the Medicare hospice benefit, and an open question-and-answer session with hospice professionals. Free and open to the public. [On Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Go to this article for their RSVP to the public.]

Life’s Treasures Thrift Store plans Dade City locationThe Laker Lutz News, Dade City, FL; Press Release; 7/26/26Chapters Health System, a nonprofit hospice organization, has leased a 10,000-square-foot retail space at 12709 U.S. 301 in Dade City to serve as a new Life’s Treasures Thrift Store location. The thrift store is moving from Zephyrhills to provide a more modernized shopping experience. The relocation is part of a strategic update of the health system’s thrift stores that benefit the charity grief and hospice services of HPH Hospice and LifePath Hospice, affiliates of Chapters Health System. The organization also recently leased a 10,000-square-foot thrift store location planned for The Villages.

National Alliance for Care at Home welcomes Denis Fleming Jr. as Chief Government Affairs OfficerNational Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 7/23/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today announced longtime industry leader Denis Fleming Jr. will serve as Chief Government Affairs Officer effective August 10. Fleming is a distinguished government affairs leader bringing over two decades of experience spanning key leadership roles in Congress, with state executive bodies, and major home health and hospice companies. Most recently, Fleming served as Vice President of Federal Government Affairs with United Health Group after serving 8 years as Senior Vice President & Legislative Counsel, State and Federal Affairs at LHC Group, where he led federal and state advocacy for this national home health and hospice provider. 

Hard truth: If you wait until you feel better to start living, you might be waiting forever. Go live your life. Do it sad. Do it anxious. Do it uncertain. Because healing doesn't always come before the experience. Sometimes, the experience is what heals you. ~Caroline Leaf

Private equity’s joint venture takeover of nonprofit healthcare Private Equity Stakeholder Project; Report; 7/6/26 Behind nonprofit partnerships, private equity firms are building a growing footprint across hospitals, hospice, rehabilitation, and outpatient care. Over the past decade, private equity has dramatically expanded its presence across the healthcare system. While much of the public attention has focused on traditional acquisitions of hospitals, physician practices, nursing homes, and other providers, private equity firms are increasingly pursuing another strategy: joint ventures with nonprofit health systems. PESP’s new report examines how these partnerships have become an increasingly important avenue for private equity-backed healthcare companies to expand across hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, hospice, home health, behavioral health, and other sectors.