Literature Review

Differences in after-death communications: A comparative analysis of unexpected vs. expected deaths and their impact on survivors' grief and perception of deathOmega; by Tess H McCormick, Gwen Grams, Fatma A Wise, Madeline Burns, Ashna Charania, Noelle St Germain-Sehr, Chris Roe, Callum E Cooper, David Lorimer, Evelyn Elsaesser, Jennifer Kim Penberthy; 9/25This study explores changes in grief and fear of death in individuals who reported after death communications (ADC) from people who died unexpectedly or whose death was expected. We found that those bereaved by unexpected loss reported significantly higher levels of uncertainty regarding changes in their fear of death compared to those bereaved by an expected loss. However, no significant differences were found in grief between the two groups. Most participants reported a positive impact of ADC on their bereavement, regardless of the type of loss they experienced.

The silent grief of grandmothers after an out-of-order death-An interpretative phenomenological analysisDeath Studies; by Jordan Robertson, Elizabeth A Cutrer-Párraga, Paul Caldarella, Jeremy B Yorgason, Terrell Young, Erjola Gjini, Sarah Stuart, Savannah Tueller; 9/25This study delves into the lived experiences of grandmothers grappling with grief following the "out-of-order" death of a child, child-in-law, or grandchild ... Findings reveal three key themes: navigating personal grief, intergenerational support dynamics, and reconstructing family identity. Grandmothers oscillate between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented coping, with grief intensity varying by relational proximity-most profound when losing their own child. They provide emotional and practical support to surviving grandchildren, yet their own sorrow is frequently overlooked, fostering isolation. The study suggests the need for enhanced recognition and tailored support for grandmothers, integrating life course theory to address the disruption of off-time deaths, ultimately advocating for a balanced approach to their bereavement process.

Rehab and death: Improving end-of-life care for Medicare skilled nursing facility beneficiariesJournal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Sarguni Singh, Christian Davis Furman, Lynn A. Flint, Joan Teno; 8/25Hospitalized older adults with serious illness may be discharged to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) [and] ... for those that do not improve, discharge to a SNF can begin a cycle of costly care transitions between hospital, home with home health care, SNFs, and long-term care facilities, leading to fragmented care and missed opportunities for discussions about preferences for care, illness understanding, and to address distressing symptoms. In this article, we describe key policies that contribute to high-cost, low-value care near the end of life for older adults using the Medicare SNF benefit.

New AAHPM CEO on ensuring widespread access to hospice and palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/25/25 Workforce, access to care, reimbursement and public policy are top agenda items for the A merican Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine as new CEO Pierre M. Désy takes the reins. ... Hospice News sat down with Désy to discuss the academy’s current priorities and the top issues facing hospice and palliative medicine. ... [Jim Parker] "Could you tell me some of your top priorities as you come into this new role?" [Dr. Pierre Désy] I have been focusing on listening and alignment. So the first part is a listening tour and relationship building tour, where I’m talking with every board member, one on one. I’m talking with committee chairs, council chairs. I’m speaking with all of our partners, every staff person, sponsors and individual donors.

A hospice intervention for caregivers: Improving home hospice management of end-of-life symptoms (I-HoME) pilot study Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Veerawat Phongtankuel, Sara J. Czaja, Taeyoung Park, Jerad Moxley, Ronald D. Adelman, Ritchell Dignam, Dulce M. Cruz-Oliver, Micah Denzel Toliver, M. C. Reid; 9/24/25 Background: While home-based hospice care seeks to reduce suffering at the end of life (EoL), patients continue to experience a high symptom burden. High symptom burden contributes to adverse outcomes, including patient suffering, burdensome care transitions, and caregiver burden. Yet, most caregivers lack formal education in patient symptom management despite providing up to 65 h of care per week. ... Conclusion: The I-HoME intervention was feasible to implement in the home hospice setting and acceptable to caregivers and hospice staff. Future efficacy trials are needed to determine whether this caregiver-focused intervention ... can measurably improve patient and caregiver outcomes in the home hospice setting.

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.

Executive Personnel Changes - 9/26/25

Treasuring each moment has become more than a lesson--it's the way we live and serve every day. ~ Millicent Burke-Sinclair, President and CEO of Four Seasons, Flat Rock/Asheville, NC, reflecting on this 1-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene

[United Kingdom] 2 in 5 hospices planning to make cuts this year ehospice; by Hospice UK; 9/24/25 Data from Hospice UK reveals that as many as 2 in 5 hospices are planning to make cuts this year. With demand for services rising fast, the stark reality of insufficient funding leaves hospices with no option but to shrink services just as they should be expanding. Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK says: “Hospices are on the brink. Recent short-term funding for hospices in England, Scotland and Wales has been a genuine help, but as costs continue to snowball and demand keeps rising hospices can’t keep up and many are making or considering cuts. 

Avow recognizes World Hospice and Palliative Care Day Priority Marketing; Press Release; 9/25/25 Avow joins organizations around the globe in observing World Hospice and Palliative Care Day on Saturday, Oct. 11, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the critical role hospice and palliative care play in supporting patients and families facing serious illness. Editor's Note: For information to honor hits at your organization, visit our 7/15/25 post, World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 - Achieving the Promise: Universal access to palliative care 

Living with dementia: To improve lives, we need to change how we think and talk about this experience in aging societies EurekAlert! - AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science); peer reviewed publication by The Hastings Center; 9/24/25 To experience or even contemplate dementia raises some of the most profound questions: What does it mean to be a person? How does someone find meaning in life while facing progressive neurological deterioration? ... To improve the lives of our fellow citizens who are living with dementia or providing dementia care, all of us need to pay attention to how we imagine and talk about these interwoven and increasingly common experiences, concludes Living with Dementia: Learning from Cultural Narratives in Aging Societies, a special report published by The Hastings Center for Bioethics. This report responds to calls from health care and social service practitioners for new ways to depict and talk about dementia, a collective term for Alzheimer disease and related dementias. Editor's Note: Click here for free access to multiple articles in this crucial report, such as

Reimbursement changes and home health outlook Levin Associates; by Dylan Sammut; 9/22/25 Over the summer, the home health industry was hit with some new potential headwinds. On June 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2026 proposed rule for the home health prospective payment system, which proposes significant rate adjustments. In this article, we’re going to explore what the most significant changes are and how they will impact the home health market. ...