Literature Review

Sacramento hospice for terminally ill homeless people to open after decade-long effort Sacramento Business Journal; by Chris Campbell; 6/9/25 A new hospice facility in Sacramento will open its doors to terminally ill homeless people on June 18. Joshua's House Hospice ... will provide end-of-life care for up to 15 residents. The project, a decade in the making, was funded by more than $3.5 million in contributions from individual donors, local foundations, the city of Sacramento and Sacramento County. "This project began with simple but profound conversations I had with people living on the streets," said Marlene Von Fredericks-Fitzwater, founder and CEO of Joshua's House. "They weren't afraid of dying, they were afraid of dying alone." The facility consists of six residential units, each approximately 670 square feet ...

Palliative care advocacy at the World Health Assembly 2025 ehospice; by Stephen Connor, Executive Director WHPCA; 6/5/25 Once again, palliative care advocates ensured that the voice of palliative care was heard at the premier event for global health, the World Health Assembly (WHA). The WHA is the governing body of the WHO where resolutions are passed that direct the Global Programme of Work for WHO. ... This year there were resolutions and actions involving non-communicable disease, cervical cancer, lung health, the pandemic response, mental health and social connection, the healthcare workforce, women’s health, universal health coverage, health emergencies, and so forth. WHO’s funding has been significantly reduced due to withdrawal of the US from WHO and global health funding generally. However, during the meeting other countries are stepping up to support WHO. 

Spotlight on medicine: Jack Black makes a splash at Sunday by the Sea Easy Reader & Peninsula; by Tony La Bruno; 6/6/25 On April 27, the stunning backdrop of Lunada Bay set the stage for the 34th annual Sunday by the Sea fundraiser, in support of the Providence TrinityCare Hospice Foundation. The day was filled with entertainment, including a Tiger Squadron flyover and a special appearance by long-time supporter Jack Black. More than 600 enthusiastic attendees gathered to savor offerings from 38 culinary participants stretching from El Segundo to San Pedro, as well as wineries and breweries from Paso Robles to Torrance. Together, they raised nearly $300,000 to benefit vital adult and pediatric hospice and palliative care programs, ensuring compassionate support for every patient and family served.

Understanding hospice care: Eligibility, cost and purpose Emmanuel Hospice; 6/5/25 How do you want to live? It may be surprising to learn that’s the first question Emmanuel Hospice asks every new patient. Isn’t hospice about dying? While hospice is often associated with death, Melissa Wedberg will tell you it’s more about living, especially at Emmanuel Hospice, where she serves as vice president of community relations. With more than a decade in the hospice industry, Wedberg has spent years dispelling this and many other myths. Despite having roots in the U.S. dating back to the 70s, there remains a lot of mystery about hospice. Common questions Wedberg hears include: What is hospice and who’s eligible? How does hospice work? How is hospice paid for? Editor's note: This simple question jumps to the core of person-centered care, "How do you want to live?"

Therapy dog offers comfort, brings calm for family and patients at the Center for Hospice wn.com, South Bend Tribune, South Bend, IN; 6/8/25 Teddy brings comfort and smiles at the Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka. His full name is Theodore H. Bode. However, he answers to the shorter version of the name. He bounds down a hallway and stops to greet a nurse or a family member. Those big brown eyes will win you over immediately. In the hospice rooms in the Ernestine M. Raclin House, the dog knows to follow commands and not run in recklessly. Teddy is a mini Australian Labradoodle and he has been the hospice therapy dog for about 18 months. He is two years old and has been on staff for slightly more than a year.Editor's note: When looking for pet therapy volunteers, ensure that the dog has been certified through a reputable organization. Their certification process needs to include training, evaluation of both the pet and the handler/owner, proof of current vaccinations, proof of insurance (carried by the certifying organization), and ongoing requirements for maintaining the pet's viability. For example, examine www.kywags.org (serving healthcare, schools, and other community needs in the Louisville, KY region). 

The two kinds of people in the world--and why it matters for leadership Fast Company; by Robert E. Siegel; 6/3/25 Hard-nosed leadership and compassionate leadership aren’t opposites. The best leaders embrace both. One provocative assertion I often make when teaching is that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who have hearts and those who don’t. ... I then share that many leaders look at changing technology and changing markets and realize that a lot of jobs in their companies will inevitably be eliminated within the next few years, and it’s not hard to predict which jobs will go away. The question is how the executives react to this realization. ... For the purposes of Systems Leadership, it doesn’t matter which type of person you are in my (admittedly reductive) shorthand. You need to invest in your people whether you have a heart or not, for at least three major reasons.

Summerlin Hospice and Palliative Care transforms hospice care in Las Vegas with comprehensive in-home services East Coastsentinel; Press Release; 6/8/25 The healthcare industry is experiencing significant advancements as Summerlin Hospice and Palliative Care announces the expansion of comprehensive services that redefine compassionate end-of-life care throughout Nevada. ... The in-home care model provides comprehensive medical oversight, including pain management, regular health assessments, and specialized medical testing, all administered by trained healthcare professionals. This approach to hospice allows families to remain together while receiving the highest quality medical attention and emotional support throughout the care process.

A special tribute given to a special nurse Scottsdale Progress, Scottsdale, AZ; by Lin Sue Flood; 6/7/25 One of the original founders of Hospice of the Valley back in 1977 recently received an extraordinary visit from the Arizona Nurse Honor Guard, an organization that honors fellow nurses who have dedicated their lives to the profession. “I am just flattered and overwhelmed,” said Mary Audrey Mellor, who turns 92 in July. “Hospice of the Valley has always had my heart because it’s so compassionate and caring and loving.” Friends and family gathered together at her home at Vi at Silverstone in Scottsdale as she received a Florence Nightingale coin symbolizing comfort, gentleness, courage and an unwavering devotion to duty. Nurse Honor Guard volunteer Cindy Loucel then presented her with a second gift. “We have a quilt to cover you with our love and gratitude and to recognize all those patients you covered in kindness,” she said. “May it bring you comfort, as you gave so many others comfort.”

Central Coast VNA enhances grief counseling and hospice support across Monterey region Economic Policy Times, Monterey, CA; Press Release; 6/6/25 In response to increasing community needs, Central Coast VNA & Hospice has expanded its bereavement support services across Monterey County, deepening its long-standing commitment to holistic, home-based end-of-life care. The expansion strengthens the nonprofit’s hospice and palliative care offerings, particularly in supporting families navigating grief and loss in the wake of a loved one’s passing. ... Expanded Bereavement Services Include:

National group, Oregon Death with Dignity leader says ‘modernization’ bill strips safeguards The Lund Report; by Nick Budnick; 6/5/25 Barbara Coombs Lee, co-author of Oregon’s first-in-the-nation Death with Dignity law, as well as the national assisted-dying group Compassion & Choices, oppose parts of a state Senate bill that they say would remove key safeguards from the law. ,,, [The] group is “very much opposed” to some changes the bill makes, such as eliminating the “fail-safe” of requiring a second doctor vouch for the patient’s state of mind. The group does not support the bill unless it restores needed safeguards, she said. ... The bill makes the most significant changes yet to the law. It would shorten the mandatory waiting period to seven days from the current 15. It also streamlines requirements for institutions to notify patients of their Death With Dignity policies by allowing them to post notices on their websites, and permits electronic transmission of lethal prescriptions. 

Sister Grace spent her life helping the homeless. Now in hospice, she reflects on legacy and lessons WXXI News NPR, Rochester, NY; by Gino Fanelli; 6/6/25Sister Grace Miller smiles as she props herself up in her hospice bed and gently teases her strands of chestnut brown hair. “How does my hair look?” she asks. It’s the type of remark one would expect from Miller. Sister Grace is many things: a radical compassionate, a devout follower of the Catholic faith, a civil disruptor, and a wielder of a sharp, slightly sardonic wit. ... The 89-year-old champion for the homeless and destitute is dying, in hospice care at a congregation home on Carter Street. But her spirit is alive and well. “I would fight with them over whatever, whatever the people needed,” Miller said, referring to the county and city administrations she often tangled with over the years. “I would fight for the people. ... She said it was, ultimately, an undying, uncompromising commitment to the work she does as a fierce and fearless advocate for the poor.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Local bat mitzvah project becomes ‘bear’ mitzvah Columbus Jewish News, Columbus, OH; by Bill Motchan; 6/4/25 Most 13-year-olds preparing for their b’nai mitzvah mark the occasion by completing a community service initiative. Emily Cammeyer had her bat mitzvah in 2012, but her mitzvah project lives on. In fact, it recently turned 13. The program is known as Love & Hugs and is part of the admission process at Wexner Heritage Village’s Zusman Hospice. A new hospice patient receives a stuffed bear to be there as a comfort tool. Eventually, the bear is reunited with the family of the patient. For her mitzvah project, Cammeyer raised enough money to donate 100 bears to Zusman Hospice. Since then, the program has placed more than 4,000 bears. ... “Our social workers help match the bear to the patient,” Sears told the CJN. ... Personalizing the bears was part of an evolution of the program, but it has made it special for hospice patients, Cammeyer said.