Literature Review

Hospice social worker and nurse perceptions of the usability of a hospice live discharge protocol (LDP)American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Stephanie P. Wladkowski, Susan Enguídanos, Tracy A. Schroepfer; 9/25Live discharges from hospice are often distressing for patients, caregivers, and hospice providers alike, disrupting care continuity and leading to emotional and logistical challenges. Despite Medicare’s discharge planning requirement, no standardized process currently exists for hospice-initiated discharges, resulting in variable quality of care transitions.  An explicit Live Discharge Protocol has strong potential to enhance the quality and consistency of a live discharge from hospice care. The LDP provides a framework to help smooth the transition from hospice care and provides patients and families with post-discharge support. Feedback from hospice professionals affirmed the relevance and usability of each step within the LDP, while also identifying opportunities for refinement for future implementation.

What we get wrong about death, according to end-of-life workers Yahoo Lifestyle, originally appeared on HuffPost; by Monica Torres; 10/10/25 The one big thing that people have in common is that we all will die, and we likely will experience the death of someone we love, too. ... That’s why it can help to hear the insights of people who see death all the time, because understanding it now can help us better process grief about others and feel more at ease when thinking about our own mortality. ...

Rehab patients practice skills by building hospice care packages as Oak Park police and Lincoln Rx donate supplies. Feiga Bowick connects it all.  The Detroit Jewish News; by Rochel Burstyn; 10/9/25 ... Small steps can quickly snowball and make a big difference. Feiga Bowick, LMSW, CDP, the manager of Social Services and Community Engagement at PARC Home Care and Hospice of Southeast Michigan, ... [described] her recent hospice collaboration with Life Skills Village ... a rehabilitation center mainly for patients who have developmental delays and traumatic brain injuries. “I met with their occupational therapist ...: "How could these patients help others in a way that would be helpful to their own recovery?” Bowick said. “Many patients at Life Skills Village are working on fine motor skills and organizational skills, and we decided to try and get items together so they could create care packages for PARC hospice patients — while practicing their skills.” [Continue reading this inspirational story.]

The expanding role of family medicine in Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias Patient Care; by Grace Halsey; 10/7/25 [From the 2025 Family Medicine Experience conference] Family medicine's unique position in dementia management spans initial diagnosis through end-of-life care. ... Dementia Staging: Clinical Assessment and Hospice EligibilityFor practical bedside assessment and hospice determination, the Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST) proves particularly valuable.1 The FAST scale includes 7 main stages, progressing from no impairment (stage 1) through severe dementia requiring total care (stage 7). Stage 7 breaks down further into substages (7a-7f) that capture specific functional losses including ambulation, independent sitting, smiling, and head control. Eligibility for hospice care generally requires FAST stage 7c or beyond, indicating ... [continue reading this important criteria] Editor's Note: Leaders must understand hospice eligibility criteria when setting census goals, guiding teams, and communicating with families. Getting it wrong risks fraudulent billing, angry caregivers when live discharges occur, or too little care that comes too late. Getting it right ensures dignity, humanity, and meaningful final moments amid dementia's long goodbyes—true measures of compassionate hospice dementia care.

Studying connection at life’s end: Dean’s distinguished research fellowship captures social realities of dying individuals Royal Purple - founded 1901, La Crosse, WI; by UW-La Crosse University Marketing & Communications; 10/6/25 ... The project was sparked in late 2024 when [senior Maddi Jo] Baumann approached [faculty menot Angela] Geraci with an idea rooted in personal experience and public health urgency. Inspired in part by the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on the loneliness epidemic, Baumann wondered: What happens socially to people who are dying? Key findings: what drives social change at the end of life? The team’s early findings point to several factors that influence social relationships during the dying process:

Grief etiquette in the digital age: Why waiting, listening, and respecting family wishes matters more than ever National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) - Remembering a Life; by Dr. Camelia L. Clarke; 10/2/25When my nephew died unexpectedly, I was still reeling from the news when my phone began to buzz with notifications. Within an hour, his death was already circulating on social media. The world had found out before our family had even begun to process the loss, let alone notify our closest friends and relatives. I remember feeling overwhelmed, exposed, and, most of all, heartbroken—not just by the loss itself, but by how quickly and impersonally it became public knowledge. As a funeral director and grief educator for nearly thirty years, I’ve witnessed this scenario unfold countless times. 

Grieving someone who’s still here Psychology Today; by Bob Uslander, MD; 10/2/25 Grief does not always begin after death. For many families facing dementia, terminal illness, or a slow decline, it arrives before the final goodbye—quietly, persistently, and often without recognition. This is known as anticipatory grief: the emotional process of mourning a loved one who is still alive. As a palliative care physician, I see this every day. Spouses tell me they feel like they have already lost their partner. Adult children struggle with the reversal of roles, becoming the caregiver to the parent who once cared for them. Caregivers often oscillate between love, exhaustion, guilt, and detachment. None of this means they are doing it wrong. It means they are grieving.

Strengthening mental health literacy enhances job well-being in palliative care Oncology Nures Advisor; by Megan Garlapow, PhD; 10/1/25 Positive mental health literacy (PMeHL) significantly improved job well-being among palliative care nurses, with job crafting acting as a partial mediator in this relationship, according to a study published in BMC Psychology. These results highlight the importance of psychological resources and proactive role adjustments for supporting nurses working in high-stress palliative care settings.Editor's Note: "Job crafting" is the process by which employees actively shape and redefine their roles to enhance job satisfaction, engagement, and meaning in their work. 

Instilling hope: A comprehensive model of cancer care for younger adults Targeted Oncology; by Andrea Eleazar, MHS and Shane Dormady, MD, PhD; 9/29/25 In the past decade, the incidence of numerous cancer types has increased, particularly among younger adults under age 50. For younger adults, many of whom are primary breadwinners of their households or in the height of their educational or professional careers, a cancer diagnosis at this life stage can be unexpected and jarring. ... In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Shane Dormady, MD, PhD, medical director of El Camino Health Cancer Center, describes the unique needs and challenges of younger adults, outlines El Camino Health’s comprehensive care strategy, and offers insights and considerations for treating and interacting with this patient population.

A decade of interactive educational exchange: Impacting interprofessional palliative care educationJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Laura J Morrison, Shirley Otis-Green, Julie Bruno, Pamela N Fordham, Elise C Carey; 9/25The interprofessional clinical practice model is arguably the most impactful and generative aspect of hospice and palliative care (HPC) clinical practice. This article describes the innovative shared interprofessional leadership model, andragogical infrastructure, program development, educational impact, and critical lessons from the Interactive Educational Exchange (IEE). In response to a deficit in interprofessional HPC educational opportunities for rapid scholarship dissemination and mentorship, interprofessional leaders from medicine, social work and nursing proposed and implemented the IEE at the Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care presented by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association from 2010-2020. The reported outcome measures for interprofessional scholarship and engagement, session evaluations, and attendance demonstrate why this successful innovation was repeated annually for over a decade pre-COVID. 

Carolina Caring Foundation helps hospice patient fulfill dream at North Carolina Zoo Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; Press Release; 9/23/25 A hospice patient fulfilled her lifelong dream of meeting and feeding a giraffe thanks to the Life Enrichment Fund through the Carolina Caring Foundation. Deborah, a patient at Carolina Caring, has always been fascinated by the wildlife of Africa, the work of Jane Goodall, and the unique beauty of giraffes. ... Deborah has always had an adventurous spirit. In the past, she tried many new experiences—including a fun helicopter ride with her family during a beach trip—but one thing she always yearned to do was meet a giraffe. Her Carolina Caring social worker, Carley, recognized this dream and soon created a pathway for this wish to come true. . ... Carolina Caring gave this family more than just a trip to the zoo. They provided a celebration and memory-making that the family will now forever carry in their hearts and minds.

How a novel coaching intervention is building resilience and hope in adolescents and young adults with advanced cancer: A conversation with Abby R. Rosenberg, MD, MS, MA The ASCO Post; by Jo Cavaloo; 9/15/25 Each year, nearly 90,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs; aged 15–39) are diagnosed with cancer, and approximately 9,300 die of the disease. ... AYAs are at increased risk for developing adverse long-term side effects from cancer and/or its treatment, including chronic conditions, secondary cancers, infertility, poor psychosocial health, and financial toxicity. ... The findings from a recent randomized phase III clinical trial investigating a novel resilience coaching intervention for AYA patients with advanced cancer are showing promising results in improving feelings of resilience and hope, as well as longer-term improvement in quality of life for these patients. ... In a wide-ranging interview with The ASCO Post, Dr. Rosenberg discussed the psychosocial impact of cancer on AYA cancer survivors, the results of the PRISM-AC study, and how AYA survivors are able to cope with having a terminal prognosis.