Literature Review

Bo-Hawg & Evermore, a love story & a fish fry: A deep-fried meaning found in grief Evermore Newsletter - "Community, Family, Grief"; 6/9/25 Grease popping, no breeze, standing in direct sunlight, lifting coolers with 50 pounds of grouper, hands coated in cornmeal and batter, and a heat index of 107. Ah, those were the days. That’s what it was like cooking seafood with my pops. My man LOVED this. A big reason is because he did this with his dad growing up. Later in life they began volunteering their services (and fish) as a way to help raise money for youth sports in our hometown. They would fry grouper, boil peanuts, boil shrimp — you name it, they did it. So, it was only natural that my siblings and I grew up sharing this tradition with him.  ... [Click on the title to continue reading this inspiring father-son story about both volunteering and coping with grief.]

New Hampshire woman’s father dies in hospice care [in fire evacuation zone] when California fires broke out CBS News WBZ, Boston, MA / YouTube; 1/15/25, published in our newsletter 1/15/25Just two hours before the fire evacuation--Merle Fetter--Barbara's husband of 64 years died in Royal Oaks Hospice Care, with Barbara holding his hand until the end . … As the fire moved through Altadena towards Monrovia Barbara was forced to leave Merrill's body, unable to be evacuated. ... [Daughter in New Hampshire:]  “I didn't know where my mother was. I didn't know what happened to my father's body.” Barbara's daughter—Joy—thousands thousands of miles away in New Hampshire couldn't fly to Los Angeles until Friday. When she finally landed she received a reassuring call from Royal Oaks her mom was OK and her father's remains taken to the coroner's office. Staff feel like residents here are their family. 

Commonwealth Hospice cuts ribbon on new office Times Leader, forty Fort, WY; by Sam Zavada; 6/10/25 Commonwealth Hospice — formerly based in Berwick — now has a presence in the Wyoming Valley. They held a ribbon-cutting and open house at their new office at the 900 Rutter Avenue building on Tuesday afternoon. The new location officially opened about two weeks ago. Residents of Luzerne County will now have access to the services provided by Commonwealth Hospice, including nursing assistance, social work and bereavement and spiritual care. Commonwealth also has a team of volunteers who can go to patients rather than vice versa.

Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Fashion for a Cause raises more than $305K BayNet, Annapolis, MD; by Hospice of the Chesapeake; 6/11/25 Style met substance on June 5, as Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Fashion for a Cause returned to the U.S. Naval Academy’s Fluegel Alumni Center. The high-energy fashion show smashed last year’s totals, raising more than $305,000 to support the nonprofit’s community health programs, including pediatric hospice care, children’s grief counseling, and family support services. The event has become one of Annapolis’s most anticipated evenings. Guests were treated to a red-carpet experience complete with bites from local restaurants, personal magic trick performances by magician Chris Dugdale and a moving celebration of compassion and community care.

National Alliance: Proposed 2.4% hospice payment update would create shortfall Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/11/25 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2.4% hospice base rate increase is woefully inadequate, and new physician attestation requirements may place undue burdens on providers, according to comments from the National Alliance for Care at Home. The Alliance on Tuesday released its public comments on the 2026 hospice payment rule, which stated that the proposed increase will not adequately cover hospices’ rising costs for supplies, labor, travel and other expenses. 

2,200 Walk to Remember those who have passed away Cleveland Jewish News; by Kirsten Beard; 6/9/25 About 2,200 people attended the 14th annual Walk to Remember with the Hospice of the Western Reserve on June 8 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. This event offered a meaningful way to celebrate life, to honor the memory of loved ones and support care that brings comfort and dignity for those facing serious illness. “The Hospice Walk to Remember is both our most important fundraiser of the year, but it’s also a really important time for families to come together and remember their loved ones that aren’t with us anymore, ...” Bill Finn, president and CEO of Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, told the Cleveland Jewish News. Gary Isakov, board member of Hospice Western Reserve, told the CJN while this is a fundraising event, it’s more about “bringing people together.”

Hospice Brazos Valley launches ‘Christmas in July’ wreath campaign Victoria Advocate, Victoria, TX; by Nick Irene; 6/9/25 Hospice Brazos Valley is bringing holiday cheer a little early this year with its first-ever “Christmas in July” fundraising campaign, aimed at raising money to support its nonprofit mission of providing free end-of-life care. ...  “We gave away over $250,000 in free care last year,” [Coleen Broussard, Hospice Brazos Valley’s director of donor relations and special events] said. “Whether it’s the last hours, days or months, we make sure families are cared for without ever worrying about a bill. That’s only possible because of fundraising efforts like this.” The “Christmas in July” campaign offers three types of Christmas wreaths for preorder. Prices vary depending on the item and the purchase date, with early orders in July costing less than those made in October. All wreaths can be picked up at either the Brenham or La Grange office closer to the holiday season.

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 ...

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.

Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association celebrates leaders of compassion at 2025 Annual Awards of ExcellenceFHPCA press release; 6/9/25At its 2025 Annual Forum held in Orlando, the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) proudly recognized extraordinary individuals and teams who have set the standard for excellence in hospice and palliative care across the state. The Annual Awards of Excellence... highlight the leaders, caregivers, collaborators, and changemakers who embody the heart of the hospice mission. [Congratulations to these Honorees:]

Willamette Vital Health completes affiliation with Chapters Health System Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/6/25 Oregon-based Willamette Vital Health has completed its affiliation with Chapter Health System. Willamette now becomes part of Chapters Health West, an extension of Florida-based Chapters’ footprint into Nevada, California and Oregon. Chapters Health West came into being with the affiliation of four hospices with Chapters, including Nathan Adelson, California-based Hospice of Santa Cruz County and Hospice East Bay and Willamette. The organization is the second to complete an affiliation with Chapters. Las Vegas-headquartered Nathan Adelson was the first to complete in April. 

A World War II hero is facing his final battle - with Medicare | PennLive letters PennLive Patriot News; by PenLive Letters to the Editor; 6/5/25 “Is this how one treats a 100-year-old World War II Army veteran?” I am such, having defended my country in the Philippines and then as one of the first GIs to step on Japan’s shores when it surrendered. Today, I am a widower, living alone under hospice care in the same small, comfortable home my wife and I cherished for so many years. My health condition has deteriorated dramatically, due to the ravages of ESRD, bladder cancer, anemia, high blood pressure, depression, and loss of balance. I am mostly bedridden, waiting for the inevitable. And yet, just now, I have received a Notice of Discharge from hospice because of an “extended prognosis,” literally meaning in lay terms that, “I’m living too long for hospice and Medicare purposes.” They argue that I’m now able enough medically to make it on my own without hospice care! ... I know I have only weeks, perhaps a month to live, but their rejoinder is simply, “Thank you for your service, but get out of our sight.”Editor's note: Click here for a similar related article and my editor's note, Dementia patient discharged from hospice over Medicare requirement. Here’s why it happened. (One of our "most read" Sunday posts.) These cases are too common. Basic communication, information, and coordinated care planning can mitigate much of the distress and pain. How does this dynamic play out with the patients and families you serve?

The Alliance champions community-based solutions at Senate palliative care briefing National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/4/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) played a lead role in [Wednesday's] Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus briefing, which focused on expanding access to palliative care services for patients with serious illness. The bipartisan event, hosted by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Barrasso (R-WY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Deb Fischer (R-NE), underscored the need for innovative models that deliver person-centered care in the home and community. Hillary Loeffler, Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs for the Alliance, moderated the panel discussion, guiding thoughtful conversation on access, workforce, and innovation in care delivery.