Literature Review

Wisconsin author discusses her mother’s aging, dying in the American health care system: The long-term care system failed both her and her mother, she writes Wisconsin Public Radio; by Colleen Leahy; 6/27/25At age 99, Judy Karofsky’s mother was kicked out of her Wisconsin hospice facility. Within 48 hours of that decision, Karofsky became her mother’s default nurse. “I had to find a wheelchair for her. I had to keep track of her meds. I had to buy all the bandages and supplies that she would [need],” Karofsky told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” Karofsky is the author of “Diselderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice.” In it, she chronicles nightmare scenarios as her mother aged and died in the American healthcare system: making her way through independent living, six different assisted living facilities, memory care, skilled nursing and hospice.  

Choice Bank’s 'Go Hawaiian for Hospice' campaign has raised $1.3 million since 2012 to support end-of-life care by HIA HospiceInForum; by Drew Berg; 6/24/25A Fargo bank is having fun while raising money for local end-of-life care. Choice Bank held its 14th annual “Go Hawaiian for Hospice” event on Tuesday, June 24. The event raises money for HIA Hospice, formerly known as Hospice of the Red River Valley... Choice Bank says the event has raised over $1.3 million since 2012.

Big Bend Hospice unveils new mobile medical unit Thursday in Tallahassee[FL] WCTV; by Ava Van Valen and WCTV staff; 6/26/25Big Bend Hospice and its parent organization, Seven Oaks Health, unveiled Thursday their new Seven Oaks Health Care mobile medical unit. Seven Oaks Health said the new medical unit is part of its mission to bring compassionate, expert support to patients and families in our community. “The focus of our mobile unit is really to improve access to end-of-life care and palliative care services throughout our region,” said Chief Medical Officer Debrah Morris. “A lot of people love to come to Leon County, but a lot of people can’t, and many of our patients are homebound, but they have caregivers who can’t drive into Leon County.”

Residential Home Health and Hospice receives 2025 Top Workplaces honorsPR Newswire; 6/23/25Residential Home Health and Hospice, a division of Graham Healthcare Group, is proud to announce that it has been awarded Top Workplaces 2025 honors by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This is the fifth year that Residential Home Health and Hospice has received this award in the St. Louis market.

Avow selected to provide hospice care in Lee, Glades, and Hendry CountiesSouth Florida Hospital News; 6/25/25Avow is proud to announce that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has notified Avow of its intent to select the organization to provide hospice services in Lee, Glades and Hendry counties, following AHCA’s preliminary approval of Avow’s Certificate of Need (CON) application. This important decision will expand Avow’s compassionate, high-quality hospice care for residents throughout Southwest Florida.

Local hospice center closing after 40 years in SLO[CA] The Tribune; by Chloe Shrager; 6/24/25Wilshire Health & Community Services, a San Luis Obispo-based hospice and community care center, will close its doors on June 30, 2025, after over four decades of operation on the Central Coast. Wilshire offered comprehensive at-home clinical health, senior and hospice care services like nursing, home aids and different types of therapy to thousands of patients across SLO and northern Santa Barbara counties... SLO based hospice care center to close due to financial struggles.

h/care expands presence in Arizona through partnership with American Premier Home Health, Hospice, and Palliative CareUS Daily Ledger press release; 6/24/25h/care, a national leader in home health and hospice care, proudly announces the addition of American Premier Home Health, Hospice, and Palliative Care, a highly respected provider in the Phoenix area, to its growing platform. This partnership which commenced in February marks another significant milestone in h/care’s mission to deliver high-touch, high-tech, and high-trust care to aging Americans in their homes.

Hospice of the Piedmont prioritizes mental health care[NC] Fox 8 WGHP; by Cassie Fambro; 6/20/25Dealing with a life-limiting illness can involve many trips to the doctor, pharmacy and even the emergency room at all hours and carrying around medical records and balancing medication schedules. When a physician, a patient and their family come to the decision that hospice is the right choice, new resources open up to make the physical aspect of care much easier, but that’s not all. A critical part of hospice treatment is mental health care. “We truly think of not just the patient as the one we are caring for, but their whole kind of unit … if that’s family or friends, whoever is pitching in to be part of their care team,” said Caroline Oxford, director of family care services at Hospice of the Piedmont.

[New Brunswick, Canada] Brothers who gave $50K for palliative care room at nursing home learn tough lessonCBC News; by Hannah Rudderham; 6/20/25Von Weiler family's gift in dad's memory taken apart and moved without notice... Brothers Alan and Glenn von Weiler of Saint John say they'll be more careful about future donations and ask more questions. The moment brothers Alan and Glenn von Weiler saw the palliative care room at their father's former nursing home — created in his memory — was one for the books, they say. "I think my dad would have been so happy," Glenn said. "My dad believed in giving back to the community. He did that all his life, and now he was able to do it posthumously." But just over a year after they saw the new palliative care room at the Fundy Nursing Home in Blacks Harbour, the brothers have a sour taste in their mouths. They learned from staff at the home that the room has been taken apart.Publisher's note: While this story occurred in Canada, it's an important reminder to honor donor wishes.

Post-acute clinicians to CMS: Providers need better tech infrastructure for value-based careHome Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 6/20/25The Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (PALTmed) recently penned a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) advocating for the advancement and adoption of interoperable health information technology (health IT). PALTmed explained that the health care providers — especially post-acute and long-term care settings — are dealing with a worsening clinician shortage. It’s a pain point that greater access to health IT could help solve, according to the organization.

Mālama Ola earns top national honor for veteran hospice careMaui News; 6/18/25Mālama Ola Health Services, based on Oʻahu, has become the first hospice and palliative care organization in the state of Hawai‘i to earn Level 5 status from We Honor Veterans, the highest recognition awarded by the national program for veteran-centered end-of-life care. The designation places Mālama Ola among just 233 organizations—about 7% of over 3,300 participating nationwide—that have achieved Level 5. Only 41 of those also provide both hospice and palliative care services.

Hospice of the Western Reserve reports three gifts totaling $1.5 million[OH] Morning Journal; 6/22/25Hospice of the Western Reserve has announced three leadership gifts totaling $1.5 million to support its Quality of Life capital campaign, all tied to individuals and organizations connected to Parker Hannifin Corp.Publisher's note: Accessing article may require subscription.

National Alliance for Care at Home responds to Kennedy and Dr. Oz announcement on health insurance reform pledge National Alliance for Care at Home press release; 6/23/25“The Alliance welcomes today’s announcement made by Secretary Kennedy and CMS Administrator Dr. Oz regarding commitments from major health insurers to streamline prior authorization practices, including implementing enhanced digital interoperability standards and reducing administrative barriers,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO for the Alliance. “If these promises are fully kept, this could be a meaningful step toward addressing longstanding barriers that have delayed access to critical care at home for patients who need it.”