Hospice News

In this episode of ELEVATE, the podcast from Hospice News, senior editor Jim Parker speaks with Madison Wood-Gonzalez, executive director of Morning Light, a nonprofit home that provides free housing and 24/7 end-of-life care for individuals in need. Tune in today!

Exploring Ethical Unknowns of EOL Psychedelic, Cannabis Therapies Hospices need a deep understanding of the ethical considerations involved in providing therapeutic- and medically-guided patient experiences that include psychedelics and other controlled substances. In this episode of ELEVATE, Hospice News speaks with palliative and psychedelic care physician Dr. Michael Fratkin to dig into the range of drugs increasingly coming to the forefront in hospice care delivery and the ways that providers can develop best practices around safe, effective and ethical utilization. Fratkin is board president of the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care and palliative care physician at the Humboldt Center for New Growth. He is also the physician liaison of the Traditional Healers and Natural Helpers for the Hoopa Valley Tribe in California. Listen to the episode and subscribe today!

In this episode of Hospice News’ Elevate, Senior Editor Jim Parker speaks with Margot Lambright, division director for psychosocial support at BAYADA Hospice, about the ways that psychosocial teams identify families at higher emotional risk, as well as practical strategies for implementing and documenting supportive interventions. Join us today!

On the Frontlines of Hospice Care: Clinical Leaders’ Biggest Challenges Clinical supervisors face a host of challenges when overseeing interdisciplinary hospice teams. This Hospice News ELEVATE episode will examine the largest concerns topping the minds of clinical leaders in the hospice space and the successful strategies they’re employing to address them. Listen to the episode and subscribe today!

In this episode of Hospice News Elevate, senior editor Jim Parker speaks with Katy Barnett, , director of home care and hospice operations and policy at LeadingAge about the forthcoming implementation of the 2026 final hospice rule and the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool.

In this ELEVATE episode Hospice News explores the diverse challenges of establishing a strong foundation of volunteer-based services. Hospice Volunteer Association President and CEO Greg Schneider discusses how hospices can go beyond the minimum volunteer requirements to provide a wider bandwidth of support. Listen to the episode and subscribe today!

In this episode of Hospice News Elevate, senior editor Jim Parker speaks with Mark Kulik, senior managing director for The Braff Group, about consolidation occurring in the nonprofit hospice space. A rising number of nonprofits are affiliating with one another or selling to for- profit companies. This episode discusses the leading trends. Tune in now!

The State of Family Caregiving Needs: Supporting Policies, Practices This podcast episode discusses how a rising number of stakeholders are recognizing that in order to continue caring for terminally ill patients in the home, they will also have to take care of their family caregivers. In this episode, Hospice News Senior Reporter Holly Vossel speaks with Steven Lee, co-founder and CEO of ianacare, about strategies to support patients’ families and help reduce their burden. Listen to the episode and subscribe today!

In this episode of the Hospice News Elevate podcast, we’ll be talking about the growing demand for palliative care and the barriers that interview with providers’ meeting those needs with our guests: Dr. Rachel Jordan, director of legislative affairs and advocacy at Hospice of the Chesapeake and Dr. Christopher Paredes, a geriatrician specializing in home-based primary and palliative care. Tune in now!

Chloe Bishop, Bereavement & Social Work Supervisor, Frederick Health Hospice by Hospice News

In this episode of Hospice News Elevate, Senior Editor Jim Parker speaks with Sue Murphy, a registered nurse and director of clinical education for BAYADA Hospice, about the legacy of former President Jimmy Carter and his impact on the hospice space.

Interest in the hospice space has broadened amid rising demand, a trend resulting in more transactions and collaborative relationships with other health care providers. In this episode, Hospice News Senior Reporter Holly Vossel speaks with G. Scott Herman, founder and CEO of New Day Healthcare LLC, to uncover the scope of hospice assets currently in the market and the factors that are both fueling and challenging M&A activity.

In this episode, Hospice News Senior Editor Jim Parker speaks with Marianne Muzic-Lucenti, manager of one of the oldest pediatric palliative care programs in the nation, at St. Mary’s Healthcare System in Queens, New York City. The discussion profiles the program and looks at the outlook for palliative care for 2025.

On the Frontline of Hospice Care: Physician Leadership’s Laser Focus Navigating the frontlines of hospice includes having clinical leadership who are well-versed in the nuanced challenges in end-of-life care delivery. Hospice News sits down with St. Croix Hospice’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrew Mayo to learn more about how hospice has evolved and the successful strategies that help staff deliver quality interdisciplinary care at the bedside. Listen to the episode and subscribe today!

Hospice referrals are often delayed due to a lack of knowledge or understanding of the service among emergency department and hospital staff. In this episode, Hospice News speaks with Dr. Nancy Weber, assistant professor, vice chair for quality and patient experience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, on how providers can foster greater coordination.

This episode explores the myriad challenges that pediatric patients and their families face when coping with a serious or terminal illness. Hospice News uncovers some of the biggest hurdles and opportunities in pediatric palliative and hospice care delivery with Susan Dulczak, director and pediatric nurse practitioner of Valerie Center and Pediatric Medical Day Stay. Dulczak is also director of the pediatric palliative care program at the Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center, which is part of the New Jersey-based RWJBarnabas Health system.

In this episode, Hospice News Senior Editor Jim Parker speaks with Annemarie Switchulis, Practice President, Hospice, for Bayada Home Health Care. Tune in to hear her perspective on a variety of issues, including: -The tie between earlier hospice admission and improved outcomes -The power of community education and normalizing conversations about end of life -The impact of public figures of such as Jimmy Carter and the potential for more effective marketing and storytelling

In this episode, Hospice News Senior Editor Jim Parker speaks with Dr. Bob Uslander, co-founder of Empowered Endings, about the unique hospice and palliative care model that his organization has developed.

In this episode, Hospice News Senior Reporter Holly Vossel speaks with Arlen Gaines, licensed clinical social worker and director of hospice social services at JSSA Hospice, about the turnover and retention factors among hospice social workers, a core part of the interdisciplinary team. Listen to the episode and subscribe today!

In this episode, Hospice News Senior Editor Jim Parker speaks with author, speaker, and grief and resilience expert Ken Druck about the ways hospices can strengthen support for both grieving families and caregivers for the terminally ill. Ken Druck is the author of How We Go On: Self-Compassion, Courage and Gratitude on the Path Forward and founder of the Jenna Druck Center