Creatine Supplementation in Palliative and Hospice Care: A Supportive Strategy for Muscle Preservation and Quality of Life

Palliative and hospice care medicine has always centered around enhancing quality of life, prioritizing symptom control, preserving function, and supporting dignity in the face of serious, often terminal illnesses. While pharmacologic interventions are widely employed to manage pain, dyspnea, nausea, and agitation, nutritional and metabolic interventions have received comparatively less

Understanding the Widowhood Effect: Mortality Risk After the Death of a Spouse — For Hospice and Palliative Care Professionals

The death of a spouse is universally recognized as one of life’s most devastating losses, often described as an emotional trauma akin to an amputation. For hospice and palliative care professionals, understanding the far-reaching impact of this loss is vital—not only for the grieving individual’s psychological well-being

Cannabis Use in Hospice and Palliative Care: Promise, Pitfalls, and Patient Education

Cannabis Use in Hospice and Palliative Care: Promise, Pitfalls, and Patient Education The use of cannabis for symptom management in hospice and palliative care patients is an evolving and often controversial topic. As families increasingly inquire about or even initiate cannabis use for their loved ones, healthcare providers must be

Kennedy Ulcers: A Clinical Guide for Hospice and Palliative Nurses

As frontline caregivers, hospice and palliative nurses often witness the body’s most profound transitions. One such transition is the sudden appearance of a Kennedy ulcer—a skin lesion that frequently serves as a visible marker of terminal decline. These ulcers, often misunderstood, carry clinical, emotional, and ethical significance. For

When Wanting to Die Isn’t Suicidal: Ethics and Admission of Patients with a History of Suicide Attempt into Hospice Care

In the emotionally complex world of palliative and hospice care, clinicians regularly encounter patients who express a desire to die. For some, it’s a quiet longing for peace at the end of a long and burdensome illness. For others, particularly those with a history of mental illness or prior

Why Palliative Care Belongs in the Room Before Life-Prolonging Measures Begin - An Opinion Piece

In cardiology, national guidelines already recommend that every patient receiving a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) also receive a palliative care consult. The rationale is both evidence-based and deeply humane: when a person is about to commit to a complex, life-prolonging technology, they deserve the dignity of informed, values-based decision-making.

Navigating Bereavement for Same-Sex Partners and Families: Providing Affirming Support in Hospice and Palliative Care

The loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and life-altering event, and the grieving process is never one-size-fits-all. Yet for same-sex partners and LGBTQ+ families, bereavement often carries additional burdens—those shaped by social stigma, lack of legal recognition, exclusion from rituals, and a long history of marginalization.

The Hidden Population: Older LGBTQ+ Adults Living Alone in Palliative and Hospice Care

In the realm of serious illness and end-of-life care, connection often serves as a form of medicine. Whether it’s through family caregivers, close friends, or community networks, those with support systems tend to navigate palliative care more safely and meaningfully. But for many older LGBTQ+ adults, especially those who

Inclusive Advance Care Planning: Addressing Chosen Families and Legal Challenges in Gay and Lesbian Hospice Care

Advance care planning is a cornerstone of high-quality palliative and hospice care, enabling patients to articulate their preferences, identify surrogate decision-makers, and maintain dignity throughout the dying process. However, for gay and lesbian patients—particularly older adults who came of age in an era of systemic exclusion—the process can

Being Seen: A Gay Nurse’s Reflection on Authenticity, Advocacy, and Palliative Care

When I think back to my early days as a nurse—bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and full of hope—I can’t help but smile. I was determined to take on the world’s problems and make every life a little bit better. And I still chuckle softly at that version of

Honoring Every Journey: Culturally Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care

In hospice and palliative care, our shared goal is to ease suffering, uphold dignity, and support patients and families through some of life’s most tender moments. Yet how we define comfort, dignity, and support is deeply shaped by culture, beliefs, and identity. Delivering high-quality, person-centered care means recognizing that

Vascular Parkinsonism: A Clinical Overview for Palliative Healthcare Providers

Introduction Parkinsonism, defined by bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor, and postural instability, is most commonly attributed to idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, not all patients with parkinsonian features have classic PD. A notable subset, particularly among older adults with vascular risk factors, develops parkinsonism due to cerebrovascular disease. This condition,