WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Hospice Foundation of America unveiled a new interdisciplinary training program on April 14, 2026, aimed at improving end-of-life care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias — a population that accounts for roughly one-third of all Medicare hospice admissions.
The program, titled “Best Practices in Hospice Care for Advanced Dementia,” marks HFA’s 33rd annual Living with Grief® educational initiative. The live Zoom presentation was moderated by award-winning journalist Frank Sesno and featured a panel of clinical experts drawn from hospice care, social work, and academic nursing.
Growing Demand for Specialized Dementia Hospice Care
Between 2016 and 2019, approximately 33% of Medicare hospice decedents carried a primary or secondary diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia (ADRD), according to an analysis of federal Medicare hospice claims data covering more than five million patients. ADRD ranked among the leading reasons for hospice admission in the United States during that period.
Despite its prevalence, dementia care presents persistent challenges for hospice teams. ADRD patients averaged 92.5 days in hospice — significantly longer than many other diagnostic groups — and 16% remained enrolled beyond 180 days. Their live discharge rate of 10% was the second highest of any diagnosis category, trailing only cardiovascular disease.
A January 2026 HHS report concluded that dementia patients demonstrate “a distinct care trajectory that may necessitate tailored approaches to meet the needs of ADRD patients, including those with a secondary diagnosis of ADRD, at the end of life.”
Structural Mismatch in the Medicare Benefit
A core tension underlying the program is the structural design of the Medicare Hospice Benefit itself. The benefit was modeled on a six-month cancer trajectory — a relatively predictable decline. Dementia, by contrast, is characterized by a prolonged and unpredictable functional deterioration, making the six-month terminal prognosis requirement difficult to satisfy and often delaying timely hospice admission.
“Four out of 10 Americans will die with dementia,” according to HFA. An estimated 42% of Americans over the age of 55 will develop some form of dementia during their lifetime, further compounding the scale of the care gap.
Program Curriculum and Expert Panel
The training covers symptom management and communication strategies, care collaboration and family caregiver support, culturally sensitive end-of-life approaches, goals-of-care and grief discussions, and community engagement in person-centered dementia services.
Lisa Veglahn, senior vice president for education at HFA, said the program is designed to help hospice teams address “behavioral and pharmaceutical challenges and anticipatory grief” across their interdisciplinary staff.
Panelist Katherine Supiano, PhD, LCSW, a clinical social worker affiliated with the University of Utah and lead researcher on the LEAD Guide, stressed that technical expertise alone is insufficient. “Effective care strategies are primarily about relationships — keeping them respectfully working in stressful situations,” Supiano said.
Additional panelists included Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv, HFA’s senior vice president for grief programs; Karen O. Moss, PhD, RN, from the Ohio State University College of Nursing; and Deanna Rymaszewski, DSW, APSW, of Agrace Hospice Care.
Companion Book for Clinicians
Alongside the training program, HFA released a new reference volume, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: A Guide for Hospice Clinicians, edited by Kenneth J. Doka and Amy S. Tucci. The book addresses clinical features of ADRD, advance care planning, Medicare compliance, ethical dilemmas, communication strategies, cultural considerations, and grief impacts for both patients and families. The volume became available in March 2026.
The program and book are available through the Hospice Foundation of America’s website, hospicefoundation.org, or by calling 800-854-3402. Registered participants receive continuing education credits and on-demand access to the program for six months following the live date.
Why This Matters for Home Care
For families managing dementia care at home — often without formal hospice involvement until the final weeks — the clinical challenges described in this training reflect daily realities: unpredictable behavior, progressive functional loss, and caregivers shouldering round-the-clock physical demands with limited support.
As hospice teams work to better address the behavioral and physical complexities of advanced dementia, the environment in which care is delivered becomes equally important. For patients at home, a hospital-grade bed with fall-prevention features can meaningfully reduce injury risk during the prolonged, unpredictable functional decline that dementia produces. SonderCare’s Aura beds are built to hospital certification standards and include FallSafe Ultra-Low positioning — a 10-inch platform height that lowers the bed close to the floor to reduce fall impact — along with full electric positioning for repositioning without caregiver strain.
If your family is caring for a loved one with dementia at home, explore SonderCare’s home hospital beds at sondercare.com/beds/ or call a care specialist to discuss which configuration fits your situation.
Sources: Hospice News; eHospice USA; HHS Medicare hospice data analysis reported by Hospice News, January 2026; Hospice Foundation of America
