Compassion Crossing, LLC

06/19/2026

When 911 Arrives and There Is No Plan: What Every Family of a Person Living With Dementia Needs to Know

When emergency responders arrive at your door, they have seconds to act—and they will follow the law, not your wishes, unless the right documents are in place. This article explains what a complete advance care plan looks like for people living with dementia, and why waiting until a diagnosis to plan is already too late.

https://compassioncrossing.info/when-911-arrives-and-there-is-no-plan-what-every-family-of-a-person-living-with-dementia-needs-to-know/

When 911 arrives for a dementia patient, EMS often finds no advance directives. Learn what every family needs to plan before a crisis hits.

06/18/2026

Are you or someone you love facing a serious illness, dementia, or end-of-life decisions and feeling lost or overwhelmed? You're not alone, but finding clear, compassionate guidance can feel nearly impossible when you're already exhausted.

Without the right support, fear and anxiety can take over, making an already difficult time even harder for everyone involved.

Peter Abraham, RN, Health Navigation Specialist at Compassion Crossing, LLC, serves Madison County and seven surrounding counties. He provides in-person and virtual support for individuals, families, and caregivers navigating chronic illness, terminal diagnosis, advance care planning, dementia, grief, and end-of-life care that complements hospice and palliative services.

Schedule your free 30-minute conversation today: https://compassioncrossing.info/book-a-free-initial-conversation/

Schedule your free 30-minute conversation with Nurse Peter to discuss end-of-life support, hospice education, and advance care planning.

06/17/2026

Is It Time to Stop Your Thyroid Medication? What Adults Over 60 Should Know

If you're 60 or older and taking levothyroxine, a 2026 JAMA study found about 1 in 4 people your age stopped the medication and maintained healthy thyroid function for a full year. Could you be one of them? Here's what the research says and how to start the conversation with your doctor.

https://compassioncrossing.info/is-it-time-to-stop-your-thyroid-medication-what-adults-over-60-should-know/

New research shows some adults over 60 may safely stop levothyroxine. Learn who qualifies, what to monitor, and how to talk to your doctor.

06/15/2026

A CMS survey can walk through your door unannounced. Is your team ready?

Most hospice staff are skilled, compassionate, and deeply committed to their patients. But when a surveyor arrives, preparation gaps surface fast — and citations follow. The stress is real, the stakes are high, and "winging it" is not a plan.

Compassion Crossing Academy's Hospice Survey Readiness course changes that. In 6 to 8 hours of on-demand learning, your nurses, aides, social workers, and IDT members will learn exactly what surveyors look for, how to respond with confidence, and how to build a culture of continuous readiness.

🎉 We are celebrating 6 months of Compassion Crossing Academy! To thank our community, we are offering 30% off this course. Use coupon code Sixmonth2026 at checkout (code is good through Sunday, July 5, 2026, ending 11:30 PM EDT).

Stop waiting for survey season to prepare.
Enroll today: https://www.compassioncrossing.academy/hospice-survey-readiness

06/15/2026

Laboring Out of Life: How Death Doulas Restore Dignity to the Dying

At 83, Margaret died in an ICU with monitors beeping and strangers rushing past. She had asked for candles, her pastor, and her daughter's hand. Death doulas help make that kind of dying possible. More families need to know they exist.

https://compassioncrossing.info/laboring-out-of-life-how-death-doulas-restore-dignity-to-the-dying/

Death doulas restore dignity to dying with non-medical presence and spiritual guidance that complements hospice and palliative care.

06/12/2026

Most end-of-life training is either too clinical to finish or too vague to use. You're left filling the gaps on your own.

Whether you're a hospice nurse, CNA, social worker, death doula, or home care aide, the pressure to show up prepared is real — and generic training rarely gets you there.

Compassion Crossing Academy offers focused, video-based courses covering hospice care, dementia, VSED, ethics, documentation, and more. Free and paid options are available, along with course bundles and downloadable toolkits built for your specific role. Every class cuts straight to what matters, so you leave with skills you can actually use.

You already care. Now get the training to back it up.
Start any time at https://www.compassioncrossing.academy/

06/12/2026

Medication decisions in hospice are some of the most ethically weighty choices a care team makes. This article compares the Beers Criteria, STOPPFrail, and STOPP/START criteria so hospice professionals can choose the right tool, deprescribe safely, and always honor the patient's voice and their family's authority.

https://compassioncrossing.info/choosing-the-right-tool-how-the-beers-criteria-stoppfrail-and-stopp-start-guide-safer-medication-decisions-in-hospice/

Compare the Beers Criteria, STOPPFrail, and STOPP/START to make safer, ethical deprescribing decisions for hospice patients.

06/12/2026

Late referrals aren't just heartbreaking — they're preventable.

Your facility partners care deeply about their residents. What they often lack is a clear, repeatable process for recognizing who may be hospice-appropriate before decline goes too far.

The Hospice Referral Toolkit for Facility Staff provides nurses with a step-by-step clinical screening workflow and CNAs with a plain-language guide for reporting what they already notice every day.

Earlier recognition means earlier referrals. Earlier referrals mean your patients get the comfort care they deserve — even when it's still early.

Get it now: https://www.compassioncrossing.academy/hospice-referral-screening-toolkit

06/10/2026

Breathe In, Let Go: How Box Breathing Helps Caregivers Reclaim Calm

Caring for a loved one with a chronic or terminal illness is one of the hardest things a person can do. Your body and mind carry more than most people realize. Box breathing — a simple four-count breathing technique — can help you reset, reduce stress, and stay grounded, even on the hardest days.

https://compassioncrossing.info/breathe-in-let-go-how-box-breathing-helps-caregivers-reclaim-calm/

Learn how box breathing helps caregivers reduce stress, ease anxiety, and restore calm when caring for someone with a chronic or terminal illness.

06/08/2026

When a loved one stops eating or drinking, fear sets in fast. But the loss of appetite and thirst near the end of life is natural — the body's way of preparing. This article explains the science, the signs, and how to offer comfort without forcing food or fluids, with trusted resources to guide you.

https://compassioncrossing.info/when-eating-stops-understanding-appetite-and-thirst-loss-at-the-end-of-life/

Learn why appetite and thirst naturally decrease as death nears, how to recognize early signs, and how to care with compassion — not force.