Compassionate Communities: A Model for Equitable End of Life Care with the Peaceful Presence Project
End-of-life doulas are uniquely positioned to act as informed conduits of care and transformation within their communities. Thoughtful, holistic and collaborative action between EOLDs and the systems surrounding them can increase community resilience and encourage higher quality and more equitable end-of-life care experiences. The Compassionate Communities model of care can serve as a guiding framework when considering how to provide relationship-oriented, equity-informed and culturally-centered support within communities. This webinar will highlight the work of The Peaceful Presence Project, an end-of-life doula collective and community-based organization in Central Oregon. Presenters will share examples from current organizational initiatives to address end of life equity issues, including: a doula-led advance care planning outreach initiative for individuals experiencing homelessness, a ‘compassionate presence’ training for community volunteers to combat social isolation for elders at the end of life, and death literacy trainings targeted at rural community members where access to EOL care is limited or non-existent, leading to broad disparities in care for residents who are living with serious and terminal illness. Presenters will also share their vision for a Oregon-based Community Network for Serious Illness Support.