The Compassionate Communities Model is an approach to social change that aims to promote and integrate social approaches to dying, death and bereavement in the everyday lives of individuals and communities. It raises community awareness of end-of-life issues and promotes participation in the care and support of dying people and their families.
A Compassionate Community recognizes that caring for one another during times of crisis and loss is not simply a task for health and social services but is everyone’s responsibility.
This model of care is focused on transforming practices and conversations around death, dying, and end of life care. It acknowledges that holistic and collaborative action between systems is required to ensure that communities are able to provide practical and emotional support for its members in a skilled and informed way. The ability to identify and develop cohesive networks of care will increase community resilience, as well as encourage higher quality and more equitable end-of-life care experiences.
To learn more and join the movement, read on…
LISTEN
Click below to hear the End-of-life University Podcast about the origins and vision of our movement.
watch
Click the button below to enroll in our new FREE Foundations of Compassionate Communities course on Thinkific.
read
These are some of our favorite recent articles detailing Compassionate Communities and the social model of palliative care. (click title to redirect to article)
Dr. Allen Kellehear: Compassionate Communities: End-of-life Care as Everyone’s Responsibility.
The Lancet Commission on the Value of Death
Investing in Bereavement Care as a Public Health Priority
Mentioned in Dr. Karen Wyatt’s module— designing a community palliative care program:
Resources
Click on the following websites to get inspired on starting your own community initiative.
PHPCI - Public Health Palliative Care International
Pallium Canada— Toolkit for Starting a Compassionate Community