Developing community capacity for palliative care in rural communities (Humboldt State University)

Developing community capacity for palliative care in rural communities (Humboldt State University)

Description

Medicine has advanced to offer extraordinary improvements in the length of our survival. Yet, the quality of our dying has never been worse, especially in rural communities. Social determinants of health – including food, transportation, housing, and access to healthcare- are a problem common among rural communities like Humboldt County.

According to a recent report released by the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Branch, “Humboldt County as a whole suffers a health disparity when compared to the State of California.” The report adds, “We experience a higher burden of death rates overall at 804.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 612.2 statewide. The Humboldt rates for nearly all of the leading causes of death are 2 to 3 times that of the state.”

In this workshop, we will focus on the challenges of providing palliative care in rural communities. These include examining factors such as, financial barriers to care, population and geographical characteristics that make service delivery a challenge, workforce shortages and caregiver burden. The presenter works to unpack the medicalization of death and dying to address issues of access and capacity and illuminate pragmatic principles that empower people to live and die well.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the value of developing campus-community partnerships to build capacity.
2. Demonstrate a foundation understanding of the challenges of rural death & dying.
3. Identify three practical ways to empower people to die well.