Building on Community Assets to Improve Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Abstract

In this article, the authors describe the development of a multidisciplinary, interfaith, grassroots community group of professionals and laypersons who have created a replicable model to enhance palliative and end-of-life care. The Collaborative for Palliative Care leverages existing community assets and capacities within the health and social service programs of Westchester County, New York, resulting in a unique public-private partnership. It has played a critical role in changing the culture of care for residents of Westchester who are faced with the challenges of serious and terminal illness.

KEYWORDS:

• end-of-life care
• end-of-life education
• leadership
• palliative care

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors acknowledge the early work of the co-chairs of the 2003 Westchester County Elderboom Conference, Commissioner Mae Carpenter of the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services, and, posthumously, Dr. Mary Ann Quaranta, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service and the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Service; and the research work of the Fordham University Ravazzin Center on Aging.

Notes

*Note. Activities were rated on a scale of 0–5, with the higher score indicating greater importance.