Compassionate Communities
Pallium has adopted the Compassionate Communities theory of practice to guide its efforts in mobilizing communities around palliative care. At the core of this model lies a Compassionate City Charter, which acts as a guide to build Compassionate Communities and drive social change.
When it comes to palliative care, the health care system is only part of the equation. Compassionate Communities respond to local community needs and empowers individuals to provide important physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and practical support to patients, families, and caregivers.
At its core, a Compassionate Community is about improving the quality of life for people with a life-limiting illness and their families by encouraging people to advocate and provide assistance and practical support within their community.
Pallium’s role is to accelerate the creation of Compassionate Communities across Canada, connect and enable them to support collaboration and knowledge transfer, and evaluate their impact.
Where does care take place?
Family caregivers provide more than 80% of care needed by patients with serious illness or long-term conditions and contribute $25 billion in unpaid labour to our health system.
With Canada’s aging population, the number of caregivers and the support needed from those caregivers is expected to increase.
Compassionate Communities widen the circle of caring and provide much-needed support to patients and caregivers facing serious illness and death.
How can you launch a Compassionate Community?
Join the Conversation
The Compassionate Communities Exchange is a digital space for community champions to exchange ideas, knowledge, and tools related to the Compassionate Community movement in Canada and around the world. The Exchange facilitates connection among people who are interested in creating more supportive environments in their communities for people who are experiencing serious illness, caregiving, dying, and grieving.
Whether you have experience with the Compassionate Communities movement or simply want to learn more about initiatives happening across Canada and internationally, join the conversation today.
Video: "Living Well Until the End: The Role of Community"
The Honourable Sharon Carstairs shares her thoughts on the importance of palliative and end-of-life care in Canada and the role of community in shaping change.