Healthcare Trends: One-Directional Care Becomes a Community Conversation

A follow-up piece to the Designing Interventions that Align with Your Community’s Culture (previously published)

This article is part of a series following two multi-year projects that bring together social movements to improve quality of life for those facing health challenges. The Compassionate, Dementia Inclusive Communities (CDIC) project, supported by a contribution from Health Canada, brings together Compassionate Communities, Dementia-Inclusive Communities, and Nav-CARE in six sites across Canada with the aim of reducing stigma, raising awareness, and offering empowering supports for people living with dementia to age in place. The second project, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, builds on the strengths of two social innovations, (Nav-CARE and Compassionate Communities), to create a new model of volunteerism called Compassionate Communities Volunteer Navigation (CCVN). This involves implementing a Compassionate Communities approach in four rural communities in British Columbia that already have an existing Nav-CARE volunteer navigation program.

For many years, community care for older adults with health conditions focused largely on managing what was “wrong.” In this model, people with a condition were cast as passive recipients of care, and health professionals and community service providers, the fixers.

Across Canada, however, that approach is evolving. Communities are embracing a more human-centred model that recognizes people as whole beings with strengths, relationships, and the ability and wisdom to shape their own journeys.

“This is about the whole of you, not just what’s wrong,” said Stephanie Haukaas, from Trail Family and Individual Resource Centre Society. “What does it mean for you to be well? What kinds of tools and supports are needed as your condition evolves?” And importantly, what are your priorities on this journey? Health and wellbeing are becoming community conversations.

Here are a couple of examples of what’s happening on the ground:

Prince George

In Prince George, a partnership between the Prince George Council of Seniors (PGCOS) and the Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society (PGHPCS) has sparked a program that beautifully reflects this collaborative community spirit. Connecting Minds to Compassionate Hearts is a group of people who co-organize fun activities to do in community together, and who includes folks with lived experience of dementia, care partners, volunteers, and anyone who wants to join. Members say they feel a deep sense of belonging, and appreciate that their health conditions, while accommodated and supported, are not the focus. Volunteers describe feeling appreciated and valued, while care partners say the program offers them comfort knowing their loved ones have somewhere they genuinely enjoy spending time as well as an opportunity to connect with others who understand their experiences.

The program grew from a shared commitment between the two organizations to create something meaningful for the community. Prince George Council of Seniors Compassionate Dementia-Inclusive Community Coordinator, Gagandeep Kaur, and Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Community Teams Lead, Laurie DeCross, describe their partnership as a “match made in heaven.”

Now that the program is established, organizers hope it will continue to grow organically guided by volunteers, participants, and care partners themselves, involving the wider community in sustainable ways as well. Local businesses have already contributed food and hosted activities, building connections with participants. Over time, these relationships help dismantle the sense of “us” and “them” that folks with chronic health concerns often experience. They advocate for a place where everyone feels seen and valued.

Quadra Island

Another inspiring example of a community building strong collaborative networks of support can be found on Quadra Island through the Compassionate Communities Volunteer Navigation (CCVN) program.

Local leaders of the Quadra Circle Community Connections Society, Kathleen Monahan, and Maureen McDowell, partnered up with Jude McCormick from a grassroots community-led death care organization known as “Way to Go” to build awareness and community support for folks facing chronic and/or life-threatening health conditions. These three women bring years of relationship-building to the CCVN initiative, not to mention complementary skillsets that have earned them credibility and a reputation for excellence. Their mission is to facilitate sustainable initiatives that enhance the lives of Quadra Island residents and their dedication to welcoming new volunteers, supporting participants, and nurturing connections, is helping create a strong and inclusive compassionate community on the island. As part of the CCVN project, these dynamic Co-Leads, in partnership with a community advisory committee, are in the process of developing what they refer to as “a warm-hearted, community-driven volunteer project dedicated to providing personal and practical support to any neighbour facing challenges like isolation, illness, or difficulties managing their homes and properties”. The Compassionate Neighbourhood Initiative is currently being launched in two communities on the island with plans to expand to all 12 neighbourhoods by the fall. In this program, 2-3 trained volunteer Neighbourhood Advocates will be matched to each area. These volunteers will be guides to local resources and support around issues including property and home repairs, grocery and meal delivery, transportation, friendly check-ins, and community services navigation. How did they get here? The Co-Leads conducted a community-wide survey to gather input from residents about their needs, their knowledge of local resources, their openness to a program like this one, and their capacity to volunteer in helping address the wide range of priorities identified in the community. Then they hosted a community engagement session to discuss the survey results and answer questions. Now, they are putting that feedback into action. It’s this kind of passion and commitment to people that gives a community confidence they will be supported when it matters most.

Impact

In both examples, community groups came together to build out interconnected, reciprocal webs of support. Both teams created advisory councils comprised of organizers, community members with health conditions, care partners, and volunteers, leveling the playing field and ensuring everyone will have a say about how initiatives like these could evolve. The result: participants feel a sense of ownership and agency, more people feel consulted and included, and communities become more cohesive and committed to their collective wellness.

 

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Read more articles in this series:

Designing Interventions that Align with Your Community’s Culture

Empathy: The Key to Building Dementia-Inclusive Communities

The Compassionate Community Index

Becoming a Compassionate Community

Hearts in action: how volunteers transform dementia care

Trail Blazing a Compassionate Dementia-Inclusive Community Path Forward

Building Compassionate Dementia-Inclusive Communities: A Multi-Sector Initiative