Implementation of Compassionate Communities: The Taipei Experience

Abstract

A worldwide movement to empower communities to support their members to care for each other at the end of life (EoL) has emerged since Kellehear published the Compassionate City Charter. This current report discusses the implementation experiences and preliminary outcomes of Compassionate Communities (CC) in Taipei City. Using the guidance of the Charter and international experiences, we have developed and multiplied a culturally sensitive, sustainable, and holistic CC program that composes municipal hospital, social, and other services, partnering with community leaders, non-governmental organizations, university students, and volunteers. Innovative campaigns, such as workshops, conferences, and the Life Issue Café, have been delivered to facilitate engagement, public education, and leadership with reverence to folk beliefs and the use of existing social networks. We have identified a model with strong collaborative leadership, high participation rates, and ongoing commitment. The gaps between asking/accepting and providing help were bridged when social connectedness was strengthened. We also integrated home-based medical care, home-based palliative care, and advance care planning to help the vulnerable who live alone, with poor status, or with limited resource access, and continue to support the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Palliative Care goes School – ein Pilotprojekt der Palliativstation des Landeskrankenhauses Hohenems

“…Infolgedessen hat sich eine globale Bewegung gebildet. Inspiriert durch das Programm Healthy Cities oder Healthy Communities von der World Health Organization (WHO) wurde das Konzept der CC von Professor Allan Kellehear entwickelt, welcher Palliative Care nicht mehr nur als ausschließliche Behandlung und Betreuung sterbender Menschen sieht [16]. Palliative Care goes School setzt sehr früh an, um Jugendlichen das Care-Model näherzubringen.…”

Death cafés as a strategy to foster compassionate communities: Contributions for death and grief literacy

“…The Death Café model allows for informal sharing of intimate stories and experiences within a social and convivial atmosphere (Leland, 2018). These kinds of activities may help community members better engage with the Compassionate Communities ethos (Liu et al, 2022). Kellehear (2020) developed a model of person-centered care and the concept of Compassionate Cities for end-of-life patients.…”