SESSION DESCRIPTION
Death may be universal, but dignity in dying is not. Drawing on Amy Shea's research into death on the margins and Chris Erdman's experience opening Joshua's House—the West Coast's first hospice community for terminally ill unhoused individuals—this session explores how poverty, homelessness, stigma, and isolation shape end-of-life experiences. Participants examine barriers to care, ethical challenges, and practical strategies for providing compassionate, trauma-informed, equity-centered care to society's most vulnerable people.
OBJECTIVES
- Identify at least three barriers that limit access to hospice and end-of-life care for individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, stigma, and isolation.
- Describe two principles of trauma-informed, dignity-centered care that can improve engagement and trust among marginalized terminally ill patients.
- Apply at least one strategy from the Joshua's House model or related community-based approaches to improve compassionate end-of-life care within their own professional setting.
FACULTY
Chris Erdman, PhD, MDiv
Director, Center of Loss & Hope and Mission Advancement
YoloCares
Amy Shea, PhD, MFA
Writing Program Director
Mount Tamalpais College