In June 2023, the ePAC Action Team launched a Resource Guide called, Palliative Care Is… A collective response to death, dying, and grief in the inner city, rooted in workers’ knowledge and experiences, and containing insights developed from research, actions, and our ongoing collaborations.

The 7 chapter, 90-page Guide adapts a palliative approach to care for the settings where people are living and dying in contexts of inequity. Its target audience are workers – in housing, shelters, drop-ins, and on the streets – who are providing care, and filling gaps in health and palliative care services. Rather than being prescriptive of what workers should do, the Guide recognizes the work that is already happening in these settings to meet the care needs of people who are ignored, dismissed, and unable to reach mainstream health services.

The Guide is not about asking workers to do more. Rather, it offers insights for how a palliative approach to care might benefit people and their circle of support. It recognizes the valuable knowledge and relationships that workers hold, essential for facilitating access to care, pain and symptom management, and other needs as people get sicker and need more support in community. It acknowledges grief as a normal response to loss rather than a symptom of poor self-care, burnout, or compassion fatigue. To learn more about the guide and the work behind it read our blog here.

Download the PDF of the guide below or click on the link to view our interactive online version.