Carter RZ, Hassan E, Porterfield P, Barwich D. A model for community-led peer-facilitated advance care planning workshops for the public.
Palliat Care Soc Pract 2023;
17:26323524231212515. [PMID:
38033874 PMCID:
PMC10685751 DOI:
10.1177/26323524231212515]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
The core to successful advance care planning (ACP) facilitation is helping people determine their values, beliefs and wishes, and understand substitute decision-making. Recognizing the potential for community members to support public awareness and education we developed a model of ACP education, whereby peer facilitators associated with community organizations host workshops that educate and assist members of the public with ACP.
Objectives
Describe the development and evaluation of the model for community-led peer-facilitated ACP workshops for the public.
Design
Descriptive mixed methods.
Methods
A training curriculum and program model were co-developed with two community organizations that had been successful in delivering ACP workshops independently in their communities. Herein we describe a mixed-methods evaluation of three cycles of implementation and improvement of the model.
Results
The model centers on three key concepts; the right content (based around three steps Think, Talk, Plan), the right facilitator, and the right approach. A suite of tools was designed to support the three groups involved in the delivery of the ACP workshops: the public participants, the peer facilitators, and the community-based organizations. The peer-facilitator training addresses the facilitator's learning needs of ACP content knowledge, facilitation skills, and understanding change behavior. Training evaluation data from 106 facilitators confirmed that the curriculum prepared them to facilitate the workshops. Qualitative data revealed that support from organizations with established reputations in their community is critical, with mentoring from more experienced facilitators beneficial.
Conclusion
Our model demonstrates the potential of community-led, peer-facilitated ACP initiatives to enhance the capacity of community to upstream ACP conversations. Reaching a broader audience and creating a supportive, inclusive environment for individuals to comfortably learn about ACP can drive the much-needed culture shift to normalize ACP. Meaningful community engagement, empowerment, and partnerships are essential for the successful development and widespread impact of these initiatives.
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