YoloCares Life Transitions Project
Mission Statement: Every person deserves access to high quality end-of-life care, but for rural and indigenous communities access is often compromised by cultural, geographic and institutional barriers. Through the Life Transitions Project, YoloCares is deconstructing obstacles to ensure equal access for all. Guided by the spirit of community empowerment, YoloCares recognizes that our diversity is what makes us whole.
Project Background:
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nations has generously granted YoloCares one million dollars to identify barriers that exist for end-of-life care and healthcare access in rural and Native American communities within YoloCares’ service area and specifically within the Capay Valley. At the heart of the Life Transitions Project is a community-based research model to assess community needs and identify existing obstacles to access.
Rural populations exhibit higher risk than their urban counterparts of developing the top five hospice and palliative care covered conditions. Examples include heart disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases. As many rural patients with life-limiting illnesses continue to suffer from untreated or undertreated pain, stress, and mismanagement of symptoms, this project presents an opportunity to provide relief by improving access to palliative care. 45 percent of Californians were in hospice care at time of death (NHPCO, 2018) and of the 45 percent, only 0.4 percent were of Native descent. As there are clear deficits present in accessing these services, we are committed to doing the work to bridge the divide. This is thanks to the generosity of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, an independent self-governed nation whose philanthropic efforts create opportunity, improve community health and have a far-reaching impact across Yolo County and surrounding communities.
If you live in a rural community or are of Native descent, please complete the survey below!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZMR75P
The Life Transitions Project is presented in partnership with:
