UNITED in Faith, Health and Strength:
A Faith and Community Based
Education Program on Advanced Care
Planning and End of Life Care.
Thomas Lynch & Theodora Peters
Nuts and Bolts of Community Based Participatory Research
Knowledge Put into Action Breakout Session.
April 2014
Theodora Peters, MHS
Hopkins ElderPlus, Outreach Coordinator
New Shiloh Baptist Church, Deacon
UNITED – Lead Parishioner Advocate
Thomas Lynch, PhD
Johns Hopkins Research Coordinator
Palliative Care Researcher
Roman Catholic Parishioner
Introduction
• Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have applied
for funding to develop a faith-centered, communitybased educational program on Advanced Care
Planning and End of Life Care.
• If funded, the project will be a joint partnership
between parishioners and leaders at two local
African-American churches, doctors, nurses, and
public health researchers.
Who is UNITED?
Today’s Aim
Gain a better understanding of community
member & parishioner knowledge and
perception of Advanced Care Planning and
End of Life Care
Advance Care Planning
• Discussing medical options in the event that the
patient becomes too sick to speak for him or
herself
“Who do you want to speak for you when you can’t
speak for yourself?”
End of Life Care
• High quality end of life care involves symptom
management, psychosocial support of patients and
their families, and provision of care consistent with
their goals.
“What do you want the last days of your life to be like?”
“Do you want to be at home? Do you want to be in a
hospital?”
Faith and Illness
• Religion, faith, and spirituality fundamentally
impact how a person perceives life, illness, and
death.
“When I’m called home, it is a reward…I celebrate
crossing over.”
“A Homegoing Service is a celebration of life.”
The UNITED Project
• The partnership goals are:
• To encourage parishioners to talk to each other
and their loved ones about advance care
planning and end-of-life care that are in
alignment with their faith and priorities.
• To empower parishioners to specify who makes
end-of-life care decisions for them, should they
be too sick to speak for themselves.
First Baptist Church of Highland
Park
New Shiloh Baptist Church
History
• New Shiloh Baptist Church is celebrating its
112th year
• Church began in 1902 with 3 people in a
prayer meeting
• Parishioners are predominantly African
American
Pastors
• Dr. Whit W. Allen
1902-1942
• Rev. Timothy Boddie 1964- 1963
• Rev. Harold A. Carter 1964-2013
• Rev. Harold Carter Jr. 1996 to present
Rev. Harold Carter, Jr.
Growth
• The church grew under the first three pastors
and continues to grow
– National and international leadership
– Multi-million dollar complex in the inner city,
which includes the evolving New Shiloh Village
Community
• New Shiloh has licensed over 150 ministers
Services & Ministries
• Open 7 days a week, 365 days at 6:00am for
prayer ministry
• Offers 3 different Sunday worship services
• Has over 35 ministries to address the needs of
the congregation and community
Schools
• Saturday Church School celebrates 40 years
of ministry and replaces the traditional
Sunday school classes
• New Shiloh is the parent body for 2 schools:
– The Nathan Carter School of Music
– The Determined Biblical and Theological Institute
of Baltimore, MD
Nurses Ministry
• Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses,
Certified Nursing Assistants & Technicians:
– Help people with disabilities or those who
become ill during services
– Check vital signs or blood glucose
– Assist at an annual health fair at the church
– Provide CPR training
– Comfort bereaved family members at home
New Shiloh and UNITED
• New Shiloh is a good place for
UNITED
• This is a good time for UNITED at
New Shiloh
Proposed components of
UNITED
• A faith-embracing video that, amongst other things,
will educate about Advanced Care Planning and End
of Life Care
• Trained parishioner lay health educators who can
counsel co-parishioners regarding Advanced Care
Planning and End of Life Care.
Reason for Breakout Session
In the next 12 months, UNITED leaders will engage faith
and community groups to explore parishioner and
church leader current knowledge and perceptions
regarding Advanced Care Planning and End of Life Care.
Reason for Breakout Session
Your participation today will help the UNITED team
develop a plan to identify and reach out to parishioner
and community stakeholders.
Please also help us identify potential questions and
concerns that parishioners and community members
may have about Advanced Care Planning, End of Life
Care, and the proposed UNITED project.
Discussion questions
• How can we best explore community views on
Advanced Care Planning and End of Life Care?
• Who are other potential partners that could
contribute to this project?
• What concerns may parishioners have about
Advanced Care Planning and/or End of Life Care?
• How should these concerns be addressed?
Contact Details
• Thomas lynch – tlynch13@jhmi.edu
• Theodora Peters – tpeters2@jhmi.edu
Scope of the problem
• Multiple studies show that African Americans may
receive poorer end of life care.
• African Americans may be more likely to receive
care inconsistent with their preferences with
further disparities related to transitions of care
(such as appropriate use of hospice).
Scope of the problem
•
Smith, et al., J Gen Intern Med. (2007) examined
satisfaction with health provider communication - African
Americans were less satisfied than White populations ;
•
Mack, et al., Arch Intern Med. (2010) examined racial
disparities on end-of-life-care communication - African
American care provision was found to be inconsistent
with their preferences ;
•
Lepore, et al., Gerontologist (2011) examined rates of
hospice use - there are lower rates of hospice use
amongst African Americans as compared to White
populations .