People experiencing homelessness face much higher rates of chronic illnesses, substance use disorders, mental illnesses, and mortality than the general population. Yet, a very small proportion of them are able to access end of life care. My thesis explores the landscape of end of life care in Rhode Island for people experiencing homelessness through the stories of the service providers who provide them with care. My findings reveal the way that bureaucratic structures, medical systems, shelter rules, and a lack of knowledge about people experiencing homelessness are major barriers to care. Despite these larger structural issues, I also explore how service providers navigate this space by creating informal, flexible networks of resources and caring, trusting relationships with patients and clients to adapt to the specific needs of each individual. Ultimately, I hope that this thesis emphasizes the strengths of existing systems, but also offers insight into specific policies and structures that might be changed to improve access to end of life care for people experiencing homelessness.
Kim, Melanie,
"An Exploration of End of Life Care for People Experiencing Homelessness"
(2023).
Anthropology Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:m4jd2p66/
