Challenges in Hospice Care: Connecting With Joseph’s House | Beyond the White Coat: Making the Rounds

Providing hospice and respite care for the homeless is tough in the best of times, but it’s especially difficult during a pandemic. Staff members at Joseph’s House, a nonprofit organization that provides a respite and hospice care for people experiencing homelessness, are constantly figuring out new and creative ways to help the population they serve with limited resources or resources that aren’t designed to truly serve marginalized and vulnerable people. In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat: Making the Rounds,” AAMC Director of Community Engagement Clarence Fluker and Liz Fehrenbach, program director at Joseph’s House, talk about what it means to persevere as the organization attempts to serve its community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode Guest:

Liz Fehrenbach, RN, has worked as a registered nurse and care coordinator for HIV-positive adults and individuals experiencing homelessness for 11 years. Before working at Joseph’s House, she provided outreach, clinical nursing care, and medical case management as the nurse at a small Health Care for the Homeless clinic in Burlington, Vermont. Her background in serving vulnerable populations, along with her interest in social justice and contemplative care, led her to Joseph’s House in 2016. For three years, she provided nursing care coordination and case management for current and former residents. Since October 2019, she has served as the program director at Joseph’s House. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures; overseeing quality improvement and management; and supervising our care team of registered nurses, social workers, care aides, and service-year volunteers.

Credits:

Hosted by Clarence Fluker, AAMC director of community engagement.Produced by Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist, and Clarence Fluker.Episode recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.With special contributions from Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist, and Adedayo Adeniyi, AAMC community health specialist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Joseph's House"Joseph’s House: Where Homeless D.C. Residents Find Comfort In Their Final Days"(WAMU 88.5)"The Longest Night: Discharged and Homeless" (AAMCNews)"As Living With HIV Becomes More Common, Affordable Housing Remains Out of Reach for Many Seniors"(AAMCNews)