Dr. Dona Reese
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reported that in 2011 over a million and a half people utilized hospice services in the United States. In this podcast, Dr. Dona Reese talks about the lack of utilization of hospice care by African American patients. This includes identifying variables that influence African American hospice use. One of those barriers is the almost complete absence of African American staff or volunteers in hospices across the nation. Dr. Reese describes a field placement and community intervention project that was a successful first step in accomplishing the goal of increasing African American staff. Additionally, she offers her thoughts on what must be done to expand the number of African American social work professionals in hospice settings.
Interviewer: Adjoa Robinson, PhD, MSW