Slum compassionate community: expanding access to palliative care in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To describe the implementation of a compassionate community in Rocinha and Vidigal slums, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. METHOD: Report on the experience of implementing a Compassionate Community based on the World Health Organization conceptual bases, supported by university extension guidelines. RESULTS: Initially, local leaders and residents were recruited and trained in palliative care. Subsequently, health professionals from different specialties engaged in the project through volunteering. Home visits were instituted in the form of interconsultation and “sponsorships” by residents and health professionals to people in palliative care and family members. Finally, the health care network in the territory was integrated in order to recognize the project as a support network. CONCLUSION: We highlight the experience as living work in health, which involves relationships and creative processes, which mobilize structured technical knowledge and relationships between people and soft-hard and soft technologies, making it possible to recognize powers in the territory.