Background:: A public health approach to palliative care supports community-dwelling adults with advanced illness. A better understanding of successful community-based palliative care programmes and partnerships is needed to expand community-based services for ageing populations.
Aims:: This study describes two organisations in two different countries that provide health and social services to community-dwelling adults with advanced illness.
Methods:: Unstructured key-informant interviews and observational data were collected at the Christian Medical College's College of Nursing Community Health Programme (Vellore, India) and at Phinney Neighborhood Association Village (Seattle, Washington, USA).
Findings:: College of Nursing Community Health Programme nurses work with volunteer community health workers to identify and provide client-focused support to ensure quality-of-life. The Phinney Neighborhood Association Village is a volunteer-led organisation that provides social support. Both serve community-dwelling adults with advanced illness.
Conclusion:: Partnerships between healthcare organisations and community volunteers support a public health approach to community-based palliative care.
Keywords: Case study; Community; India; Palliative care; US; Volunteers.