3rd December 2022 eNewsletter | |
Thank you to all of our amazing health care professionals and your incredible contributions to caring for our community | | | |
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Aloha Jeannette,
I hope that everyone is enjoying the holidays especially as we begin to get together again. We know that holidays can be a difficult time for people and we are very happy to announce a local session with our colleagues on Thursday to help people cope with the holidays (see below.)
And thank you to everyone for your support and engagement with Kōkua Mau. As you think of end of the year contributions, we hope that you can renew or join Kōkua Mau.
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” — Albus Dumbledore
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12/8 Making it through the holidays: support for those who are grieving
Dec 8, 2022
5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
For zoom Register Here
For details download the flyer
This time of year is especially difficult for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For many there is not a “Happy Holidays”, “Happy Thanksgiving”, “Merry Christmas”, or a “Happy Hanukkah”. Often there is sadness, wanting to be alone, and to be separate from others who don’t understand our grief.
Presenters: Alan Gamble, LCSW, clinical social worker, and current president of the Mits Aoki Legacy Foundation, Felicia Marquez Wong, MSW, and Bonyen Colunga, LSW, bereavement social workers with extensive years of hospice experience, and Sara-May Colón, M.Div., BCC, Senior Chaplain, Director of Mission & Spiritual Care, Adventist Health Castle.
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Psychedelic Medicine & Palliative Care - recording soon
If you missed our Dec 1 special guest Dr. Ilan Bernstein, a recording titled "Psychedelic Medicine & Palliative Care: An Exploration of Old and Ancient Therapies To Address Twenty-First Century Clinical Challenges" will be available soon.
Dr. Ilan Bernstein joined the Pain and Palliative Care Dept at the Queen’s Medical Center as a staff physician in 2013. Dr. Bernstein graduated from the Keck School of Medicine of USC in 2008 and is currently board certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is an assistant clinical professor in the departments of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at JABSOM. Dr. Bernstein is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
If you are interested in reading more about psilosybin and serious illness care, here is an article by Dr. Ira Byock on the CAP website. Additionally, Dr. Bernstein was a co-author on an journal article Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians should know about Psychedelic-Assisted therapy in the context of serious illness.
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World AIDS Day
A hybrid World AIDS Day 2020 meeting was hosted by Church of the Crossroads. A recording will be available soon.
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Join, renew or increase your membership now
Thank You supporters and members for keeping Kōkua Mau strong and serving our community. Since 1999, Kōkua Mau has been a trusted voice for outstanding care and services in Hawaiʻi, supporting those with serious illness, their loved ones and those who care for them.
Now is a great time to support Kōkua Mau. As an independent non-profit, over 80% of our budget comes from generous membership of organizations and people like you.
We have a rolling membership system so if you join now, your membership will last for the next 12 months. Wondering when your membership runs out? Just send Jeannette an email and she can let you know. Click here for membership levels.
Our Organizational and Individual members are listed on our website.
5 easy options to support us
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Donate with PayPal Giving Fund and 100% goes to Kōkua Mau with a few clicks. Click here for the dedicated PayPal link
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Go online using Network for Good and donate with a credit card. You can set up a monthly recurring donation, by spreading payments out throughout the year and making it easier for us to plan.
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Through Aloha United Way – Designation Code 80410
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Benevity – please check if your employer (like United HealthCare) offers matching donations through the Benevity platform.
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A check in the US postal mail – 3 steps:
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One: Payable to ‘Kōkua Mau‘ with ‘membership‘ in the memo field
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Two: Address to: Kōkua Mau • PO Box 62155 • Honolulu HI 96839
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Three: Stick on a stamp and put in the mailbox
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Tailored Advance Care Planning Training with Kōkua Mau
Are you interested in
- Advance Care Planning training for your new staff?
- A refresher for long time staff?
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Workplace wellness for employees?
Kōkua Mau is here to help you. We have recently done training with the Long Term Care Ombudsman volunteers, EUTF, Papa Ola Lōkahi Community Health workers, Zoom sessions with kupuna on Molokai, and in-person presentations with kupuna from Alu Like.
Trainings with Papa Ola Lōkahi staff (staff only), Hawaii Public Health Institute Training Hui, AARP and more are in the works.
Recent trainings on Palliative Care with the Caregiver Foundation and the Cancer Coalition, gave us the unique opportunity to do trainings across the islands especially for those who are not able to travel. We are looking for other patient advocacy and support groups who want to learn more about palliative care so please contact us.
Let us know how we can work with you!!
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VA Resources added on our Website
Thanks to Kōkua Mau board member Dr. Emese Somogyi we now have two resource pages dedicated to help professionals and their loved ones navigate the VA.
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A Caregivers Journey with Palliative Care 3-minute video
A moving caregiver’s testimony about her and her husband’s cancer journey and palliative care. Living on Maui, Andrea talks story about how they accessed palliative care in Honolulu and at home (This shortened version is thanks to the editing suggestions of our Kōkua Mau volunteer extraordinaire Rachel.) Watch the video on our YouTube Channel.
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It is with great sadness to share with you about the unexpected death of Jerry Correa, President and CEO of St. Francis Health Systems. Our hearts go out to his wife, sons and the rest of his family on Kauaʻi. More details will be forthcoming about a service and remembrance as Jerry made a huge impact in our community for many decades. It has been an honor and privilege to work with him. Here is an interview that he did in August at the 95th anniversary of St. Francis.
Rest in peace Jerry
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St. Francis Healthcare System Appoints Melissa Ah Ho-Mauga Interim CEO
Melissa Ah Ho-Mauga is the Interim CEO for St. Francis Healthcare System. This was announced after the unexpected passing of Jerry Correa, who was President and CEO for the past ten years.
Ah Ho-Mauga has been Vice President–Client Services for St. Francis since 2015 and has worked for St. Francis for nearly 20 years.
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Mon 12/12/22 What Happens When Serious Illness Collides With Drug Addiction? Can Palliative Care help?
December 12, 2022
10am on Zoom & Facebook Live
An educational webinar presented by Hawaii Care Choices, open to the public, created especially to support those living with serious illness and their at-home caregivers. Palliative Care helps those dealing with Cancer, Congestive Heart Failure, COPD, Kidney, Liver and Lung disease.
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Sun 12/18 Bereavement Support Group
Due to the holidays, they are moving the December Bereavement group from 12/25 to 12/18. However, they recognize that the holidays can be particularly challenging after a big loss. If there is a desire to meet on Christmas day, Leilani will make herself available.
This support group is specifically for loved ones of those who have chosen Medical Aid in Dying in Hawaiʻi. Facilitated by Leilani Maxera, LCSW and Joy Rodriguez, End of Life Doula.
Zoom from anywhere into a space held to process feelings created by the unique experience of walking beside someone who utilized Hawaiʻi’s Our Care, Our Choice Act.
To register please email joydrodriguez@yahoo.com or call (808) 853-0621
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Save the date: 1/11/2023 Hawaii State of Reform Health Policy Conference
The 2023 Hawaii State of Reform Health Policy Conference is back and Kōkua Mau members can get a 30% discount! This yearʻs event will take place in-person at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on January 11th, 2023.
Like many things in Hawaiʻi, health care is different from the continental US. The seventh annual Hawaii State of Reform Health Policy Conference will foster a dialog about the opportunities and challenges facing health care in our unique region at a time of increasing change. This conference will bring together industry experts and policymakers from across the state.
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Save the date: 2/12/23 Exploring Jewish views of the afterlife: Contemporary Implications
Sun Feb 12 2023
5:00-7:00 PM PST
Zoom meeting ID #852 5777 6358 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85257776358
With Reb Simcha Raphael, Ph.D., Founding Director of the DA’AT Institute for Death Awareness, Advocacy and Training.
Does Judaism believe in the afterlife? Unequivocally, the answer is yes! Unfortunately, in contemporary Jewish life we have lost touch with traditional Jewish wisdom on the afterlife. Yet in the traditions of Jewish mysticism are found extensive teachings on the afterlife journey of the soul. Through an exploration of sacred texts, story-telling and discussion, we shall explore these teachings and discover applications of Jewish views of the afterlife in responding to the human encounter with death.
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Community News
Shantell Cruz who has been an Admission Nurse with Navian Hawaii has recently been promoted to Admission Manager.
Congratulations to Dr. Pat Nishimoto for her recent (book) Chapter 27 "Cancer Related Sexual & Reproductive Issues" in Cancer Basics published by the Oncology Nursing Society.
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PAs can now sign POLST in Hawaiʻi
We just learned that Physician Assistants are able to sign POLST in Hawaiʻi. In the coming months, we will be updating forms and educational materials but here are the details for the time being. All POLST forms are still valid.
The information is from the Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants:
Act 293 (HB1575 HD2 SB2) was signed into law on July 12, 2022. Among other expansions to physician assistant (PA) scope of practice, Act 293 amends Hawaii Revised Statutes 327K-1 and 327K-3 to include PAs as providers.
In doing so, Act 293 adds PAs to physicians and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) as providers authorized to execute a POLST in Hawai'i. Hawai'i is now the 33rd state to allow PAs to sign a POLST. For more information about PA practice in Hawaiʻi, please visit the Hawaii Academy of PAs.
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Community News
We want to salute our own Dr. Libby Char who was named the Public Health Healthcare Hero. Libby has been a long time supporter of Kōkua Mau and serves on the POLST Task Force. Here is the link to the whole healthcare hero award listing, which includes links to the videos.
Congratulations to Shelley Johnstone, Continuing care Nurse at Kaiser for being named a Healthcare Hero for 2022 by the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. You can watch a video with Shelley and the family that she helped including enrolling in hospice
Congratulations to Dr. Melanie Payanal, Medical Director at St. Francis Hospice, for completing her Hospice Medical Director Certification.
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Resource: Serious Illness Messaging Toolkit
seriousillnessmessaging.org focuses on Evidence-Based Messaging for Serious Illness Care. Capture public interest, bypass misconceptions, and increase demand for your services with better messaging.
The webinar Messaging Principles for Serious Illness Care launching the toolkit with Dr. Anthony Back and Marian Grant is now available as a recording.
They built this toolkit because they want to change how the public views serious illness care - so that more people experience the benefits of our work. Based on empirical research and decades of experience, they’ve developed resources that can help any health communicator effectively write content and hold positive conversations with the general public about the benefits of advance care planning, palliative care, and hospice.
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Pōhai Mālama Care Center (Hilo) Takes a Tactical Pause
We are sharing this news from our member Hawaii Care Choices: Pōhai Mālama Care Center (in Hilo Hawaiʻi) will pause all inpatient hospice care operations beginning on November 18, 2022. Hawaii Care Choices remains open and continues to offer all services. Details on their website.
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Kōkua Mau on HPR's The Body Show | |
Palliative Care and Hospice was the topic on ʻThe Body Showʻ at HPR with Dr. Kathleen Kozak and yours truly Jeannette Koijane.
Advanced Care Directives and POLST with Hope Young our Advance Care Coordinator.
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4th Wed - New online support space - Heavily Yours | |
Heavily Yours is a free online support group for people working with the dying and the dead. We will be gathering monthly
4th Wednesday of the month
4pm HST
All folks in deathcare are welcome! This means you, death doulas, funeral directors, hospice volunteers, palliative care folks, caretakers, etc. It is open to both medical and non-medical professionals, community workers, and volunteers.
You can reserve a spot at http://bitly.ws/rpYm. This support space is a collaboration between A Sacred Passing (Seattle) & Kaipuokaualoku (Honolulu).
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4th Sunday - Free Medical Aid in Dying Bereavement Support Group | |
This support group is specifically for loved ones of those who have chosen Medical Aid in Dying in Hawaiʻi. Facilitated by Leilani Maxera, LCSW and Joy Rodriguez, End of Life Doula.
4th Sunday of the month
6PM over zoom (please note new 6 PM time)
Zoom from anywhere into a space held to process feelings created by the unique experience of walking beside someone who utilized Hawaiʻi’s Our Care, Our Choice Act.
To register please email joydrodriguez@yahoo.com or call (808) 853-0621
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New Resources to Help Clinicians Cope With Moral Distress, Grief, and Trauma-Emotional PPE
The challenges of working in the U.S. health care system have been an existential threat to clinician well-being for years. The pandemic has only exacerbated the pressures health care workers face.
CAPC's new Emotional PPE toolkit provides resources that clinicians and teams can use to support well-being. Most resources in this toolkit are open to all.
What's in the toolkit?
- Whether you have 5 minutes or 60 minutes, there are tools, activities, videos, and practices to help bridge the gap if you are struggling
- Wellness planning resources for team leaders to cultivate safety and advocate for change
- Articles and research on Emotional PPE
- Relevant CAPC events
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New Resource: Audio Version of the Starter Guide |
Our long time partner, the Conversation Project, has created audio versions of their Starter Guides. Subjects available on audio include:
These guides are between 14-19 minutes long, and are a great alternative for individuals who prefer using audio tools. The audio guides are currently listed with the other guides. | |
Medicine meets microphones: Lessons in listening from StoryCorps and Providence. Recording available | The Humanizing Healthcare Expert Series session hosted by the Providence Institute for Human Caring, in collaboration with StoryCorps, the nation's oldest oral history project. "Medicine meets microphones: Lessons in listening from StoryCorps and Providence" Watch it on YouTube | |
Free Resource: Palliative Care Fast Facts |
Are you getting this great free resource? Published every Friday by the Palliative Care Network of Wisconsin “Palliative Care Fast Facts" are edited by Sean Marks, MD; Associate Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Other topics include:pain, non-pain symptoms, communication, prognosis, hospice, Palliative Care consultation, etc. You can see a complete listing and/or sign up at https://www.mypcnow.org/fast-facts/
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Job Board - by Member Organizations | |
Please note: We post positions and career opportunities that have been submitted to us by our members, with the request to share them in our network, on our website and our newsletter.
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Hawai‘i Care Choices in Hilo, Hawai‘i is seeking a variety of experienced and compassionate professionals to provide the highest quality care and support for our patients and their loved ones. They offer an arry of benefits, a supportive work environment and seek to maintain an organizational culture that inspires and engages employees.
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New resource: Generalist Palliative Care Resource Center |
The resource center includes project profiles for each of the 9 public health care systems that participated in the implementation phase, with specifics of what they did, how they did it, and what they learned.
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New Videos on our Kōkua Mau YouTube Channel | |
In case you missed our meetings or reports we add new videos to our YouTube channel
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Aloha,
Jeannette Koijane and Hope Young
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Useful quick links to Kōkua Mau Topics | | | | | |
