Physicians

All care remains under the direction of the patient's primary physician. Hawai‘i Care Choices' Medical Director participates in your plan of care to provide medical direction to the palliative and hospice teams in the development, provision, and revision of your individualized plan of care.  Our Medical Director will coordinate with other physicians in regard to your plan of care as needed.  The palliative and hospice nurses are responsible for keeping your doctor informed and up-to-date on how you are doing.

Nurses

Each patient and family, depending on which program they have chosen, is assigned a palliative or hospice nurse/case manager who will coordinate the delivery of care.  

Nurses can assist in symptom control by contacting physicians for the purpose of adjusting medication and other interventions, by coordinating care from other disciplines, and by answering questions and giving support. Your nurse will keep families informed about disease progression and what to expect, as well as educate the patient's caregivers and family about proper patient care. Your nurse visits will depend on your needs.  The frequency and length of those visits change with your needs.

Social Workers

Social Workers are trained counselors who will help you prioritize what is important to you.  They can provide emotional support to the individual or family, available to all who are affected by your illness. Your social worker can educate and make referrals to resources to meet needs related to care giving, legal issues, funeral arrangements, etc. They can help you to clarify and determine your goals and assist you in communicating these with your family by facilitating family meetings as needed. The level of support needed, varies from person to person.  When you meet with your social worker you can work together to determine the level of support that works best for you and your family.

Certified Nurse Aides

Aides provide much of the caring and hands-on help that patients need and will assist to train other family members in providing personal care. The need for aide visits will be determined by your nurse case manager. The aide’s visit usually lasts less than an hour.  

If you need more care in the home, ask to speak with your social worker.  Your social worker can provide you with referrals for hired caregivers or assist you with applying for Medicaid benefits.

Spiritual Counselors

The Spiritual Counselor is an integral member of your care team, and is available to be with you emotionally, existentially, and spiritually for support and counsel. The Spiritual Counselor is encouraged to meet with every patient and their family, at least once, to assess their needs. You may ask the Spiritual Counselor to discuss life changes, decision making, relationships, life values and matters of faith, troubling feelings or whatever is most important to you. They can be a partner in prayer/meditation, teach non-medical ways of relaxation and stress relief, or can simply be a good listener who is present during difficult times.

Grief Counselor

The bereavement counselor provides support and education to help families understand their grief journey before and after the death of a loved one.  The bereavement program provides follow-up for 13 months after discharge from Hospice, for adults, youth, one-on-one, or the entire family.  This benefit is offered free of charge to any person who feels bereavement care would be helpful for their grief journey.

Volunteers

Volunteers can provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to the patient and their family depending on the need.  Volunteers go through extensive training to understand the needs and experiences of terminally ill individuals and their families. When a volunteer is assigned, the time and schedule will be mutually determined by the volunteer coordinator and the patient and family.  You can request volunteer support through anyone on your team.