Today is a good day to renew your membership or join Kokua Mau as an individual member.  Details below and thank you for your support. 
May 2016 Kōkua Mau eNewsletter


Aloha,  

This seems to be the month of date changes so please notice below changes and cancellations.  An exhibit of Oncology on Canvas pictures is currently up at Honolulu City Hall so stop by to marvel at the moving and heartfelt expressions of cancer that have been assembled. 

We have also included some new resources that we hope are useful and upcoming events.  
Next Palliative Pupus in July

Unfortunately we will not be able to meet for Palliative Pupus on May 18, as originally planned. Buildings need tender loving care too, and the QMC is not available at our usual bi-monthly third Wednesday of the month meeting time. After having some restorative and preventative work done, we look forward to seeing you at the usual time at place again on July.

Palliative Pupus is our exciting local networking and clinical education opportunity.  If you are involved with palliative care cases, you are invited. Please tell your colleagues and friends. Come for interactive interdisciplinary real-case experiences from the cutting edge of hospice and palliative care and mingle with colleagues.

July 20, 2016
5:15 to 7 PM
The Queens Conference Center (QCC)
Room 200
510 S. Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

May 17 & 31 Workshop: The Conversation Project

Have you been looking for a good way to start the conversation with a loved one?  Come and join these workshops put on by the Kokua Mau Speakers Bureau at the invitation of Windward UCC.

If you could not speak for yourself would your loved ones know your health care desires? The Conversation Project - A free two-part seminar

Tuesdays, May 17 & 31
6:30-8:30 pm
Windward United Church of Christ
38 Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kailua, HI 96734

Have you spoken with your loved ones about your end-of-life wishes? Let the folks from Kōkua Mau empower you for this important task during this 2-part interactive class.  Please invite your loved ones, friends and family to this workshop by the Kokua Mau Speakers Bureau.

The Conversation Project's Starter Kit  can help you get your thoughts together - for yourself or someone you love or for your doctors and we encourage you to read through it before the sessions.

Space is limited.  R.S.V.P. to the church  office at 808 254-3802
Thur. 5/26 Kokua Mau Meeting
 
Please join us for out monthly meeting to learn, mingle and network. Our guest speaker this month is our own Beth Freitas,  RN, MS, OCN, ACHPN, PhD(c) who will be presenting about her PhD research.  Beth is an APRN on the Palliative Care Service at The Queen's Medical Center.  She will discuss the adventures and outcomes of her research on spiritual/religious beliefs and resuscitation preferences. She hopes to complete her dissertation defense this fall.

Interesting and Incidental Findings: Spiritual/Religious Beliefs, Resuscitation Decisions, and Hospitalized Patients
 
Thursday, May 26, 2016
3pm-5pm
Conference Room 224 
Weinberg Building 
St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawai'i 
2226 Liliha Street in Honolulu

We have set up a conference call for those who are unable to participate in person.  Conference Dial-in Number (712) 775-7100; Participant Access Code 1079885#. 
 
Parking is validated and click here for a map and further details.  Please RSVP to Jeannette for a basic headcount and to get the slides.  (You can certainly come even if you didn't RSVP.)     
7/30 Date change: Kaiser Oncology on Canvas 2016

Oncology on Canvas helps people living with cancer and those that love and care for them to cope with disease through art.  No previous art experience is needed, there are no age restrictions and everyone is welcome!!
Mark your calendars:

The Oncology on Canvas event at Kaiser originally scheduled for Saturday, May 7th is rescheduled for Saturday, July 30th.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
NOT Sat. May 7, 2016   
New date: Sat. July 30
9am-3pm
2nd Floor - Auditorium
Moanalua Medical Center
3288 Moanalua Rd., Honolulu, HI  96819
IOM Report on Dying in America -  18 months later.  Has anything changed? 

Time for a Status Update: Have we improved quality of care for people nearing the end of life?

To assess progress since the release of the Dying in America report in September 2014, and to inform the work of a new Roundtable on Quality of Care for People with Serious Illness, the National Academy of Medicine is conducting a nationwide survey to track improvements over the past 18 months, discover barriers that have prevented progress, and better understand current areas of need.
 
Your feedback will help the new roundtable shape its work over the next three years. Please share your experiences, and encourage your friends and colleagues to take the survey as well.
6/24-26 Family Camp 2016

Each year Hospice Hawaii hosts a family camp for children and teens (ages 7-17) and their family members who have lost a loved one through death.  The theme for this year's camp is "The Rhythms of Life."

June 24-26
Queen Liliu'okalani Children's Center
53-516 Kamehameha Hwy
Hau'ula, Oahu

Campers participate in various arts and crafts, and outdoor activities.  At camp there is an emphasis on healing and remembrance, and the opportunity to connect with others who are grieving. For more information and to sign up, please visit their website or call the Bereavement Counselor at 808-791-8093; or email FamilyCamp@HospiceHawaii.org. Camp costs $50 per family.

Resource: Conversation Stopper?

Conversation Stopper: What's Preventing Physicians from Talking with Patients About End-of-Life and Advance Care Planning?

Findings of a national poll exploring the views of primary care and specialist physicians about end-of-life and advance care planning conversations with patients was presented by The John A. Hartford Foundation with the California Health Care Foundation and Cambia Foundation.

In "Conversation Stopper," virtually all physicians surveyed agree that talking with patients about end-of-life and advance care planning is important, and they overwhelmingly support a new Medicare benefit that reimburses them for having those discussions.

The survey identified barriers that keep physicians from engaging in these sensitive conversations, with nearly half (46 percent) reporting that they frequently or sometimes feel unsure of what to say, and less than one-third (29 percent) reporting having had any formal training specifically on talking with patients and their families about end-of-life care. (Webinar slides in the middle of the page)
Play the "Go Wish" game online

Looking for a way to get the conversation going, now you can use the Go Wish cards for free on line.  This interactive "game" allows you to talk about the importance of different issues as you discuss care at the end of life.  Or you can order and buy the cards directly.  You can also order the bi-lingual Chinese-English 'Heart to Heart' cards based on the Go Wish cards!

Join Kokua Mau or renew your membership for 2016

This is the time of the year when we ask you to join or renew your Kōkua Mau Membership. Membership is tax-deductible and your financial support helps us to maintain and expand our programs. This includes the e-newsletters, free materials for download (including POLST and the new Advance Directive), our well-visited website, various training opportunities, monthly meetings, Palliative Pupus, and our expanding Speakers Bureau.

2016 will certainly be busy as we look forward to more outreach activities with churches, temples and other community groups - let us know if you would like to schedule our Speakers Bureau to visit. We also look forward to ongoing education and networking opportunities for professionals, both those organized by Kokua Mau and those where we can collaborate with partners.

Membership and donations are an essential part of keeping Kōkua Mau fiscally sustainable.  Last year we had nearly 100 individuals who joined and details for membership are below.  We especially encourage organizational membership by community leaders that support our mission. Please contact Kokua Mau's Executive Director Jeannette Koijane for details.
 
How do I join? 2 easy ways
 
Download a membership form, include a check and and mail it to the Kokua Mau address on the form.  (Renewing members can just send in a check without the form.)

Online: Chose your membership level online or on the PDF file and click the Donate Now button on the right hand side of the webpage. Please put 'membership' in the 'Designation (Optional)' field, click 'add to giving cart' and follow the subsequent steps. We know, the free version of network for good does not look exciting but it is free.

With all donations going into programs we don't offer you another tote bag, but we still do have the ever popular: low cost virtual Kōkua Mau mug.

In thanks for your membership: All members are honored on the Kōkua Mau website and on written materials that are displayed at events

Thank you!
 
Benefits of Joining Kōkua Mau?
 
Kōkua Mau, as a local non-profit, community-benefit organization is fueled by the passion of dedicated volunteers with a lean budget and every penny spent on making our work possible. (Kōkau Mau is not a state agency!) 

Expanding networking and education for professionals. 
Kōkua Mau continues to provide professionals an opportunity for education and networking through:
  • Kōkua Mau e-newsletter providing updates on local and national events, resources and research
  • Kōkua Mau website is well visited and constantly updated with free materials for the community
  • Monthly Kokua Mau meetings, which usually include a speaker, local updates and networking opportunities
  • Palliative Pupus - our cutting-edge, clinical case discussion
  • Coming soon: Key documents in 10 languages
For over 17 years, Kōkua Mau has been a voice for outstanding hospice and palliative care and services in Hawai'i, providing high-quality information, trainings and ever growing networking opportunities.
Best wishes and please share your updates with us, 


Jeannette Koijane
Executive Director
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Kokua Mau Hawaii Hospice and Palliative Care Organization | P.O. Box 62155 | Honolulu | HI | 96839-2155