Categorized | Health

New Hospice of Hilo facility to provide pediatric care

MEDIA RELEASE

Hospice of Hilo’s (HoH) under-construction inpatient home is being designed with children in mind.

Whether a child is terminally ill and needs comfort care, or an adult loved one is a patient, the new hospice has the youngster’s interests at the center.

Hospice of Hilo is building the first inpatient home on a neighbor island. For 28 years, HoH has been providing care to the terminally ill in their own homes. The inpatient facility will help those who can’t stay home.

A Capital Campaign is underway to raise funds for the 12-bed, Medicare-certified home. The campaign seeks donations from the community to support the construction.

To ensure that terminally ill children and children visiting family members receive sufficient support for their unique needs, the facility received a $100,000 anonymous donation as well as a gift of $25,000 from the Island Insurance Foundation. In addition, The Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation, committed to providing resources to improve the life of Hawaii’s children and families, gave a gift of $75,000.

“This is a project that we believe in because it helps to support Hawaii’s keiki. We are happy to support this great project for the Big Island and hope others will join us in supporting it” said Alfred L. Castle, Treasurer and Executive Director of the Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation.

“These donors recognize that hospice isn’t solely for the elderly,” said Brenda Ho, Executive Director. “We will provide care for patients of all ages in a place where their families can be nurtured, too.”

Children need special attention when faced with terminal illness, their own or a loved one’s. The home will feature customizable patient rooms that can be child friendly, a children’s playroom, family room, and spa therapy room, rather than an institutional hospital environment.

When a child becomes terminally ill, the period of care is longer, the number of loved ones affected by the illness is larger, and the whole family needs care. Every member of the family is affected; parents are frantic, and seek reassurance. Siblings feel lost and sometimes confused and need special attention and friends who understand.

Hospice pediatric care will be family centered and delivered by an interdisciplinary team. The overall focus is to enhance the quality of life. The hospice home will provide for play therapy and social activities; and provide advisory resources to families and professionals.

Hospice of Hilo is a private, non-profit agency providing compassionate, quality end-of-life care through support, counseling and education. Since 1983 Hospice of Hilo has served the east and south portions of Hawaii Island. For more information please visit www.hospiceofhilo.org

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