Hospice Care for Native Hawai'ians
Our Shalom Hospice Hawai’ian Program provides care services with awareness and concern for the unique Hawai’ian heritage. At the heart of our program is a deep respect for the traditions, language, and beliefs that shape the identity and worldview of the Kamaʻāina.
Cultural and Language Support
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Support: Whenever possible, we provide support and communication in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, honoring the cultural grounding and comfort that comes from receiving care in one’s ancestral language.
Cultural Sensitivity Training: Our staff are trained in Hawaiian values and customs, ensuring care is always given with utomost respect to culture of the people.
Traditional Music & Stories: We incorporate mele (songs), oli (chants), and moʻolelo (stories) which are so integral to their heritage and help foster a sense of peace and belonging.
Spiritual and Ceremonial Support
Spiritual Companionship: Patients have access to Hawaiian spiritual advisors or kahu (ministers), who can provide blessings, prayers, or cultural counsel as requested by the family.
Hoʻoponopono: We support the facilitation of this traditional practice of reconciliation and forgiveness to bring peace and closure to patients and their ʻohana (family).
Healing Practices: With family consent, we honor and integrate elements of traditional healing, such as lāʻau lapaʻau (herbal medicine), lomilomi (massage), or quiet moments of reflection by nature, using trained practitioners who are from similar backgrounds and respectful of the Hawai’ian culture.
End-of-Life Traditions
Connection to Land (ʻĀina): We recognize the healing importance of the land in Hawaiian culture and facilitate opportunities for patients to feel connected—through native plants, local imagery, or outdoor moments.
Ceremonial Moments: Our team works with families to honor important life passages with Hawaiian ceremony, including pule (prayer), and cultural rites of transition.
Spiritual and Ceremonial Support
Spiritual Respect: Care is provided with an awareness of the sacred nature of the body and spirit, ensuring respect in all physical and spiritual care.
Family-Centered Decision Making: We honor the central role of ʻohana in all decisions, offering space for collective reflection and support.
Passing With Dignity: When desired, we facilitate final blessings or traditional chants provided by a practitioner of Hawaiian spiritual tradition, honoring the spirit’s passage and the family’s grief.
Guided by Aloha, Grounded in Culture
At Shalom Hospice of Hawaii, we believe that every patient deserves to be surrounded by love, understanding, and cultural respect. Through our Native Hawai’ian Program, we strive to walk beside each patient and family with aloha in our hearts, honoring their journey in a way that uplifts spirit and preserves identity.