Mālama Ola earns top national honor for veteran hospice care

Mālama Ola Health Services, based on Oʻahu, has become the first hospice and palliative care organization in the state of Hawai‘i to earn Level 5 status from We Honor Veterans, the highest recognition awarded by the national program for veteran-centered end-of-life care.

The designation places Mālama Ola among just 233 organizations—about 7% of over 3,300 participating nationwide—that have achieved Level 5. Only 41 of those also provide both hospice and palliative care services.

“All of us on the Mālama Ola team consider it a privilege to be there for those who have courageously and unreservedly served our country,” said Brenda Ryan, Mālama Ola’s volunteer coordinator, who oversees the We Honor Veterans program. “Our Level 5 ranking would not have been possible without the support of our incredible staff and volunteers who share our vision and mission and give so generously of their hearts and time.”

We Honor Veterans is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), developed in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It guides hospice and palliative care providers in improving the quality of care for veterans and their families.

To achieve Level 5 status, organizations must complete a yearlong process that includes staff and volunteer training, community presentations, vet-to-vet support and specialized programs focused on Vietnam-era veterans, including PTSD, moral injury, suicide prevention and treatment at end-of-life.

Veterans interested in hospice and palliative care may contact Mālama Ola Health Services at 808-543-1188 or visit the Mālama Ola website at malamaolacares.org.