Manoa Cottage is conveniently located near the heart of Honolulu. Each of our three licensed care home cottages in Mänoa houses up to eight residents in a familiar, home-like setting, surrounded by a central courtyard, garden and koi pond. Families are encouraged to visit at any time, and private gatherings can be accommodated for special occasions.
Manoa Cottage is a small, locally owned and operated family company with care home nursing and management support living on-site to provide additional assistance 24/7 in case of emergency.
Manoa Cottage Kaimuki is a licensed 27-bed skilled nursing facility specializing in dementia and Alzheimer’s care. It is located in Kapahulu, behind the Kaimuki High School gym. Specially trained staff provides support to residents in various stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s. As a smaller-size skilled nursing facility, residents and family members appreciate the feeling of ‘ohana on a day-to-day basis while living at Manoa Cottage Kaimuki.
We take pride in providing exceptional care that is administered by a team of caring and highly trained professionals. Certified nursing assistants provide around-the-clock assistance with activities of daily living. Licensed nurses work with a team of health care professionals to attend to the medical needs of each resident. Our activities and events coordinators plan daily activities, special events and resident outings in accordance with the wishes and abilities of the individual.
Manoa Cottage Kaimuki provides additional resident support through the Namaste Program. Namaste is an individualized program in which residents receive different relaxation activities throughout the day.
Every day, our chefs prepare homemade meals from scratch that fulfill the nutritional needs and desires of the resident. Our registered dietitian provides additional support.
Manoa Cottage care homes accept residents with a wide range of care needs — from fully ambulatory (assisted living level) to intermediate care. We also encourage and support “aging in place,” which allows our resident to remain at Manoa Cottage should their level of care increase. Our staff members work hand-in-hand with the resident’s physician, therapist, dietitian and others to provide the best care to our residents. Manoa Cottage Kaimuki accepts residents who require 24-hour nursing care in a health care setting.
For more information or a tour of the facilities, please call (808) 426-7850.
MEETING FRANCES KAKUGAWA
Last month, I had the opportunity to meet with Frances Kakugawa after listening to her presentation at the Hawai‘i Pacific Gerontological Society Biennial Conference, which was themed “Imagine 2030.” I wanted to meet with her because we had much in common — our Hawai‘i roots, our profession and our dedication to compassionate kupuna care. Additionally, prior to my moving back to Hawai‘i, we both lived in California — in the same city, in fact — Sacramento, although our paths had never crossed.
I felt a bonding as we chatted that afternoon at Kahala Mall. We talked about our respective hometowns — Frances’ being Kapoho on the Big Island, and Kaimukï being mine, although my father’s family was from Hilo. We also talked about our family ties.
The importance of ‘ohana prevailed in our conversation. Besides our common devotion to kupuna care, Frances and I share a common upbringing as Japanese Americans.
The Japanese concept of oyakökö, often referred to as “filial piety,” can be defined simply as “dutiful to one’s parents.” It is a pathway for the best kupuna care.
Filial piety is not something parents demand of their children. Adult children are not forced to practice filial piety. Rather, filial piety is a feeling of affection for one’s parents that is natural and spontaneous. It touches us as our parents grow older.
Frances’ mission was to give her mother the best possible care she could. It was through her poetry and prose writing that she recorded her reflections on caring for her Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother — its frustrations and yet the compassion she developed. Her writing, now shared with others through books, helps many understand and practice compassionate caregiving.
My personal background in community volunteerism and organizing led to my decision to enter the field of kupuna care over 25 years ago. How we care for the aged has changed with time. Years ago, our kupuna resided in convalescent hospitals and nursing homes. Now we strive to allow them to age in place in their own homes, receiving home care and even hospice and comfort care.
However, with advanced dementia and Alzheimer’s, there is still a need for around-the-clock skilled nursing facilities in our communities. We know that most adult children are filial, but not everyone can care for a parent suffering from a memory disorder like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease at home, so there must be options like the like the 24-bed care facility where I presently work with a team of dedicated nurses and nurses aides.
Although we do different things in our daily lives, Frances and I are both devoted to compassionate caregiving. She writes; I administer a care facility. We parted company that day, encouraging each other to “keeping doing what you’re doing.” — by Calvin Hara, administrator, Manoa Cottage Kaimuki
