Two Kauaʻi skilled nursing facilities operated by Ohana Pacific Health have been recognized for participating in the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Stroke post-acute care initiative, a program aimed at strengthening evidence-based care for people recovering from strokes.
Garden Isle Rehab & Nursing and Hale Kūpuna Heritage Home are among facilities taking part in the initiative, which provides a framework for improving stroke rehabilitation, recovery and secondary prevention through standardized care practices.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States.
About 800,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke each year, according to the American Heart Association’s 2025 statistical update.
“Participation in this program benefits the patient and the facility by standardizing care practices,” said Chasen Fukuda, health care quality program consultant.
The American Heart Association developed quality standards for its post-acute care initiative based on its 2016 Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery.
The standards are intended to address differences in stroke rehabilitation expertise, care processes and educational resources among facilities that provide post-acute care.
The initiative focuses on several areas of care, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management and quality improvement.
Evidence-based rehabilitation and secondary prevention can improve recovery following a stroke while reducing the risk of additional complications.
The program is designed to help participating facilities apply those practices consistently throughout a patient’s recovery.
Fukuda added: “When there are evidence-based processes during every phase of care, patients have the best opportunity for positive outcomes. This initiative helps patients and their loved ones know participating facilities follow these important best practices.”
Participating facilities receive a stipend as well as site-specific quality improvement support and ideas for improving processes related to stroke recovery, rehabilitation and secondary prevention.
Facilities also can participate in a learning collaborative with stroke rehabilitation experts to develop tools and share best practices.
The initiative is intended to strengthen coordination among post-acute care facilities, hospitals and outpatient providers involved in stroke care.
Ohana Pacific Health operates skilled nursing facilities across Hawaiʻi.
Richard Kishaba, the company’s founder and owner, said the organization is using the initiative to strengthen rehabilitation and post-acute services for stroke patients.
“At Ohana Pacific Health, our skilled nursing facilities across the state, including Garden Isle Rehab & Nursing and Hale Kūpuna Heritage Home on Kauaʻi, are committed to providing high-quality rehabilitation and post-acute care for individuals recovering from serious illnesses and injuries, including stroke,” Kishaba said.
“Through this initiative with the American Heart Association, we are strengthening our ability to deliver evidence-based care that supports recovery and improves outcomes.
“We are proud to bring these resources to our teams and help more people on Kauaʻi regain their independence and quality of life,” he said.
