Geriatrics
Faculty
Care
In Hawaiʻi, caring for aging parents and grandparents at home is a deeply rooted tradition and a meaningful alternative to nursing home care. Yet for many families, this responsibility comes with uncertainty and little training. From managing medications to recognizing swallowing problems after a stroke, family caregivers are often asked to navigate complex medical challenges on their own.
Recognizing this gap, Dr. Ritabelle Fernandes, Professor in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), has created an innovative solution: Returning Home – a music album that delivers palliative care education through contemporary Hawaiian-inspired songs.
Blending melody with expert medical guidance, this album addresses essential caregiving topics such as advance care planning, pain management, and safe swallowing – transforming complex healthcare topics into accessible and memorable learning tools.
“Many caregivers are doing their best without formal training,” said Dr. Fernandes. “Music makes important health information easier to remember and more accessible for busy caregivers within the comforts of home.”
Across Hawaiʻi, multigenerational households are common, and families frequently take on the role of primary caregivers for aging relatives. While the arrangement allows kūpuna to remain surrounded by loved ones, it also places significant emotional and logistical demands on caregivers balancing work, children, and caregiving responsibilities. Returning Home album was created to support these families with compassion and practical guidance.
Founded in 2025 by Dr. Fernandes, Full Circle Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering transformative educational experiences beyond traditional classrooms to empower communities. Through projects like Returning Home, the organization promotes compassionate awareness around caregiving, serious illness, and life’s final transitions.
“Caregivers don’t always have time to read through long pamphlets,” Dr. Fernandes added. “But a song can stay with you throughout the day. If these songs help even one family feel more confident caring for someone they love, then this work has meaning.”
“Palliative care is not only a medical discipline—it is also an art of presence and compassion,” said Dr. Fernandes who is board certified in hospice and palliative medicine. “This album is a reminder that even in life’s most difficult moments, there can be beauty, connection and peace.”
Dr. Fernandes developed her vocal artistry under the mentorship of Co-Producer - Kristian Lei, a Hawaiʻi-based international recording artist, and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award–nominated performer known for her work in stage, television, and film. This album was recorded at Rendez-Vous Recording Studio with veteran engineer and musician Pierre Grill.
Her musical journey has also been shaped by participation in Doctors on Stage, including production such as Downtrodden, Fundemic and Found and Lost (2025), which supports immigrants in Hawaii through Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls.
Accompanying the album is a visual art collection titled Heaven Series, featuring Dr. Fernandes’ palette knife oil paintings. A plein air student of renowned Hawaiʻi artists Mark Brown and Ed Furuike, she created these paintings as a reflection on light, love, and the quiet mystery beyond this life. Each painting invites viewers into a space of contemplation – where farewell is met with beauty, peace, and meaning.
This album dedicated to her late mother Phil Fernandes, former International Commissioner for Girl Guides India, will be available on all streaming platforms Mother’s Day,10 May 2026. “My mother encouraged me to explore piano lessons, voice coaching, painting classes, shaping the person I am today,” Dr. Fernandes shared. “She did not want me to be just book smart, it was important to become an all-rounder.” Dr. Fernandes is the first physician in her family. She is a Licentiate of Trinity College of Music London (LTCL), a former piano teacher in Mumbai, and longtime church organist.
Website: www.fullcircleeducation.net
Instagram: @ReturningHomeAlbum
YouTube: @ReturningHomeAlbum
Facebook: @ReturningHomeAlbum