Author: Kirk Matthews of KHON’s The Elderhood Project

  • The Greatest Generation

    Refugees don’t flee FROM America, they come TO America. There is promise here. There is hope. “The Greatest Generation.” That’s what Tom Brokaw called my parents and their peers, with good reason. They were asked to defend and support their country in whatever way they could. My father was in the Navy, served as a…

  • Fun to Be Had

    I love reading and writing. And, so do you probably or you wouldn’t be reading this issue of Generations Magazine. There are times though when words on a page cannot convey what is going on around us. I recently traveled to the Lanakila Senior Center for a KHON Elderhood Project story. Dozens of seniors were…

  • Don’t Be Limited By Your Fitness

    On the KHON2 Elderhood Project, we meet many seniors and the ones who impress me most are those who stay active. Recently, our cameras went to a softball tournament where we watched seniors as they laughed and joked with each other. But when the gloves were put on and the ball was pitched, they were…

  • Represent: Neighbor Island Seniors

    I was attending a legislative hearing some years ago dealing with senior issues. The hearing went on for some time as the committee members talked about significant health care problems affecting seniors in Honolulu. At some point, a respected senior advocate from Maui raised his hand and said, “Excuse me, this NOT the state of…

  • Caregiving, Near or Far

    My mother fell and hurt her knee. She’s 86 years old. I am thousands of miles away. My sister lives in the same town as my mother which makes her, by default, my mother’s caregiver. I feel guilty. That is not uncommon for siblings who are not able to provide assistance to parents who live…

  • International Adventure

    Mrs. Matthews and I just returned from a trip to Europe. We went to Lisbon, Portugal for a Rotary International Convention and then to Munich, Germany to visit with friends. The thrill of international travel can often be marred by the fact of international travel. Plane delays, for example, often derail plans and force travelers…

  • “It’s Not Like It Was, But It Will Work”

    My dad had a saying when he was trying to fix things around the house. He was a wonderful man, let there be no question. But when it came to being a “handy-man” — not so much. When he would finish a project, no matter how big or how small, he would finish with this phrase — which was…

  • Change is Inevitable

    Change is inevitable. We all experience it on almost a daily basis. How we adapt to that change can make the difference between moving forward — or not. It may be an easier task for seniors to adapt to change that you might think. For one thing, and I know you have heard a senior friend say…

  • Don’t Be That Lazy Guy

    The boomers grew up listening to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who. My Generation — remember that? When I’m 64 — I know you remember that song. We joked about getting older — and now, here we are. We are the age our parents warned us about. Linda and I just celebrated a milestone. We were born on the…

  • The Talk

    It is the holiday season — the time, maybe the only time of the year, when families get together. There will be lots of food, fun, songs, and presents. But, this may also be a good time for THE TALK. We have visited with many experts on the Elderhood Project who have told us over and over…