Category: Editorial

Spring Time Means UH Baseball

With granddaughter Alexis at a UH game.

Many of Hawai‘i residents are baseball fans, especially when it comes to UH’s Baseball Bows. We take pride in these young men who represent our state in collegiate competitions, now playing all their home games in “the house that Les built.”

The 2014 season marks the 30th anniversary of the Les Murakami Stadium (built in 1984 and previously named the Rainbow Stadium). Coach Les, who was the cover story of Generations’ April/May 2013 issue, was honored on February 21st to commemorate the three decades of the stadium. He became the UH head coach in 1971, won his 1,000th game in 1998, was inducted in the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2001 and retired after 31 seasons.

I am proud to say that my husband and I have been UH baseball fans since we met in 1974. Our three children, and now our son-in-law Trey and granddaughter Alexis, enjoy watching at least one game of the home series. Over the years, we have seen great wins and heartbreaking loses. Our most memorable were probably the two longest UH games ever played (prior to the “Les” being built). As we recall, it was in 1976 and we stayed until after midnight, sitting outside the stadium in center field (Scholarship Hill), where Gerald Ako and Derek Tatsuno pitched their entire games of 17 and 18 innings — and won!

Watching UH baseball is a great tradition for my family. To join the fun, call 808-944-2697 or visit www.hawaiiathletics.com.

Many of Hawai‘i residents are baseball fans, especially when it comes to UH’s Baseball Bows. We take pride in these young men who represent our state in collegiate competitions, now playing all their home games in “the house that Les built.” The 2014 season marks the 30th anniversary of the Les Murakami Stadium (built in…
Editor’s Note
Spring is here and it’s the season of rebirth and rejuvenation! Outdoor. Indoor. Or both. Sit. Stand. Move. Interact. Anyway you want it. Though it is the time to come alive! So here are just a few activities to do to keep you busy during this spring.

1) Go Bows! Get out and cheer on the Rainbow Warrior baseball team. See pg. 11

2) I believe we need to have more intergenerational programs, such as the One-Mile Project featured in last month’s issue with the class from ‘Iolani School. We need to cherish our kupuna as they have a wealth of experience and values. To all our kupuna, I encourage you to pass down all your values, work ethic and stories of old Hawai‘i, and there is no better way than spending time with your children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

3) Listen to music and your favorite radio station, AM 690 (KHNR). Tune in Saturdays for two shows:

Frank B. Shaner’s Baby Boomer radio show, 4 – 5 p.m.

Generations radio show, 5 – 6 p.m.

To listen to past radio shows, visit BabyBoomerShow.com and Generations808.com

4) Expand your knowledge, mind and ideas about aging in place, making each year golden! Attend this informational workshop — Generations publisher, Percy Ihara, will be the keynote speaker on “Aging in Hawai‘i.”

Mini Aging In Place Workshop

Friday, May 30, 2014, 9:30 –11:00 a.m., Ala Moana Pacific Center, 1585 Kapiolani Blvd., #1518. IMPORTANT: Seating is LIMITED — RSVP with the number of people attending by May 23. Contact: Scott Sakata, Realtor, Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). Phone: 808-228-4916 (call for parking and directions).

5) It’s showtime! Be entertained with enthusiastic and talented performers.

Hawai‘i Ballroom Dance Association Cabaret — Mardi Gras Follies 2014, with director Jack Cione. Saturday, June 7, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.), Hawai‘i Theater, 1130 Bethel St. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased through the Hawai‘i Theater, 808-528-0506.

6) It’s the right cause for the right reason: give back to our community … just by walking.

2014 Walk to Cure Arthritis — Hawaii
Sunday, June 1, 2014 at the Hawaii State Capitol. For Walk information, call the local Arthritis Hawaii office at 808-596-2900.

Live well,

Percy Ihara, Editor/Publisher
Spring is here and it’s the season of rebirth and rejuvenation! Outdoor. Indoor. Or both. Sit. Stand. Move. Interact. Anyway you want it. Though it is the time to come alive! So here are just a few activities to do to keep you busy during this spring. 1) Go Bows! Get out and cheer on…
Medicare: Taking Your Medicare Call
Medicare questions (such as the ones below) flood the Hawaii SHIP hotline each day.

SHIP: “Good morning, you have reached the Executive Office on Aging and the Hawaii SHIP, how may I help you?”

Caller #1: “I need information about why my Medicare is not covering my ambulance bill.”

Caller #2: “I am turning 65 in June, what do I need to do?

The Hawaii SHIP Program is sponsored by the Department of Health Executive Office on Aging, through a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The program provides assistance to Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, the program provides presentations to all interested groups, exhibits at health and wellness events and does special screening outreach for Medicare beneficiaries during the Medicare Open Enrollment period, from October 15 to December 7.

Did You Know?

Medicare counseling assistance is available usually on the first Friday of each month at the Honolulu and Kapolei Social Security offices. A Medicare counselor is there from 9 a.m. to noon to assist anyone with Medicare questions, such as:

Do I have to sign up for Medicare?

Do I need a drug plan?

Is there help with health costs?

Two Medicare counseling sessions this spring are on Friday, April 4 and May 2.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Hawaii SHIP provides assistance to Hawai‘i’s 220,000 Medicare beneficiaries and is staffed by two state program specialists. So how is it that two staff members can accomplished the program goals? Not possible without the dedicated

volunteers who contribute to the success of the volunteer-based program.

Hawaii SHIP provides a number of great opportunities. Training and mentoring are provided for all volunteer positions. Presently, you have a choice among the following:

Community Outreach Specialist

Customer Service Specialist

Certified Medicare Counselor

Office and Material Volunteer

Special Projects Volunteer

Professional/Working Volunteer … and more.
You can be a volunteer and assist Medicare beneficiaries, as well as family and friends. Volunteers are welcomed from all islands. You are invited to join others who have already said, Yes!

Hawaii SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program):
1-888-875-9229 | help@hawaiiship.org
www.hawaiiship.org
For 2014 Medicare updates: www.medicare.gov
Medicare questions (such as the ones below) flood the Hawaii SHIP hotline each day. SHIP: “Good morning, you have reached the Executive Office on Aging and the Hawaii SHIP, how may I help you?” Caller #1: “I need information about why my Medicare is not covering my ambulance bill.” Caller #2: “I am turning 65…
Web Navigation

Main navigation menu: Use these topics to navigate to the various pages in our site. As you run the cursor over the word, it’ll become bold. These topics will always exist on every page. Throughout the homepage, there are also various other buttons that’ll take you to any one of these topics.

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About Us is just a little background.

Contact Us via mail, phone or email.

Subscribe provides a subscription form so you can enjoy Generations Magazine delivered to your door every other month.

Main navigation menu: Use these topics to navigate to the various pages in our site. As you run the cursor over the word, it’ll become bold. These topics will always exist on every page. Throughout the homepage, there are also various other buttons that’ll take you to any one of these topics. Home is the…
Vegas Celebrations

Many milestones are celebrated in Las Vegas. At least that was the reason my husband and I started going to Vegas — from celebrating our 40th birthdays to this past October when we celebrated our 60th. When we started going to Vegas, we went with another couple, Sharon and Steven

Clifford, Sherry & the Buddah statue at the California Hotel & Casino. Rub his tummy for some good luck!

Wong of Mililani (a little later, we convinced Nelson Lara, the best man at our wedding 37 years ago, to join us). We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries — and even took our children for their 21st birthdays. And every time we go to Vegas, we travel with Vacations Hawaii.

The Vacations Hawaii packages are great because we don’t have to worry about transportation to and from the Vegas airport; and we can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with our free coupons (including swapping our lunch coupons for midnight steak and eggs at the California Hotel & Casino).

When we first started going to Vegas, we rode on the city’s bus system. It wasn’t bad, but we didn’t go too far from downtown Vegas. Now, Nelson drives us around like a “local,” taking us to shopping centers, casinos and shows on the Strip, plus to Trader Joe’s.

The weather seems to be the best for our trips in October because Vegas is still a little warm (in the 80s during the third week of this past October) and the nights are in the 50s. We usually wear shorts and T-shirts during the days and jeans or slacks at night. Since Vegas is the 9th Hawaiian Island, we always see people from “home” walking around downtown or at The Cal. The hotel is a home away from home for us, and holds so many good memories.

Many milestones are celebrated in Las Vegas. At least that was the reason my husband and I started going to Vegas — from celebrating our 40th birthdays to this past October when we celebrated our 60th. When we started going to Vegas, we went with another couple, Sharon and Steven Wong of Mililani (a little…
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 no longer seniors. Rather, they became competitive, energetic athletes having fun on the field. They were turned young again … a feeling that they take with themselves off the field and into their everyday lives.

If you go to the Ala Wai Clubhouse and watch the seniors ballroom dancing, you can see that gleam in the eye, the high heel lifting delicately, the smile on the face. Although dancing is great exercise, you can just tell that there’s more to it.

Experts will tell you that exercise is important as we age. I agree. But to me, it’s about more than just the exercise. It’s that chemical reaction in the brain that surges and tells you, “I can do this!”

The publisher of this magazine Percy Ihara and I play golf from time to time. We walk, we talk, we swing the club — not wisely, but with spirit. When we’re through, we laugh and talk about the round. That may be the most important part of our game. If you have the chance to join others in your activities — than do it. It is an important part in keeping us young.

Why is it important to stay active? To explain why, here’s a funny for you…

A woman comes home from shopping and says to her husband who’s watching television, “Let’s run upstairs and make love!”

He replies, “You have to choose.”

Stay active, and you won’t have to pick between activities.

The Elderhood Project airs on KHON2 Friday Morning news at 5:45a.m. and Thursday at 5p.m.

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…
Welcome to the Generations808.com

Main navigation menu: Use these topics to navigate to the various pages in our site. As you run the cursor over the word, it’ll become bold. These topics will always exist on every page. Throughout the homepage, there are also various other buttons that’ll take you to any one of these topics.

Home is the main page.

This Issue will take you to the current issue’s table of contents with live links to individual articles.

Resources will take you to resource guide archives.

AIP Videos show a list of the Aging In Place Workshop speakers.

Events: contains the events calendar.

Advertising contains all of our advertising and marketing information.

About Us is just a little background.

Contact Us via mail, phone or email.

Subscribe provides a subscription form so you can enjoy Generations Magazine delivered to your door every other month.

Main navigation menu: Use these topics to navigate to the various pages in our site. As you run the cursor over the word, it’ll become bold. These topics will always exist on every page. Throughout the homepage, there are also various other buttons that’ll take you to any one of these topics. Home is the…
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 O‘ahu. It’s the state of Hawai‘i.”

Everyone laughed because what he said was exactly true. Half of the state’s population lives on the Neighbor Islands. And, Maui alone has nearly 32,000 seniors — a number that is expected to increase to approximately 54,000 by 2020.

On the Neighbor Islands, hospitals and senior care facilities are often few and far between. Family members may be miles — or islands — apart. There are higher costs for gas, groceries — virtually everything seniors count on for quality of life. We hope that policymakers and institutions keep that in mind when making decisions that could impact seniors across the state.

In this issue, Generations Magazine visits Maui as a starting point for this conversation about our Neighbor Island seniors and their families, but I feel certain other Neighbor Islands will soon be given more consideration, not just by the magazine but by those people helping seniors as they age.

The fact is, I’m thinking about some waterfront property on Moloka‘i. I might be able to afford it if I live in one of those little storage sheds from Sears. I’ll have to talk to Mrs. Matthews first.

The Elderhood Project airs on KHON2 Friday Morning news at 5:45a.m. and Thursday at 5p.m.

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…
Editor’s Note

Where has the year gone? As we near the holiday season I am reminded of how important our families are to all of us. And there is no bigger issue that most of us will all face other than caregiving for our parents.

As November is National Caregiver’s Awareness Month, this issue of the magazine is dedicated to all the caregivers in Hawai‘i who take care of their loved ones. There are more than 249,000 people in the Islands who provide over $162 million in unpaid caregiver support, according to a AARP report.

A big mahalo to TV personality Emme Tomimbang and her husband Jim Burns, retired chief judge of the State Intermediate Court Of Appeals, for sharing their personal caregiving story with Generations Magazine. Our cover story, When Caregiving Comes Full Circle, exemplifies the struggles — and rewards — of caring for family and friends.

Speaking of family, we welcome Generations Magazine’s new business partners — Ventus Design, Alternate Energy, California Hotel and HiHealthCare. All of our business partners are “vetted” in that they are senior-friendly businesses, love working with our older population and understand the importance of trust and respecting each other. We cannot bring you Generations Magazine without their support, so if you’re looking for senior services, please consider our business partners.

Recently at the Hawai‘i Senior Fair at the Neal Blaisdell Center, the magazine offered a chance to win a 5-night, 6-day Las Vegas vacation with submission of a survey. Congratulations to our Senior Fair survey winner Myrna Arakaki, 70, of Kaneohe. She told us that she and her husband are excited and thankful. (We will publish the results of the survey in the upcoming December/January issue.)

In our goal to continue to provide more resources for our readers, one of our columnists Frank B. Shaner and I are kicking off a new radio program called the “Baby Boomer Show.” For more information of when to tune in and give us a call, turn to page 9.

Lastly, check out our Generations Magazine website at www.Generations808.com. It is easier than ever to navigate. Because many attendees of the 7th Annual Elderhood “Aging in Place” workshops didn’t get to see all of the presenters, we uploaded videos of the presentations online. Thanks again to all of our presenters!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Live well,

Percy Ihara, Editor/Publisher

Where has the year gone? As we near the holiday season I am reminded of how important our families are to all of us. And there is no bigger issue that most of us will all face other than caregiving for our parents. As November is National Caregiver’s Awareness Month, this issue of the magazine…
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 in another town — or on another continent. There are situations where it is impossible to be the primary caregiver, whether you want to or not.

As seniors, we want to do the best we can to be self-sufficient and to take care of ourselves. But sooner or later [hopefully later] we will have to depend on others to look after our well-being. This is a message to the next generation. Think about who is going to be your caregiver. If you can count on your children, fine. But remember, there are professionals standing by who can help support the entire family. But if you have seen the headlines lately, you realize there is a looming crisis. There will be more people who need assistance than there are people available to offer it. These are important things to think about as we age. As we have said many times in the past, sooner or later you will be a caregiver or one receiving care. We are fortunate that Generations Magazine provides a great deal of resources to help us all with our specific family needs. In fact, the cover story of this issue, Living A New Normal, highlights the importance of caregiving and offers some insights and additional community resources.

And, just remember, that although you may not always be able to be by a loved one’s side, a simple phone call to check in or sending some photos of grandkids can go a long way in making someone feel loved.

The Elderhood Project airs on KHON2 Friday Morning news at 5:45a.m. and Thursday at 5p.m.

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 into unexpected circumstances. But here’s something we noticed — senior travelers seem to cope the best. Why is that? Often, I think, each new thing that happens to us is considered an adventure. Seniors have had many ‘adventures’ during their lives and that makes it easier to look at the next ‘inconvenience’ as just yet another turn in the road.

There were families with toddlers who also managed to cope — but overall, coping is easier when you don’t have little ones. (On the flight from Munich to San Francisco, there was a toddler who could be the next opera star. He yelled and hollered for 10 hours straight. Try that, Michael Buble!)

The downside to traveling as a senior is that your pill, lotion, ointment, remedy, soothing oils bag may not fit in the overhead bin. Get used to it. It’s not likely to stop there.

In Portugal and Germany, there were crowded town squares where people from all generations gathered. Seniors were treated with respect, given the right-of-way when they needed it, doors opened for them, they were allowed to move to the front of the line when it appeared they were weakening. We were, in many cases, in tourist destinations and yet the courtesy on the part of residents was extended to visitors and neighbors alike.

The message here … don’t be afraid to travel for the adventure, for the learning, for the experience if you are a senior. In most cases, you will be treated with style and grace by the people whose country you are visiting.

The Elderhood Project airs on KHON2 Friday morning news at 5:45 a.m. and Thursday news at 5 p.m.

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 used over and over again by many of his friends [and now, his son] — “It’s not like it was, but it will work.”

Duct tape has saved many a marriage. I know this for a fact. Elmer’s Glue has saved many a school project. Again, I speak from experience. There is a time and a place for using duct tape or glue. But when it comes to our personal well-being, best to see a professional.

It’s one thing to try to replace the hinges on a cupboard door. It’s another to diagnose whether or not you have a cold or double pneumonia.

Last month, we visited a senior center where the staff practiced something called “Namaste.” I don’t know all the details about the practice, but I will tell you this. It involves the senses of touch, sound and smell. Seniors, many of them with dementia, were obviously connected to the practitioners during the practice of Namaste.

This brings us back to my original statement. “It’s not like it was, but it will work.” As we age, we may look for many ways to feel better. It may be traditional western medicine, it may be medicine involving our native culture, it may be something like Namaste. But the important thing is — talk to a professional. Find out what he/she has to say about what ails you. The answer may be simple — it may be complex. But don’t try to fix it yourself without help. There’s a reason those healers have worked to become who they are. The answer you don’t want to hear is, “It’s not like it was, but it will work.”

The Elderhood Project airs on KHON2 Friday morning news at 5:45 a.m. and Thursday news at 5 p.m.

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…