Category: Giving Care

  • Unexpected Turn of Events

    In March, during a mainland trip to visit our college daughter, I started receiving phone calls from old family friends whom I haven’t heard from in years. What I thought were surprise hellos were concerned calls. My mother, Kimiko Suzuki, 88, had reached out to them due to a sudden onset of fluid buildup in…

  • When Seniors Choose Solo Living

    As home healthcare providers, we’re often asked if a senior can live alone at home. While each situation is different, seniors who are alone can have additional risks that affect their health and well-being. In 2016, the Administration on Aging reported 29 percent, or 13.3 million older adults age 65 and over, lived alone at home.…

  • Resources to Help Aging Loved Ones

    By Dan Ihara, RA, CAPS, CLHMS, Senior Real Estate Specialist, RS-65892 As we all age and watch those around us get older, concerns about the safety of our loved ones may increase. Whether it is memory loss, falls, a decrease in appetite and hygiene, or the absence of family or friends, everyone will need some…

  • Home Healthcare: Buyer Beware

    By Eileen Phillips, RN, Attention Plus Care Life is full of choices as a consumer. We try to make informed choices but sometimes getting there takes a bit of experience and know-how. Online product or service reviews are helpful at times but can mean different things to different people based on experience. The same can…

  • Living in a Community of Caring

    Ever think about growing old? Even when we become caregivers for aging loved ones, or start to feel pain in our joints, or experience the “where did I leave my keys?” and “what was I gonna say?” moments, we may still not attribute them to aging.

  • National Patient Safety Goals

    Most seniors I meet say they prefer to age in place and live at home for as long as they can. Who wouldn’t want that, right? But living out your life safely at home may require a bit of help and experience. Home healthcare is particularly suited here; clients can manage their care with medical…

  • Hospice Hawaii Lāna’i Hope House

    by Generations Magazine Staff Hospice Hawaii Lāna’i is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Hope House, a home-away-from-home for many patients and their families. “We’re so excited to celebrate this milestone with our friends at Hospice Hawaii Lānai,” said Kenneth L. Zeri, president and CPO of Hospice Hawaii. “Since opening its doors in April 2016, Hope House has…

  • Caring for Ku¯puna with Chronic Disease

    In 2014, the Hawai‘i Department of Health, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion Division reported that 82 percent of the state’s adults have at least one of the following chronic diseases or conditions: heart disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, asthma, disability, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obesity. In addition, kidney disease can lead to loss…

  • A Lesson in Patience and Gratitude

    My mother had always been a healthy, determined and spirited woman who was guided by her faith. With a high degree of humor and a strong work ethic, my mother, Tokiko Suda, along with my father, Sakae, raised four children and operated several restaurants in Honolulu. She had always been a source of inspiration and…

  • Making Mindful Choices for Memory Care

    When a loved one shows the first signs of dementia or is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it can feel overwhelming. Getting early, quality care is crucial for maximizing their well-being, but knowing where to start is a challenge for many families. A support system is an important first step. Senior living communities often embrace neighborhood…

  • Medical Aid in Dying: Is Hawai‘i Next?

    Ten thousand people die each year in Hawai‘i. For some terminally ill, the medical care they receive is insufficient to ease their pain, loss of autonomy or feelings of indignity as they begin the dying process. In Hawai‘i, these individuals have limited options to end their suffering if the dying process becomes unbearable. Current choices…

  • Aging in Place: a Workforce Challenge

    The in-home care business is one of the fastest and largest growing industries nationwide, and the demand for services will continue to grow into the foreseeable future. In fact, over the next 15 years, the entire baby boomer generation will pass the age of 65; consequently, when that occurs, there will be nearly 84 million…