Category: Giving Care

  • Prepare to Care for a Loved One

    Do you use your lunch hour or leave work early to run errands for your parents? Spend more time tending to mom’s prescriptions than your own? As our parents age, it’s more a matter of when, not if, they will need our help. In a recent AARP survey of Hawai‘i registered voters age 45 or…

  • I Never Knew That About Hospice

    Kokua Mau is Hawai‘i’s resource for accurate information on hospice and palliative care services. Visit them online. Then call your health insurance company or local hospice to have all your questions answered. What people say about hospice is sometimes inaccurate: I don’t need Hospice. Mom’s not in a coma yet. Hospice care starts when your…

  • Four Myths About Home Care

    Giving your kūpuna the opportunity to age at home is wonderful, but at some point, you will need to ask for help. Don’t let these four myths about home care hold you back. Home care starts at four hours per day. Home care services generally offer flexible care plans to meet your needs — even if you’re…

  • Transitions in Aging

    Family members see taking care of elderly parents as both an honor and an obligation. It’s a never-ending journey, looking back in awe of the amazing lives our mothers and fathers lived. More so, reflecting on the legacies they have blazed through the ages. As the large Baby Boomer generation ages, more people than ever…

  • The Good Daughter

    Arlene’s mother’s last breath was soft and peaceful. Arlene welled up and sobbed — not entirely from sadness, but also from release. She had done all she could do. She had honored mom’s wishes and here they were, alone at Arlene’s home on O‘ahu; Mom’s pain and frustration were over. Arlene texted her family. They were all here…

  • Consider Memory Care Options

    Independence is a matter of choice and circumstances. And as we age, we naturally become more dependent on others. Living “independently” may mean that you own a home with a yard or a condo, you rent an apartment, or you rent a room in a senior living community. Most people who live a long life…

  • Faithful Companions

    Pets are great at any age. Do you remember your first pet and learning how to care for Spot or Fluffy? It doesn’t take much time and effort to keep a mature pet. The love, attention and companionship they give seems so much more than the protection, food and exercise we offer. The Humane Society…

  • Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness

    The toll on families and individuals caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be life-changing. We often hear from family caregivers about the impact Alzheimer’s disease has on their lives and their need for support. More than five million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2025, it is estimated that…

  • Don’t Let Falls Trip Us Up

    Falls become more common and more serious as we age. The good news is that there are steps you can take to help prevent them. First, identify the health factors that can increase your risk for falling: poor eyesight, reduced reaction time, reduced muscle strength and medications that affect alertness, blood pressure or balance. Whenever…

  • Not Just Clowning Around

    Have you heard that laughter is the best medicine? Well, it’s no joke. Our bodies love laughter! When we laugh out loud we create a positive energy that makes us feel less grumpy, happier and more content with our life. As we age, we are often faced with many challenges surrounding family, finances, and our…

  • Shopping for Home Care

    Remember when you first helped your parents with the holiday decorations? Bringing those boxes of tangled light sets and frosted ornaments down from the attic, you knew something exciting was happening. Those scenes were a preview of family traditions that would be passed on to the generations. Today, as Hawai‘i’s aging population grows, many of…

  • Senior Fall Prevention Awareness

    The number of falls among Hawai‘i’s kupuna is growing at an alarming rate, and impacting families and health care organizations. Annually in Hawai‘i, an average of 86 seniors die, 1,912 are hospitalized and 8,010 are treated in emergency rooms as a result of falls. Among adults 65 and older, these falls are not only common,…