Category: Giving Care

  • Embracing Retirement Communities

    Hundreds of families, including my own, go through the aging process. Historically, and particularly in Hawai‘i, our cultures require us to take care of our kupuna in our homes. However, in current times, adult children have very busy lives working full-time and raising children and grandchildren. Today, an increasing number of families are turning to…

  • There’s Gold in Dem Der Walls

    Have you ever noticed a big gold seal on your hospital’s walls? It’s hard to miss. The emblem — The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval — stands out as a commitment to deliver safe, high-quality patient care under the most rigorous standards of performance. The Joint Commission is the largest and oldest standard-setting and…

  • 5 Tips for Senior Sun Safety

    Summer and family fun is right around the corner! More sunshine not only makes the great outdoors more inviting, but increased UV rays and heat also create a few risks. Seniors don’t “feel the heat” the way younger people do and might not be aware of the risks of high temperatures. Physiologically, as we age,…

  • Where Do Caregivers Find Help?

    You know mom’s getting worse and you’re overwhelmed, with no time to even look for help. Don’t wait until you are running on empty and need help immediately to understand your choices, prioritize needs and know exactly how to select a qualified home health care provider. There are experienced home health agencies licensed in Hawai‘i…

  • Are You Prepared?

    The American Red Cross, featured in this issue of Generations Magazine, is a historic organization that has served our country for more than 134 years. Not only does Red Cross provide assistance during crises, but it also educates the public on disaster preparedness. The question is: are you, as an older individual or as a…

  • “I Want to Die Comfortably – at Home”

    National surveys say 80 percent of people want to “die in the comfort of their home,” but in Hawai‘i, only 22 percent of families use hospice services. Hawaii also ranks high (number 2 in the U.S.) in emergency room deaths. Are we getting what we want? Dr. Angelo Volandes from Harvard Medical School recently spoke…

  • What Level of Care and Where?

    Cara had to face it — after 7 years, she couldn’t care for Dad at home any more. He needed 24/7 supervision and care and she was worn out. After calls to five facility managers, and getting no answers she collapsed in tears. Cora needed help right now… Cara’s story replays every day. Caregivers get…

  • The Winter Medication Blues

    Do you have so many medications that you feel you can’t manage them all? We call this “the medication blues.” Keeping your prescriptions straight, organizing pills or disposing of unused meds, can be truly overwhelming. The first step to cure the medication blues is to keep your medications organized. If you have several medications, you…

  • Na Hoaloha Elder Volunteers

    Na Hoaloha “Go Go” volunteers donate thousands of hours to serve Maui homebound seniors. On any given day throughout the year, there are Na Hoaloha volunteers driving a homebound senior, making a visit or helping family caregivers — with a mission to help Maui’s kupuna remain independent and stay in their homes for\ as long…

  • Preserving Dignity and Happiness

    Dignity is vital to self worth throughout our lifetime; in the later stages of life, preserving a sense of respect and honoring the individual is especially important. Rarely will anyone argue this point. However, unless careful planning and clear communication is established early on, issues with regard to health, living situation and end of life…

  • When Hiring Private Caregivers…

    The first thing that many families face in hiring a private caregiver is whether to use someone referred to them by a friend or to hire from an agency. The questions are: How well do you know the person? Who is responsible if there is an untoward incident? How has the caregiver been screened? Were…

  • Elder Advice Day: What Can We Learn?

    Let’s make Thanksgiving the day we celebrate Elder Wisdom by asking older people to tell us their advice for living. Our society portrays older persons as sick, frail, unproductive, and even the culprits for busting the federal budget. We have become segregated by age such that young people’s contact with elders is almost exclusively within…