Category: Living Life

  • Seminars Explore Smart Homes, Brain Health

    Remember those kitschy “Clap on! Clap off!” commercials of the 1980s? (See one below). Who would have guessed that “The Clapper” device they advertised to turn your lights on and off with a clap of your hand was ahead of its time? Now we have entire homes with smart devices and voice assistants. Instead of…

  • It’s Obon Season Again!

    Each summer from June to August, communities across the State of Hawai‘i gather for the annual Bon dance festivals. Many generations of both Buddhists and non-Buddhists gather to honor the memories of their ancestors, while nurturing the community through dancing, fellowship and, of course, food, at the same time. Obon, or just Bon, is a…

  • Ice Cream Dreams

    Everyone enjoys a scoop now and then, especially during those hot summer days. For something a little different, the sweet folks at Roselani Ice Cream were kind enough to share their expert ideas about how to make a good thing even better. With 42 flavors of their ice cream to choose from, their recipes are…

  • Palliative Care Enhances Quality of Life

    After a heart attack, 69-year-old Kumu Hula Tutu Malia developed heart failure, resulting in four trips to the ER and several hospital stays within three months. When a friend informed Tutu Malia about palliative care, she asked her doctor about it and he referred her to a new, home-based palliative care program. The program includes…

  • Children’s Book Explores Dementia

    Frances H. Kakugawa, a Hawai‘i Island native, began writing poetry a half-century ago, then stopped for some years to work for the public school system. But when she became the primary caregiver for her mother, she found that writing poetry helped ease her stress.

  • Should You Insure Your Pet?

    If your pet is healthy, is pet insurance still necessary? The American Veterinary Association suggests pet insurance to defray costs, which can be around $250 for a simple treatment to over $8,000 if the condition is more serious. The over 85 million pet households in the US spend a whopping $75 billion on pet care…

  • Homemade Matcha Mochi

    Matcha is a powdered green tea that is rich in antioxidant compounds due to its special cultivation method. Traditionally, the tea bushes are covered with bamboo mats to shade the leaves from direct sunlight, therefore producing higher amounts of amino acids, chlorophyll and theanine. Matcha is known for its vibrant color and unique, bitter taste.…

  • Empathy vs. Sympathy

    As a society, we have faced much grief over the last few years. When in the mode of navigating care for ourselves or others, we often run into misconceptions about what we should or shouldn’t do.

  • Writing Helpful Reviews: A Guide for Seniors

    Most customers read online reviews before purchasing a product or service. But when was the last time you wrote one? Remember, when you write a review, you are helping others and yourself.

  • Maui Fires Spark Pioneering Spirit

    It has been nearly a year since wildfires fueled by powerful winds from Hurricane Dora destroyed the town of Lahaina and parts of Kula. The wildfire that killed at least 101 people is the deadliest in the US in more than a century, and the most lethal natural disaster to occur in Hawai‘i since statehood…