Category: Living Life

Partnering for Seniors
GM Publisher Percy Ihara and Moani Nabarro, KITV’s “Aging Well Newscaster.”

Generations Magazine has partnered with local news station KITV and its “Aging Well” weekend segments. As a resource magazine, Generations is happy and very fortunate to have local TV station KITV Channel 4 to step up to the plate and support our aging population— one of the fastest-growing segments of our community. During each weekend morning news segment, Newscaster Moani Nabarro will interview professionals, agencies and services in our community that provide a valuable resources in support our aging population.

Having choices for our parents’ future care will be determined by the decisions and plans we make with them now. Planning ahead and having a strong support system in place will often make the difference between allowing a loved one to remain at home or needing to be relocated to a nursing facility.

When assuming the responsibility of being a family caregiver, it is important to enlist the help of outside professionals:

A financial planner or reverse mortgage specialist may find funds to pay for professional inhome care services.

An attorney specializing in elders can help stave off future legal issues.

A home care professional can be a guide through the maze of long-term issues.

A daycare agency can provide services that will allow the primary caregiver to take a muchneeded break.

Family caregivers need the support of family, friends and professionals. At some point in time, we will all find ourselves in the position of being a family caregiver for a loved one. Taking the necessary steps now will determine the ability to choose the quality of life for both you and your loved one in the future.

Tune in each Saturday morning to KITV Channel 4’s “Aging Well” segments with Newscaster Moani Nabarro and her guests, professionals in our aging community, or go to www.KITV.com.

KITV4’S AGING WELL IN GOOD MORNING HAWAII
Host: Moani Nabarro, every Saturday at 6 – 8 am
You can view all past Aging Well segments online:
www.kitv.com | www.tinyurl.com/KITVAgingWell
Generations Magazine has partnered with local news station KITV and its “Aging Well” weekend segments. As a resource magazine, Generations is happy and very fortunate to have local TV station KITV Channel 4 to step up to the plate and support our aging population— one of the fastest-growing segments of our community. During each weekend…
Film Confronts End-of-Life Issues

Me Before You, the No. 1 New York Times bestseller written by Jojo Moyes in 2012, was made into a film in 2016.

Although it seems like a believable romance story, it is a work of fiction. However, Me Before You raises awareness about some very real life-and-death issues.

The premise (no spoiler alert): A young woman is hired as a caregiver for a young man who has been quadriplegic since a motorcycle accident. The man had made a previous suicide attempt after his request to to end his life through Dignitas, a Swiss-based assisted suicide organization, was rejected. When the caregiver learns of his plans to pursue his plan to edit it all, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living. A love story ensues.

Although the plot of book and film have been criticized for even suggesting that life may not be worth living for some with severe disabilities, it has opened the door to discussion and has raised questions regarding end-of-life issues such as aid-in-dying medication, euthanasia, suicide and America’s public policy.

In the face of unbearable suffering, profound pain, terminal illness or devastating disability, can life become not worth living? If so, who should make that decision? Should public policy strive to improve care and expand choices for the end of life?

This film may help you decide for yourself.

Me Before You, the book and movie, are available online and in local bookstores.

Me Before You, the No. 1 New York Times bestseller written by Jojo Moyes in 2012, was made into a film in 2016. Although it seems like a believable romance story, it is a work of fiction. However, Me Before You raises awareness about some very real life-and-death issues. The premise (no spoiler alert): A…
Words, Tone, Compassion… Harmony

By this time, even though the presidential election is behind us, many of us are still stinging from the words we heard as our candidates aired their differences.

Whether we regard these exchanges as pleasurable or punishing, I recall one bright spot in the second debate, when a town hall attendee asked the candidates to “Name one positive thing that you respect about the other.”

Those 10 words stopped their attacks, bringing smiles and nervous giggles. They served as a pattern interruption, which, if inserted skillfully, rescues those in heated debate, keeping them from spiraling out of control and possibly causing permanent damage to the relationship.

Behind our own closed doors, it is possible to experience shocking stabs and wounds caused by our own family members when voicing different opinions about caring for loved ones.

We must take responsibility for the words we use when we talk to each other. Words and tone make all the difference!

Before we judge or lay blame on others, we can take action to become acquainted with quick tips and training. These small adjustments in our tone, attitude and point of view can interrupt harmful, toxic patterns in our conversations. Little tweaks can stop huge meltdowns to bring peace.

If we learn to communicate with compassion, we can replace hostiiity with harmony.

My “Quick Tips and Training” do wonders to defrost icebergs that fracture friendships and families. Find them at www.annettepang.com.

LIFE COACH VILLAGE, LLC
808-372-3478 | www.annettepang.com
www.legendarywisdoms.com/senior-caregiver-coaching/

By this time, even though the presidential election is behind us, many of us are still stinging from the words we heard as our candidates aired their differences. Whether we regard these exchanges as pleasurable or punishing, I recall one bright spot in the second debate, when a town hall attendee asked the candidates to…
Make the Most of Your Real Estate Assets

A Seniors Real Estate Specialist can really help you navigate your best future options.

Are you age 50 or over and contemplating your retirement, purpose and legacy? We all want to plan wisely for the future. Rest assured, there are strategies and resources available that can help you position yourself for a bright future.

If you are considering using your real estate assets to achieve these goals, you need to choose a Realtor® with senior experience, knowledge and marketing savvy. A Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES® agent) can provide a myriad of resources and services to help you navigate what can be the most exciting season of your life.

SRES agents can provide counseling services to help you better anticipate your future needs and put you in touch with qualified home inspectors, movers, de-clutterers, estate sale specialists and other experts.

SRESs can review current housing and assess options to ensure your next home serves your needs.

SRESs can provide information about housing trends, financing, market conditions and more.

SRES agents can also advise you about avoiding loan schemes and scams that victimize seniors.

Enjoy this season of life, embrace your full potential and consult with a specialist.

EAST O‘AHU REALTY, INC
6600 Kalanianaole Highway, Ste. 114, Honolulu HI 96825
808-396-2000 | www.eastoahu.com

Are you age 50 or over and contemplating your retirement, purpose and legacy? We all want to plan wisely for the future. Rest assured, there are strategies and resources available that can help you position yourself for a bright future. If you are considering using your real estate assets to achieve these goals, you need…
90th Lei Day Celebration: a May Day Tradition

2016 Lei Queen Carol Ana Makana Lani Yamada, mother of famed female surfers Carissa and Cayla Moore. Photo: Dave Miyamoto, Dave Miyamoto & Co.

O‘ahu’s 90th Annual Lei Day Celebration will be held on Monday, May 1, at Kap‘iolani Park. The theme for the 2017 celebration is Lei Kula — the gold lei of the golden years.

Hawai‘i’s Lei Day has a very rich and colorful history, incorporating a variety of ethnic traditions.

The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is seeking applicants for the 89th Annual Lei Court Selection event, which will be held on March 4, 2017, at McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Regional Park. The event is free and open to the public.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the city’s Lei Day and Lei Court selection events, the DPR has added a new age group to the three existing groups. The 2017 selection will accept applications from Nā Mākua ‘Ō‘ō (The Elders in Training) group.

Court applicants for 2017 must be between 46 and 60 years of age by Saturday, March 4, 2017. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.

Age groups will rotate each year to highlight a different phase of life.

The DPR staff will provide free lei-making workshops in preparation for Lei Day festivities and contests. The schedule will be available to the public by the end of December at www.honoluluparks.com.

LEI DAY CELEBRATION
Kaiulani Kauahi, Chairperson
808-768-3041 | rkauahi@honolulu.gov.

O‘ahu’s 90th Annual Lei Day Celebration will be held on Monday, May 1, at Kap‘iolani Park. The theme for the 2017 celebration is Lei Kula — the gold lei of the golden years. Hawai‘i’s Lei Day has a very rich and colorful history, incorporating a variety of ethnic traditions. The Department of Parks and Recreation…
Expand Your Horizons Through Travel

Seniors who travel may be positively impacting their health. Travel keeps the mind and body active and strong.

Any type of travel is good for you. A change in scenery and environment provides a healthy break from your regular routine.

Travel encourages engagement with others, whether you are visiting family and friends, or traveling with a group of people you don’t know. Group travel — usually with between 15 and 40 people — introduces you to new friends. Depending on the focus of the travel program, you will be among like-minded, interesting people.

Engage in tours that focus on quality experiences with insider access to heritage and environmental. We work with nonprofit organizations such as the Smithsonian, The Nature Conservancy, National Parks Conservation Parks and Road Scholar (previously known as Elderhostel) to customize educational travel programs in Hawai‘i, Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island, American Samoa/ Samoa, Guam, PNG and throughout Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

Consider these educational travel explorations over a “mass tourism” group package as tours emphasize learning about the destination, its indigenous peoples, and its history and natural environments. Gain perspective from the locals, discover regional cuisine and leave with a better understanding of what life is like in these places.

Interpretation is often with “guides,” who are not in the tourism industry, but are experts in their fields of study, including volcanologists in Hawai‘i, archaeologists on Easter Island, or marine biologists in Palau or Fiji. Much can be learned about their political systems and unique economic industries.

Get out and explore the world or even your own backyard on a Neighbor Island.

You can travel by ship, take a group land tour or consider family travel on an intergenerational (grandparents and grandchildren) or multi-generational tour (grandparents, parents and grandchildren together).

Quench your curiosity, get active and go travel! There is something out there for everyone.

PACIFIC ISLANDS INSTITUTE
1144 10th Ave., Ste. 301, Honolulu HI 96816
O: 808-732-1999 | F: 808-732-9555
info@pac-island.com | www.ExplorethePacific.com
Exceptional cultural and eco-experiences since 1989

Seniors who travel may be positively impacting their health. Travel keeps the mind and body active and strong. Any type of travel is good for you. A change in scenery and environment provides a healthy break from your regular routine. Travel encourages engagement with others, whether you are visiting family and friends, or traveling with…
Memoir of a Hawai‘i Cowboy Doctor

T. David Woo’s highly textured memoir of his life as a Hawai‘i Island plantation doctor provides a fascinating look at the days when sugar cane was king.

Plantation Doctor: A Memoir of Hawai‘i is filled with anecdotes, rare photos and detailed maps of ethnic camps during Hawai‘i’s booming plantation era.

Woo was born on the Big Island just after the turn of the century. He left home at age 14 to attend school in China. After earning his medical degree in 1935, he returned to his island home to become a self-professed “cowboy doctor” at Parker Ranch; physician for the Hakalau, Pepe‘ekeo, Honomū and Onomea plantations; and co-founder of the Hilo Medical Group, providing medical care for thousands of ranch hands, plantation workers and other Big Island residents.

His interests also extended to horticulture, a field in which he hybridized award-winning orchids. He was also a horse-breeder, playing a key role in continuing kanaka mustang (Hawaiian horse) bloodlines.

The posthumously published memoir was compiled by Woo’s three children, who shared, “As we age, we have come to more full… appreciate his optimism and positivity in serving his fellow man, community and family.”

Available at www.bookshawaii.net
($19.95 for softcover, prices may vary)

T. David Woo’s highly textured memoir of his life as a Hawai‘i Island plantation doctor provides a fascinating look at the days when sugar cane was king. Plantation Doctor: A Memoir of Hawai‘i is filled with anecdotes, rare photos and detailed maps of ethnic camps during Hawai‘i’s booming plantation era. Woo was born on the…
Keeping History Alive: Maui Plantation Camps

Did you or a loved one work for the plantations on Maui during the 20th century? Do you enjoy reminiscing with children and grandchildren about simpler times, when family came first and neighbors looked out for each other? Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s (LRF) Plantation Camp Map project helps tell your story.

Over seven years, the Plantation Days annual event in Lahaina allowed members of West Maui sugar and pineapple plantation communities to view and fine-tune details on large paper maps originally drawn up by Taketo Okamitsu. By locating their family homes on the maps, they preserved details for future generations.

For the past two years, LRF has commissioned digitization of these maps and a collection of personal details. LRF’s 32 colorful new maps show family names and home locations, company stores and services in each West Maui plantation camp from south of Lahaina to Pu‘ukoli‘i and Honolua. They celebrate the old families in our community and assist seniors in saving their memoirs.

LRF is currently the only organization committed to collecting information about West Maui’s camps, an integral part of a larger outreach to gather all primary source historical information about Lahaina.
By the end of 2016, residents and visitors will be able to view camp maps in a permanent display at the Plantation Museum, located on the top floor of The Wharf Cinema Center in Lahaina. Historic photos and antiques, including appliances, tools, furniture and heirlooms will illustrate poignant, real-life stories on display panels. Learn how migrant workers traveled to Hawai‘i; view the workings of a sugar mill and pineapple cannery; see homemade toys, games and community sports; explore the bango system and mid-century labor strikes. Visit the museum with your family and share your memories of plantation life.

LAHAINA RESTORATION FOUNDATION
501(c)3 Hawai‘i nonprofit with volunteer board of directors and members
808-661-3262 | www.LahainaRestoration.org

PLANTATION MUSEUM
The Wharf Cinema Center, third floor
658 Front St., Lahaina HI 96761
Open daily from 9 am – 6 pm, free admission

Did you or a loved one work for the plantations on Maui during the 20th century? Do you enjoy reminiscing with children and grandchildren about simpler times, when family came first and neighbors looked out for each other? Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s (LRF) Plantation Camp Map project helps tell your story. Over seven years, the Plantation…
Adopt a Family Program Lifts Holiday Spirits

Gloria, 65, a participant in the Adopt A Family program in 2015, and EAH Housing Resource Coordinator Amber Itokazu. “Don’t assume that others know what you need or what you’re going through,” said Gloria. HHH photo.

The holidays are a special time for Hawai‘i families. But for some seniors, the season can be one of the most challenging and difficult times of the year.

Many kūpuna live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet. Some do not have the support of family and friends, and especially during the holidays, this isolation can make them feel alone and unloved.

Those with ‘ohana can feel the financial strain of the gift-giving season. Elderly parents caring for mentally or physically disabled adult children may find themselves unable to afford additional holiday indulgences.

During these times of need, Helping Hands Hawai‘i (HHH) helps to support seniors experiencing financial hardships. Every year, HHH’s Adopt A Family program connects seniors, and other low income or homeless individuals and families, with community donors who help uplift and inspire them while providing them with much-needed basic necessities.

This year, donors will adopt more than 600 households in need. Donors come from all over the island and from all walks of life. Their actions show hundreds of families that they are not alone.

“I think the community is not fully aware of how many seniors are in need,” said Amber Itokazu, a resource coordinator at EAH Housing (an affordable housing nonprofit), who works closely with many kūpuna.

One of these seniors is Gloria, who participated in the Adopt A Family program in 2015.

Gloria’s advice to other seniors struggling to make ends meet during the holidays is to ask for help. “Don’t assume that others know what you need or what you’re going through,” she said.

Gloria said the second step is to seek out support and “don’t give up until you find the program that best fits your unique situation.”

“Some seniors have the mentality that they are the forgotten generation, but they are not,” said Gloria. “Everyone needs to feel needed, wanted, cared about and that their lives do matter.”

“A lot of people don’t think of how much of an impact they can make,” Amber said. “To them, the gesture is so small, but to the person receiving, it is big.”

Together with generous supporters and donors, HHH continues to change people’s lives each year. Through partnerships with service providers and organizations, an increasing number of individuals learn about the community resources that are available to them.

During the holidays and throughout the entire year, remember that there are lonely seniors in the community who face constant financial strain.

Consider how you and your family can make a difference in a kūpuna’s life. Connect with a nonprofit in the community that supports seniors and help them in their efforts.

“Every little bit counts,” said Amber.

HELPING HANDS HAWAI‘I
2100 N. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu HI 96819
P: 808-536-7234 | F: 808-536-7237 | E: hhh@helpinghandshawaii.org
www.HelpingHandsHawaii.org

The holidays are a special time for Hawai‘i families. But for some seniors, the season can be one of the most challenging and difficult times of the year. Many kūpuna live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet. Some do not have the support of family and friends, and especially during the holidays,…
How to Write Your Memoir

Everyone has a story to tell. And what better way to leave a legacy, and pass down family values and traditions than through your own words, in your very own book that can be passed down through the generations, inspiring legacies to come.

But getting started can be a daunting task. Staring at that blank page or computer screen can be an unnerving experience. Where to begin?

Writing the Hawai‘i Memoir: Advice and Exercises to Help You Tell Your Story by international bestselling author and writing instructor Darien Gee can help guide you from start to finish.

The book describes how to begin, what to do and how to do it with the aid of 29 writing exercises along with writing tips and inspiration from more than 20 of Hawai‘i’s best-known writers, teachers and storytellers.

Through this awardwinning how-to book, budding writers can learn tips to recall and organize life events into a story, discover life themes, overcome writer’s block, assess the “warts and all” aspects of storytelling, keep motivated and how to choose the best way to publish or share the finished memoir.

If your story is still waiting to be told, this book just may hold the key to unlocking your writer’s block, so you can share yourself — your story — with future generations.

Available at www.bookshawaii.net
($14.95 for softcover, prices may vary)

Everyone has a story to tell. And what better way to leave a legacy, and pass down family values and traditions than through your own words, in your very own book that can be passed down through the generations, inspiring legacies to come. But getting started can be a daunting task. Staring at that blank…
The U.S. Army Museum: Veteran Volunteers

The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii in Waikīkī was once a battery built to protect the state from invading forces. Today, it is home to stories of military past, including exhibits of the Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II and more. But more than that, the museum is a great place for senior veterans to volunteer — a majority of the volunteers are retired veterans.

“Veterans are really great at talking to people,” said Ian Frazier, historian and museum specialist. “A lot of our visitors hail from all over the world . This is the only contact they have with veterans from WWII, Korean… Vietnam [wars].”

Museum staff are usually selective about who they have as volunteers because they represent our country and the U.S. Army. But Ian said the one thing that shines about veteran volunteers is the way they communicate.

The museum is always looking for additional volunteers, and you don’t have to be a veteran to be considered.

The museum, operated by the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, averages 400 visitors per day from all over the world. The museum receives funding through the U.S. Army and the Hawaii Army  Museum Society. Most of the staff are volunteers.

Admission to the museum is free. However, donations are always welcome. The museum also offers audio tours for a small fee of $5 or $2.50  for society members. You may also view some military exhibits on the museum’s website.

U.S. ARMY MUSEUM of HAWAII
2161 Kalia Road, Honolulu HI 96815
Hours of operation: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 am – 4:15 pm
Sunday, Monday and all federal holidays — CLOSED
808-438-2821 | www.tinyurl.com/ArmyMuseumHI

The U.S. Army Museum: Veteran Volunteers by Stephanie Kim, Generations Magazine Intern from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life
Voices of Aloha Chorus is 100!

The Voices of Aloha Chorus is a non-audition group for people of all ages who love to sing. This year, they have been singing joyfully for 100 years.

We are 21st-century descendants of the Gleemen of Honolulu, the oldest men’s chorus west of the Rockies, and celebrating 100 years! The chorus began when the Apollo Club and Honolulu Choral Society joined voices in 1916. Among notable members were Sen. Daniel Akaka, Gov. Lawrence Judd, Charles K.L. Davis and Charles E. King.

Shigeru Hotoke, WWII veteran and Kailua High music teacher, assumed directorship of the Gleemen in 1984, and in 1992, he produced a Chrismas concert with the Kailua Madrigal alumnae and a mixed choir, Mele Nani Singers, under director and opera singer Gerald Ting. This was the beginning of Gleemen Plus of Honolulu.

In 2007, after 20 years of successful concert ministry on the mainland, I assumed the role of director. In 2013, the Leadership Board changed our name to the Voices of Aloha to better reflect our origins and mission. Since 1916, the chorus has always been a civic, community-minded choral group, open to all who love music and can carry their part, whether they read music or not. We are a non-audition chorus, and accept vocalists of all ages and professions/trades. Voices of Aloha regularly performs for senior clubs, care homes and retirement centers. Our popular annual spring and Christmas concerts draw crowds of up to 800. The future looks bright!

If you love to sing, rehearsals are Tuesday nights from 7 to 9 pm at Community of Christ Church Annex in Makiki. To join, book a concert, or donate, please call us and sing joyfully!

VOICES OF ALOHA
Christmas Concert Dec. 4, McKinley HS Auditorium, 4pm
Mark Yasuhara, director | 808-228-5068 | emynent100@yahoo.com

Voices of Aloha Chorus is 100! by Mark Yasuhara, Director, Voices of Aloha Chorus from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life