Category: Living Life

  • Celebrating Culture

    A special event occurs every four years called the Festival of Pacific Arts, where over 27 South Pacific nations gather to share their culture and develop friendships. The festival lasts for approximately two weeks and is filled with events from morning till night at different venues. There are over 2500 participants and many of the…

  • The Blessings of Having a Church Family!

    My mother Sue (Sumiko) Higa died in July of 2010. She was 84 years old and for nearly half of her life she suffered with rheumatoid arthritis. Mom came to live with us in our Ma¯noa home for the last two years of her life. What was Mom’s greatest joy during the latter years of…

  • 80 Years of Valuable Service

    The Hawai‘i Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) is part of the Hawai‘i State Public Library System (HSPLS) and the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). In 1931, the Trustees of the Library of Hawai‘i made a request through Gov. Judd to have the Library for…

  • Saving Family Stories for Generations

    What do you really know about your grandparents or great-grandparents? Did you know that if family stories aren’t documented, they are often lost within two generations? My interest in this field piqued while attending UH, Manoa in 1993 in pursuit of a degree in Gerontology. In a Sociology of Aging course, the professor lectured about…

  • My Travel Adventure in Tahiti: Snorkeling & Marine Life in French Polynesia

    Hawai‘i is paradise but so are her Pacific sisters – the Islands of French Polynesia. Earlier this year, I drift snorkeled over coral reefs in the beautiful lagoon of Bora Bora, swam in shallow water with sting rays and black-tipped sharks, visited a black pearl farm and spotted spinner dolphins up close off the island…

  • Itʻs Play Time

    The Department of Parks and Recreation Adult / Seniors Program strives to improve the quality of life for seniors 55 years and older in the community. Many of the city’s parks offer a range of activities for recreation, wellness and leisure time with friends and family. Class fees vary from site to site. The department also has…

  • Living at the Best Place … in the Best Years

    15 Craigside is Hawai‘i’s newest not-for-profit senior living community. It welcomed its first residents on March 4, 2011. It is the first continuing care retirement community in Hawai‘i geared to moderate-income seniors who believed that a retirement community with a full continuum of care was not possible until now. This brand new community features 30…

  • Tips: Five Hints for Caregivers

    While some people receive care from paid professionals, more are relying on the unselfish assistance of families, friends, and neighbors. The stress, exhaustion and extreme emotions faced by caregivers can be overwhelming. Following are some hints for those facing this situation: 1. Physical Place a high priority on taking care of yourself, as caregivers often…

  • Tips: Caregivers With Elderly on the Go

    Moving and transferring the elderly is a challenge for many caregivers, especially those who lack formal training. But, the process can be made easier and safer by learning some simple tips. 1. Educate yourself on how to move the elderly, especially those who are frail. Caregivers should receive training from a physical therapist before an…

  • Kūpuna at Work

    Last year, Neil Abercrombie proposed a vision for older adults that caused us to consider aging in a new way. He suggested that most adults over 60 are a tremendous economic and social asset. Elder care professionals, however, have been focused on the rapid growth of the aging population and the challenges that it poses…

  • Shrimp Coleslaw with Southeast Asian Twist

    While shrimp may be small in size, these protein-rich and low-carb crustaceans are huge in terms of nutritional value and health benefits. Shrimp Coleslaw: 1 head Cabbage, shredded 1 head Chinese/Napa cabbage, shredded 2 whole Carrots, grated 1 whole Red onion, halved and sliced thin 1 cup Fresh mint, roughly chopped 1 cup Fresh cilantro,…