Category: Articles

The Legacy Relay

Watching a running relay race is exciting. Running together at full speed and passing the baton to a teammate is thrilling to watch. I would ask you to consider that your estate plan is your relay. The definition of the word relay is “a series of persons relieving one another.” Your baton is your legacy — your intentions and wishes passed on with your material wealth. The passer of the baton must be in sync with the receiver for success. And both the passer and receiver bear responsibility for this transfer. Running together in sync, stride-for-stride is essential and requires planning. This is why including your beneficiaries and fiduciaries in the estate planning process, with clear communication is necessary in the estate planning process. Running in sync together with clear understanding of intentions can make for a successful relay of your legacy.

If you are considering estate planning in the new year, please resist the urge to ask your attorney to simply set something up to minimize tax and avoid probate. I would ask you to give consideration to your innermost desires, intentions and needs. Go further and ask yourself the reasons underlying your desires, intentions and needs. Then, communicate these intentions to the attorney. This will build the foundation for your estate plan, and pave the way for a clear relay of your desires, intentions and needs so that your beneficiaries and fiduciaries receive your message clearly. Then, they will be more able to honor and respect your choices.

STEPHEN B. YIM, ATTORNEY AT LAW
2054 S. Beretania St., Honolulu 96826
808-524-0251 | stephenyimestateplanning.com

Watching a running relay race is exciting. Running together at full speed and passing the baton to a teammate is thrilling to watch. I would ask you to consider that your estate plan is your relay. The definition of the word relay is “a series of persons relieving one another.” Your baton is your legacy…
A Leeward Legacy

Rosemarie Dungca has been working for the City and County of Honolulu since 1978. In 1983, Whitmore Village asked her to teach hula classes. Her popularity grew and soon was teaching throughout the Leeward area.

Now seniors from the Mililani, Wahiawa, Pearl City and North Shore areas may learn how to dance hula and play the ‘ukulele. These talented men and women provide community service, which includes entertaining the elderly at care homes, centers, hospitals, shopping centers, as well as public and private events.

Na Leo Nahenahe o Na Ku puna performs a repertoire of multi-cultural hula renditions. The nonprofit promotes longevity through dance, music and exercise.

Na Leo Nahenahe o Na Kupuna is a nonprofit organization that promotes longevity and encourages members to function as long as they can through dance, music and exercise. Weekly classes are held for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Their performances are very entertaining, with costumes as versatile as their songs and repertoire of ethnic hula, with Filipino, Japanese and Chinese renditions. I was very impressed when I watched them dance at the Helemanu Plantation wellness fair. With the holidays in full swing, watch for their performances!

NA LEO NAHENAHE O NA KUPUNA
808-625-2849, Pauline Kamisato

Rosemarie Dungca has been working for the City and County of Honolulu since 1978. In 1983, Whitmore Village asked her to teach hula classes. Her popularity grew and soon was teaching throughout the Leeward area. Now seniors from the Mililani, Wahiawa, Pearl City and North Shore areas may learn how to dance hula and play…
Message from The Editor

The holiday season builds to a high crescendo, ending with fireworks and joyful revelry to usher in a new year. Transition is all around us — closing out accounts and starting new ventures; grieving the loss of loved ones and celebrating the birth of little ones. Whatever develops in our lives, we choose how we react to it — to respond negatively, shrug it off, or get energized. With so many things happening at once, transitions seem harder to manage. We see seniors returning to the God of their youth for comfort.

The GM photo crew, (L–R) Katherine, Fr. Pat, Fr. Bill, Imelda, Wilson and Brian at the Kauhako crater.

We asked Father Bill Petrie, pastor of St. Damien Church in Kaunakakai Moloka‘i to address transitions and new beginnings. His story takes us to Kalaupapa, where Hansen’s disease patients faced some of the most traumatic transitions in life. Saint Damien and his team were there to help them. Inspired by Damien, Father Bill spent his life helping Hansen’s disease patients in India, with Mother Teresa. His simple plan for new beginnings involves something we don’t often take time for: quiet reflection. It’s a great message for the holidays and the New Year.

We are very grateful to Wilson Angel’s cousin, Imelda Angel, a nurse who works at the medical clinic at Kalaupapa, and to Father Patrick Killilea, pastor of St. Francis Catholic Church in Kalaupapa, for inviting us to the settlement. Without their kind assistance and long hours ushering us around all the sacred sites, there would be no visual story to show. Father Patrick’s “Paddy Wagon” and Imelda’s truck carried equipment, luggage and the nosey GM crew to places most visitors never see.

In his photos, GM photographer, Brian Suda, captures the profound spiritual peace and sacredness that comforts your soul when you stand on Kalaupapa ground.

Our contributors carry the theme of new beginnings through the magazine, with resources and ideas for transitioning and taking the next step on the path of life — ways to enjoy your retirement and give back to your community. We are so grateful for all the talent and resources that come together in this issue. And to you, our readers for your wonderful support and feedback, we send our blessings for a happy, healthy 2016.

Every Day is Brand New!

Katherine Kama‘ema‘e Smith, Associate Editor

Addendum to Oct/Nov issue, Table of Contents pg. 5: The lovely bronze statue in Ala Moana Park that graced our October/November issue, was sculpted by Gary Alsum and dedicated by Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris in 2000, to the children of Hawai‘i.

The holiday season builds to a high crescendo, ending with fireworks and joyful revelry to usher in a new year. Transition is all around us — closing out accounts and starting new ventures; grieving the loss of loved ones and celebrating the birth of little ones. Whatever develops in our lives, we choose how we…
Class of ‘69 Begins the ‘Age of Medicare’

Roosevelt High School

If you graduated from high school in 1969, chances are you’re turning 65 in 2016, or you are already there. Congratulations graduate and welcome to the world of Medicare! If you are 65 and eligible, you may choose to graduate from a commercial health insurance plan to Medicare. Just like moving from high school to college or entering the job market, you may need some wise counsel and common sense advice.

In the Medicare space, your friendly guidance counselor may be a licensed Medicare sales agent, 1-800-Medicare representatives, volunteers at the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) helpline, or the same old valedictorian “know it all.”

A big mahalo to Dani Emoto, Andy Nomura and Vincent Yim of the 1969 graduating classes of Kaimuki and Roosevelt High School Reunion Committee for inviting me to hold a Medicare workshop for your classmates. It was a very enjoyable evening. As you and your classmates navigate into the “brave new world” of Medicare, remember that, 10,000 people are turning 65 years old everyday. You are in good company!

808-543-2073 | getmedicare@aol.com
www.Get2insurance.com
Morning Drive With Martha
A radio program with Martha Khlopin
KNDI-1270AM: Weekdays, 4:30 am–6 am

If you graduated from high school in 1969, chances are you’re turning 65 in 2016, or you are already there. Congratulations graduate and welcome to the world of Medicare! If you are 65 and eligible, you may choose to graduate from a commercial health insurance plan to Medicare. Just like moving from high school to…
First Things First

You may have heard the old joke, “where there’s a will… I want to be in it.” That may be true, but effective estate planning covers much more than just “who gets my stuff.” When you sift through your own reasons for doing estate planning, you may find that naming who gets your stuff takes a distant back seat to far more important considerations.

The primary concern most of us have about our estates is figuring out how to stay in control. Does it really matter who gets your stuff if you don’t get to enjoy it during your lifetime? So the foundation of your estate plan should be making sure that you are in control of your stuff for as long as you are alive and well.

The next step is identifying and naming your “substitute decision-makers,” who will step in and take care of your stuff if you become incapacitated or die. Naming the right individual will be one of the most important choices you make. These folks will make or break your estate plan.

Part of staying in control of your stuff involves protecting it from creditors, predators and plain old bad luck. Think of your estate plan as a castle. Imagine a large enclosure surrounded by a moat. In the old days, the moat would be stocked with alligators. With your present-day estate plan, you can stock the moat with a different kind of gators. Litigators are attorneys paid by your insurance company to protect you from people who would like your stuff to be their stuff. Having adequate liability insurance is a critical element of your estate plan.

The walls of your castle represent various legal structures you can put in place to protect your home, your business, your rental properties and your other assets. The legal structures might include trusts, limited liability companies, corporations, limited partnerships or a combination of entities. You can also consider using a special kind of ownership with your spouse called “tenancy by the entirety.”

Ultimately, you will want your estate plan to assure that your stuff goes to whom you want, when you want, the way you want, with the lowest overall cost, delay and loss of privacy. You may want to put special restrictions on a gift to one beneficiary without imposing the same restrictions on your other beneficiaries. You might have special assets or special situations (including a special-needs loved one) that require careful planning. The only way to navigate the alternatives is with the help of experienced counsel who can educate you as to the available options, and help you pick the ones that are right for you and your loved ones. Good counsel can help you build the castle that is just right for your situation.

SCOTT MAKUAKANE, COUNSELOR AT LAW
Focusing exclusively on estate planning and trust law.
Watch Scott’s TV show, Malama Kupuna
Sundays at 8:30 pm on KWHE, Oceanic channel 11
www.est8planning.com
O‘ahu: 808-587-8227 | maku@est8planning.com

You may have heard the old joke, “where there’s a will… I want to be in it.” That may be true, but effective estate planning covers much more than just “who gets my stuff.” When you sift through your own reasons for doing estate planning, you may find that naming who gets your stuff takes…
Your Sweet Recipe for Retirement

Steaming gravy, savory stuffing and sweet potatoes — four types of pie for dessert: pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, and pecan. Every family has its Thanksgiving dinner traditions and recipes to create a perfect holiday meal. If you fail to plan or measure your ingredients, your pie could be a real flop. Planning for your future is the same. Follow this perfect recipe, and you’ll be rewarded with a delightful retirement:

Start your retirement pie by dropping in some simple information — on our online Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire/estimator.html. It uses your past earnings and estimated future earnings to project about how big your pie will be when you retire. Experiment with the recipe; drop in different future earnings and retirement dates until your financial security in retirement is just the way you want it. Next, top it with some savings. Social Security replaces about 40 percent of the average worker’s pre-retirement earnings. Most financial advisors say you will need 70 percent or more to live comfortably. To the Social Security pie, add your savings, investments, plus pensions or retirement accounts you will receive from your employer. Beautiful.

You like to taste while you bake? It’s easy to set up a secure online my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and check your reported earnings and projected benefit estimates any time you want. When your retirement pie is done, enjoy! You deserve a comfortable retirement. For more sweet retirement recipes, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

For questions, online applications and local SSA offices:
1-800-772-1213 (toll free) | 1-800-325-0778 (TTY)
www.socialsecurity.gov

Steaming gravy, savory stuffing and sweet potatoes — four types of pie for dessert: pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, and pecan. Every family has its Thanksgiving dinner traditions and recipes to create a perfect holiday meal. If you fail to plan or measure your ingredients, your pie could be a real flop. Planning for your future…
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, but related death rates have risen sharply over the past decade. Further studies show seniors 75 and older who fall are four or five times more likely to be admitted to long-term care facilities for a year or longer.

Recent reports show Hawai‘i’s seniors are visiting hospital emergency rooms on a rate of every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This impact on our hospitals and physicians has resulted in close to $102 million in charges.

“The good news is many falls and fall-related injuries are preventable, with current knowledge and collaborative community outreach programs,” explained Gina Beckford, RN, and client service supervisor at Attention Plus Care.

Towards this end, fall prevention has become a larger area of focus and major priority for healthcare providers, seniors and payer sources alike. By promoting the safety and welfare of our seniors, the largest aging population in the country can be made aware of the facts, and of implementing interventions to prevent fall related injuries that can limit independence and mobility. To help raise awareness and address these issues, participating agencies are working with the state Department of Health to help advise seniors, family members and caregivers to know and incorporate the following steps, which are considered to be the four pillars of fall prevention:

Medication Management: Medications are the most complex of risk factors in senior falls. Have your doctor review your medications yearly.

Vision Checks: Annual vision checks are vital as people with vision impairments are more than twice as likely to fall than those without visual impairments.

Home Modifications: Keeping your home safe with proper lighting and removing fall hazards greatly reduces fall risks within the home.

Physical Activity: In older adults, exercising regularly increases balance, endurance and strength.

Additionally, a Statewide Task Force on Falls Prevention, the Hawai‘i State Fall Prevention Consortium will be hosting the 4th Biennial Fall Prevention Conference on Oct. 16, 2015, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The theme for the conference is “Promising Practices in Fall Prevention and Beyond.” The event will bring together over 300 healthcare professionals raising awareness on falls prevention in older adults.

“As a task force member and corporate sponsor, I highly recommend professional and community members to attend this event,” said Beckford. With everyone’s support and active participation, we can help our seniors to avoid falls and ensure a safer and higher quality of life!

For more information and details on fall prevention and free community workshops on Aging in Hawai‘i hosted by Attention Plus Care, please call: 808-440-9372.

Attention Plus Care, Accredited by the Joint Commission
1580 Makaloa St., Ste. #1060, Honolulu, HI 96814
808-739-2811 | www.attentionplus.com
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,…
Who You Gonna Call? Scambusters!
With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded to be appreciative of what we have; oftentimes, this leads to opening up our hearts (and wallets) to those in need. Unfortunately, there are those who would use dishonesty to profit from a giving heart.

Earlier this year the Federal Trade Commission and Attorneys General of 50 states prosecuted and fined four national cancer charities allegedly run by one family, which collected over $187 million but spent nearly all of it on themselves.

Fake charities are everywhere, and the level of energy con artists use to make their schemes seem legitimate can make it difficult to differentiate them from real giving organizations. When donating to charities, it is important to take the time to get to know the charity and conduct your own investigations about their mission.

If a charity is contacting you via phone — listen to their pitch, but give them no personal information and hang up. Telephone solicitation is expensive and some of the money you give will be used to pay the person who called you. If you are interested, investigate the charity online and donate directly to them to eliminate that “middle man” who just called. This will ensure that all of your money will go to the charity and not the person calling you on the phone.

Today’s cost of operating a charity makes it virtually impossible for a charity to direct 100 percent of your contribution to program activities. Yet, be aware that efficient charities spend about 75 percent on programs and services, and less than 25 percent on fundraising and administrative fees. The best way to make sure your donation helps the right people is to do a little research.

Ways to check legitimacy of a charity:

Proper licensing. Check with the Charity Division of the State Office of the Attorney General at 808-586-1480 or go online to the American Institute of Philanthropy at www.charitywatch.org.

Proper registering. A properly approved charity should be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charity to receive tax-deductible contributions. Check online with the IRS at www.irs.gov.

Lastly, keep a record of all your donations and who you help support. This can help you plan your charitable giving and avoid just responding to the numerous solicitations (junk mail) you will receive once you do decide to give.

To report suspected elder abuse, contact the Elder Abuse Unit at: 808-768-7536 | ElderAbuse@honolulu.gov www.ElderJusticeHonolulu.com
With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded to be appreciative of what we have; oftentimes, this leads to opening up our hearts (and wallets) to those in need. Unfortunately, there are those who would use dishonesty to profit from a giving heart. Earlier this year the Federal Trade Commission and Attorneys General of 50 states prosecuted…
Innovative Dropless Cataract Surgery

Dropless Cataract Surgery is a new option for cataract patients that reduces the need for eye drops after surgery.

Traditionally, after patients undergo cataract surgery they must adhere to a strict three- to four-week schedule that includes several types of drops. These drops are critical because they reduce risk of inflammation and infection.

Complications arise when cataract patients miss a scheduled dose, are physically unable to instill the drops, or have to rely on the availability of a caregiver to administer the drops. Some patients cannot afford expensive prescribed drops.

During Dropless Cataract Surgery, a sterile mixture of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication is deposited in the back of the eye (the vitreous). These drugs help fight infection and inflammation during the entire recovery period. Post surgical complications are properly controlled without patients and caregivers following a strict eye-drop schedule.

Dropless Cataract Surgery represents a watershed for ophthalmology in Hawai‘i. The introduction of this important treatment option helps us reach the ultimate goal for our patients—better vision with a reduced risk of complications and a convenient and positive patient experience.

Jenkins Eye Care
615 Pi‘ikoi St. Suite 205, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96814
808-591-9911 | www.jenkinseyecare.com
Twitter, Facebook & YouTube: Jenkinseyecare

Dropless Cataract Surgery is a new option for cataract patients that reduces the need for eye drops after surgery. Traditionally, after patients undergo cataract surgery they must adhere to a strict three- to four-week schedule that includes several types of drops. These drops are critical because they reduce risk of inflammation and infection. Complications arise…
Profiting From a Giving Heart
With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded to be appreciative of what we have; oftentimes, this leads to opening up our hearts (and wallets) to those in need. Unfortunately, there are those who would use dishonesty to profit from a giving heart.

Earlier this year the Federal Trade Commission and Attorneys General of 50 states prosecuted and fined four national cancer charities allegedly run by one family, which collected over $187 million but spent nearly all of it on themselves.

Fake charities are everywhere, and the level of energy con artists use to make their schemes seem legitimate can make it difficult to differentiate them from real giving organizations. When donating to charities, it is important to take the time to get to know the charity and conduct your own investigations about their mission.

If a charity is contacting you via phone—listen to their pitch, but give them no personal information and hang up. Telephone solicitation is expensive and some of the money you give will be used to pay the person who called you. If you are interested, investigate the charity online and donate directly to them to eliminate that “middle man” who just called. This will ensure that all of your money will go to the charity and not the person calling you on the phone.

Today’s cost of operating a charity makes it virtually impossible for a charity to direct 100 percent of your contribution to program activities. Yet, be aware that efficient charities spend about 75 percent on programs and services, and less than 25 percent on fundraising and administrative fees. The best way to make sure your donation helps the right people is to do a little research.

Ways to check legitimacy of a charity:

Proper licensing. Check with the Charity Division of the State Office of the Attorney General at
808-586-1480 or go online to the American Institute of Philanthropy at www.charitywatch.org.

Proper registering. A properly approved charity should be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)
(3) charity to receive tax-deductible contributions. Check online with the IRS at www.irs.gov.

Lastly, keep a record of all your donations and who you help support. This can help you plan
your charitable giving and avoid just responding to the numerous solicitations (junk mail) you will
receive once you do decide to give.

To report suspected elder abuse, contact the Elder Abuse Unit at: 808-768-7536 | ElderAbuse@honolulu.gov | www.ElderJusticeHonolulu.com
With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded to be appreciative of what we have; oftentimes, this leads to opening up our hearts (and wallets) to those in need. Unfortunately, there are those who would use dishonesty to profit from a giving heart. Earlier this year the Federal Trade Commission and Attorneys General of 50 states prosecuted and…
Who Was That Mermaid?

Mermaids perform throughout Hawai‘i.

Synchronized swimming is alive and beautifully executed by Mermaids Hawai‘i, home-pooled at Windward YMCA in Kailua. Since 1971, they have been “teaching and performing water ballet for fascinated crowds.” It’s not a paid act — just teacher Alice Robert’s vision to “dance” in the pool like her Hollywood idol, the great Esther Williams, and to pass on the sport to future generations.

The Mermaids are waiting for her favorite singer/songwriter, Kumu Hula Keali‘i Reichel, to show up at one of their free shows.

Mermaid Janet 70, Mermaid Elyana, 5.

“We swim to some of his songs,” says Alice, “while our hula dancers accompany us, poolside. I think he’d enjoy seeing us swim to his music— it’s perfect for synchronized swimming.”

The Mermaids are every age, from five to 86. They have a lot of swimmers, but need “land volunteers” to help with performance logistics: making and laundering costumes, running the sound system, taking pictures, setting up and breaking down. It’s fun! To be a mervolunteer, call Alice.

The Mermaids are rehearsing for a free Oct. 25 Halloween Show at Windward YMCA, in Kailua. Call 808-864-8122 for details.

Mermaids Hawai‘i
Artistic Director Alice P.S. Roberts
808-864-8122

Synchronized swimming is alive and beautifully executed by Mermaids Hawai‘i, home-pooled at Windward YMCA in Kailua. Since 1971, they have been “teaching and performing water ballet for fascinated crowds.” It’s not a paid act — just teacher Alice Robert’s vision to “dance” in the pool like her Hollywood idol, the great Esther Williams, and to…
Did You Claim Your Medicare Rewards?
You read the title of this column correctly. Many Medicare plans are launching reward and incentive plans. Points earned can be redeemed for prizes or gift cards. Incentives are awarded for healthy activities that result in positive health outcomes. You could earn points for:

Completing an Annual Wellness Visit(AWV)

Tobacco cessation

Maintaining a certain Body Mass Index (BMI)

Diabetes screening tests

Cardiovascular disease screenings

Cholesterol level screenings

Other Screening tests and specified vaccinations

Recent Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) guidance to Medicare plan sponsors gives plans and your primary physician more control over when some health incentives may be earned. Now incentive or points may be awarded at the start of an activity or at other times during a required activity. Limits on monetary incentives also were lifted. The plans I reviewed offered points that you may redeem for items via a website. The guidance allows plans to offer gift cards as well. Reward and incentive plans are optional, so not every Medicare plan sponsor has or will offer them.

So during the next Medicare open enrollment season, or if you become newly eligible for Medicare, you may want to inquire if the Medicare plans you are considering offer a rewards and incentive program.

808-543-2073 | getmedicare@aol.com
www.Get2insurance.com
Morning Drive With Martha
A radio program with Martha Khlopin
KNDI-1270AM: Weekdays, 4:30 am–6 am
You read the title of this column correctly. Many Medicare plans are launching reward and incentive plans. Points earned can be redeemed for prizes or gift cards. Incentives are awarded for healthy activities that result in positive health outcomes. You could earn points for: Completing an Annual Wellness Visit(AWV) Tobacco cessation Maintaining a certain Body…

Category: Articles

Ways to check legitimacy of a charity:

Ways to check legitimacy of a charity: