Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. (MEO) is a hub for transportation throughout Maui County. It lives up to its motto: “Helping People… Changing Lives” by coordinating the services of over 20 different agencies and nonprofits, and providing low-cost specialized transportation with grant support from the county of Maui, Department of Transportation. These services are particularly important to seniors and persons with disabilities.
The Maui County Department of Transportation contracts with Roberts Hawaii, Inc. to run the Maui Bus fixed route MEO starts the next sentence MEO runs the complementary paratransit service. Disabled riders must qualify for the paratransit service through Maui County Department of Transportation. Riders of the fixed route and paratransit may purchase daily or monthly bus passes on any Maui Bus or paratransit vehicle and at Maui Mall in Kahului at the County Business Resource Center or at the Wharf Cinema Center Management Office in Lahaina.
MEO’s most recent collaboration with the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) created the One-Call, One-Click Transportation Resource Center to assist veterans and military families getting around Maui to take care of business. To use the service, veterans just have to register with the Maui County ADRC. For more information call 808-344-1703 (8am – 4pm) or visit www.Maui1Click.com anytime.
MEO Human Service Transportation also offers rural shopping shuttles in Hana and on the islands of Molokai and Lanai. MEO is the only public transportation on these islands. Disabled riders living outside the 3/4-mile service area of paratransit may use the Ala Hou service.
Ala Hou “On the Move Again” accessible vans serve persons with disabilities who have registered with MEO and live more than 3/4-mile from the fixed route. Reservations may be made 14 days in advance for scheduled service, daily from 8am to 4:30pm.
Other human services transportation include Senior Services, Day Health, Nutrition, Leisure, Employment-to-Work for low-Income workers, Dialysis and after school Youth Transport. Upcountry Maui citizens may connect to local financial and medical offices on i-Shuttles. Through Maui County Department of Transportation, MEO offers fare discounts for individuals with verified disabilities who use the fixed-route Maui Bus Service. Low-income workers may also receive free rides to and from work.
MAUI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC
99 Mahalani St., Wailuku, HI 96793 808.249.2990 | Transportation: 808-877-7651www.meoinc.org
FOR NEIGHBOR ISLAND SENIOR BUS TRANSPORTS:
Kauai: www.tinyurl.com/KauaiCounty-SeniorBus808-246-8110
Hawaii: www.tinyurl.com/HawaiiCounty-SeniorBus East HI:808-961-2681, West HI: 808-322-3429
Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. (MEO) is a hub for transportation throughout Maui County. It lives up to its motto: “Helping People… Changing Lives” by coordinating the services of over 20 different agencies and nonprofits, and providing low-cost specialized transportation with grant support from the county of Maui, Department of Transportation. These services are particularly important…
I greeted few ku¯puna at the bus stop in front of Nordstrom at Ala Moana Shopping Center with one question: “Why do you like riding the bus?” All agreed on a few things — the bus is convenient, a pleasant experience, and a great place to meet new and interesting people.
This is Debbie Taylor, who takes the same bus to Kailua after 25 years and likes that there is “no worry about parking.” Others like Mirsada Dumisic have been taking the bus for five years, and she and her husband have even sold their cars.
Here is information on the senior fares:
One-way fare=$1 with proof-of-purchase of a $10 senior card or a valid U.S. Medicare Card. To purchase a senior card, you must go to TheBus Pass Office (at Kalihi Transit Center) and it entitles you to the reduced senior fare for four years. Bring your state identification card, birth certificate, passport or driver’s license for proof of age. The monthly pass can be purchased either at the TheBus Pass Office or the Satellite City Hall. Note that the Satellite City Hall only accepts cash
Unlimited rides, monthly or annually, are offered for seniors by the C&C of Honolulu: – $5 per month. A monthly pass sticker is given to affix to your senior card. – $30 per year. This annual bus pass allows you unlimited rides during the calendar year on regular or express service buses. A two calendaryear pass for $60. You must purchase their initial
annual pass at TheBus Pass Office. Once you purchase a pass, you may renew your pass by mail. The Pass By Mail Program will mail you an application to renew the month before your annual pass will expire. Once TheBus receives your application and payment, the office will mail you a new sticker to put on your current pass card. If seniors do not wish to do this by mail, they can always go to the TheBus Pass Office and renew in person. Either way, TheBus is a great bargain.
As I hurried to take her picture before May boarded the #17 for Makiki, she said, “Taking the bus is convenient because it stops right in front of my house and the bus drivers on #17 are friendly.” Dumisic chimed in, “The new buses are fantastic! The seats are clean and not too high.” You might enjoy getting out and around town without the hassels of driving, so get your senior card and pass today and hop on Da Bus!
I greeted few ku¯puna at the bus stop in front of Nordstrom at Ala Moana Shopping Center with one question: “Why do you like riding the bus?” All agreed on a few things — the bus is convenient, a pleasant experience, and a great place to meet new and interesting people. This is Debbie Taylor,…
Falls become more common and more serious as we age. The good news is that there are steps you can take to help prevent them. First, identify the health factors that can increase your risk for falling: poor eyesight, reduced reaction time, reduced muscle strength and medications that affect alertness, blood pressure or balance. Whenever you feel unsteady, use a cane or walker and promptly replace worn rubber tips. Be careful around pets and don’t leave clothes or newspapers on the floor to trip you up.
BATHROOM SAFETY CHECKLIST:
Grab bars for toilet, bathtub or shower
Slip-resistant rug next to the bathtub or shower
Mounted or suction liquid soap dispenser on the bathtub/shower wall
Nonskid strips on the bathtub/shower floor n Sturdy plastic shower chair
Raised toilet seat and toilet armrests to maintain balance getting up and down
An extra-long sink mirror, for use when sitting
BEDROOM SAFETY CHECKLIST:
All clutter cleared away from all pathways
Lamp, flashlight and telephone are within easy reach of the bed
INTERIM HEALTHCARE HONOLULU 1833 Kalakua Ave. #107, Honolulu, HI 96815 808-951-0949, Santiago Rivera, C.O.O. www.interimhealthcare.com/honolulu
Falls become more common and more serious as we age. The good news is that there are steps you can take to help prevent them. First, identify the health factors that can increase your risk for falling: poor eyesight, reduced reaction time, reduced muscle strength and medications that affect alertness, blood pressure or balance. Whenever…
For seniors who are frail or disabled, transportation in O‘ahu can be challenging. Doctor’s visits are not that simple — scheduling a care partner to ride along, long waits for pickup, and worrying if there will be a long line at the doctor’s office. Steps and elevators add to the fun, and sometimes one visit takes up the entire day! Don’t mention the cost.
Senior living and extended care facilities are growing and expanding services. One service is transporting residents and clients to and from their medical appointments. The move to providing transportation has some serious benefits for patients and their families. If a loved one visits dentist, eye doctor, podiatrist, their heart specialist and internist just once a year, that spends five vacation days. Hiring an aid and a private, accessible van to provide transport sounds good, but having new helpers is stressful on your loved one, and it is difficult to assess whether your loved one is safe and comfortable during transport.
In September, the first large care provider on O‘ahu announced that they were forming a separate transportation division to provide reliable and accountable in-house transportation for clients who have to visit hospitals and medical appointments. Patients, families and staff documented transport issues and the obvious answer was to serve the patients. For routine outside therapies like dialysis, which already takes a toll on the patient, reliable transportation is crucial.
Now in operation for three months, the transportation division is getting a good report card from patients, and staff. As the numbers of longterm care patients and assisted living residents increase in Hawai‘i, accessible patient transportation will become a greater need, and health care facilities that want to provide a quality experience for long-term patients will be obliged to consider expanded transportation services just to compete for clients.
This transportation innovation is another indicator that Hawai‘i care providers are gearing up for the future when a large portion of our population will be 85 years old and older.
HALE NANI REHABILITATION AND NURSING CENTER 1677 Pensacola St., Honolulu, HI 96222 808-537-3371
For seniors who are frail or disabled, transportation in O‘ahu can be challenging. Doctor’s visits are not that simple — scheduling a care partner to ride along, long waits for pickup, and worrying if there will be a long line at the doctor’s office. Steps and elevators add to the fun, and sometimes one visit…
I It’s difficult to believe that anyone would take advantage of our aloha spirit. Unfortunately, the Prosecutor’s Office has seen an increase in cases of friendly strangers who turn out to be con artists preying on seniors.
Edith (not her real name) was walking through Kapi‘olani Park when Alexander Nebre approached her. He said that someone told him that she needed help. Coincidentally, Edith was having problems with her plumbing. Nebre said he was a licensed plumber and contractor and could help her out. When invited into her apartment, Nebre “found” extensive termite damage. “Luckily” for her, he could make these repairs for a fraction of the cost of a “big company with lots of overhead.”
Edith fell for Nebre’s lies and paid him over $20,000 for repairs, which he never did. In December, Nebre was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay back $100,000 he stole from Edith and five other seniors. The average amount court-ordered defendants return to their victims is $25 to $50 a month. By my calculations, Edith and the other victims will be paid back in 166 years!
“Friendly” con artists can be found anywhere, but often target seniors in home repair stores, like The Home Depot and Lowes. They say they have some expertise that the overwhelmed homeowner needs, and they can do the job significantly cheaper than any competitor.
A great many of these so-called “experts” are unlicensed and unqualified. They either ask for payment up front or ask the victim to purchase materials, but they take the receipt. They might produce a phony invoice for materials — an invoice they found and stamped “Paid” themselves. The victim accepts this as “proof” that their money was used to buy materials/tools for the job.
“Cheap and cash-only” repairs are very tempting. If a “friendly” stranger wants to do work for you, ask not only for their license number but also for identification. A con artist will use a legitimate license number that belongs to someone else, so call the Consumer Resource Center (1-800-394-1902) to see if the license and name match. Also ask if there have been any complaints about that person. If this seems like too much humbug, remember, one simple phone call can save you thousands of dollars and keep you from having to call the police or meet with me.
I It’s difficult to believe that anyone would take advantage of our aloha spirit. Unfortunately, the Prosecutor’s Office has seen an increase in cases of friendly strangers who turn out to be con artists preying on seniors. Edith (not her real name) was walking through Kapi‘olani Park when Alexander Nebre approached her. He said that…
The Hawaii SHIP is repeatedly asked this question, “Does Medicare cover Alzheimer’s Disease?” Medicare’s coverage is based on “medically necessary” procedures, not disease diagnosis. For example, if I go to my doctor and he orders blood to be drawn to see if my medication is at a therapeutic level, Medicare would pay for both the doctor’s visit and the visit to the lab. A doctor’s examination and laboratory tests are covered whether the patient has Alzheimer’s disease (AD), cancer, epilepsy or other diseases.
Does Medicare cover…
HOME HEALTHCARE? This benefit is based on a prescription from your physician for a medical reason and it is not for 24-hour care. If you just need someone to keep an eye on Mom while you are at work, it is not a medical need and it would not be covered by Medicare. If Mom fell and broke her leg and was in a non-weight bearing cast, she might need home care for a short time to assist with bathing or physical therapy in the home. These services would be covered whether Mom has AD or not.
LONG-TERM CARE? Not covered by Medicare. Medicare has a “skilled nursing facility care” benefit, but it is again based on medical necessity. Eligible skilled care must follow a hopital stay of three or more days–that is admission to an inpatient hospital, and care must be at a skilled level. Your doctor must certify that you need the daily services that can only be provided by licensed nursing or therapy personnel.
PRESCRIPTIONS? Medications that are needed to assist in the treatment of AD will be covered under Medicare Part D (or through your Medicare Health Plan if it includes Part D). We suggest that you always take your Part D plan formulary booklet with you to your physician visit to make sure that the drug that is prescribed is under your plan formulary. If the medication is not covered by the plan and your physician says that it is medically necessary, you and your physician can appeal to the plan and ask them to cover it for you. There are five levels of appeals (so “no” does not mean “no” until the fifth level).
Medicare Health plans are required to cover all the Medicare A & B benefits, but may have different co-pays and added benefits. Be sure to study your “annual explanation of benefits” that you receive each fall from your plan.
The answer is that Medicare covers medical needs and medication. Custodial care and longterm care sometimes required for AD and patients with other chronic diseases are not covered. Whenever you have questions on Medicare coverage, Hawaii SHIP has the answers
HAWAI‘I SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) 1-888-875-9229 | 808-586-7299help@hawaiiship.org | www.hawaiiship.org facebook.com: Hawaii SHIP
This SHIP project was supported, in part, by grant number 90SA0004-02-00 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.
The Hawaii SHIP is repeatedly asked this question, “Does Medicare cover Alzheimer’s Disease?” Medicare’s coverage is based on “medically necessary” procedures, not disease diagnosis. For example, if I go to my doctor and he orders blood to be drawn to see if my medication is at a therapeutic level, Medicare would pay for both the…
For almost every American worker, Social Security is “part of the plan” for a secure retirement. Here’s a primer on retirement coverage.
When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits or 10 years of work to qualify for retirement benefits. No retirement benefits can be paid until you have the required number of credits. If you stop working before you have enough credits to qualify for benefits, the credits will remain on your record. If you return to work later, you can add more credits so that you qualify.
Your benefit amount is based on how much you earned during your working career. Higher lifetime earnings result in higher benefits. A worker with average earnings can expect a retirement benefit that replaces about 40 percent of his or her average lifetime earnings. Social Security was never intended to be your only source of income when you retire. You also will need other savings, investments, pensions or retirement accounts to make sure you have enough money to live comfortably when you retire.
Your benefit payment also is affected by the age at which you decide to retire and begin receiving benefits. If you were born in 1942 or earlier, you’re already eligible for your full Social Security benefit. If you were born from 1943 to 1960, the age at which full retirement benefits are payable increases gradually to age 67.
You can get Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but if you retire before your full retirement age, your benefits will be reduced, based on your age. If you retire at age 62, your benefit would be about 25 percent lower than what it would be if you waited until you reach full retirement age. You may choose to keep working even beyond your full retirement age. If you do, you can increase your future Social Security benefits — up until age 70.
Choosing when to retire is an important decision, but it’s also a personal choice and one you should carefully consider. When’s the best time? There is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are many factors to consider. Look into Social Security’s publication When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html.
In addition, Social Security provides an online Retirement Estimator to get immediate and personalized retirement benefit estimates to help you plan for your retirement. The Retirement Estimator is a convenient and secure financial planning tool, allowing you to create “what if” scenarios. For instance, you can change your “stop work” dates or expected future earnings to create and compare different retirement options. Check it out at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
To apply online or make an appointment to visit Social Security office, contact:
For almost every American worker, Social Security is “part of the plan” for a secure retirement. Here’s a primer on retirement coverage. When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits or 10 years of work to…
Have you heard that laughter is the best medicine? Well, it’s no joke. Our bodies love laughter!
When we laugh out loud we create a positive energy that makes us feel less grumpy, happier and more content with our life.
As we age, we are often faced with many challenges surrounding family, finances, and our health — just to name a few.
When we laugh for at least ten minutes a day it provides numerous health benefits.
Laughter improves our oxygen intake, in turn helping keep organs and tissues healthy and strengthens the immune system.
Laughter causes a release of endorphins, characterized as “feel good chemicals.” These endorphins help us to relax and reduce stress levels.
After a good laugh, the heart rate slows and our blood pressure drops naturally, leaving the body in a restful state.
Laughter is great exercise for face muscles.
Laughter lifts spirits and creates a greater sense of well-being.
Laughter can reduce arthritic pain.
So for health’s sake watch funny TV shows and movies, think of funny stories or jokes and share them with others. Smile often and try to find humor in all situations, even the tough ones.
As Bill Cosby once said, “If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it!”
Have you heard that laughter is the best medicine? Well, it’s no joke. Our bodies love laughter! When we laugh out loud we create a positive energy that makes us feel less grumpy, happier and more content with our life. As we age, we are often faced with many challenges surrounding family, finances, and our…
Senior health and wellness fairs are held on all islands to promote education, entertainment, food and fun. It was my honor to be a VIP at the Helemano Plantation’s Moon Festival Country Fair in Wahiawa on Sept. 17. I met the founder, president and CEO, Susanna Cheung, learned about her background, and felt her passion to assist the community with a wellness center which sits on part of their 50-acre property.
Christina Chen, Dr. Ming Chen, Susanna F. Cheung, First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige, Ho-Ming Cheung and Councilman Ernie Martin.
Hawai‘i’s First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige and Honolulu City Council chairman Ernie Martin talked about being impressed with the Susanna’s facilities, programs, staff, and volunteers. There was a variety of entertainment, with a private tour and special oxtail soup lunch in the well-known Country Inn Restaurant, plus the best pineapple pie I ever tasted.
The Ho-Ming and Susanna Cheung Foundation were the event sponsors. I know it was their generosity that paid for the bento lunch and transportation for the Koolau Seniors to attend (I’m a little partial to them because I’m from Kaneohe), along with senior groups from Pearl City, Waipahu, and other areas of O‘ahu. All attendees enjoyed their day of celebration with Helemano Plantation.
To learn more about Helemano Plantation’s senior educational classes and facilities, visit them at 64-1488 Kamehameha Hwy (next to Dole Plantation) or call 808-622-3929.
Stories for and about seniors and their caregivers are always worth sharing, like a 100 birthday announcement, call Sherry at 808-722-8487.
Senior health and wellness fairs are held on all islands to promote education, entertainment, food and fun. It was my honor to be a VIP at the Helemano Plantation’s Moon Festival Country Fair in Wahiawa on Sept. 17. I met the founder, president and CEO, Susanna Cheung, learned about her background, and felt her passion…
Winner Jeannette Shounk and Herb Nakagawa, president of Wahiawa Rainbow Senior Club
Wahiawa – Jeanette Shounk of Wahiawa Rainbow Seniors Club won a free Vacations Hawaii Las Vegas travel package for two. The round trip air fare and four night stay is provided by Vacations Hawai‘i, the popular travel company that specializes in mainland destinations for people in Hawai‘i. Presenting the prize were both our Generations Magazine representative Sherry Goya and Wahiawa Rainbow Seniors Club President Herb Nakagawa.
Seniors were able to participate in the drawing at the GM booth at the 2015 Seniors Fair. Thousands of seniors, many accompanied by loved ones and caregivers, reviewed the many exhibits. There was a new focus on health and fitness activities and products for active seniors.
A special thank you to everyone who came by to see us, and Congratulations Jeanette!
Wahiawa – Jeanette Shounk of Wahiawa Rainbow Seniors Club won a free Vacations Hawaii Las Vegas travel package for two. The round trip air fare and four night stay is provided by Vacations Hawai‘i, the popular travel company that specializes in mainland destinations for people in Hawai‘i. Presenting the prize were both our Generations Magazine…
The Hawaii Parkinson’s Association (HPA) is a nonprofit volunteer group comprised of people with Parkinson’s disease, caregivers, family members, health care professionals, educators and leaders in the business community. Our mission is to support ongoing research into the cause of and cure for Parkinson’s disease, and to educate patients, caregivers, and the public about how to live well with Parkinson’s, here and now.
Hawaii Parkinson Association was established in 1996, and in 2012 affiliated with the National Parkinson Foundation. Beginning January 1, 2016, the organization will again reorganize as HPA and all funds raised by HPA will stay in Hawai‘i to support our local mission.
In October, a large number of supporters join a walk for Parkinson’s awareness at the HPA “Moving Day” event. To learn more email: movingday@parkinson.org.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disease that causes brain cells controlling movement to die without being replaced. The most noticeable symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include slowness of movement, tremor, rigidity and difficulty with posture and balance. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurological disease in the nation.
In addition to having a strong support network at home and in the community, exercise and physical activity are keys to living well with Parkinson’s disease. HPA acts as the hub of information for people living with Parkinson’s disease in Hawaii as well as their caregivers.
We currently manage eight support groups for patients and caregivers. HPA also funded the development of exercise classes designed specifically for people living with Parkinson’s, which YMCA of O‘ahu offers at six of their locations. HPA offers educational seminars and workshops throughout the year on important topics: medication management, deep brain stimulation therapy, physical activity and exercise, and how patients may gain access to local clinical trials.
People living with Parkinson’s disease need not face the future alone or with uncertainty. Listen to what Sheldon Hershinow from O’ahu has to say:
“I am deeply grateful for the range of information that Hawaii Parkinson’s Foundation provides. I’ve gained valuable insights from symposia, workshops and support group meetings, allowing me to ask my own neurologist the right questions and to select the best machines for me at the gym. The organization has led me to enjoy twice-weekly movement classes that encourage me to do my best without worrying about any shortfall.”
The Hawaii Parkinson’s Association (HPA) is a nonprofit volunteer group comprised of people with Parkinson’s disease, caregivers, family members, health care professionals, educators and leaders in the business community. Our mission is to support ongoing research into the cause of and cure for Parkinson’s disease, and to educate patients, caregivers, and the public about how…
Father William F. Petrie, sscc, looking over Kalaupapa Settlement from the cross atop the Kauhako crater.
Bill Petrie is a priest with the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary — the same order as St. Damien. With Mother Marianne Cope, the Sisters of St. Francis of Syracuse and volunteer Joseph Dutton, Damien brought the love of God and dignity to Hansen’s disease patients exiled at Kalaupapa.
Inspired by the life of St. Damien, Father Bill worked 25 years in India with Mother Teresa of Calcutta, helping the poorest of the poor and many who were afflicted with Hansen’s disease. Now he serves as Pastor of St. Damien Church on Moloka‘i and supports Catholic ministry to the last Hansen’s disease patients in Hawai‘i.
Many seniors and baby boomers returning to the church and looking for the God of their youth, are inspired by the story of Damien’s love for God and the patients of Kalaupapa. Faith, hope and love help us face uncertainties at the end of life. Father Bill’s joy and enthusiasm are infectious and people want to be around him — like St. Damien won the hearts of patients in Kalaupapa.
So we asked Father Bill to share his wisdom on new beginnings — the transitions of life. His counsel is simple: change will come, so embrace closure and take time to prepare for the next step on your path. His kind, humble words offer a quiet oasis amid the chaos of our boisterous world.
Take a few moments to hear what father Bill learned from the joy, peace and love of Mother Teresa and Saint Damien.
My Beginning as a Priest
Without realizing it, we face many new beginnings in our lives, some small and others life changing events. One such new beginning was my being inspired to become a Catholic priest after reading the life of Father Damien of Moloka‘i, a vision so profound that it was to lead me to work with Mother Teresa of Calcutta helping Hansen’s disease patients in India. I started by writing a letter. Mother Teresa didn’t answer, so I sent a second note with a $250 donation, for her work with the poorest of the poor. Again, no response. Then my superiors gave me permission to visit India, so I wrote her again, saying I wanted to help with the work and giving her the flight, time and day of my Calcutta arrival.
Father Bill Petrie’s life path began with being inspired by St. Damien. It led to priesthood, and 25 years working with the poor and Hanson’s disease patients in India with Mother Teresa.
Wow, no one was at the airport to meet me! I thought, am I just doing my own thing or is this truly an inspiration from God? After spending the night in a city lodge, I found a telephone book and the number of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious society that Mother Teresa founded in 1950. Anxiously making the phone call, I heard a voice answer and then stated who I was — I wished to speak to Mother Teresa, and my purpose was to volunteer and help with her Hansen’s disease work. The delicate but firm voice said: “This is Mother Teresa; come right over.”
We became friends the first moment we met. The chemistry between us created a bond and new beginning that would last 25 years, from 1975 to 2000. Mother Teresa explained that she never received my letters or the donation, but it didn’t make any difference. I made this journey to the unknown in faith, and there was a place for me in the Hansen’s disease work.
Another phase of my life was beginning. I was to realize that closure must be followed by a neutral time of reflection and preparation for a new beginning. I had worked in a loved-filled parish setting for several years, and leaving it was difficult for both the people in my life and me. That was closure. The old expression, “love is being able to let go,” won out. Then a neutral time followed when I spent almost a year preparing, obtaining more medical knowledge and learning rehabilitation skills. Then I remember it well — June 29, 1975, at 33 years old — my new beginning started. I can compare the experience to the date of a graduation or marriage.
Learning to cherish the dates of new beginnings starts with your remembering your birthday. And remembering the first day of a new adventure develops a sense of gratitude. Being grateful is the very foundation of obtaining happiness. Seeing both the good and the bad learning opportunities, accepting what life brings, and letting go of negative aspects allows us to be ready to move on. Taking things as they come or as they are “given” brings ongoing satisfaction with yourself and all your daily activities.
Beginning to Grow in Wisdom
Reading books about St. Damien eventually allowed me to see Damien as a role model for my life. I learned about the people who supported his work, Franciscan sister Saint Marianne Cope, who spent over thirty years at Kalaupapa and Joseph Dutton, a layman who worked in Kalaupapa for forty-two years. That these people freely and willingly embraced serving people rejected by the world, gave me a sense of awe. What made them do it, in those days, when there was little understanding of Hansen’s disease or its transmission.
My association with Blessed Mother Teresa gave me insights into their Moloka‘i beginnings. I had experienced some of the hope and tender joy that sustained them, brought them happiness, complete fulfillment and daily work satisfaction. Mother Teresa told me that the most important part of helping the suffering is to “be there.” Saint Damien, Saint Marianne, and Joseph Dutton were experts at “being there.” This lesson could be applied by any faith-filled person and especially by caregivers who might be reading this article.
After three years working at one of Blessed Mother Teresa’s Hansen’s disease Rehabilitation Centers, I was assigned to assist her missionary sisters in another location to help construct another rehab facility. The Catholic Church in that area had an “Archdiocesan Leprosy Office.” At my request, the Bishop changed the name to a “Human Life Center” for promoting personal, interpersonal and community growth, based on the prayer of Jesus, who asked God that we “would have life abundantly.” The life that Blessed Mother Teresa was living and imparting was exactly that — abundant life, full of productive faith, hope and dignity. I think abundant life is also what Damien, Marianne and Joseph Dutton were able to help the patients of Kalaupapa achieve. The Moloka‘i trio was successful despite the isolation of Kalaupapa and Kalawao. With limited resources and support, they offered the patients many new beginnings. With modern communications and the jet age, Blessed Mother Teresa exercised her faith and shared the abundant spiritual life in over 120 countries around the world.
Everyone has Charisma
Mother Teresa
Do we have that which Blessed Mother Teresa had — that drive that made her love for God and neighbor so powerful? We may call it charisma, one of those divine gifts that we receive at birth. Each person has to discover what his or her gifts are. It is not a specific characteristic but a variety of different aspects of our personality. Our individual charisms have an impact when we create energy — when we do or say things. Becoming charismatic is going out and getting involved in life, putting your skills to use, experiencing excitement, creating joy and even accepting the pains and sorrows of life. Blessed Mother Teresa saw Saint Damien as one of her role models. His work inspired, strengthened and nourished her Hansen’s disease medical and rehabilitation work. Saint Damien was a Catholic priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hears of Jesus and Mary, the same order to which I belong. Mother Teresa brought me to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and said: “India needs Fr. Damien’s Congregation.” This encounter created another new beginning, a religious formation program in India for men and women who felt called to join the same religious family as Saint Damien. The charism of our religious congregation is “to contemplate, witness and proclaim the mystery of God’s love.”
Significant Others in Our Lives
Saint Damien, photo credited to Sacred Hearts Archives, Rome
Spiritually charismatic individuals empower people around them. Through Blessed Mother Teresa’s sponsorship for 25 years in India, it was possible for me to experience many new beginnings, starting medical clinics, creating informal education programs, and acquisition of land for the construction of hundreds of houses for homeless Hansen’s disease patients. Especially important was helping the children of patients — to protect their health, encourage education and provide skill training for employment. The lives of
Saint Marianne
Damien, Marianne and Dutton inspired me, but it was my association with Blessed Mother Teresa that empowered me to share Damien’s vision with others and continue his work. “Significant others,” has nothing to do with having a special partner. Rather it is recognition of what has happened in my life because of their inspiration. Blessed Mother Teresa and Saint Damien were significant others for me and countless people. Anyone who accepts them as role models, gets energized.
Sacred Presence
There is a quality that all people have in varying degrees. I call it “sacred presence.” I experienced it when working in India. Blessed Mother’s mobile clinic distributed medicine once a week. One week there were no medical supplies, so the clinic didn’t take place. The following week when the medicines arrived, one of the patients asked Mother Teresa where she was last week. She responded that they didn’t come because there were no medicines. The patient replied that it didn’t make any difference if there were no medicine — she should have come anyway. Wow! What a powerful lesson that was for me. Distribution of medicine, food or clothing was not as important as the presence of Mother Teresa herself. That’s when the concept of sacred presence became a reality for me. In some ways, we are all practicing it when we attend a wake of a deceased person. We don’t need to be concerned about what we will say to the bereaved family because just being present affirms and uplifts those in mourning. Sacred presence is the best gift we can bring to a wedding, a graduation, or a reunion. When individuals are filled with God’s love, they have a spiritual empowerment, which radiates to others. My understanding of Saint Damien is conveyed to me by some insights Mother Teresa taught her volunteers. She would tell them that it’s not how much you give, but the love you put into the giving. When gathering with other people, make sure everyone leaves a happier and better person. Smiling at someone is an action of love, a gift to that person. Small gestures exercise and strengthen the sacred presence that surrounds us when we love God and our neighbor.
Despite all that Damien had to endure, we marvel at his sacred presence when he wrote that he was the happiest missionary in the world! His spiritual joy enriched everyone who was around him. He confessed that he received his strength kneeling at the altar, in prayer. Don’t we all need a daily silent and prayerful time? A rich celebrity once admitted to Mother Teresa that he felt guilty in her presence because of the great work she did for the poor. He was comparing his life to hers and felt that he fell a little short. Her simple answer was stunning — she didn’t tell him to change his ways. she encouraged him to be holy in his life, just as she was called to be holy in her life. Her response consoled and energized him. Mother Teresa was inspiring him with her presence and encouraging him to live abundantly.
Discovering Sacred Places at Kalaupapa
The word “sacred” is derived from the Latin word sacre, which means restricted or set apart. An extraordinary person, place or object can be designated as sacred, and may seem to have a different reality from natural or normal things. The sacred is always connected with divinity and religion. One of the oldest sacred places on earth is the Holy Land, visited for millennia by pilgrims and tourists. In Asia, people visit the sacred Taoist and Buddhist mountains. The tourist travels on a vacation; the pilgrim journeys as a purposeful spiritual act. There are many sacred places in the world connected to the sacred presence of an individual. A pilgrimage to Kalaupapa/Kalawao on the island of Moloka‘i can be a very memorable vacation, a peaceful retreat for making life decisions, or even a new beginning. Over eight thousand Hansen’s disease patients lived and died on this sacred land. Hundreds of dedicated workers and medical personnel lived at Kalaupapa/ Kalawao, often at great sacrifice. For Catholics, the lives of Saint Damien and Saint Marianne are a source of inspiration. The Latter Day Saints, Protestant churches and Buddhists all have a history of committed individuals in ministry here. By making a pilgrimage to Kalaupapa, you learn the historical context for the canonized saints and countless other holy people who died here.
A view to Kalaupapa pier from the courtyard of St. Francis Catholic Church. Photo courtesy of Father Pat.
Papaloa Cemetary, resting place of some of the 8000+Kalaupapa residents
HANSEN’S DISEASE
An ancient disease described in Bible was called “leprosy” in English, after the Latin, lepra, meaning “scaly.” Today we call it Hansen’s disease, named for Dr. Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen, a Norwegian physician who identified the bacterium that causes the disease, Mycobacterium leprae. Hansen’s disease is transmitted among humans the same way we pass on colds. In the past 20 years, modern antibiotics have cured over 200 million cases of Hansen’s disease worldwide.
Beginning to Learn About Kalaupapa
Unless a patient or worker personally invites you to visit Kalaupapa, the only way to tour the settlement is on an approved four-hour Damien Tours and arranged access via Makani Kai airlines or Kalaupapa Mule Tour. The mule train descends a path down a majestic 1800-foot cliff that separates Kalaupapa from the rest of Moloka‘i Island.
The success of a spiritual journey to a sacred destination always depends on the individual. When you visit Kalaupapa, I recommend taking time for silent reflections at each special site Damien Tours visits. Breathtaking views of huge cliffs we call the “Pali” and the rock-bound coast that isolate Kalaupapa from the rest of the world end with the arrival of your nine-passenger plane at Kalaupapa landing strip, one of the few USA airports without TSA equipment and security personnel. The open-air pavilion, a picnic area for residents, echoes bygone days of trust and goodness. Your tour guide, the driver of an old school bus, awaits at the Kalaupapa welcome sign.
Photo provided by Wikipedia
On the road to the settlement, Papaloa Cemetery is the first reminder of the eight thousand plus patients who died here. So many graves on a little spit of land make us reflect upon our own death and funeral. Saint Damien and Mother Marianne saw funerals as celebrations and liberation from the burdens of life to a new heavenly life — another new beginning.
Next, the bus passes the Mormon Church, a reminder that Hansen’s disease was without boundaries. The driver points out the Kalaupapa pier, and we try to imagine steamers mooring offshore and small rowboats bringing patients ashore. Damien always came to welcome the saddened newcomers. Many were overcome with grief, knowing they could never return home to their loved ones. Exile was permanent.
The bus stops briefly at St. Francis Catholic Church, where a Congregation of the Sacred Hearts priest celebrates Mass every morning. Nearby stands the Congregational church. These three churches are a reminder that faith in God gave generations of patients strength, hope and meaning to their lives. Only the convent and St. Elizabeth Chapel remain on the spacious land that once housed and ministered to hundreds of girls and women, giving them love, care, protection and dignity. The Bishop family supported a home for girls where St. Marianne and the Franciscan Sisters ministered to single females and young girls, some of whom were orphans. On ruins of a former hospital destroyed by fire is a new clinic where a medical staff attends to several patients and workers still living in the settlement.
Another vacant parcel of land marks the site of the Baldwin Home for boys and men. Volunteer Joseph Dutton and the Sacred Hearts Brothers were the caretakers for the men.
The tour stops at the memorial grave of Saint Marianne, who also started Kapiolani Home for Girls on O‘ahu and Mauilani Hospital on Maui. This joyful nun used to say she worked “not for reward, but for God.”
A view of St. Philomena Catholic Church from the south, across open fields of unmarked and marked gravesites.
Next, the bus drives by former patient homes and the visitors’ reception center. The patients’ cafeteria is still used every day, and a former movie hall is used for holiday celebrations during the year. The bus turns left on Damien Road, which leads to Kalawao where the original settlement was established. The first structure seen is the Siloama Church, constructed by the patients one year after arriving in 1866. A boundary wall separates the compound where St. Damien lived and constructed the Saint Philomena Catholic Church. Beside the church are the original graves of St. Damien and Joseph Dutton. The sacred land surrounding the church holds over one thousand unmarked graves. A memorial will be constructed to remember the names of all the 8,000 or more patients who died in Kalaupapa and Kalawao.This is very sacred ground; peace and quiet envelop you. Take time to quietly sit, meditate or pray. Across the road are the remains of the original home for boys and girls, before the settlement moved to Kalaupapa. Old photographs are helping the National Park Service renovate the landscape as Kalawao looked over a century ago.
Deep silence, broken only by wind and surf, draws every tourist or pilgrim inward. They have personal thoughts about the sorrow and pain endured by the Hansen’s disease patients who lived here. Kalaupapa calls us to reflect — it is a memorial to closure, extended quiet, neutral time of preparation, and accepting new beginnings.
The road continues. Today, National Park Service workers are preparing Kalaupapa and Kalawao for the time when there are no more Hansen’s patients living here. The settlement will be preserved and managed as a national historic park. I am privileged to be the Pastor of St. Damien in Kaunakakai, and to be able to assist residents and workers in Kalaupapa as they transition. I minister to my congregation in the tradition of St. Damien and St. Marianne, with the training of Mother Teresa. I, too, am a happy missionary. Like my special “others,” I look forward, with joy and gratitude, to more new beginnings.
For the adventurous, a Damien Tour begins with a mule ride on a switchback trail descending 1800 feet.
FATHER DAMIEN TOURS
The only way to visit Kalaupapa is through Father Damien Tours. They operate a four-hour tour of Kalaupapa Settlement and Kalawao daily (except Sunday). There are three ways of getting to Kalaupapa:
This is Debbie Taylor, who takes the same bus to Kailua after 25 years and likes that there is “no worry about parking.” Others like Mirsada Dumisic have been taking the bus for five years, and she and her husband have even sold their cars.
Here is information on the senior fares:
As I hurried to take her picture before May boarded the #17 for Makiki, she said, “Taking the bus is convenient because it stops right in front of my house and the bus drivers on #17 are friendly.” Dumisic chimed in, “The new buses are fantastic! The seats are clean and not too high.” You might enjoy getting out and around town without the hassels of driving, so get your senior card and pass today and hop on Da Bus!
Seniors were able to participate in the drawing at the GM booth at the 2015 Seniors Fair. Thousands of seniors, many accompanied by loved ones and caregivers, reviewed the many exhibits. There was a new focus on health and fitness activities and products for active seniors.
The Hawaii Parkinson’s Association (HPA) is a nonprofit volunteer group comprised of people with Parkinson’s disease, caregivers, family members, health care professionals, educators and leaders in the business community. Our mission is to support ongoing research into the cause of and cure for Parkinson’s disease, and to educate patients, caregivers, and the public about how to live well with Parkinson’s, here and now.
People living with Parkinson’s disease need not face the future alone or with uncertainty. Listen to what Sheldon Hershinow from O’ahu has to say:
