Category: Articles

Editor’s Note

I can still remember my first conversation with myself in early 2010 when I took over Generations Magazine (GM), I said to myself, “now what do I do?” Well, my first call was to my classmate and partner Wilson Angel, GM Art Director and to make a long story short, he said “he was all in.” Next call was to my good friend, Kirk Matthews at KHON2 News Elderhood Project’s to see if he would be our first cover story and I still remember what he said, “are you crazy!” He said, “You are busy as it is and now you want to take on this huge task of providing our much loved seniors and their families with their own magazine?” I said yes, and he graciously became our first cover story after a round of golf. Love you Kirk!

Fast forward to this August/September 2014 issue, 5 years later and we are still committed to our mission of providing valuable and resourceful information to our Kupuna and their families. We are so blessed to have so many supporters and followers of GM. Special thanks goes out to our original business partners from 2010 that have and are still in GM as our partners and who truly believe in serving our senior population; Kirk Matthews and KHON2 News, my brother and one of the top realtors in Hawai‘i, Dan Ihara with Keller Willliams, 15 Craigside and Arcadia Community Services, Michael Yee, CFP, Ameriprise Financial Inc., Scott Makuakane with Est8Planning Counsel, LLLC, Attorney Stephen Yim, Craig and Sandy Watanabe from Captain Cook Coin, and Mike Rossell producer of our beloved Senior Fair that always happens the last weekend in September at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.

A big “Mahalo” goes out to Vacations Hawaii and Boyd Gaming’s Kevin Kaneshiro and Director of Marketing Ashlen Manos for their years of sponsorship and support. I could not think of a better partner in all these years to have on our cover for our Senior Fair issue than our favorite California Hotel & Casino, known as “the Cal,” and yes, the 9th Island. A special “Mahalo” to David Lebby, VP and General Manager of the Cal and Main Street Station Hotel, Casino & Brewery for always taking special care of our Hawai‘i seniors.

Don’t forget to stop by at our 8th annual Aging in Place Workshop at the Ala Moana Hotel on Saturday August 23rd. Thank you to our sponsors KHON2’s Elderhood Project, AARP Hawaii, Vacations Hawaii (Yes we will be giving away a Vegas Trip), Straub Clinic and Hospital, AlohaCare, The Plaza Assisted Living, Kokua Care, De-clutter Hawaii and Cardon Outreach.

FYI — Our website www.Generations808.com still and always will have all our past issues including our very first issue with Kirk Matthews from 2010. Our site has many resources such as our GM calendar of future senior events around the island, list of GM business partners, listen to all our Generations Radio segments and past “Aging in Place” workshop presentations, as well as all our past resource guides and articles.

Live well this summer!,

Percy Ihara, Editor/Publisher

I can still remember my first conversation with myself in early 2010 when I took over Generations Magazine (GM), I said to myself, “now what do I do?” Well, my first call was to my classmate and partner Wilson Angel, GM Art Director and to make a long story short, he said “he was all…
Signs of the Economic Times

The state of the economy can make a big difference in our lives. It affects opportunities in the job market, drives stock market, determine prices and influences buyer behavior.

When economy is robust, there’s optimism in the air. Companies’ hire, investors invest and consumers spend. When economy is sluggish, mood is somber, companies struggle to make a profit, investors are more cautious and consumers tighten their wallets.

How do we know if the economy is doing well?

Economic indicators that go hand-in-hand with economic health, provide clues. Direct economic indicators go up when economy is rosy and down when economy tanks. Other factors have an inverse relationship with the economy. These inverse factors fall and rise opposite the strength of the economy.

Leading economic indicators are considered most important factors to watch. Unlike lagging economic indicators that appear after economic change, these indicators come first, helping economists predict the direction of the economy. Here are some of the most discussed leading economic indicators.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) — Is a consolidated measure of price of goods and services over time at the consumer level. Observed changes in CPI help determine inflation and cost of living, help shape our monetary policy. Measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CPI is calculated for food, energy and other consumer goods. Further analysis within these categories reveal what influences price fluctuations.

Prices of some goods and services are more influential than others. For example, we are a nation of automobile owners; price of gas is closely watched. When prices get too high or too low, government may intervene with policies intended to cap consumer costs and spur economic activity.

Producer Price Index (CPI) — Prices paid at the store, the Producer Price Index (PPI) considers what wholesalers pay for U.S. goods and services (food and energy, not factored). Wholesale prices influence consumer prices; PPI can be a useful predictor of impending inflation.

U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — Our nation relies on foreign trade to sustain economic activity. Price we charge foreign trading partners for goods and services, can reveal a good deal about our economic standing. Fluctuations in supply and demand, competition and stability of our global partners make these measures more vulnerable to variability.

Productivity and Costs — Productivity statistics tell how well our economy is working. When businesses are able to do more in less time, profits rise, in turn paves the way for more investment, more jobs and prosperity.

Real Earnings — Looks at real average hourly earnings to estimate consumer-buying power. Comparing real earnings to the CPI, shed light on how far the U.S. dollar can go.

New Construction — Housing starts and building permits are regularly monitored by the financial industry, they reflect both business growth and consumer confidence.

Employment Situation — Stock market tends to perk at announcement of new hires and fewer unemployment claims. Investors like a healthy economy. Job security also tends to give consumers more confidence.

Visit the Bureau of Economic Analysis at www.bea.gov and U.S. Census Bureau at www.census.gov. Apply what you learn with your financial advisor, who can help you consider important financial decisions.

Michael W. K. Yee, CFP
1585 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1100, Honolulu
808-952-1222 ext. 1240 | michael.w.yee@ampf.com
Michael W K Yee, CFP®, CFS®, CRPC®, is a Financial Advisor CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER practitioner™ with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Honolulu, HI. He specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 26 years.
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and its affiliates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their tax advisor or attorney regarding their specific situation.
Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC.
© 2014 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. File # 823751.

The state of the economy can make a big difference in our lives. It affects opportunities in the job market, drives stock market, determine prices and influences buyer behavior. When economy is robust, there’s optimism in the air. Companies’ hire, investors invest and consumers spend. When economy is sluggish, mood is somber, companies struggle to…
Retrofit Your Home for Aging

Most seniors prefer living in the home they know and love, but as tasks become harder and unmanageable, seniors will either hire an in-home caregiver, move in with their children or decide to move to an assisted living facility.

Aging-in-place, or moving in with family, is a more comfortable option, but may require re-modeling the home to make it safe. These improvements may consist of ramps, walk-in showers, wheel chair accessibility and more. When a home is no longer safe, or care becomes unmanageable for the family, finding the right retirement community is the next step.

There are several types of retirement communities available, such as assisted living facilities, skilled nursing homes, Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) and Adults Residential Care Homes (ARCH’s) available. Prices can be as high as $120,000 yearly or low-income housing options are available. Knowing the differences between these options will help you decide where you will feel more comfortable. Site visits are a must.

Kahala Associates Senior Concierge offers free seminars on many senior related topics year round. Here are two upcoming events:

August 30th — Home Safety & Improvement Tips Join guest speaker Curt Kiriu with C.K. Independent Living Builders.

October 18th — Senior Housing Option Seminar Learn about the different retirement communities and how they differ.

For more information and to register (seating is limited), email Seniors@LaneyRE.com or call 808-282-1399.

Most seniors prefer living in the home they know and love, but as tasks become harder and unmanageable, seniors will either hire an in-home caregiver, move in with their children or decide to move to an assisted living facility. Aging-in-place, or moving in with family, is a more comfortable option, but may require re-modeling the…
Living Life At Its Fullest!

Can you imagine, a century ago men were still relying on buttons and women on painful corsets. Vacuum cleaners and washing machines had just become commercially available, though too expensive for many families. That’s Winifred Mann’s era, born 1910.

Winnie turned 104 on May 1 and her friends at Arcadia made sure she got a Big Birthday Bash with wine, cheese and crackers.

Winnie has seen many changes in her 104 years; a Midwesterner from Nebraska, she lived through WWI, WWII, and The Great Depression of the 30’s, even the days of the 1960’s Hippie Counter Culture Movement, what a change!

She and her late husband, Ralph came to Hawai’i from San Diego, California in 1962 when he was assigned to a US Department of Defense position. After her late husband’s death in 1999, she followed her longtime interests in oil painting, sewing, reading, and cartooning. Later, as a painter, she sought out people engaged in activities and based her paintings on photos with subjects ranging from people enjoying favorite pastimes at the beach or taking walks in Arcadia’s gardens where she resides to tourist attractions and peaceful landscapes.

Winnie still manages to keep active as she enjoys life here in Hawai‘i. “Happy 104th Birthday, Winifred Mann!” and Generations Magazine wishes you many more to come!

If you know of any other centenarians, send us a photo and something about him/her. Contact Sherry Goya: 808-722-8487 | SGoyaLLC@aol.com

Can you imagine, a century ago men were still relying on buttons and women on painful corsets. Vacuum cleaners and washing machines had just become commercially available, though too expensive for many families. That’s Winifred Mann’s era, born 1910. Winnie turned 104 on May 1 and her friends at Arcadia made sure she got a…
Move for Parkinson’s Disease

The Hawaii Chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) is inviting the people of Hawai‘i to get ready to move on Saturday, October 25th at 9 am – noon at Honolulu Hale Civic Grounds for the 2nd annual Moving Day Hawaii. Moving Day events are held around the country to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease and funds for Parkinson’s research and NPF programs.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people. Approximately 60 – 80% of dopamine-producing cells in the brain are damaged and do not produce enough dopamine, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear. In the United States, 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, adding to the one million people who have Parkinson’s disease.

Moving Day Hawaii will feature a Movement Pavilion with yoga and hula, 3K walk, health fair and a kid zone. The event is designed for people living with Parkinson’s disease, their caregivers, friends and families. Studies show movement is beneficial and proven to help manage symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, improving flexibility and mobility. Vigorous exercise, such as biking and running has been shown to potentially slow down or delay progression of the disease. The aim is to encourage people to stay active and move for better health.

Learn more about Moving Day Hawaii and how you, your family, friends and/or your company can get involved, visit www.movingdayhawaii.org or email movingday@parkinsonshawaii.org. There is no cost to register and participate, but fundraising is encouraged.

The Hawaii Chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) is inviting the people of Hawai‘i to get ready to move on Saturday, October 25th at 9 am – noon at Honolulu Hale Civic Grounds for the 2nd annual Moving Day Hawaii. Moving Day events are held around the country to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease…
Retirement Assets for Charitable Giving

If you are like many people; you may desire to make a charitable gift as part of your estate plan, a way to give back, when your need for assets is done. This kind of planning is done when retirement is also on our minds.

Most of us hold retirement savings in an IRA, 401(k) or 403(b). Because of the way these funds are used, you may not exhaust all of your retirement money during your lifetime. So, the question is, “What will I do with my unspent retirement savings?”

A Common Solution

Most people designate family members as beneficiaries of retirement accounts. The problem with doing this is that much of your savings may never go to your loved ones. By giving your unspent retirement savings to your family (other than your surviving spouse), your retirement savings will be taxed. First, if you have a taxable estate, your estate will pay tax on the asset. Second, your family members will pay tax at their ordinary income rate resulting in very little of your remaining money actually going to your family.

A Better Solution

When leaving assets to family, it’s best to give your family assets that step-up in basis at death such as stock and real estate, these assets may be received and sold by your family without paying any tax. Your retirement assets actually make a better gift to charity because a charitable organization can receive the entire asset tax free and make use of it to further its mission.

National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii
808-589-5976 | jeff@kidneyhi.org
www.kidneyhi.org | www.kidney.org

If you are like many people; you may desire to make a charitable gift as part of your estate plan, a way to give back, when your need for assets is done. This kind of planning is done when retirement is also on our minds. Most of us hold retirement savings in an IRA, 401(k)…
Our Story

I have had the great fortune to be able to go on a cruise this summer with my family and visited many different places in Europe.

We barely heard any English spoken on this trip and while the languages are varied, I’ve noticed more commonalities than differences among the people we’ve had the privilege of meeting during our travels.

These commonalities include (1) the love of family as I hear universal laughter coming from parents and children, (2) enjoying freedom other countries may not yet enjoy, including the freedom of speech, to vote, to drive and (3) a desire to tell one’s story.

Fittingly, the person’s name assigned to help us during our cruise in the Mediterranean is Story. We visited museums in Paris, the incredible ruins in Pompeii, and the young democracy in Tunisia. In each place, I noticed that the people have a desire to tell one’s story, through pictures, writing,\ and oral history.

Estate planning, to me, is much more than leaving cash to someone. Cash is so quickly gone. It is one’s legacy that continues on.

I believe that this legacy, your story, is just as important as the legal estate plan leaving assets by way of will or trust and have created what I’ve coined “My Heartfelt Will.” Please consider taking the time and giving yourself permission to write your story.

I encourage you to consider writing your legacy down, the memories and experiences that continue to shape your lives. Are you considering making your estate plan this summer?

Stephen B. Yim, Attorney at Law | 2054 S. Beretania St., Hon. | (808) 524-0251 | stephenyimestateplanning.com

I have had the great fortune to be able to go on a cruise this summer with my family and visited many different places in Europe. We barely heard any English spoken on this trip and while the languages are varied, I’ve noticed more commonalities than differences among the people we’ve had the privilege of…
Sharing an Experience

Around 10:00 pm, September 8, 2011, the right hand of a 58 year-old woman felt tingly as she was on her laptop. She went to bed, couldn’t sleep, and moved to the sofa. At about 2:00 am, she woke up…cheek, chest, numb — all the way down to her toes. Her husband took her to ER.

The MRI showed a blood clot on the left side of her brain, affecting the right side of her body. She was told she had a stroke. Why? She was active, coached tennis, ate right, had no family history or other symptoms like sagging face, slurred words, or blurred vision. No one, not even the doctors explained how she could have had a stroke. More importantly, no one gave her any instructions on what to do. Three days later, a nurse told her she could go home — she didn’t know what to expect.

By chance, the woman saw her nephew, a physical therapist. “Aunty, keep doing everything the same as you did before,” he advised. One simple sentence made the biggest difference in her life. She kept forcing her fingers, arms, and legs to move. She even kept working; walking without assistance in a week, hitting tennis balls in four weeks, and driving in six weeks. Self-motivation with her own therapy, no medical assistance, helped her recover—that woman was me! My PT Angel was Shaw Okawara.

I shared my experience with the Hawai’I Neurotrauma Registry, a voluntary registry for persons with brain, stroke, and spinal cord injury.

If you’ve had this type of injury, please consider taking the online survey at www.svy.mk/1a5Ya5m (be sure to click the “submit” button through several pages, read the content through until you get to filling in your information). You may also call (808) 692-1375 for information. By sharing your experience, it’ll help others.

Around 10:00 pm, September 8, 2011, the right hand of a 58 year-old woman felt tingly as she was on her laptop. She went to bed, couldn’t sleep, and moved to the sofa. At about 2:00 am, she woke up…cheek, chest, numb — all the way down to her toes. Her husband took her to…
Clarke v. Rameker and Your IRA

In Clark v. Rameker, decided on June 12, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court boldly went where it has seldom gone before. It waded into the estate planning world and decided that the creditor protection rules that generally apply to IRAs do not apply to inherited IRAs.

The Federal law that governs retirement plans, known as ERISA, provides protections against creditors trying to raid your IRA in order satisfy their claims against you. The Clark case answered the question of whether those same protections apply to the unspent balance of your IRA that you leave to your spouse or children after your death. The answer is a resounding “no.”

This case is important for those of us who want to include protective measures in our estate plans to prevent a beneficiary’s ex-spouse or creditor from enjoying what was intended for the beneficiary. The good news is that there is a tried and true means of providing these kinds of protections despite the outcome in Clark.

Stand Alone Retirement Plan Trusts (SARPTs) are particularly attractive to those who have substantial (more than $250,000) in qualified retirement plan assets. Instead of naming your loved ones as beneficiaries of your IRAs, you name an irrevocable trust that divides into separate trusts for each of your beneficiaries upon your death. Each trust receives the annual distribution that the beneficiary otherwise would have received. The trustee then has the discretion to either distribute the money to each beneficiary, or to withhold the distribution of any beneficiary or beneficiaries who are in legal hot water.

The upsides of this strategy are that they provide creditor protection for retirement plan assets, and they also enable beneficiaries to “stretch out” distributions, so they pay income tax on those distributions in small increments, keeping the remaining assets growing for them on an income tax-deferred basis.

The downside is that if an IRA distribution is not distributed to the beneficiary in the year of receipt by the trustee, the trust (instead of the beneficiary) will pay the income tax on the distribution, and the tax rates for trusts are almost always higher than the tax rates for individuals. However, this is the one time that the beneficiary may appreciate seeing 40% of the distribution go to the IRS, because the alternative might be for 100% of it to go to a creditor or ex-spouse.

SARPTs can be helpful for the families of many IRA owners, and they are worth discussing with your trusted advisors.

Scott Makuakane, Counselor at Law
Focusing exclusively on estate planning and trust law.
Watch Scott’s TV show, Malama Kupuna
Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on KWHE, Oceanic channel 11
www.est8planning.com
O‘ahu: 808-587-8227 | maku@est8planning.com

In Clark v. Rameker, decided on June 12, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court boldly went where it has seldom gone before. It waded into the estate planning world and decided that the creditor protection rules that generally apply to IRAs do not apply to inherited IRAs. The Federal law that governs retirement plans, known as…
Water Works Wonders for Back Pain
Retired Chief Justice Ronald T. Y. Moon performing back stabilization exercises following a compression fracture to the Lumbar Spine.

Many will experience some kind of lower back pain at some point in their lives. If a back injury has short-circuited your daily activities or regular workout routine, aqua therapy might be a good alternative during the healing period. Water exercises for back pain are diverse and should be tailored to the individual and specific condition.

For a more effective workout:

Choose a heated pool with multi depths: Warm water of 90 – 94 degrees assists in healing, relaxes spastic muscles, relieves pain and increases blood circulation. The more deeply immersed in water you are, the less you weigh. In chest-deep water, buoyancy decreases the amount of shock transmitted through your spine, in deep water there is no impact, therefore no shock to your body.

Warm up: Water exercise should start with a warm up for 5 –10 minutes. One of the easiest warm ups is walking (forward, backward, sidestepping and marching).
Water Resistance Exercises: The pool is a great place to work on low back and core strengthening. Standing hip and arm exercises, while maintaining proper spinal alignment, will help to improve low back stability. Deep-water exercises help to improve abdominal strength and overall endurance. Training tools are available, paddles, webbed gloves, dumbbells, noodles and flotation belts.

Cool down: The cool down will assist your body in its repair process and help with post-exercise soreness. Static stretches holding for 20 – 30 seconds, with deep breathing will help to prevent increased low back pain and muscle tightness.
__________________________________

Moon Physical Therapy, LLC
320 Ward Avenue, Suite 107, Honolulu, HI 96814
Aquatic Therapy, Land-based Therapy and
Cardiopulmonary Rehab Programs
808-597-1005 | www.moonpt.com
Many will experience some kind of lower back pain at some point in their lives. If a back injury has short-circuited your daily activities or regular workout routine, aqua therapy might be a good alternative during the healing period. Water exercises for back pain are diverse and should be tailored…
Behind the White Picket Fence: The Memoir of Sharon L. Hicks

An award-winning memoir, “How Do You Grab a Naked Lady?” A life about family and acceptance, a daughter’s lifelong search for normalcy is overshadowed by the antics of her mentally ill mother.

Sharon L. Hick speaks of her childhood life raised between two conflicts of opposing forces: mother vs. father, normalcy vs. lunacy. Her father an idealist and role model, mother an irrational, charming, seductive, and unpredictable bipolar, who parades naked in public.

Not the role model Sharon needed. She tries to escape the pressures of, mustn’t becoming her mother as she enters adulthood, distancing herself from her uncontrollable mother, only to learn she can’t escape. The only choice — dad’s dream of the white picket fence, a beautiful home and enough financial security so his daughter would never need to work. Sharon searched for the white picket fence with a squeaky clean husband, turned out empty, having two failed marriages and numerous men, Sharon questioned her Dad’s dream of the white picket fence and discovered the answer in the most unlikely source — her Mother.

With self-discovery, strong bonds, societal expectations, and a fascia of the American Dream, her touching honesty exposed the realisms of mental illness with humor.

Bestsellers like Running with Scissors, Sharon memoir sets apart the emphasis on the rippling effect of a dysfunctional upbringing through adulthood and a reality of mental illness behind the white picket fence.

Winner of Southern California Writers’ Conference Outstanding Non-Fiction Award 2012, tell-all memoir with full of interesting twists and turns.

About the author

Sharon L. Hicks is a retired executive living in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. She is the daughter of businessman and community leader Harold E. Hicks. This is her first book, inspired by her mother.

How Do You Grab a Naked Lady? By Sharon L. Hicks
Available at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com
www.sharonlhicks.com | 808-282-4944

An award-winning memoir, “How Do You Grab a Naked Lady?” A life about family and acceptance, a daughter’s lifelong search for normalcy is overshadowed by the antics of her mentally ill mother. Sharon L. Hick speaks of her childhood life raised between two conflicts of opposing forces: mother vs. father, normalcy vs. lunacy. Her father…
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Main navigation menu: Use these topics to navigate to the various pages in our site. As you run the cursor over the word, it’ll become bold. These topics will always exist on every page. Throughout the homepage, there are also various other buttons that’ll take you to any one of these topics. Home is the…