Whoever said you can’t teach an old Rotarian new tricks doesn’t know Hawai‘i Rotarians. For the first time in the 50-year history of the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) in-person camps, the Rotary Clubs of District 5000 (Hawai‘i) facilitated an all-island virtual camp with 110 participants on Feb. 26 and 27 due to the ongoing pandemic.
RYLA 2021 all-island committee members included (L–R, top row) Joshua Laguna, Rick Tabor, Dylan Bode, Jakob Au, (middle row) Brian Dunkel, Wendy Acosta, Naomi Masuno, Tim Hansen, (bottom row) Mary Albitz, Sandy Matsui, Gail Takaki and Jen Tanouye.
RYLA is an annual leadership program officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971 and coordinated by Rotary Clubs around the globe. Today, 160 countries offer RYLA camps. Thousands of young people are sponsored by Rotary Clubs to attend events run by the clubs’ district committee.
RYLA offers an opportunity for our next generation of leaders to define themselves while expanding their own leadership skills through lessons based on Rotary principles such as the Four-Way Test: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?” In addition to leadership skills, RYLA lessons help youth build character, self-confidence, personal development, self-awareness and good citizenship practices.
Student camp participants are typically high school age. Of the 60 percent of Hawai‘i Rotarians who shared their birth years, 64 was the average age. Rotary’s mature members have much to offer students — and visa versa. The 2021 RYLA camp itself was a product of multigenerational problem solving. An all-island Rotary committee led RYLA into the virtual world, with the help of students.
Hawai’i RYLA Committee Member Gail Takaki, a 1975 University of Hawai‘i graduate, has been part of the core RYLA team on Hawai‘i Island since 2010. She connected RYLA and Jakob Au, a software engineering student at Drexel University, who came home to Hilo for spring break in 2020 and was still there a year later. Jakob developed and ran RYLA’s virtual platform, training senior Rotarians and tech savvy RYLA students alike on Zoom and Discord platforms.
He facilitated the event without a hitch.
“The trick to this virtual world is to be open to our youth’s virtual-world talents,” said O‘ahu RYLA Co-chair Rick Tabor (Generations Magazine community development director).
“The COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities for problem solving, community collaboration, creativity and action,” says Gail. “Learning is an everyday activity.” It is essential to our ability to survive and thrive. My passion has always been helping people grow. My life work is about understanding what children or adults desire and their needs, and providing the opportunities for their experimentation and learning that is truly their own. Discovery of one’s courage and capacity to explore new ideas, people and things lead us all through challenges to valuable and personal rewards. RYLA 2021 was simply a joy to create.”
At the conclusion of the virtual camp, graduates presented 11 powerful community projects. RYLA’s lessons in leadership became Gen Z’s declarations, announcing their arrival as they prepare to lead the world to better places. RYLA 2021 was an amazing experience for all concerned.
Whoever said you can’t teach an old Rotarian new tricks doesn’t know Hawai‘i Rotarians. For the first time in the 50-year history of the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) in-person camps, the Rotary Clubs of District 5000 (Hawai‘i) facilitated an all-island virtual camp with 110 participants on Feb. 26 and 27 due to the…
An interview with Cynthia Arnold, Vice President of Senior Move Managers/De-Clutter Hawaii
How do decluttering and relocation services help seniors move or age in place?
These services assist older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of relocation and/or aging in place. The services are used when seniors are preparing to downsize to a smaller residence, retirement community or relative’s home.
Decluttering services are also used for those aging in place, to help clear and/or organize their home so that it is safer to live in. In all those cases, these services help relieve stress on the senior and help with a smooth transition.
When should decluttering begin?
People should always be thinking about decluttering. Clutter isn’t age-related. All of us can accumulate too many possessions. However, if you start to notice that you can’t find things or you can’t get into areas in your home, then that is definitely a time to start thinking about decluttering.
Can your services be used in preparation for downsizing for a move down the road?
Yes. When you start thinking about a future move, whether it’s one or five years from now, now is the time to start downsizing. The emotional aspect of getting rid of things can be difficult, so start as early as possible to help moderate the emotions of moving from your home.
How do you help seniors and their families make decisions about their possessions?
Making decisions on what to keep and not keep can be very emotional and difficult. Most clients want to keep everything because they love all their possessions. However, if we keep the focus on what we want in our future, like a move to
a retirement community — our decisions can be based more on that destination instead of the stuff. We focus our clients on their happy future and their new goals.
We stress that the value we need to hold onto is our memories and stories, and the journey we are about to embark on.
How do you help determine what to discard?
When working with clients, we can’t tell them what to discard. The question we always pose is “What do you want to keep?”
What can seniors do with unwanted items?
Unwanted items are often discarded, but www.Opala.org includes recycling guidelines and locations. There are many organizations that take used household goods, clothing and furniture.
How do you help them determine what memorabilia to hand down through generations?
Everyone has different memories or special feelings regarding different items, so family members are the only ones who can determine what they would want. Include immediate and extended family when you are considering gifting your items. Our general rule for family items would be to keep photos and videos. We also recommend scanning photos and digitizing videos.
What should seniors gift to friends?
It is nice to give a special gift to a friend, especially if you remember them saying “Wow, what a beautiful platter!” or “I love that jacket!”
How do you help them determine what to move to the new location?
When relocating, the first thing we like to do is create a floor plan of where you are relocating to, which will help you to see what furniture will fit versus what furniture you want to take. You can only take the furniture pieces if they will fit in your new home. After you make those decisions, decide how many books, how much clothing…
How do you help seniors determine what to declutter for safety reasons?
When we declutter to age in place, the first places to focus on would be walkways that are obstructed, such as hallways, stairways and high-traffic areas. We want to remove any trip hazards that we can see, like floor mats, and extension and computer cords. Ideally, there should be three feet of clear space in all walking areas.
When is renting a storage space for extra possessions a viable solution?
We do suggest a storage unit when clients have a hard time getting rid of things or if they are short on time. If a client needs to be moved out of a place by a specific time and the sorting process is taking much longer, then a storage unit can accommodate those items for the time being.
Most times, if you are moving from a four- or five-bedroom home to a one-bedroom home, it will be difficult to let go… We also encourage clients to pack up their “maybe” items and put them into storage. If they don’t think about those items in three to six months, then that probably means they don’t mean much to them. This is a good way for them to have more time to process.
What tips can you offer to motivate everyone approaching their golden years to start decluttering on a regular basis?
We have what we call a “De-Clutter Sweep.” Take a box/bag and go into each area of your home and take things out that you quickly see you don’t want — for example, trash items. Take a trash box/bag and discard old mail, paper clippings, food wrappers, etc. You may be surprised how much trash is on the floor.
Once you get the hang of it, you can then do this with things you don’t like; things you haven’t used in a while; things you don’t need; then, things you don’t want. If you do a declutter sweep once a week, you’ll be surprised how many things you are getting rid of. Before you know it, you’ll have several boxes/bags to get rid of. Call your favorite nonprofit to schedule a monthly donation pickup.
What are some of the benefits of hiring an expert rather than attempting to do it with the help of friends and family?
When our clients moved into their homes 50-plus years ago, they were in their 30s and they called their friends with trucks to help. Moving in 2021 is very different than moving in 1971. Now that they are in their 80s, it’s not that easy to call those friends and ask them for help.
Having a hired professional will help relieve the stress and ensure that all the details of moving are completed: packing up all the items, moving the furniture, unpacking and even getting your cable, internet and phone set up. There are so many aspects to moving now and it can be extremely stressful, so it is very helpful to hire a professional who can walk you through the entire process.
When looking for decluttering or relocation help, are there any certifications to look for that help ensure quality service?
To be a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), you need to be reviewed based on experience requirements, certifications and insurance coverage prior to being accepted. Read testimonies or reviews about a company, but also ask around. Many retirement communities have resources on specialists like us. Another place to call is the Elderly Affairs Division, which has many resources as well.
What advice would you give to those approaching their golden years about the importance of decluttering and downsizing?
Don’t wait. It is never too early to start the process of decluttering and downsizing. Educate yourself about all the retirement communities on the island. Decide which one you like the best now, that way, when the time comes and you want to move, you are ready to go to the place you like. It is also a good time to get all your affairs in order, like your wills, trusts, life insurance paperwork and such. Not only is it good to declutter for today, but to also prepare for the future.
When should decluttering begin? People should always be thinking about decluttering. Clutter isn’t age-related. All of us can accumulate too many possessions. However, if you start to notice that you can’t find things or you can’t get into areas in your home, then that is definitely a time to start thinking about decluttering.
Carolee and daughter Robyn are delighted to share their aloha for the Hawaiian culture.
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For 53 years and counting, Carolee Nishi has taught Hawaiian Studies as a volunteer at the Nu‘uanu YMCA. For 41 ears, she worked at United Airlines, and for a while, took a part-time job at Liberty House. For more than 20 years, she taught Hawaiian Studies at Hawai‘i public schools. And yes, in case you’re counting, the multitasking 77-year-old has worked more than one job at a time.
Keiki and kūpuna from Hula Hui o Kapunahala perform at dozens of events each year.
Hula Hui O Kapunahala
Carolee Nishi is best known as the kumu hula (hula teacher) of Hula Hui O Kapunahala (HHK) at the Nu‘uanu YMCA. For 53 years, HHK has delighted audiences on stages from Waikīkī to Waipahu, from City Hall to the Hawai‘i Theatre and from Disneyland to Expo ’70 (the World’s Fair in Osaka, Japan) with students aged 3 to 83, representing keiki to Kūpuna (children to seniors).
HHK isn’t a formal hālau hula (hula school), which is why it’s called a hui (club or group). And Carolee takes pride in saying that at HHK, every child is welcome. “We accept all ages; all nationalities; all personalities,” Carolee says with a chuckle. And when the group enters competitions, “We might not ever win,” she says. “And it’s okay. It’s okay not to win. Because life is not all about winning.”
The key lesson that Carolee imparts on all her students is to have an attitude of gratitude. “Aloha is everything. But gratitude is everything else. And gratitude is very important,” she says.
Auntie Carolee nurtures each of her students, builds up their self-confidence and finds a way to get the best out of them all. Many are leading successful lives and have returned with their own children.
At HHK, students learn life lessons, along with Hawaiian language, music, dance and cultural values. Many of Carolee’s students have become kumu hula themselves. And many more have brought their children to Carolee’s classes. While she says she couldn’t begin to count how many students she’s taught over the years, it’s clear that she’s had an impact on generations of them.
Living Treasure
Lately, the community has been showing a lot of love to Carolee, both for her service to the community and for teaching and preserving Hawaiian culture. But for someone so petite and so humble, accepting these laurels hasn’t come easy. But Carolee has stood tall and received all this respect with characteristic grace and humility.
Auntie Carolee has taught Hawaiian Studies classes to students from ages 3 to 83 at the Nu‘uanu YMCA for 53 years.
In 2020, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii announced its 45th set of Living Treasures of Hawaii, including musician and Kumu Hula Robert Uluwehionapuaikawekiuokalani Cazimero; Hawaiian language champion Larry L. Kimura, PhD; Japanese brush painting master Sachie Saigusa; and volunteer and Kumu Hula Carolee Mei-Jen Kapuamae‘ole Nishi — four community leaders who have demonstrated “excellence and high achievement in their particular field of endeavor, and who, through continuous growth, learning, and sharing, have made significant contributions toward enriching our society.” An official announcement stated that, “Carolee Nishi’s selfless generosity of her time, knowledge and passion with the young and old for more than a half-century truly qualifies her as a living treasure.”
When Carolee accepted this tremendous honor, she insisted that she didn’t earn the recognition on her own. But that wasn’t the only time she’s been feted recently.
In 2019, the Kalihi-Pālama Culture & Arts Society used the stage at its annual Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula Competition to present Carolee with the Miriam Likelike Kekauluohi Achievement Award that is named for Princess Likelike, the mother of Princess Ka‘iulani and sister of Queen Lili‘uokalani.
Annette Endow, 82, loves learning new things from Carolee, like using technology to join in virtual ‘ukulele classes from home.
In 2018, Carolee was recognized by the YMCA of Honolulu – Nu‘uanu Branch for 51 years of volunteerism, for her dedication to teaching Hawaiian culture and hula, and for teaching discipline and core values to youth in the community.
On Oct. 17, 2013, Ron and Carolee were joined by 1,017 of their closest friends in celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. This was one of the biggest, but certainly not the only honor that Carolee has graciously accepted recently.
For all the accolades heaped upon her, Carolee is adamant about sharing credit with others, like the kumu kōkua youth who volunteer to help teach hula to the children at the YMCA. She’s also fond of the Kūpuna volunteers, a group of about 30 seniors who, pre-quarantine, were getting together regularly to teach and dance hula with HHK.
To Annette Endow, Carolee is an inspiration. “She’s taught me so much, and I have so much more to learn from her,” says Annette, who could be considered an inspiration herself after working for 30 years as a special education teacher and nine years as a nurse. “And she has a heart of gold,” the 82-year old adds, describing one way that Carolee supports children and youth. “She writes tons of college recommendations,” Annette says with a smile, adding, “And they all get in.”
Work + Life = Balance
Carolee Nishi hasn’t always been a volunteer. She had a long and colorful career working for United Airlines from 1964 to 2005, starting in the data processing department in San Francisco, transferring to the Red Carpet Room in Honolulu and spending seven years in passenger service at the Lihue Airport on Kaua‘i.
Something that may seem surprising about Carolee is that she’s very computer-savvy. When she was first hired at United in 1964, she was doing statistics for the airline and learning to use computer programming languages like Fortran and COBOL. “I was a computer programmer,” she says. “But we didn’t call it that. It was performance operations analysis.”
A solid education at Roosevelt High School, the English standard school in Honolulu, helped to prepare Carolee for college and career. After she graduated with the class of 1961, she went on to earn a degree in sociology from the University of Hawai‘i, and also attended college in San Jose and Los Angeles while Ron was studying aeronautical science in California.
Ron’s first job upon graduating from college was as a mechanic for United Airlines. But in 1968, the US Army drafted Ron and shipped him off to Vietnam. After a five-year tour of duty, Ron headed back to college and earned a business degree
at UH. His career after that spanned multiple industries, and he retired as director of international sales and services at Hawaiian Tel. Ron and Carolee, friends since high school, have now been married for 57 years. And their family includes daughter Robyn Nishi Kuraoka and son Trevor Nishi (they were both born on the same day, two years apart), their spouses, and granddaughters Kaila Nishi and Kiralee Kuraoka (they’re both in high school and were born a few months apart).
Robyn celebrated her 50th birthday earlier this year and is proud to say that she’s grown up with HHK. She’s now following in Carolee’s footsteps — working full-time at Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) while volunteering and teaching keiki hula classes at the YMCA. During the lockdown, she’s been teaching hula classes via Zoom. “I’m very proud of Robyn,” Carolee says, eager to share examples of the ways her daughter encourages young students and keeps organized behind the scenes. Robyn has learned well from a very good teacher.
“Hula is a way of life,” says Robyn. “Hula is our way of life.”
Carolee Nishi (center) with daughter Robyn Kuraoka, granddaughter Kaila Nishi (18), husband Ronald Nishi, granddaughter Kiralee Kuraoka (18), son-in-law Lance Kuraoka and grandson Kona Nishi (9).
Family Heritage
Born Carolee Mei-Jen Kapuamaeole Chung on Jan. 3, 1944, Carolee comes from a big Chinese family. “My father’s family is quite celebrated,” she says, describing how her father’s father came to Hawai‘i from China. “He was with the first wave of Chinese people that came here.” In contrast, her father’s mother was born in Ka‘ū on Hawai‘i Island and was “very local.” The pair married and had eight children. Robert Mon Gee Chung, Carolee’s father, was born in 1898, the seventh child. All five Chung brothers attended Punahou School. The eldest son graduated from Yale University and the next one from Harvard Medical School. The second brother’s daughter, Hawai‘i State Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland, was the flower girl at Ron and Carolee’s wedding.
Many of the life lessons Carolee enjoys recounting are words of advice from her father. “He used to say: ‘If you’re gonna give, give. If someone asks you to do something, do it. Don’t ask what’s in it for me? Those are fighting words. Don’t ever think that way. If you’re going to give, you don’t tell people what to do with it. You just give it.’”
“The word ‘hā‘awi’ means ‘to give,’” says Carolee. “But there’s never a time that you give that you don’t receive.”
HAY: How Are You?
Another piece of advice from her father motivates Carolee daily. “My dad taught me that phone calls are important. When I was young, he used to tell me, ‘You better stay in touch if you want to be friends.’” And that’s the reason Carolee makes at least five phone calls to friends every day.
“I have a HAY list,” she says. It might sound like she’s saying, “Hey!” But she’s really saying, “HAY,” an acronym that Carolee made up for the phrase “How are you?” Sometimes the HAY calls are very brief. “I called Laura the other day and said, ‘How are you?’ She said, ‘I’m fine.’ And that’s it. I said, ‘Good talking to you.’ And that’s all we needed to say. Just called to touch bases.”
Making phone calls to friends is good for the soul. It’s good for both parties. And it’s a good practice for us all, especially at a time when we’re encouraged to follow social distancing guidelines.
It’s safer, for now, to use our phones to keep in touch. So it’s better then, to call and say “HAY.”
Longtime friend, 83-year old Charlie Ishii, enjoys getting calls from Carolee whom he calls an angel. When COVID-19 vaccines first became available for seniors 75 and over, Carolee helped Charlie register for his shots. “I gave her the information she asked for,” says Charlie. “Full name, date of birth, last four digits, you know,” adding quickly, “She hustles; she’s a hard worker.” Carolee even arranged for a young volunteer to take Charlie to the mass vaccination site. “I know he could drive himself,” Carolee says. “But isn’t it nice to have someone do the driving for you?”
Charlie Ishii, 83, learned to play the ‘ukulele and dance hula from Carolee. Now he’s an award-winning dancer who loves performing onstage.
Zooming Along
During the pandemic, Carolee hasn’t been quite as busy as before. But she’s still getting much done. In addition to helping friends register for vaccines, she also assembled a Zoom Crew of young volunteers to help seniors navigate technology. It’s an idea that might seem outside the box to some, but it was oh so obvious to Carolee: Mobilize people under the age of 30 to help people over the age of 70. It’s her own Genius Bar!
For the first several months of the quarantine lockdown, Carolee rarely left her house. But she really didn’t need to. She learned quickly to appreciate connecting to people and teaching classes via Zoom.
One benefit to teaching online, says Carolee, is that it forces her to be organized. She’s found that she needs to prepare lesson plans and have all her song sheets on hand before each class begins. But she isn’t complaining. Rather, she says, “It is the most wonderful way to get together. It really is.”
And the spry 77-year-old is continually innovating and reinventing herself. She started something new in 2021 — teaching virtual ‘ukulele classes to seniors. And it seems that everything about the remote ‘ukulele classes is a win-win for the teacher and her students. Classes began with the basics and have gotten progressively more advanced, which is a good challenge for their brains. Plus, it’s good for seniors to connect with others, to learn new skills, and to sing songs and play music in a group. And as an accidental bonus, the classes often become talk story sessions, which can also be a really good outlet for seniors’ mental health. “It’s really good to see them zooming along!” says Carolee.
Lifelong Learning, Learning for Life
It’s never too late to learn a new skill and you’re never too old to start. Just look at Carolee Nishi. She learned to dance hula as a child. But she didn’t learn to speak Hawaiian until she was an adult. Her first formal education in the Hawaiian language was from Dr. Larry Kimura at the University of Hawai‘i. And it wasn’t until she was about 30 that Carolee, along with her buddy Genoa Keawe, studied Hawaiian language, Hawaiian song and slack key under Auntie Alice Nāmakelua. Then, after the age of 35, Carolee began studying the Japanese language. And today, she’s using that skill when teaching another new program — virtual ‘ukulele classes for students in Japan, in Japanese.
“I don’t think I’ve, ever in my life, been bored,” says Carolee. “There is always so much to do. I mean, just tons of things.”
After state and CDC guidelines forced the YMCA to close and shut down in-person hula classes, Carolee found that she has more free time now than ever before. “I’m writing song books now and I’m getting people together, and I’m doing
a family reunion because I have all this time.”
At 77, Carolee Nishi is making good use of her free time while having the time of her life.
Kumu hula. Musician. Teacher. Cultural practitioner. Living treasure. True friend. These are some of the many ways that people have described Carolee Nishi. And hundreds (maybe even thousands) now her simply as Auntie Carolee. If you ask her, she’ll tell you she’s just a community volunteer. So don’t ask her, because everyone who knows Auntie…
Seniors are less likely to attend community fitness classes and participate in face-to-face networking due to social distancing mandates put in place for our safety during the pandemic.
Enter virtual training!
If asked about attending an online class before COVID-19, seniors’ likely response may have been “heck no.” Now, if they have an underlying medical condition which makes it risky to attend in-person classes — even with rigorous safety protocols in place — it may be the only way.
COVID-19 has forced many seniors to become more tech savvy and open-minded to new ways of doing things. With someone to assist in the setup, more seniors are exploring and enjoying the benefits of working virtually with a professional trainer in their home.
Les and Shirley were initially hesitant about having someone come to their home; but when offered a virtual exercise session, they agreed. Assisted by their daughter, they started with individual sessions because of the difference in their physical abilities, but quickly moved to working out together. They seem to enjoy ribbing each other when one of them is having difficulty perfecting their form. They even showed us their dance moves at the end of one session! Virtual training: Think about it!
Seniors are less likely to attend community fitness classes and participate in face-to-face networking due to social distancing mandates put in place for our safety during the pandemic. Enter virtual training!
A frequent Las Vegas visitor from Hawai‘i turned her trip to the Fremont Hotel and Casino into a nearly $790,000 jackpot playing Aristocrat’s Buffalo Inferno™ slot game in September of last year.
Louise (last name not released) usually stays and plays at the California Hotel and Casino, but decided to stop by the Fremont on that lucky Wednesday morning, hitting the $789,062 progressive jackpot at 8:37am.
Louise thought she won $79,000 at first, but quickly realized she had won 10 times that amount!
But that wasn’t the end of Louise’s visit from Lady Luck. While waiting for the payoff from her huge win, Louise hit a second jackpot of more than $5,000 on a nearby machine!
The Fremont and “The Cal,” two of three favorite destinations for residents traveling to Hawai‘i’s “ninth island,” opened in June. The third fave, Main Street Station, is expected to open at a later date.
After closing for over two months, opening casinos have put measures in place to ensure the health and safety of visitors and workers alike. For example, every other gaming machine is turned off to allow for social distancing. And a limited number of players are allowed at blackjack and craps tables.
Lady Luck is alive and well in Las Vegas and welcoming folks back to have some fun again!
A frequent Las Vegas visitor from Hawai‘i turned her trip to the Fremont Hotel and Casino into a nearly $790,000 jackpot playing Aristocrat’s Buffalo Inferno™ slot game in September of last year. Louise (last name not released) usually stays and plays at the California Hotel and Casino, but decided to stop by the Fremont on…
Trust beneficiaries are sometimes left to wonder why a decedent instructed that a trust distribution be made in a particular way.
The trust clearly identified who the beneficiaries were, what they were to receive and how they were to receive. But unfortunately, the trust was silent as to the “why” of the distribution — the underlying reason and purpose for creating the trust in the first place.
Not clearly setting forth intention or purpose in one’s estate plan can lead to misunderstanding, confusion, hurt feelings, potential law suits and disruption of family relationships.
In his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek explains it this way: The “what, when and how to do” come from our neocortex, the part of the brain that contains the language center. The intentional and emotional purpose-driven “why” comes from the limbic area of the brain, which deals with emotions and memory. That area of the brain has no capacity for language, which is why writing out the purpose, emotion and intention is difficult. Most of what we do is driven by clear intention and purpose, so it is important to put effort into writing out our intentions and purpose.
Keep in mind that your estate plan is intended to be your last say, so the “why” must be expressed as the foundation for the plan.
Trust beneficiaries are sometimes left to wonder why a decedent instructed that a trust distribution be made in a particular way. The trust clearly identified who the beneficiaries were, what they were to receive and how they were to receive. But unfortunately, the trust was silent as to the “why” of the distribution — the…
Recently, I received a call from a woman who wanted to report that her father had been the victim of theft. The culprit was her niece, who had taken over $100,000 over a three-year period. The caller had the evidence and her father now wanted to hold the niece accountable for what she had done. However, the only problem was that the crime was outside the statute of limitations.
The statute of limitations, or SOL, is a time period wherein the criminal conduct must be filed with the court. It is a time limit the victim has before the case is deemed too old. It is important to note that it doesn’t matter when the case was reported to the police — the case has to be accepted by the court within the SOL.
The length of time for the statute of limitations depends on the severity of the crime. For a misdemeanor crime (one in which the value of property or money taken is under $750 or injuries are less than broken bones), the SOL is two years. For a felony crime (over $750 taken or serious injuries sustained or a weapon used), the SOL is three years. There is no SOL for murder.
Sometimes the SOL can be extended if certain facts are present. For instance, if someone only recently discovered a theft that was made by deception, the SOL begins not when the crime was committed, but when it was discovered.
Let’s say “bad son” took $20,000 from his dad by forging checks and cashing them on Feb. 1, 2017. Dad discovers the crime on Jan. 1, 2018 (SOL begins). Father doesn’t report the crime to the police until Dec. 31, 2020. Does he make the SOL deadline? Probably not, because although the SOL ends Jan. 1, 2021, the police have only two days to investigate the crime, present it to the prosecutors and file the matter with the court. “It just ain’t gonna happen.”
There is no good reason to delay reporting elder abuse. Over time, memories fade, evidence gets lost and there can be unforeseen delays in the investigation. All this can result in missing the SOL deadline and not holding someone accountable for their bad conduct.
Recently, I received a call from a woman who wanted to report that her father had been the victim of theft. The culprit was her niece, who had taken over $100,000 over a three-year period. The caller had the evidence and her father now wanted to hold the niece accountable for what she had done.…
Only about 25 percent of family businesses survive 15 years or more. Only about 25 percent of those will survive the transition to the founders’ descendants. Many factors contribute to these statistics. Here are two critical factors.
1. Willing and able? Most parents want to treat their children equally when it comes to passing on the family wealth, but not all children are capable of running a business and not all children want to continue in the family business once the founding generation is gone.
2. Is the business viable? Take a sober look at your business and your descendants, and consider: Can my business be successful for another generation? Your business may have provided a brilliant solution to a need back when you founded it, but markets, technology and spending patterns have changed since then. Unless your business is nimble enough to make appropriate adjustments, it may not continue to be viable.
The continuation of your business and passing on wealth to your descendants may go hand in hand, but if none of your children are willing or able to carry on your dream, selling your business and passing on the proceeds may be the best bet.
Your trusted advisors can help you find a solution that works best for all concerned.
Only about 25 percent of family businesses survive 15 years or more. Only about 25 percent of those will survive the transition to the founders’ descendants. Many factors contribute to these statistics. Here are two critical factors.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country, parents saw a wave of adult children move back home. Pew Research recently found that 52 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds now live in a parent’s house.
Some children may have moved back simply due to safety during the virus response or because universities switched to e-learning. Others may have returned because of financial reasons.
As parents, it’s important to help your children find their footing, but you also don’t want to put your own financial security at risk. You can achieve this by setting boundaries and providing clear expectations for how you expect your child to contribute while they live under your roof.
Discuss Whether They Will Pay Rent
Will you expect them to pay rent while they are living with you? It’s important to have this discussion before they move in. Your child might assume he or she can live in your house rent-free for as long as they want. You want to ensure that everyone has the same expectations for the arrangement — before they move in.
Before they move in, have a conversation regarding what they can afford to pay and what you require from a financial standpoint, so each of you remains on the same page.
Find Other Ways They Can Contribute
It’s possible that your child needs to move back because they’ve lost his or her job. If they’re under financial hardship, then it’s understandable if you don’t want to charge them rent. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to let them sit on the couch all day watching TV, using your kitchen as their own free grocery store.
Instead, set ground rules for their stay. Are they looking for a job? Do you want free rent to be contingent on them following through with job searches? Do you want them to pitch in for food costs? Will you allow them to borrow cash?
If your adult child is not paying rent, give him or her tasks that will help save you money. Ask them to mow the lawn or paint the house in between their job searches. It will give them something to do beyond worrying about their next interview.
Set a Timeframe
While you may love having your child back at home — and they may enjoy it as well — set expectations regarding the length of his or her stay. Talk with your child about when they hope to move out. If it’s until they can afford a place to live by themselves, then also ask them what they need in order to feel comfortable enough to live on their own. Do they need a few months’ worth of paychecks first? Will they move as soon as they have a job? Are they saving for a down payment on a house?
By agreeing to a plan, you’re protecting yourself in case they are thinking about an extended stay. Plus, it will help you enjoy this time you have with your child at home.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country, parents saw a wave of adult children move back home. Pew Research recently found that 52 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds now live in a parent’s house. Some children may have moved back simply due to safety during the virus response or because universities switched to e-learning.…
Mental health is a serious concern in Hawai‘i. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 percent of the state’s adult population were struggling with some form of mental illness. Yet two out of three were receiving no treatment at all for this illness, which can contribute to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, epilepsy and cancer, along with higher risks of adverse health outcomes.
Samaritan Counseling Center Hawaii is the culmination of a dream shared by two University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa social work students, Terry Fisher and Judy Hormell. The center opened its doors in 1989 to provide professional and accessible behavioral health counseling sensitive to the spiritual traditions of individuals, families and communities. Mental health services are offered to all, regardless of race, color, age, national origin, disability, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability to pay.
Services include telehealth counseling, in which professional mental health counselors offer at-home confidential guidance. To receive telehealth counseling, you need a smartphone, computer or tablet with Internet access and audio-video capabilities, and a private, secure location.
The center combines the best practices of today with an understanding of the power of sacred traditions to enhance lives. The center’s vision is for everyone in Hawai‘i to have access to quality behavioral health counseling that integrates their spirituality to enhance health and wholeness. Its professional counselors and therapists understand the close relationship between mind, body, spirit and community. The center’s counselors believe that spiritual health is a source of strength, healing and growth.
At the Samaritan Counseling Center, your health and safety come first. At this time, mental health counseling via telehealth and video therapy are recommended. A limited number of counseling sessions are offered in-person by appointment only in Honolulu. When it is safe to do so, the center will begin cautiously reopening its six offices on O’ahu, following recommended health guidelines.
Call the number below to decide whether telehealth is right for you. Donate to the center’s Client Assistance Fund to subsidize counseling for uninsured, underinsured, elderly and low-income clients at www.samaritancounselingcenterhawaii.org/giving.
Mental health is a serious concern in Hawai‘i. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 percent of the state’s adult population were struggling with some form of mental illness. Yet two out of three were receiving no treatment at all for this illness, which can contribute to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma,…
You’ve seen hundreds of those ads on TV telling you to call a toll-free number to hear all about the new Medicare Advantage benefits. These commercials insinuate that all the extras are free and some suggest you might even be able to get money back.
These ads are misleading, at best. The reality is that it’s nearly impossible to find one plan anywhere in America that includes all the free benefits they list. And the idea of contacting a mainland call center to speak to someone who does not specialize in Hawai‘i plans isn’t something I’d recommend.
A better thought might be to work with an agent on-island who is a trained expert in Hawai‘i’s local plans. They can assist you to make sure you are signed up for a plan that addresses all of your medical and prescription needs, while getting you the maximum benefits for the lowest cost. A local agent could also help to see if you qualify to be reimbursed for the monthly $148.50 Medicare Part B premium.
Most importantly, they would be available to assist you all year — which I don’t think you can say about the telemarketers at a call center on the mainland.
You’ve seen hundreds of those ads on TV telling you to call a toll-free number to hear all about the new Medicare Advantage benefits. These commercials insinuate that all the extras are free and some suggest you might even be able to get money back. These ads are misleading, at best.
The powerful documentary Alive Inside, created by Music & Memory, became a call to action for Big Island resident Jen McGeehan. Music & Memory (musicandmemory.org) is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with a wide range of cognitive and physical conditions to engage with the world, ease pain and reclaim their humanity through the use of personalized music.
Jen looked for a similar program in Hawai‘i and found none, so she was moved to create her own nonprofit, Remember Thru Music.
Remember Thru Music is a community-based, no cost, public program based on the Big Island that focuses on improving the lives of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia through personalized music. Jen and her team of volunteers provide portable MP3 music players loaded with a personalized selection of songs for eligible applicants.
Family members and/or caregivers are asked to complete a simple music questionnaire for the recipient. What music seems to pique their interest or cause a pleasant reaction from them today? The more specific the details about the recipient you provide the better the selection of songs will be. Then, our team’s “music angel” loads personalized music onto the MP3. This specially selected music can help open doors to their fading memories when little else can. This is evident in the smiles, singing and arm-waving while listening to their own player.
Extensive research has shown that language and visual memory pathways are damaged early on as Alzheimer’s and dementia progress. For patients who are losing contact with their environment, personalized music programs can help activate and calm the brain. Music has been shown to ease anxiety, helping recipients and their caregivers better manage times of stress.
Music can truly become a lifeline between those people living with this debilitating disease and those caring for them. Our No. 1 goal is to get as many of these life-enriching, individually personalized MP3 music players loaded with music and into the lives of those who can benefit most. If you’re caretaking someone you believe may benefit from this program, contact the team using the information below.
The powerful documentary Alive Inside, created by Music & Memory, became a call to action for Big Island resident Jen McGeehan. Music & Memory is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with a wide range of cognitive and physical conditions to engage with the world, ease pain and reclaim their humanity through the use of…
