Category: Programs & Services
-
Baby Boomer: New to Social Security?
If retirement is on your horizon, we can answer your questions about Social Security benefits. Here are some common questions: Q: What can Social Security do to help me plan for my retirement? A: We have two online financial planning tools you can use to make informed decisions about your retirement: Retirement Planner at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2,…
-
New Ways to View Alzheimer’s Disease
Candy Crowley, CNN chief political correspondent, once said about her mom, who had Alzheimer’s disease in 2012, “I want to tell you how much I miss my mother. I miss her most when I’m sitting across from her.” Crowley, her siblings and numerous families have similar reactions and remorse when they realize that their aging…
-
Insurance For Grown-Ups
If you remember the term “grown-ups,” it is time to make sure your insurance coverage is aging as gracefully as you are. I volunteer at Kokua Kalihi Valley elderly community center in Honolulu and each month we celebrate birthdays. In December, I celebrated the birthdays of two centenarians who turned 102 and 100 years old…
-
MEO is Rolling on Maui
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…
-
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,…
-
Patient Transport is News
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…
-
Medicare and Alzheimer’s Disease
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…
-
Social Security: Figuring Out Retirement
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…
-
Live and Die Without Regret
No matter where we stand, when people close to us die, a moment of personal truth emerges based on our perspective. When we lose someone dear to us, we undergo a time of deep connection to those who are still living and to ourselves. We grieve. We rejoice. We replay special moments — laughing and…
-
Honey, Will You Sign Me Up for Smart911?
Register now for Smart911!™ Already, 1700 O‘ahu residents are signed up for this free program that saves lives, by filing important emergency information with Smart911. 911 dispatchers need callers to give them vital information so they may dispatch EMTs and Firemen to emergencies. Many victims cannot give proper information: little children, victims of heart attacks…