Category: Programs & Services

  • Housing Assistance Program

    The “Golden Years” are sometimes anything but for seniors living on a fixed income and in need of a place to live. Unexpected circumstances and daily challenges can lead to housing instability and place a senior at risk of becoming homeless. Catholic Charities Hawai‘i’s Housing Assistance Program* (HAP) helps seniors (age 60 and older) who…

  • Medicare and The Working Individual

    Take your family for ice cream and you’ll find a variety of flavors. Same with Social Security, most people think of retirement, but that’s like limiting yourself to vanilla. Social Security has a variety of benefits. Know them all online at www.socialsecurity.gov. Retirement — by far is our most popular flavor. Most people need about…

  • Medicare and The Working Individual

    Are you going to stop working when you are 65 years old? If you are like some people in Hawaii — you love your job and you aren’t ready to stop working just because you are eligible for Medicare. What happens then? Do you have to sign up for Medicare? Will you be penalized if…

  • Don’t Stress Over Fraud

    April is Stress Awareness Month, but one thing that should never cause stress is doing business with Social Security. However, if you fall victim to fraud, it can really stress you out, not to mention damage your credit score and wallet. We encourage you to be cautious of suspicious email, letters, and phone calls or…

  • Real Property Tax Credits for Homeowners

    The City and County of Honolulu offers a real property tax credit to property owners who meet certain eligibility requirements. If you qualify, the maximum real property tax owed would not exceed 3% or 4% of your income, depending on your age. What are the Eligibility Requirements? You must have a home exemption in effect…

  • East O’ahu’s Hidden Gem for Adult Day Care

    Tucked away in Niu Valley, Kilohana Senior Enrichment Center is a little-known resource for East O‘ahu families. The adult day care is operated by Arcadia, Oahu’s only provider of continuum care. For almost 50 years, Hawai‘i’s families have looked to Arcadia as a trusted resource for senior living. The center serves seniors and their caregivers…

  • Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: A Tale About Medicare Eligibility

    The Hawaii SHIP office recently received a call from a woman who left the message, “I looked in the mirror this morning and this young 50 year old was looking back at me. Then my high school classmate called and asked if I had enrolled in Medicare yet? I realized I will be 65 this…

  • Social Security: Ring in the New Year With a COLA

    May people ring in the new year with champagne. People who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) got to ring it in with a COLA. This year, more than 60 million Americans are receiving a 1.5 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) in their monthly benefit payment. The 1.5 percent COLA began with…

  • Finding Funds for Long-Term Care

    Preparing for aging and care is not easy and many do not anticipate the costs associated with long-term care. Some of us assume that relatives will be able to provide care, however this doesn’t always pan out. Those who are not prepared for long-term care costs are left wondering how they will afford their care…

  • Start a New Tradition with Social Security

    The holiday season has arrived — a time of year that is steeped in tradition. We’d like to suggest that you start a new tradition. It actually starts with breaking the old tradition of trudging to an office when you need to do business with Social Security. Sometimes traditions evolve. Many of the things your…

  • 8 Things on My Medicare To-Do List

    Planning ahead for 2014, made me stop and ponder for a moment … what are the things that are really important to me? First thing that came to my mind was my family. Second was the health of my family and myself. This article is dedicated to Medicare recipients and their caregivers so that we…

  • Medicare: Making the Most of Your Health & Drug Plan

    Congratulations! You have made your decision of the Medicare Health and Drug Plan for 2013. For many, this might mean that you stayed with the plan that you had in 2012 and for some, you may have looked at the options available in your area and have enrolled with a new Medicare plan. The decision…