A storm of aging is raging in America: Waves of retiring baby boomers on a tide of super seniors in need of ever-increasing care; a torrent of requests swamping eldercare agencies and charities; and financial gales battering seniors and their families as they try to shelter in place.
Deborah Stone-Walls, Maui County Office on Aging (MCOA) executive, is optimistic as she “sails through the perfect storm.” Her peers throughout the United States recently elected her as first vice president of the National Association of Area Agencies in Aging, aka “n4a.”
On Maui, Deborah and her crew successfully optimize programs for active seniors, frail super seniors and family caregivers. They coordinate with nonprofits, county and state programs through a virtual electronic ADRC (Hawai’i Aging and Disability Resource Center) with an 800 number to intake seniors in need.
“The County of Maui allowed me to almost double the ADRC staff,” she says. “Soon, my staff came to me with new opportunities to help seniors. I never said ‘No’ but looked for a way to move forward and fill the needs.
“Traveling to a central location is difficult for Maui seniors. Our programs and services have to reach out to kūpuna. We took EnhanceFitness™ results-oriented exercise program to places where seniors gather — churches, assisted living facilities and clubs — and partnered with them. It worked, and seniors are getting stronger.
“Like all caregivers, Maui families need support when loved ones come home from the hospital. My staff loved the Care Transitions Intervention (CTI) program, but flying in trainers to certify local coaches was too expensive. We invested $5,000 to certify a Maui CTI trainer who can train as many coaches as we need.”
Innovation continued. Deborah’s staff figured out a way to assist rural seniors and their families who live beyond the reach of home care agencies. Once strict eligibility requirements and assessment standards are met, a Community Living Program (CLP) coach helps the family chart a plan. It may be as simple as installing a dog door and run for a homebound senior, or a walk-in tub. Again, the answer is listening, never saying ‘no,’ and delivering exactly what people need.
In the future, Deborah says aging professionals will have to promote an easy, attractive process for staying healthy, teach chronic disease self-management and believe that people can get stronger at any age. She encourages seniors to stay healthy and use their assets to pay for their own healthcare, as a way of blessing their children. Around the corner, Deborah sees new products like debit cards that give seniors nontechnical access to Uber and Lyft, and renal or diabetic diet meals, shipped directly to your door.
Healthcare innovator, eVillages, recently selected Flint, Mich., and Maui as two pilot communities in the U.S. Doctors at these sites will be connected via internet to extensive medical information and consultation by eminent physicians at over 300 locations around the world.
Deborah Stone-Walls is in line to lead n4a. She shares her “never say no” recipe for success on the national level and brings fresh ideas back to Hawai‘i. She charts a course, collaborating with peers, county and state government, ADRC staff and thousands of volunteers. We all benefit from their work. As the storm rages, we rest assured with Deborah Stone-Walls at the helm.
MAUI COUNTY OFFICE ON AGING
Maui: 808-270-7774 | Moloka‘i: 808-553-5241
Lāna‘i: 808-565-6818 | www.mauicountyadrc.org
The City & County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation held its annual Troops for Fitness Senior Bowling event on Oct. 12 at Leeward Bowl in Pearl City. With 100 bowlers from 11 city and county senior clubs on O‘ahu, this annual event used almost every lane.
Socialization, fun and competition brought club members together. Leeward Bowl was filled with laughter, applause, fist pumps and most of all, friendship among all bowlers.
Named one of 13 Rising Star Chefs over 20 years ago, Hawai‘i Chef Alan Wong soon became a supernova, helping to birth Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine (HRC) with other chefs determined to work with local farmers, fishermen and ranchers. HRC put Hawai‘i on the foodie map, establishing the state as a soughtafter destination where diners can experience a unique blend of ethnic-inspired cuisines made with fresh, local products, which he offers at his multiple-awardwinning restaurants.
In addition to contributing to his profession, Chef Wong believes in giving back to the community. Generations Magazine® asked him about his growing legacy of giving.
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.
portive services to the elderly, disabled persons and family caregivers to ensure their well-being, independence and dignity in an environment of their choice. Support comes through a corps of trained volunteers from a coalition of churches/temples and community organizations that demonstrate the universal principle of DANA, a Sanskrit word that means “selfless giving without the desire for recognition or reward.”
Volunteer project coordinator Cyndi Osajima is one of the staff members who works out of the “office.” She has been with Project Dana since 1993 and considers this her dream job. “I am honored and consider it a privilege to be with Project Dana, working with the devoted staff, site leaders and volunteers. I learn so much from the elderly as they share their life experiences” she says.
Turning 101 is no small feat. Yet, Aunty Ida still rises before dawn to pray the rosary, attend daily mass at Carmelite Convent Chapel and decorate with flowers. For more than a century, the warm-hearted Ida has touched people’s daily lives in countless ways — including President Obama.
“Wow! Time flies! We will already have our third anniversary soon!?” Sakura House, which opened in 2009, is the only adult day care program that provides Japanese-English bilingual services in Hawai‘i.