June – July 2019

June – July 2019

The June-July 2019 Issue includes stories on caregiving from affair, eating healthy with organic produce, changing lives with community action on Maui and the complete schedule of events at the 2019 Aging in Place workshop that’s coming in August.

Don’t Be Duped By a Text Message

There’s been a marked increase in text messages with a spoofed Caller ID that ask the recipient to click on a hyperlink — that’s always the objective of this type of scam. It is their methodology to hijack your device. Two Major Risks include: The recipient does not know who really sent the message; and the hyperlink may redirect the message recipient to a website where malicious software may compromise the recipient’s cellphone.

Stealing Home: An Ultimate Betrayal

The term “stealing home” is associated with baseball. It occurs when a runner is on third base and uses guile, speed and luck to make a dash for home plate to score a run. This usually happens when the runner takes advantage of the pitcher being distracted. In the Elder Abuse Unit, however, my team has come to know the term in a different context. We have seen situations when a homeowner literally has had their residence stolen.

Spam, Eggs and Rice

A few years ago, I created the Heartfelt Advance Care Plan booklet to provide my clients with a tool to improve their end-of-life care, to honor their choices and to reduce conflict and guilt among surviving family members. Those who do fill it out usually comment about how difficult yet rewarding it was to complete. Asking and answering detailed questions about end-of-life wishes, regardless of how difficult it may be, is tremendously helpful to both the dying and their survivors.

HELOC Growth Rate

In recent years, financial planners have shown the effectiveness of using a reverse mortgage line of credit to supplement a retirement portfolio. But while a line of credit can be a strategic part of a retirement income plan, there are often misconceptions related to how the credit line grows. In yet another Forbes article focused on reverse mortgages, Wade Pfau, Ph.D., CFA, professor of retirement income at The American College, sets the record straight with an in-depth analysis of how a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) works, grows and stands to benefit borrowers.

The Key to Financial Advisor Acronyms

Professionals in many industries tout their education and professional experience as a way to demonstrate their expertise and set themselves apart. The financial industry is a prime example. With almost 200 professional credentials available, advisors can sharpen their ability to serve clients well. If you are searching for a financial advisor and seeking clarity on what the acronyms after each professional’s name means, here is a primer on eight of the most commonly used designations.

Medicare for All!

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, more than 59 million people in the United States have Medicare. That number is expected to grow to close to 80 million by 2030. Currently, people 65 or older and younger people with disabilities who meet all other eligibility requirements may qualify. Therefore, it is important to start becoming familiar with Medicare terms and definitions. Here are a few.

Continuing SS Benefits After 19

My child who gets Social Security will be attending his last year of high school in the fall. He turns 19 in a few months. Do I need to fill out a form for his benefits to continue? Yes. You should receive a SSA-1372-BK form in the mail about three months before your son’s birthday. Your son needs to complete the form and take it to his school’s office for certification.

Still Working? Got Medicare?

Our parents may have had an easier time than many of us do now. When they turned 65 years old, they were eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare. Today, depending on the year you were born, your full SS may not take effect until you are 67, so you may continue to work and you’re eligible for Medicare. So what should you do?

Changing Lives With Community Action

Maui Economic Opportunity administers more than 40 programs and provides tools to help people and change lives through five departments: MEO Business Development Center, Community Services, Early Childhood Services, Transportation Services and Youth Services. Services for low-income seniors are at the core of MEO programs, administered through MEO Community Services.

Dementia: Helping Your GEMS® Shine

GEMS® is a staging system for dementia. Teepa Snow, OTR and founder of the Positive Approach to Care® philosophy, recreated the Allen Cognitive system of staging dementia with a positive twist. We can now view our Person Living With Dementia as one of Teepa’s GEMS® rather than on a scale of 1 to 7 or on a scale of mild cognitive impairment to profoundly demented.

What Does Aging Mean?

After gaining years of experience working and caring for the elderly, I can imagine many ways to describe what “aging” means. There are multiple factors that determine if one is considered old. In other words, a high number of years someone has been on this Earth does not define them as being old. In today’s world of medical technology, health products and smarter lifestyles, it may be hard to identify our kūpuna.

Great Partnerships

When you think of great partnerships, what comes to mind? Abbott and Costello? Sonny and Cher? Cecilio and Kapono? How about your brain and your ears? Your hearing health depends greatly on how well your brain and ears work together. Your brain counts on the ears to collect sounds and deliver them to be interpreted as meaningful information. It is this partnership that enables us to understand and communicate with others.

What is Renewable Cleaning?

Renewable cleaning is a smart “Green Cleaning” program that applies to general sanitation but focuses on the use of eco-friendly practices and products to create a healthier home environment. It utilizes safe and friendly natural cleaning products that are non-toxic, biodegradable and sustainable. Water is a key source for renewable cleaning because it is a favorable nonpolluting resource that is readily available.

Prevent Pain While Sitting at Your Desk

The reality is most of us sit too much. A study published by Microsoft revealed that U.S. workers spend an average of seven hours per day on a computer — more hours than they sleep at night! Sitting at a desk for hours on end can result in increased muscle tension at the neck, back and shoulders. And if it’s not addressed, over time it can lead to spinal pain, headaches and even more serious symptoms —pain, tingling or numbness down the arms. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy behind your desk:

OPTING FOR… ORGANIC

Last year in the United States, sales of organic food and products topped $48 billion — that’s up almost 10 percent over the previous year, according to the Organic Trade Association. And while this growing industry is showing no signs of stopping, organic farming is hardly a trend; it’s how our parents and grandparents tended to their crops and cattle. Then in the 1950s, pesticides and artificial fertilizers were introduced — creating what is now called “conventionally-grown” food. So what’s the difference and why does it matter?

CITY MILL SENIOR VALUE

In July, City Mill Ltd. will celebrate 120 years of business in Honolulu. Their success is grounded in four generations of family wisdom. Our grandparents and parents loved shopping there, and today, we receive that same kindly respect and assistance every time we visit the store. Vice President Carol Ai May and President Steven Ai are the third generation of their family running City Mill. This brother and sister are also part of a group of family caregivers who assist their mother and stepmother, now in their nineties. Their family culture of helping others began in the 1890s.

Crunchy ‘Ahi Toast

This is a great appetizer because of its big, two-level crunch — first, the happy pop of the tobikko and then the satisfying crunch of the crostini. It’s perfect for afternoon gatherings with a favorite white wine or beer.

Mango Mania

A lot of people, especially those new to the islands, say Hawai‘i doesn’t have seasons, but longtime locals know that’s not true — we have whale season, hurricane season and the most important, mango season! Whether you prefer to eat your mango in bread, jam or just off the tree, come celebrate Hawai‘i’s favorite fruit at Mango Jam Honolulu. It’s a free annual event for the whole family with live entertainment, food and craft booths, cultural activities, a beer garden and a farmers market.

Hula Returns to ‘Iolani Palace

If hula is the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people, then get ready for some cardio, because the 42nd Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival is almost here! Featuring two days of hula, a Hawaiian-themed craft fair, cultural demonstrations and more, the largest non-competitive hula event in Hawai‘i returns for the third year on Saturday and Sunday, July 20 & 21, 2019, at ʻIolani Palace

Harmonica Seniors Are Healthy & Happy

Growing up in Hawai‘i, I played a ten-hole harmonica by ear, but lost interest because I could only play the same old songs and was not getting any better. As the years sped by and before I found anything interesting to enrich my life, I became a senior facing retirement. Doing nothing was not an option so I began to search for the elusive experience that would bring harmony into my life.

‘I’ve Never Been Old Before’

I’ve never been old before so this is a new experience for me. After retiring from a 37-year career, I found myself adrift. What should I do now? The days seemed very long as I pondered what I should fill them with. Life looks very different when you remove yourself from the “working world.” You feel as though you are invisible when you are with other people.

WORK: A New Proposition for Boomers

For most mature employed people, work was considered having a job with one or two companies in a working lifetime. Now retired, many may still have debt; few have the savings to take them through their remaining years. Countless mature workers believe that just one more job, perhaps much like the one they just left, is all they need to secure their futures. Unfortunately, those jobs may no longer exist or they may have been completely re-framed so that they are no longer a possibility for most mature workers.