Bernhard Langer celebrates his 2014 win at the Mitsubihi Electric Championship at Hualalai with Kona Rotary Volunteer Chairpersons.
Senior Volunteers with the Aloha Spirit are having fun and preparing for the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Haualalai coming up January 19 – 25, 2015. This PGA Champions Tour event, televised internationally on The Golf Channel, requires the work and dedication of 400 local residents every year. Kona Rotary, with support from The Four Seasons at Hualalai, signs them up and manages their many duties.
“We love our committed seniors, says Larry Webb, Volunteer Co-Chair for Kona Rotary. “Ninety percent of our volunteers are retirees and seniors. Without Kona retirees, the monumental logistics of an event this size could not be carried out. I handle the technical side — spreadsheets, scheduling and volunteer operations.”
Co-Chair Kris Hazard is the front person who coordinates MEC’s mighty team. “Our crackerjack volunteer managers train and run their own crews for Scoring, Standard Bearing, Golf Pro and Spectator Transportation, and staffing Spectator Village. They also assist Tournament Operations and the Golf Channel. What we love about our seniors is their commitment longevity. Every year they return with a smile, creating a well-oiled machine, alive with camaraderie and aloha.”
January’s PGA Champions Tour season-opener also gives volunteers opportunity to give back to their community. Some, like Bill and Cindy Armer, are golfers who retired to Kona from the mainland. “We wanted to be a part of the community. At the Tournament, we’re having fun and helping Hawai‘i. We’re proud to wear our volunteer shirts and play at Hualalai when it is in tournament condition.”
MEC Volunteers who work three full shifts earn a free round of golf at the prestigious Hualalai Golf Club. What a plum to play a private course when it is in top condition. But the Hawaii County community is the big winner. Fabulous international TV exposure builds their economy, and PGA Champions Tour makes generous donations to three local charities each year. Kona Rotary turned their gift into ten $1,000 student scholarships, free eye exams for 500 Hawaii County elementary school children, medical equipment for Kona Community Hospital and new turf at athletic fields in Kona public parks. Champions Tour donations also benefit The Daniel R. Sayre Foundation, which underwrites rescue equipment for Hawaii County firefighters and first responders, and Big Island Junior Golf Association.
Volunteering is a great way for active seniors to make a huge difference in their community. To volunteer call Alan at 808-936-6074. For information on the Mitsubishi Electric Championship log on to www.pgatour.com/mec.
Senior Volunteers with the Aloha Spirit are having fun and preparing for the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Haualalai coming up January 19 – 25, 2015. This PGA Champions Tour event, televised internationally on The Golf Channel, requires the work and dedication of 400 local residents every year. Kona Rotary, with support from The Four Seasons…
Generations Magazine staff was invited to join a team of community volunteers on an evacuation outreach mission to Puna seniors living in the path of Kilauea’s latest lava flow. In past centuries streams of lava obliterated Puna farms and Kalapana Village, but most years, fertile soils and clear, ocean breezes make this region a nice place to farm and raise a family. Earthquakes, Hurricane Iselle and Kilauea make 2014 an unusually bad year.
Mauka from Pahoa Community Center, an onerous smoke plume rises from the forest — a constant reminder of encroaching hot lava. This day, the flow was predicted to reach town in two weeks.
“This is what we do,” said Nurse Dawn, “We’ll keep checking on the elderly until they are all out of danger.”
We joined a team of five volunteers, including social services people and a registered nurse — searching Pahoa and the surrounding area for locations where seniors were known to live alone. “We need to document every senior who might be isolated and not have access to evacuation services. If they need assistance planning, moving or even finding alternative housing, we can connect them to the right agency. We want to know if they have an evacuation plan. Obviously, disabled seniors are most vulnerable,” said Lou Wanda S., who works for Hope Services Hawaii in Hilo.
The van driver used an address list generated from the Hawaii County of Aging database and charted on a map using GPS coordinates. One by one, seniors were slowly checked off. We went to single-family houses, apartment buildings, and rooms above shops. Some seniors had already moved out. Those who remained were in various stages of planning or moving. The personal canvassing process is time consuming, but seniors were welcoming, and glad that the county was checking on them.
“My mother and I already moved our valuables, says Mrs R. If the lava comes, we’ll go and leave everything else behind,” she said, as if evacuating was a routine.
It’s hard for people who don’t live in Hawai‘I County to imagine taking lava flows in stride, but Pahoa ancestors always lived with Pele in their backyards. Sometimes lava stops before it reaches a house; sometimes it continues to the sea and flows for weeks or years. The flows are fickle and unpredictable, sometimes destroying an entire forest, but flowing around, sparing a single tree.
Back at the Command Center in Pahoa Community Center, the team debriefed the day and prepared to go out the following day. They would continue until all the vulnerable are identified and evacuated. Many, many other agencies and volunteers will offer assistance to displaced seniors as they find new housing and establish new routines.
Generations Magazine staff was invited to join a team of community volunteers on an evacuation outreach mission to Puna seniors living in the path of Kilauea’s latest lava flow. In past centuries streams of lava obliterated Puna farms and Kalapana Village, but most years, fertile soils and clear, ocean breezes make this region a nice…
Emergencies and disasters can strike quickly without warning. You are especially vulnerable if you live alone, are confined to your home or forced to evacuate. Physical limitations put you at risk. The likelihood of recovery from an emergency tomorrow often depends on planning and preparation done today. Practice these three steps: Get a Kit; Make a Plan; Be Informed.
Disaster Supplies Kit Checklist
You should have a kit packed and ready in one place before a disaster strikes.
Water — one gallon per person, per day (3 day supply for evacuation, 2 week supply for home)
Food — non-perishable items (3 day supply for evacuation, 2 week supply for home)
Can opener
Flashlight — do not use candles
Radio (battery-powered or hand crank)
Extra batteries
Cell phone with chargers
Multi-purpose tool
First aid kit
Medications (7 day supply) and medical items
Emergency blanket
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents, keep in a water proof container for quick and easy access
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Extra set of keys
Pet or service animal supplies
Specialized items including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters etc
Make a Plan
Planning ahead reduces anxiety. 85,000 Social Security check recipients lost mail service after Hurricane Katrina. Switching to electronic payments is one simple solution to protect you.
Here are things to plan and prepare:
Create network of neighbors, friends, etc. for aid
Develop a family communication plan
Carry family contact information with you
Discuss needs and operation of heavy equipment
Post emergency numbers near all phones
Arrange someone outside to check on you
Ask for emergency plans from your homecare agency or case manager
Know your community response and evacuation plans and shelters
Plan for evacuation transportation
Prepare durable medical equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, etc.) for easy access
Keep copies of vital family records and about emergency procedures close by. Store documents such as birth and marriage certificates, social security cards, passports, wills, deeds, and financial, insurance and immunizations records in a fire safe or safe deposit box.
Be Informed
Ask how local authorities will notify persons during a disaster and how the community will get information, whether through local radio, TV, or NOAA Weather Radio stations or channels.
For more information, visit these useful websites:
Emergencies and disasters can strike quickly without warning. You are especially vulnerable if you live alone, are confined to your home or forced to evacuate. Physical limitations put you at risk. The likelihood of recovery from an emergency tomorrow often depends on planning and preparation done today. Practice these three steps: Get a Kit; Make…
How does it feel to have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)? Pinch your nose and breath through a coffee straw. 46,015 Hawai‘i adults with COPD have this feeling every day. An equal number suffer, undiagnosed. November 19, 2015 is World COPD Day. It’s to create awareness of all lung conditions that cause difficulty in breathing. COPD is the third leading cause of death and second top cause of disability in the United States, claiming one life every four minutes. 85–90 percent of cases start with smoking; others come from exposure to heavy secondhand tobacco or toxic work environments.
The Hawai‘i COPD Coalition provides free lung health clinics, monthly support group meetings, annual September COPD Education Day, and lung health advocacy for patients, families and healthcare providers. A new online COPD Population Screener® helps you figure out if your breathing symptoms might be COPD. The COPD Assessment Test® helps COPD patients find ways to maintain an active life.
Info on free monthly meetings with patients and caregivers guest speakers are available online: www.Hawaiicopd.org/events/support-groups/.
Support Group Meetings:
Pali Momi: 2nd Thursdays 2014, 9:30 am or 10 am for 90 minutes; 2nd Tuesdays 2015, 10 am – noon.
How does it feel to have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)? Pinch your nose and breath through a coffee straw. 46,015 Hawai‘i adults with COPD have this feeling every day. An equal number suffer, undiagnosed. November 19, 2015 is World COPD Day. It’s to create awareness of all lung conditions that cause difficulty in breathing.…
“Karen Twichell presents a unique combination of practical guidance and true stories for caregivers.” — Jack Canfield, Co-Author, Chicken Soup for the Soul®
Caregiving is as much a crisis as the disease or catastrophe that calls us to service. With little warning and less training, we assume responsibility for our loved one. Karen Twichell, R.N. has written a book for us. Twichell knew bed care, but when caring for her own mother, she found that medical training did not address overcoming fear, exhaustion and balancing two jobs.
Twichell put together A Caregiver’s Journey, a powerful, truthful and most of all, helpful guide that should be in every adult’s home library, and shared with every friend called to care for a loved one.
Millions of caregivers are providing long-term support for patients with Cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, strokes, heart disease and other chronic diseases. With most of the attention focused on the disease crisis, caregiving family or friends with no medical or social work experience become overwhelmed, but often feel shy to even ask for help. This book’s main concern is the health, stability and perseverance of the loving caregiver.
A Caregiver’s Journey addresses both the practical and emotional issues facing those new to patient care with instruction, references and personal anecdotes. Twichell shares real-life experiences that touch the heart and demonstrate strategies to manage difficult times. Informative chapters packed with information and dozens of resources provide hope. A companion workbook offers charts and journals to keep track of medications and schedule the nitty-gritty details of 24/7 care.
A Caregiver’s Journey — Finding Your Way By Karen L. Twichell Available at www.amazon.com | ISBN 0595168353
Caregiving is as much a crisis as the disease or catastrophe that calls us to service. With little warning and less training, we assume responsibility for our loved one. Karen Twichell, R.N. has written a book for us. Twichell knew bed care, but when caring for her own mother, she found that medical training did…
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (also called the “Annual Enrollment Period”) is each year from Oct. 15th — Dec. 7th. Each year this is your opportunity to do a Medicare Checkup:
Will my plan still be available in 2016?
Is my plan still affordable (looking at premiums AND copays)?
Are there any new health or drug plans available in my area that my favorite doctors will work with?
Here are some questions that we often hear from consumers:
Do I have to change plans?
No. If your plan works for you and provides coverage, is affordable and still available in your area then you can stay with that plan automatically. You may want to do that Medicare Check-up to look at all options.
If a plan premium is higher than others does it mean it is a “better” plan?
No. You should not base your decision solely on a plan premium. You should compare benefits and copays and make sure your doctor works with the plan. You might also want to check out the plan’s Medicare 5-Star Rating, which is available at www.medicare.gov after October 15th. Medicare looks at data received by the health plan and you, the customer, to rate the plans with a 1-Star (lowest) to a 5-Star (highest). Hawai‘i has been very lucky to have a 5-Star plan since Medicare started the ratings. We hope to have more than one 5-Star plan in 2016.
What is a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy?
A Medigap policy pays after Medicare and you may have little out of pocket costs. Private insurance companies sell it and the federal government in most states standardizes the benefits. What may differ is the premium and any specific state laws that apply.
I have tried to navigate the Medicare system and I need help. Who can I call in Hawai‘i?
You can call or email the Hawaii SHIP — State Health Insurance Assistance Program. We are a network of trained and certified volunteers who can help you walk through the system and screen to see if you qualify for any help paying for Medicare’s costs.
Hawai‘i SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) 1-888-875-9229 | 808-586-7299 help@hawaiiship.org | www.hawaiiship.org facebook.com: Hawaii SHIP
This SHIP project was supported, in part, by grant number 90SA0004-02-00 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (also called the “Annual Enrollment Period”) is each year from Oct. 15th — Dec. 7th. Each year this is your opportunity to do a Medicare Checkup: Will my plan still be available in 2016? Is my plan still affordable (looking at premiums AND copays)? Are there any new health or drug…
In 1992, when Hurricane Iniki hit the islands, my mother-in-law refused to leave the house. Both Linda and I were working and we called her over and over, trying to get her to go to a shelter. She wouldn’t leave her beloved dog behind and at that time, not many shelters accepted pets. Fortunately, she rode out the storm, in the dark, hugging the pup.
This brings us to Puna on the Big Island. Neighborhoods there took a serious hit from tropical storm Iselle. I know this much about Puna side of Hawai‘i Island: there are families kupuna who have lived there for years and would react just like my mother-in-law. They would NOT leave their homes. It’s not just a house — it’s a HOME. It may be because of a pet. It may be because of a koa rocker in the living room. It may be because of photo albums that keep their memories alive.
Experts tell us that aging in place — even during a storm — is a vital concept when it comes to our seniors. The longer they can stay in comfortable familiar surroundings, HOME, the better off they will be — physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially.
It is important to remember, we need to think about the needs of our seniors, not just on a day to day basis, but especially during times of emergency. They may experience confusion, stress — but if that senior relative or neighbor has your arm to lean on, you can make all the difference in the world. And if they have a pet, scoop that baby up and take it with you.
The Elderhood Project airs on KHON2 News Friday mornings at 5:45 a.m. And Thursday afternoons at 5 p.m.
In 1992, when Hurricane Iniki hit the islands, my mother-in-law refused to leave the house. Both Linda and I were working and we called her over and over, trying to get her to go to a shelter. She wouldn’t leave her beloved dog behind and at that time, not many shelters accepted pets. Fortunately, she…
When we go to the eye doctor to get a new prescription, the doctor will have us look through many different lenses, constantly asking us which lens provides us with the clearest vision. Much like the eye doctor, I believe that the role of the estate planning attorney is to provide you with estate plan options that most clearly reflect your vision for your plan. You see, both estate planning lawyers and eye doctors strive to provide clarity.
Estate planners must focus on three points for their clients: speaking clearly must accurately communicate your wishes and intentions to your fiduciaries and beneficiaries so what you intend is honored and respected; and making sure your written plan precisely mirrors your wishes.
When you seek counsel to pass on your estate, I believe you are asking for more than written legal documents like a Will and Trust. When you go for new glasses, you need more than frames. Proper lenses bring everything into focus.
Peace of mind comes from a sense that your written estate plan documents safely pass on your legacy, minimize tax, avoid probate, and prevent family fights. Perhaps you are concerned about also protecting the assets from creditors, predator or ex-spouses. Your plan has to be specific enough to speak clearly for you when you no longer can.
Your attorney must first look and listen attentively to understand your hopes and goals; then offer you options that create an estate plan that your heirs can read and understand without questions or doubt. When the prescription is perfect, and the glasses fit, it’s easy to see your way.
When we go to the eye doctor to get a new prescription, the doctor will have us look through many different lenses, constantly asking us which lens provides us with the clearest vision. Much like the eye doctor, I believe that the role of the estate planning attorney is to provide you with estate plan…
Patients getting used to supplemental oxygen for lung and heart problems sometimes worry whether they are getting enough. The only way to check oxygen “saturation” of the blood is with a blood test or by a new noninvasive technology called pulse oximetry.
Pulse oximeters are now readily available in pharmacies and are advertised for as little as $20 on internet sites. They quickly and easily measure pulse and use different wavelengths of light to estimate the amount of oxygen in the blood (from 70 –100 percent saturation). Oximeters clip easily onto a finger and shine a red light through the fingertip. Sports enthusiasts, pilots, and patients with chronic lung disease such as COPD or pulmonary fibrosis use pulse oximeters. Patients using oxygen at home or during air travel also can use them to ensure that they are receiving enough oxygen.
A saturation value above 90% is generally considered adequate. Studies show that about one-fourth of pulse oximeters in use are not accurate within 4 percent, so bring your pulse oximeter to your medical provider for a comparison before making any medical decisions regarding the accuracy of your readings, and talk with your provider about the use and limitations of these devices.
For more information, videos of oximetry and reviews on pulse oximeters, check online:
Patients getting used to supplemental oxygen for lung and heart problems sometimes worry whether they are getting enough. The only way to check oxygen “saturation” of the blood is with a blood test or by a new noninvasive technology called pulse oximetry. Pulse oximeters are now readily available in pharmacies and are advertised for as…
Have you reviewed your Medicare Plan this fall? If not, this article is for you. While It is common for a Medicare Advantage organization to add or change benefits each year, sometimes they may need to discontinue a plan altogether. If so, notification must be sent to the plan’s Medicare members by October 2, 2014. Because the plan will no longer be offered, the Medicare members are allowed to join a new Medicare plan anytime between October 15, 2014 and February 28, 2015. However, if you don’t take action before December 31, 2014, you will lose your prescription drug coverage and only have Original Medicare starting January 1, 2015. If you recently received a notice in the mail that your Medicare plan won’t be offered in 2015, be sure to take action now to avoid coverage interruptions or late enrollment penalties.
It is very important to carefully read your mail from your Medicare health plan each fall even if your plan will be offered in 2015. Medicare has an Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) every fall, when all enrollees may evaluate their current plan. It’s an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to decide if they want to remain in their existing Medicare plan or select a new one. If you are pleased with your current plan you do not need to do anything. If you review a plan and would like to join, you will be able to enroll in the plan from October 15, through December 7th. Your new plan will become effective the 1st day of the following year or January 1st.
CHOICES ABOUND
The array of choices from all the competing plans can be a bit overwhelming. So once a Medicare beneficiary has decided, the Medicare organization and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provide many tools designed to ease the enrollment process. When the sign-up period begins October 15 and a Medicare bene-ficiary chooses to select a new plan, they have several options:
they may walk-in to the Medicare plan office to enroll in-person
schedule an appointment with a licensed Medicare agent
contact the plan’s customer service department to enroll by phone or visit the plan’s website and complete an online enrollment application
CMS also accepts enrollments, by telephone at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4273) or by visiting www.medicare.gov online. Health plans offering Medicare products have toll-free numbers and websites where Medicare-eligible persons may gather additional information before enrolling.
In addition, the State of Hawai‘i has its own agency designed to assist seniors in reviewing the many Medicare plan options available: the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) office, formerly known as Sage PLUS, offers volunteer counselors to help navigate through the various options. To make an appointment or for more information, call toll free, 1-888-875-9229 or 808-586-7299, or contact them by email at help@hawaiiship.org.
We strongly encourage all Medicare beneficiaries to pay close attention to the steps required to select a new plan. Be sure to act in time to continue coverage that meets your specific health care needs.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Here a few recent questions received regarding Medicare Plans that are ending:
When should a Medicare beneficiary impacted by the terminating plan receive notice?
Companies offering supplemental plans are required by CMS to notify members by October 2, 2014, if the plan will not be renewed for 2015. If you become aware that your Medicare plan is impacted and you have not received a notice by October 2, 2014, you should call your plan to confirm if your plan is ending and alert them that you have not received any notification. It may also be a good time to make sure the company has your correct current address, phone number and emergency contact.
Why is my plan ending?
There can be many reasons and it is best to check with your plan. A company’s decision to cancel one plan is usually a matter of managing the company’s resources to keep their plans financially healthy. Premiums or cost sharing may or may not change. One plan may be discontinued and other plans may be maintained or new plans may be introduced.
Can my existing plan provider auto-enroll me into their new plan options?
Plan providers are prohibited from auto-enrolling clients or switching clients to a new plan without the express permission of CMS If your current plan is no longer offered in 2015, the notice from your provider will have instructions for finding alternative coverage options available in Hawai‘i. You may also contact 1-800-MEDICARE to get help enrolling or visit www.Medicare.gov. Keep in mind, you cannot enroll in a 2015 plan until October 15, 2014 but you can start shopping for information about 2015 plans on October 1, 2014.
Will my premiums and cost sharing with a new plan be higher than my existing plan?
Your out of pocket costs may be more or less depending on the plan you select and the package of benefits and cost sharing it offers. This is precisely the reason you should take time to review all your options and choose a plan that is affordable for you.
Is there a deadline for choosing a new plan so my coverage is not interrupted?
Yes, if your plan is ending December 31, 2014, you may consider your available options and choose a new plan during the seven-and-a-half week Medicare Annual Election Period, which begins October 15, and ends December 7, 2014. If your plan has notified you that it will not be offered, you automatically qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which allows you to choose a new plan through February 28, 2015. However, for coverage by your new plan to become effective January I, 2015, you must choose a plan before December 31, 2014.
Delaying your choice of a new plan pushes back the effective date of your coverage. If you exercise your SEP and choose a plan before January 31, 2015, your plan will not become effective until February 1, 2015. If you don’t choose a plan until February 28, 2015, your coverage will become effective March 1, 2015. The SEP available to you at plan termination expires February 28, 2015, unless other SEPs apply.
What happens if I do not select a plan before December 31, 2014?
If you do not enroll in a new plan and no SEP applies, you will be enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A & B). Any prescription drug coverage under your former plan will end unless you pick up a stand-alone drug plan before December 31, 2014. If you get “Extra Help” to assist with prescription drug co-payments, or have full Medicaid benefits and the State picks up your Medicare prescription drug premium and co-payments, you will be enrolled in Original Medicare and a Medicare Part D stand-alone drug plan.
I am still confused and not convinced that I can handle this process without more help.
Lucky you live Hawai‘i! Your Medicare health plan will likely include plan options available in your area as part of the notification process. Health plans that are discontinuing want to help you with this transition. They have prepared documentation according to CMS guidance and regulations; they will also provide other contacts and websites where you can get additional help.
For more information, call us at 808-543-2073 or email us at getmedicare@aol.com; attend one of our seminars on this topic or invite us for a presentation at your church or senior group.
TAKE ACTION
If your medicare plan is ending this year; be sure to review all your options and enroll in a new plan.
Carefully read your notice-of-plan-ending
Note the date you received the letter
Seek the help of a translator if needed
Highlight deadlines and keep required copies
Schedule an appointment with an Agent
Review plan summary of benefits, formulary, provider directory and supplemental benefits
If you may be qualified, ask about Medicaid
Ask about “Extra Help” aka Low Income Subsidy (LIS), it may cover Part D drug premiums and reduce copays
Learn about guaranteed issue Medigap plans
Contact your doctor to confirm he accepts plan
Confirm your medication’s part of the formulary
Confirm affordability of premiums/cost-sharing
Complete all steps needed to enroll in new plan
Note the name of each person you speak with
Keep list of organization names and contacts
Accept a “verification of enrollment” call, if requested
Look for your new Medicare Identification Card
Provide new Medicare Insurance Card to doctors
Make your premium payments on time, if any
DOCUMENTS YOU MAY NEED TO COMPARE
Prepare yourself with this handy checklist that can help you provide information to a licensed sales agent, Medicare plan staff or a Medicare representative who can assist you in finding a new plan, or compare the options of an existing plan, that will meet your health care needs.
Find your Red, White & Blue Original Medicare Card that indicates when your Part A and Part B coverage started, call Medicare to request a new one, if needed
Locate any other active medical or prescription drug member identification cards, including Medicaid, if any
Provide a list of the name(s) of your primary care doctor and any specialists you have seen in the last 12 months
Get a list of all current prescription medications with dosage from your doctor’s office
Share a list of your favorite or most commonly used Medicare plan benefits
Prepare a list of any concerns
HOW MEDICARE ADVANTAGE SAVED A LIFETIME OF SAVINGS AND A LIFE
There is nothing that prepares you for a phone call saying that a loved one has been rushed to the hospital after suffering a massive stroke and heart attack. When it is your Mom and you live thousands of miles away, it is even more unsettling.
Martha Wilson in her 20s
Jimmie Wilson was totally unprepared when he received that call on January 1, 2013. He rushed to New Jersey to see his Mom, Martha Wilson. His worst expectations loomed in the Intensive Care Unit where amidst a hustle-bustle of nurses and doctors, his mom lay still and unresponsive with tubes everywhere, except around her forehead, which he gently kissed.
In shock and disbelief, he remembered their last conversation. Just two days earlier, he had wished her a “Happy New Year,” just a moment before the stroke of midnight.
Jimmie was fighting back his tears when an ICU nurse tapped his shoulder and said that the finance department wanted him to come by and complete some admissions paperwork. The woman in the finance department smiled warmly when Jimmie came in. She seemed a little too happy to tell him that she had verified that Jimmie’s mom had a new health plan, a Horizon Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plan that became effective at 12:01 am on New Year’s Day. She explained that his mom’s previous Original Medicare plan required a deductible, payable when you get admitted to the hospital. His mom would have been charged over $1,200 for this admission or Jimmy would have been asked to sign an agreement for a payment plan. Jimmie was so focused on his mom’s recovery that it hardly sank in. He thanked the lady and returned to ICU.
Jimmie never returned to work and stayed by his mother’s side daily as she recovered from the stroke that left her paralyzed on her left side, and her speech impaired. At week six in New Jersey, Jimmie was visiting his mom when the doctor stopped by and explained that this patient’s recovery was remarkable. She had been in the hospital for 45 days and now the treatment team was ready to start the evaluation process to release her to skilled nursing. The doctor told Jimmie that his mother’s six weeks of hospitalization might have cost half a million dollars. Out-of-pocket Original Medicare costs would have amounted to tens of thousands of dollars — enough to wipe out a lifetime of savings or all the equity in his mother’s home. Everyone in the hospital was talking about the lucky woman whose Medicare Advantage plan took effect on New Year’s Day. Jimmy watched in amazement, as the doctor and his mom reached up and gave each other a “high five.”
Jimmie’s mom spent a total of 90 days in the hospital and 30 more in skilled nursing. She recovered enough to move in with her son and return to a good quality of life.
Have you reviewed your Medicare Plan this fall? If not, this article is for you. While It is common for a Medicare Advantage organization to add or change benefits each year, sometimes they may need to discontinue a plan altogether. If so, notification must be sent to the plan’s Medicare members by October 2, 2014.…
Alan Parker with his hanai mother, Rita Branco, and grandson, Kyan Ray Keaka Parker
HCOA has a simple process for delivering services to the elderly: when seniors voice a problem, Alan and his staff listen. That’s it. Hawai‘i Island citizens start their own grassroots initiatives and mobilize resources to solve it. “Actually, we don’t create programs,” says Parker. “Seniors and the community come up with their own ideas. My six community planners listen and support them with good business planning.” The results of this simple strategy are astounding. Statewide Caregiver Resource Centers (CRC), Community Planning Councils on Aging, Community Voices Programs and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) all started on the Big Island.
Younger Alan on his first outreach assignment in the rural plantation towns.
Sound too easy? This humble man at the helm of HCOA practices what he calls “plantation values,” and recites lessons his own mentors taught him a generation ago: watch, listen, be quiet and work hard. Parker, highly respected by his peers and employees and adored by elderly clients, has quietly and diligently translated his parents’ values into a system that works. His staff and a large network of county social service programs are passing on this same elder wisdom to a new generation. HCOA is a living network of public and private organizations, profit and non-profit entities that respect one another’s strengths and limitations. They work together to aid and protect their elders.
Strength In Collaboration
Problem 1: Elderly living alone in rural areas of Puna were at high risk but Hawai‘i County first responders didn’t know how to find them.
While Hurricane Iselle winds were battering Puna, a rural district south of Hilo with a large elderly population, Hawai‘i County Mayor Billy Kenoi called a meeting of all public agencies, including Civil Defense, Office of aging, and United Way with all their agencies. Alan Parker brought his two senior planners, Shelly Ogata and Nic Los Banos.
Command Center Between the “War Room” and the Command Center, both entities assist and monitor the crisis.
HCOA to the rescue — their computer database of some 3,000 seniors became a resource. IT specialist Horace Farr culled out Puna addresses of elders and synched GPS for 320 target homes. The result was a map showing where elderly and disabled residents might be trapped. Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation, along with many agencies collected emergency supplies, put them in bags and delivered them In the midst of the storm, first response teams with medical and social workers found and delivered aid, food and needed emergency information to 80 isolated seniors. It’s a perfect example of how community-based grassroots efforts work.
Senior planners, Shelley Ogata (3rd from the left) and Nic Los Banos (far right) meet the team from various departments of HCOA and ADRC to gather in a specifically designed conference room nicknamed the “War Room”.Horace Farr, IT specialist, stands by for instructions.
What was born in a storm is now a Hawai’I Island First Response Coalition. All the agencies mobilized in Iselle formalized outreach procedures so they would be prepared to activate in future disasters. This month the teams are working again, with evacuation plans for Pahoa residents in the path of Kilauea’s latest lava flow. This is the Parker’s “grassroots wisdom” in action.
Alan believes and teaches that Hawai‘i culture has something special, which spans the generations and allows people to work together well. He says, “I got a lot of wisdom from the Plantation Generation: hard work, reliance on family and neighbors, respect for the older generation, and making responsible decisions for future generations. The kupuna in my hanai family taught me these same values.
“I had a wonderful family. As you know, it is a cultural practice to share your kids with other families. When I was a young teen I bought a car with no transmission — a Chevy Impala — and I had no clue how to put in a new transmission. That’s what kids do. My family didn’t have a garage. Our neighbors, The Branco family gave me their garage to work on my car for months until I got enough money and knowledge to fix my car. Can you imagine what a sacrifice they made for a neighborhood kid?
That was 1965. After that the Brancos invited me to every family gathering, as a hanai son. Nurturing other through the family is an old Hawaiian and plantation tradition. That’s just how we work at HCOA.”
Two of Alan’s mentors are George Yoshida, and Derek Kurisu, Hosts of KTA Superstores’ “Seniors Living in Paradise Show” on Oceanic Cable TV. George was the Director of the Elderly Activities Division of Hawai‘i Department of County Parks and Recreation who started Big Island Senior Centers. Derek is Vice President of KTA Superstores and a visionary who has partnered with George and Alan to create public resources like the hosting the TV show, soliciting donors and prizes for the annual Old Americans Luncheon, and editing the HCOA Silver Bulletin. This public/private collaboration is not a campaign promise, but a 30-year reality.
George and Derek promote the values they were all raised with — they call them “plantation values”because a lot of different people groups were forced to work together and get along in plantation camps, housing for workers on large sugar plantations. Kurisu is in demand as an inspirational speaker, promoting these values, and Yoshido creates programs and venues that build on them — he began Kupuna Hula and Senior Softball, which are now statewide and international programs.
Parents, Virgil Ray and Tsukie Hirai-Parker
Alan Parker holds his mom’s generation in great esteem. “Mom was Japanese. Dad came from Ohio during World War II and joked that he came to fight the Japanese, but ended up being captured by one of them! The leaders of that era were strong and very wise: Mary Matayoshi at Hawai‘i Community College, American Cancer Director Lily Inouye, Patrick Pavao at Veterans Affairs, and office volunteer, Alice Ondigon. I learned so much from all of them.
“I made some mistakes, too,” admits Parker. One time the Department of Parks and Recreation asked him to develop a plan to restore Puna parks destroyed by Kilauea in the 80s. Parker grins. “The Puna folks really hated my plan — shot it down good. Gee, you know I felt bad … but afterwards I called a meeting and asked the people to put together their own plan; I invited the ones who had complained the most. Three months later they laid out a plan they really liked and it was almost exactly what I had proposed! But you know the big difference was that it was their plan. I never forgot that grassroots is number one.”
When Parker joined HCOA in 1974 as Director of Retired and Volunteer Senior Program (RSVP,) his boss was Gladys Bowell, a social worker from New York, who had worked with big national agencies and the National Girl Scouts. “She had impressive experience, but she didn’t come in and tell us what to do; she just fit in to the community, gained trust and listened to everybody. Then she gathered folks from every echelon of the community: unions, plantations, and heads of state agencies, housewives and the mayor, to work on aging problems. And then Gladys kept listening. When they came up with something worth doing, she helped with planning, found donors and grants to support it. That first program was Kona Homemakers Program, which is still successful 40 years later. Gladys was great at getting people to tell her what they need.”
“I got a lot of wisdom from the Plantation Generation: hard work, reliance on family and neighbors, respect for the older generation, and making responsible decisions for future generations.” – Alan Parker
Alan reminisced about mobilizing his first group of RSVP volunteers. “Isami Kobayashi, head of the Papaikou Senior Club, did so much for seniors. We needed RSVP volunteers like retired schoolteachers to help in the schools. His club was big — over 400 retirees — so I asked him to put the word out. He came back and said he was sorry; he wanted all his club members to volunteer, but only 150 signed up! Yikes — I had to scramble to find assignments for all 150 of them! Dorothy Kataoka and Shigeko Chang would take two busloads of volunteers up to Hilo Hospital each week. They were housewives, truck drivers, and plantation field crew, but they found ways to help: landscaping, working in the hospital laundry and in the physical care department doing needlework. It’s different now — government programs dictate what kind of volunteers they want, with this skill or that. At HCOA a desire to help is still top priority. If people want to help, we can find work for them. That’s why our RSVP program is still going strong.”
In 1978 HCOA Director William Takaba brought formal case management and database tracking to HCOA, and it made a big difference in the effectiveness of all the programs. That year Pauline Fukunaga joined the department. Later in 2001, after a two-year assignment at the Parks Department, Alan took over as HCOA Director, and made Pauline his Lead Planner. She will retire early in December 2014.
Seeds Of Values Take Root In The Future
Parker is proud of his current staff and says the young people working at HCOA are remarkable. “I hear people complain about the next generation, but I don’t get it. I see young people with a lot of skills who are serious about helping our seniors. Our Hawai‘i families have passed down their plantation values to the next generation. I am passing them down to my grandchildren.”
Early RSVP volunteer Lily Alicuban, and Derek Kurisu passed on their her community values. Liliy’s grandson Evan and Derek’s son Blake were buddies in Key Club at Waiakea High School and secured grants to install Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) in the homes of elderly living alone– light switches that would turn ordinary porch lights into blinking emergency lights. The emergency lights saved lives. Now Evan is Resident Physician at USC School of Medicine. Blake, a New York Marketing Manager, earned his MBA from Harvard.
Within HCOA, Planner Nic Los Banos is an example of a new breed of county employees with business degrees, that Parker mentors. They bring to the job computer skills, and business skills like controlling and marketing, as well as financial accounting and planning.
Hawai‘i County Office on Aging contracts with and has working relations with over 50 agencies and other partners to deliver services to a mix of aging Hawai‘i residents: active and healthy, frail and elderly, disabled and chronically ill. This broad network of services are funneled through an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) named Kahi Malama (Place of Care) located in Hilo, a one-stop shop where seniors can access all the county programs and resources for aging: caregiver support, case management, counseling, employment information, legal, nutrition, personal care, outreach, respite, transportation, volunteers, elder abuse and neglect, healthy aging, awareness and prevention.
Alan’s small staff of five planners covers a lot of ground by coordinating with their partner organizations. In addition, a host of volunteers allow Hawai‘i County to meet its commitment to the aging through modern communications, shared resources, and a commitment to helping others. Without volunteers, the network could not meet its full mission.
“At HCOA a desire to help is still top priority. If people want to help, we can find work for them. That’s why our RSVP program is still going strong.” – Alan Parker
What’s in store at Hawai‘i County Office of Aging after Alan Parker closes out 40 years and retires at the end of the year?
“I leave a clean slate for the next director,” says Parker. “2015 is the start of a new strategic planning cycle. Since the recession in 2008, federal and state funding has been reduced, and the small HCOA staff has been pulled thin by an increasing number of clients as baby boomers retire. Disaster relief adds to the workload. Nevertheless, HCOA is meeting its mission. We have a marvelous staff, and they get a lot of work done — done well. I think as the economy continues to strengthen, our budgets will get more robust.”
Also retiring after 36 years is Lead Planner, Pauline Fukunaga. “Hawai‘i has the greatest longevity in the nation,” says Pauline. “We also have the fastest growing group of 85+ year-olds in the country. For many years HCOA exclusively served old and frail elderly residents, but now we also have a growing number of active seniors with different needs. We are listening to what they want, and our programs will have to change,” said Fukunaga.
Parker reflected, “Pauline and I have learned that top-down, cookie cutter programs don’t work very well here; they don’t seem to last. But grassroots, community-based programs will continue to be born in Hawai’i County after we step down. My wonderful staff and the generation of workers behind them are skilled listeners, skilled business planners and committed to help Hawai‘i seniors plan and grow solutions to their problems.”
We left the HCOA staff with a good feeling — and a new gratitude for the values that set Hawai‘i apart from all other communities: respect for elders, grassroots wisdom and aloha for all.
Photo courtesy of County of Hawaii Mayor’s Office In 2010, Alan Parker (left) receives the Excellence in Action Award from the U.S. Administration on Aging, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the Veterans Administration, presented by Audrey Suga-Nakagawa, State ADRC Coordinator and Mark Miranda, the Governor’s Liaison.
HCOA has a simple process for delivering services to the elderly: when seniors voice a problem, Alan and his staff listen. That’s it. Hawai‘i Island citizens start their own grassroots initiatives and mobilize resources to solve it.
Did you know there is a way to support your favorite charitable cause and receive cash back? It’s called a charitable gift annuity and many, but not all, charities offer this form of giving. In Hawai‘i, there are some legal requirements that must be met by a charity before it can offer this form of charitable giving.
When you make a gift of cash or an appreciated asset in exchange for a charitable gift annuity, the charity makes a promise to pay you for the rest of your life. Your payment rate is fixed based on your age and never changes.
Choosing to participate in a charitable annuity program allows you to make a meaningful charitable gift, and receive regular, fixed payments no matter how long you live. The payments may provide for dependable payments for your spouse or another person if you wish. Optionally, you may receive higher payments for a deferred payment gift annuity. There may also be tax benefits such as an income tax deduction in the year of your gift, and payments that are partially free of federal income tax for a period of time.
People who are considering a substantial charitable gift but also feel uncertain about the future like the idea of a charitable annuity with continuous payments.
If you plan to give a portion of your assets to charity, and want more information on ways charitable gift annuities might work for you and your family, visit National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii online and just click on “Donor Stories.”
Did you know there is a way to support your favorite charitable cause and receive cash back? It’s called a charitable gift annuity and many, but not all, charities offer this form of giving. In Hawai‘i, there are some legal requirements that must be met by a charity before it can offer this form of…
The van driver used an address list generated from the Hawaii County of Aging database and charted on a map using GPS coordinates. One by one, seniors were slowly checked off. We went to single-family houses, apartment buildings, and rooms above shops. Some seniors had already moved out. Those who remained were in various stages of planning or moving. The personal canvassing process is time consuming, but seniors were welcoming, and glad that the county was checking on them.
It’s hard for people who don’t live in Hawai‘I County to imagine taking lava flows in stride, but Pahoa ancestors always lived with Pele in their backyards. Sometimes lava stops before it reaches a house; sometimes it continues to the sea and flows for weeks or years. The flows are fickle and unpredictable, sometimes destroying an entire forest, but flowing around, sparing a single tree.
Have you reviewed your Medicare Plan this fall? If not, this article is for you. While It is common for a Medicare Advantage organization to add or change benefits each year, sometimes they may need to discontinue a plan altogether. If so, notification must be sent to the plan’s Medicare members by October 2, 2014. Because the plan will no longer be offered, the Medicare members are allowed to join a new Medicare plan anytime between October 15, 2014 and February 28, 2015. However, if you don’t take action before December 31, 2014, you will lose your prescription drug coverage and only have Original Medicare starting January 1, 2015. If you recently received a notice in the mail that your Medicare plan won’t be offered in 2015, be sure to take action now to avoid coverage interruptions or late enrollment penalties.
Prepare yourself with this handy checklist that can help you provide information to a licensed sales agent, Medicare plan staff or a Medicare representative who can assist you in finding a new plan, or compare the options of an existing plan, that will meet your health care needs.
