Category: Date

Let the IRS Take a Bath for Change

Nobody likes to pay taxes, but most of us like to take baths. Unless the bath is the kind where money flows out of your pocket and down the drain. If you feel like paying taxes is a lot like seeing your money go down the drain, you will be glad to know about an exciting estate planning opportunity that can help make the IRS take a bath after your death instead of your loved ones.

When you die, the IRS will want your loved ones to pay a tax on the value of everything you owned. The estate tax reaches all of your assets, unless some exclusion or deduction applies. The law gives each of us an exclusion (I like to call it the “coupon”) from the estate tax. You can pass the coupon amount to whomever you want, tax-free. In addition to the coupon, the law gives married couples an unlimited marital deduction so estate tax can be postponed until both Mom and Pop are gone. The marital deduction doesn’t get rid of the tax—it just postpones it. The coupon does get rid of the estate tax to some extent, but it is not enough to eliminate all of the estate tax for many families.

The law also allows an unlimited estate tax charitable deduction. So if you would rather have your money go to charity than to the IRS, you can bequeath all of the assets that would have been taxed at your death (everything over the coupon amount) to charity. But what if you want to give your descendants more than the coupon amount? Imagine sitting in a leaky bathtub. If you do nothing, eventually you and your rubber ducky will be the only things left in the tub. In order to maintain the water level, you will need to add water as fast as it is leaking out. If you add water faster than it is leaking out, the water level will rise, and eventually the tub will overflow.

Imagine the flood that would result if you took a nice long bath (say 25 years) with hot water filling the tub faster than it is leaking out. Now imagine that instead of an overflow of water, you had an overflow of money. This is exactly how CLTs work.

You put assets (hot water) into a CLT (bathtub). The trust agreement says that each year, 5% of the value of the assets will be paid to charity (5% of the water in the tub will leak out). Meanwhile, let’s say that the trust assets are earning income (the faucet is turned on and the tub is being filled) at the rate of 7%. The law allows us to pretend that the trust is earning only the applicable federal rate (AFR), which is set by the U. S. Treasury each month. If the AFR is 2% at the time we created the CLT, then we get to say that the trust will grow at a rate of only 2%. Net result? If payments are made to the charity monthly, the IRS will make believe that the trust will be completely exhausted in about 26 years, even though it will have far more in it at that time than when the trust was created. The best part is that all of the trust assets will go to charity and your loved ones, and not a cent will go to the IRS.

SCOTT MAKUAKANE is a lawyer whose practice has emphasized estate planning and trust law since 1983. He hosts Est8Planning Essentials, a weekly TV talk show which airs on KWHE (Oceanic channel 11) at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evenings. For more information about Scott and his law firm, Est8Planning Counsel LLLC, check out www.est8planning.com.

By using a charitable lead trust (CLT), you can give assets to charity and your loved ones, without having to give anything to the IRS.

Nobody likes to pay taxes, but most of us like to take baths. Unless the bath is the kind where money flows out of your pocket and down the drain. If you feel like paying taxes is a lot like seeing your money go down the drain, you will be glad to know about an…
Savvy Shoppers: Find a Charity You Can Trust

The New Year is here and, because of the rough economy, it’s more important than ever to become a savvy shopper to both save money and prevent identity theft in 2011.

Being a knowledgeable consumer is ultimately about using money wisely and learning how to squeeze as much value as possible out of every dollar.

Charities seeking donations may tug at your heartstrings, but don’t succumb to pressure to give money on the spot. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) evaluates charities based on the use of funds, fundraising, governance, public accountability, solicitation and information materials.

Look for the BBB seal and always check a business or charity out with BBB before you buy or donate. Nationwide, nearly 400,000 businesses bear the BBB seal of accreditation and meet its standards. You can also find the seal on Web sites and at business locations. Check with the BBB to make sure that the charity or company that you are considering does not have a history of dissatisfied customers or unanswered complaints.

Check out a business or charity online at www.hawaii.bbb.org.

The New Year is here and, because of the rough economy, it’s more important than ever to become a savvy shopper to both save money and prevent identity theft in 2011.
Smart Advice; How to Choose a Financial Advisor

A financial advisor can offer valuable strategies and guidance to help you grow your savings and meet your financial goals and dreams. It’s important to select a qualified individual who is also a good match—personally and professionally.

How to find the right advisor for your financial future:

Ask for a preliminary meeting. Your first meeting should be complimentary and without any obligation on your part. Be wary if you are pressured to write a check or make any decisions at your initial consultation. During the meeting, listen carefully to what the advisor says. Does he or she ask questions to help clarify your financial circumstances and goals? Or are you listening to a canned speech? Be prepared to ask questions to determine how your advisor will work with you, including compensation (more on that later), frequency of meetings or calls and how your progress will be tracked. Look for someone who follows a process but is also flexible and responsive when your needs change.

Understand the compensation model. Advisors may charge a flat fee for services while others charge a percentage of assets under management. Still others may be paid commission on the sale of financial products. It’s not unusual for all three methods to contribute to an advisor’s earnings. It’s important to understand how commissions and fees will affect the growth of your portfolio and to be aware of potential conflicts of interest.

Compatibility matters. Your financial advisor should be someone who makes you feel at ease—enough so that you are comfortable sharing intimate financial details of your life. A successful advisory relationship can last for many years, so look for a person you can trust and with whom you enjoy spending time.

Review experience and training. Look for someone with a depth of knowledge and valuable experience in the field. Your advisor should be able to distill complex financial topics for you in a way that you clearly understand and apply to your situation.

Some advisors earn designations as part of their ongoing training. For example, a Certified Financial PlannerTM certification indicates completion of training in the financial planning process, with an understanding of insurance, investments, tax strategies and retirement and estate planning. Another designation, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), indicates the advisor has received training in personalized financial planning processes. Some financial planners also may be trained and experienced as Certified Public Accountants or attorneys.

Consider specialization, as needed. Look for an advisor who has special expertise to meet your specific needs, such as estate planning or succession planning for your business.

Check professional references. Take the time to call each reference. Ask specific questions to get an idea of the advisor’s strengths and weaknesses. If possible, talk to clients and professional associates. Credentials can also be verified by the organizations that award them.

Be a proactive client. Ask for what you need. If you aren’t satisfied with the level of service you receive, take your business elsewhere.

Michael W. Yee is a senior financial advisor with Michael W. Yee, a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. As a financial advisor, Yee provides customized financial advice that is anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations, and provided in a one-on-one relationship with his clients. For more information, please contact Michael W.Yee at (808) 952-1240. Advisor is licensed/registered to do business with U.S. residents only in the states of Hawaii. Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. © 2010 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

A financial advisor can offer valuable strategies and guidance to help you grow your savings and meet your financial goals and dreams. It’s important to select a qualified individual who is also a good match—personally and professionally.
Elderhood Project

Mrs. Matthews, Linda Coble, and I just celebrated our birthdays. I’m not going to say how old we are but I will say that we’ve had our AARP cards for quite a while. We are boomers and our generation has often been referred to as the “Me” generation. That may have been appropriate at some point in our lives and it may still be an apt description for some, but I get the feeling that more and more of us are looking for ways that we can give back to a community, a society that has done so much for us.

Many of our heroes have gone so we have to look to each other for inspiration. I find it each week in the people I get to talk with on the Elderhood Project. The people from the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Project DANA, Meals on Wheels, SCORE and countless other organizations rely on the efforts of volunteers to continue their good work. I applaud them all.

During the past weeks on the Elderhood Project, we have focused on providing seniors with the tools they need to “age in place,” to remain active members of their communities while living at home. Ke Ola Pono, a chronic disease self-management program is a perfect example of that. The program offers a free six-week workshop called Better Choices, Better Health that helps people living with any ongoing health problem.

In the coming weeks, we also will learn more about Sage PLUS and its efforts to encourage seniors to be pro-active in their health care. What’s new in affordable housing for seniors in ‘Ewa? And February is National Heart Month, an important topic for all of us—regardless of age.

I hope you’ll join us for the news every Thursday at 5:30 a.m. or 5 p.m. on KHON2 TV. Tune in to find out the latest information of importance to seniors and their caregivers. And happy birthday to Mrs. Matthews! Though we were born on the same day in the same year, somehow she got to be 10 years younger. Go figure!

Aloha ~ Kirk Matthews

Mrs. Matthews, Linda Coble, and I just celebrated our birthdays. I’m not going to say how old we are but I will say that we’ve had our AARP cards for quite a while. We are boomers and our generation has often been referred to as the “Me” generation. That may have been appropriate at some…
The Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans (HARA)

2011 will be a year of change for most of us, especially if you’re a senior. Some things are out of our control, such as changes in Medicare enrollment, health care reform, the country’s (and our family’s) financial stability. That is why it’s important for us to affect change when and where we can.

Are you at a place in your life where you want to do something to affect change? Are you a retired union member? If so, we have just the place for you to volunteer and start to affect change in our state.

The Hawai‘i Alliance for Retired Americans (HARA) is the state affiliate of the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), a national advocate on senior and aging issues with more than 3 million members. ARA ensures social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so we may enjoy lives of dignity, security and personal and family fulfillment. The alliance believes that all older and retired persons have a responsibility to create a society that incorporates these goals and rights. The alliance encourages seniors to take advantage of their retirement and use it as an opportunity to pursue new and expanded activities with their unions, civic organizations and communities.

Founded in 2001, HARA consists of 10 organizations with shared goals. HARA ensures that our state is a good place to retire and age. It supports the aspirations of seniors to remain healthy and lead a full and productive life, while aging in place at home.

HARA is a strong voice for Hawai‘i’s retirees and seniors; a diverse community-based organization with national roots; a grassroots organizer, educator, and communicator; and a trusted source of information for decision-makers.

To learn more about HARA or to join, please email Al Hamai, HARA president, he will get you involved in advocacy work here in the Islands; hamaia001@hawaii.rr.com. For more information, please visit www.retiredamericans.org.

Our Mission: HARA strives to better the health, economic security and quality of life for Hawai‘i’s seniors and retirees.

Our Vision: That Hawai‘i’s seniors and retirees enjoy “choices,” which result in an improved standard of living and a better, higher quality of life.

Our Legislative Agenda: Some issues that ARA/HARA are now engaged in include: Expand the Kupuna Care Program; protect and expand Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; urge people to take advantage of the benefits under the new health reform act; safeguard pensions and other retirement benefits; provide adequate, accessible and affordable housing and transportation services; and educate members about issues affecting its members and families.

2011 will be a year of change for most of us, especially if you’re a senior. Some things are out of our control, such as changes in Medicare enrollment, health care reform, the country’s (and our family’s) financial stability. That is why it’s important for us to affect change when and where we can.
Ward off the Flu

It’s the holiday season, meaning most of us will be out and about more often than usual. Shopping malls, restaurants, parties, church services— wherever we are, it’s a good idea to remember that crowds provide the perfect environment for influenza viruses (the flu) to spread by coughs and sneezes.

Symptoms appear one to four days after the virus enters the body. These include fever, fatigue, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and muscle or body aches. Adults may pass the virus beginning a day before and up to a week after they develop symptoms. Children may infect others for longer than a week.

The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus and various seasonal flu viruses are still circulating throughout the world. While there’s no reason to panic, you should be aware that outbreaks due to any of these strains remain a threat.

“The best protection against influenza is immunization,” says Dr. Phil Bruno, infectious disease physician specialist and chairman of the infectious disease control committee for Kaiser Permanente’s Hawai‘i Region. “The good news is adults and children over the age of 8 will need only one vaccine this season. The 2010-2011 trivalent influenza vaccine will provide protection against the 2009-H1N1 influenza virus, the seasonal H3N2 influenza virus and the influenza B virus.”

According to Dr. Bruno, children who are 6 months to 8 years old may need two doses of the vaccine administered at least four weeks apart this year if they have never received seasonal or 2009-H1N1 influenza vaccines before, or if they have received only one dose of seasonal influenza vaccine in the past.

“The CDC recommends influenza immunizations for everyone who’s 6 months and older,” Dr. Bruno says. Influenza immunization protects you, your family and your community. It’s important for you and your loved ones to be immunized.”

For more information on the flu, visit kp.org/flu.

It’s the holiday season, meaning most of us will be out and about more often than usual. Shopping malls, restaurants, parties, church services— wherever we are, it’s a good idea to remember that crowds provide the perfect environment for influenza viruses (the flu) to spread by coughs and sneezes.
New Law Equals Medicare Savings

The “Extra Help” and the “Medicare Savings Programs” now allow more people with Medicare to pay $2.50 for generics drugs, $6.30 for brand name drugs, never experience the “donut hole” and to get help from the State of Hawai‘i in paying for their Medicare Part A and/ or B Premiums.

Making ends meet shouldn’t mean going without your medications. If you have limited income and resources, Medicare’s “Extra Help” program sets it up so that you pay no more than $2.50 for each generic drug and $6.30 for each brand name drug. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that “Extra Help” can save Medicare members as much as $3,900 per year.

People Qualify and Don’t Even Know It

The new law will allow more people to qualify for “Extra Help” and the “Medicare Savings Programs.” Even if you were turned down for “Extra Help” or for the “Medicare Savings Programs” in the past, you should reapply. If you qualify, you’ll get help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage premiums, co-payments and deductibles and Medicare premiums.

To qualify, you must make less than $16,821 a year (or $22,626 for married couples). Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some extra help with your drug coverage. Your resources must also be limited to $12,510 (or $25,010 for married couples). Resources include bank accounts, stocks and bonds, but not your house or car. (Medicare Savings Programs asset levels are $6,600 for a single person and $9,910 for a couple)

There’s No Cost or Obligation to Apply

It’s easy and free to apply for “Extra Help” and the “Medicare Savings Programs.” You, a family member, trusted counselor or caregiver can apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs.

You can also call Sage PLUS, the Hawai‘i State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), at 586-7299 or 1-888-875-9229 to reach a certified counselor in your area.

For an application for the Medicare Savings Programs you can call your local Med-QUEST Office at 808-524-3370 or 1-800-316-8005. All the information you give is confidential.

Now it’s even easier to qualify for “Extra Help” from Medicare and get help from the State of Hawai‘i in paying for Medicare premiums. A new law changed how your income and assets are counted in 2010:

• Life insurance policies don’t count as resources (for prescription drug assistance).

• Household expenses—like food, mortgage, rent, heating fuel or gas, electricity, water, and property taxes—paid by relatives, friends and others do not count as income.

• Asset amounts are now higher to receive assistance from the State of Hawai‘i in paying for the Medicare Part A/B Premiums, also known as the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP).

• If you apply for the “Extra Help” through Social Security, your application will automatically be sent to the State of Hawai‘i for consideration.

The “Extra Help” and the “Medicare Savings Programs” now allow more people with Medicare to pay $2.50 for generics drugs, $6.30 for brand name drugs, never experience the “donut hole” and to get help from the State of Hawai‘i in paying for their Medicare Part A and/ or B Premiums.
Hoarding Habits

Who are hoarders and clutterers? Television shows like Mission Organization and Hoarders on A&E TV have brought to the forefront this behavior that is often observed but rarely addressed. On a more sobering note, it has opened our eyes to thousands who may find themselves living with fear, isolation, shame and self-neglect. The elderly are particularly at risk due to debilitating mental or physical decline, or a transmission of a pre-existing, underlying mental condition, such as obsessive-compulsive behavior manifesting itself into old age. Is this a problem? For many, their hoarding habits boarder on eccentricity, uniqueness or a Bohemian lifestyle. For others, it is facing eviction notices, visits by social workers, the police, and definitely the resident manager.

Dr. Harry Moody of the Institute for Human Values in Aging, International Longevity Center in New York, says, “Hoarders are refusing to let go of the past.” He posited that our capitalist society of “more is best” contributes to our “collecting our way into immortality.”

Hanging onto our past creates a dead sea— water pours in, but no water flows out. We need to understand the process of holding on, and letting go early. Referring to Erik Erikson’s last two stages of life, Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair, we equate Generativity to generosity, or the giving of ones self (and one’s stuff), and Integrity to the feeling of peace within one’s self after having accomplished what was meaningful in life. Contrarily, we face Stagnation and Despair when, as a result of hoarding, we experience feelings of being “stuck,” resentment, a sense of not having reached our goals in life; at worst, time has run out, as we face mortality in the last life stage. To attain the stage of Generativity and Integrity successfully, we need to be giving and receiving many “thanks” instead.

Interestingly, there is a difference between hoarding and cluttering and collecting. According to Dr. Monika White, President and CEO for Healthy Living, clutter has a disorganized environment. Collections are usually interesting, inherited or things that have order and value.

On the other hand, hoarders usually collect large quantities of the same item, of no evident value, or too much of an item that eventually gets ruined, such as 100 rolls of wet toilet paper or written materials (newspapers, magazines). Hoarders also often express the “my neighbor is trying to poison me” syndrome. The individual is usually single, delusional, paranoid, isolated, suspicious and litigious. Many also suffer from some kind of impairment such as hearing or vision loss. They face eviction by being a nuisance, making false complaints of fumes or radio static, or mistaking entries and theft; yet, there is rarely evidence to warrant official action.

The prevalence of hoarding is unknown because it is a very BIG secret. Doctors, lawyers, anyone can be a hoarder. Between 18 to 42 percent of hoarders are diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive behavior. Twenty percent have dementia, mostly female and single.

White says that hoarding and obsessive-compulsive behavior are partly genetic and partly learned. Hoarders tend to mimic the lifestyle their parents with obsessive-compulsive disorder, have some degree of dementia, past experiences of deprivation, sentimental attachment to items, or a strong need to keep in control. The individual is unable to move on, perpetually living in the past. Hoarders are usually more competent than not, often extremely intelligent and witty.

It’s important that hoarders are protected against discrimination and violation of their rights to self-determination. In order for agencies such as the Adult Protective Services (APS) to intervene, a written psychiatric evaluation that supports a protective order and a judge’s decision must occur first. Further, social workers and other health and welfare professionals must determine that the least restrictive alternatives have been tried, and the individual lacks capacity to the point of endangering him/herself or others because of the hoarding behavior.

If you know someone who struggles with hoarding, document all your concerns, observations and complaints. Keep note of your actions and calls. Establishing a track record is essential from any perspective; legal, social or medical.

Call the following organizations for help:

Hawai‘i Department of Elderly Affairs Division: 768-7700

Honolulu Gerontology Program: 543-8468

Catholic Charities Hawai‘i: 521-4357

Adult Protective Services: 832-5115

Lei Shimizu, MSW, LSW Coordinator Information & Assistance Services, Elderly Affairs Division Department of Community Service City & County of Honolulu

Who are hoarders and clutterers? Television shows like Mission Organization and Hoarders on A&E TV have brought to the forefront this behavior that is often observed but rarely addressed. On a more sobering note, it has opened our eyes to thousands who may find themselves living with fear, isolation, shame and self-neglect.
The Caregiver Foundation: Your First Steps on the Care Giving Journey

The first few steps on a care-giving journey can seem fairly simple but within just a few days the path turns rocky and is full of turns and twists that confuse even the most experienced caregiver or capable family member.

The Caregiver Foundation is a Hawai‘i-based, not-for-profit organization that supports the practical and emotional needs of caregivers and those they love. Its Caregiver Support Groups are complemented by extensive on-line support at www.thecaregiverfoundation.com. The support groups meet once a month at various locations, where caregivers learn about issues from experienced professionals. More importantly, the groups provide caregivers an opportunity to share their experiences, frustrations and successes. The popular four-session Caregiver Boot Camp is held, free, wherever requested.

The foundation also provides direct services, ranging from professional money management to comprehensive care coordination services. Some services are provided at no cost and others have fees at substantially lower rates than found commercially. Community speakers, family consultations, resource articles, and an on-going information and referral service are just some of the foundation’s services.

Along the way of care giving, you might discover that love is not enough. What do you do when taking care of loved one at home doesn’t work?

Telling Mom she was moving to a nursing home was the hardest thing I have ever done …

Moving your loved one to a nursing home is difficult. He or she may feel abandoned, unloved, rejected. There may be angry accusations and emotional pleas. You may even feel guilty for making the decision.

But GUILT is an emotion that results from having done something wrong and identifies actions that should be changed. It is often misused in care giving. If we took Mom to the side of the forest and left her there, then we would have done something wrong, and could feel appropriately guilty.

Choosing a nursing home is not deciding to give up caring for your loved one. It is recognizing your own limitations and understanding that sometimes the best care is not always your care. And the best place of care may not be in your home.

Choosing to move someone to a home has to be done after taking into account the broader situation. Remember—there are no right choices— every decision you make is wrong for somebody. So caregivers often deal with feelings of regret, anger, failure, disappointment and grieving. These emotions require that you have patience with yourself. Try to understand your loved one’s feelings, and have a clear understanding of how the facility operates.

The Caregiver Foundation of America—Hawai‘i Chapter helps caregivers, and those they love, with practical and emotional assistance. Visit www.thecaregiverfoundation.com or call (808) 625-3782.

The first few steps on a care-giving journey can seem fairly simple but within just a few days the path turns rocky and is full of turns and twists that confuse even the most experienced caregiver or capable family member.
Tools to Help Your Decide When to Retire
These days, everyone is taking a new look at their finances—and no one is looking more closely than the millions of baby boomers who are nearing retirement age. While some boomers expected to retire at one of the traditional milestones, such as age 62, the current economy is forcing many of them to re-evaluate their plans. Many are wondering if they should work longer, or how their Social Security benefit—or their spouse’s benefit—would be affected if they continued working.

To help them find answers, Social Security has published a fact sheet called When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits. You can read it online at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html.

As most workers know, your choice of a retirement age—from 62 to 70—can dramatically affect your monthly Social Security benefit amount.

If you choose to start receiving benefits early, the monthly payments will be reduced based on the number of months you receive benefits before you reach your full retirement age. The rate of reduction will depend on the year you were born. The maximum reduction at age 62 will be:

25 percent for people born between 1943 and 1954

30 percent for people born after 1959

If you wait until your full retirement age, your benefits will not be reduced. And, if you should choose to delay retirement, your benefit will increase up to 8% a year from your full retirement age until age 70. However, there is no additional benefit increase after you reach age 70, even if you continue to delay taking benefits.

Social Security also has created several retirement planners to help you make an informed decision. Social Security has an online calculator that provides immediate retirement benefit estimates. The online Retirement Estimator uses information from your own earnings record, and lets you create “what if” scenarios. You can, for example, change your “stop work” date or expected future earnings to create and compare different retirement options.

*To use the Retirement Estimator, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. *Read When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html.

*And for general information about Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

Retirement decisions are unique to everyone. Make sure you are up to date with the important information you will need to make the choice that’s right for you.
These days, everyone is taking a new look at their finances—and no one is looking more closely than the millions of baby boomers who are nearing retirement age. While some boomers expected to retire at one of the traditional milestones, such as age 62, the current economy is forcing many of them to re-evaluate their…
Work After Work: Our new age of life and the moral necessity for “returnment”

Returnment – n. 1) The act of giving back, or returning in some small way, what the world has given you. 2) Especially as an alternative to retirement.

At the turn of the 20th century, the average life expectancy was only 47. Today, it is rapidly approaching 80. Our fastest growing age group is folks over the age of 85, with someone in this country turning 50 every eight seconds. More importantly, older adults are healthier than previous generations and this has created an unprecedented average lifespan. An average 60-year-old person today is closer to a 40 or 50 years old health-wise when compared to a 60-year-old 20 or 30 years ago.

Our old model of retirement suggested that people work until the ages of 60 to 65, and then a person felt fortunate if there were a few years of leisure before their physical health deteriorated and/or death ensued. Today, that is all changing. Many older adults have to work, or want to work, in their later years.

Our seniors have already expressing that they will not approach retirement in a traditional fashion. For example, many boomers are already having great difficulty relating to the terms senior, elderly, old and mature. Most of them will also resist the term “retirement.”

As one recent retired teacher said, “I have retired from teaching, but I am not retired. I tell you I am going to find another word that is different from the word retirement. Retirement lends itself for people to say, ‘Well, he is tired, that’s the end of it.’ There has to be another word other than retirement.”

I believe there is a great spiritual need and moral necessity for redefining “retirement” with “returnment.” I define “returnment” as “the act of giving back, or returning in some small way, what the world has given to you.” Other words could be used such as stewardship, trusteeship or even aloha. I like this new word because it captures not only our new age of life, but also the psychological and spiritual needs of this time of life as well.

The pursuit of the traditional retirement life of primarily leisure and consumption will lead to not only a tremendous loss of talent, experience and resources, but intensified inter-generational economic and resource conflicts, and ultimately for most individuals, regret and despair. It is not enough to honor our kūpuna, we need to engage them as a renewable resource.

To live the rest of our lives uninvolved and unengaged will be unrewarding and unacceptable. If you are not engaged in your later years, you are just dying longer not living longer.

President Obama has called for a new commitment to volunteerism by all age groups. We need to challenge the 80 million strong boomers to step up, get involved and set the example. This growing age group will have more time than any other age group and they have energy and experience that we need and can use.

The good news is that surveys indicate that up to 80% of all boomers expect to work or volunteer part time in their later years, and 70% said that they would work even if they had enough money to live comfortably, according to a survey by the Rutgers Community Center for Workforce Development. The care giving professions of teaching, childcare, nursing and human services are in great need of replenishment and expansion.

With “living with purpose” being one of the primary drivers of people over age 50, community service through non-profit organizations (NPOs) is a real win/win opportunity. We cannot afford for boomers in their aging lives to be perceived as socially useless and only living a life of consumerism. There is a great need, opportunity and moral necessity for tapping into their wisdom, experience, wealth, finances and time.

Just imagine if only a portion of the people here in Hawai‘i retiring each year now were to pursue a life of “returnment.” What problems could be addressed? How many children’s lives would be different? What new kind of energy would be created? What level of hope?

“This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jay C. Bloom, President of Bloom Anew 808-753-4331 | www.BloomAnew.com

At the turn of the 20th century, the average life expectancy was only 47. Today, it is rapidly approaching 80. Our fastest growing age group is folks over the age of 85, with someone in this country turning 50 every eight seconds. More importantly, older adults are healthier than previous generations and this has created…
Come Zumba with Us!

The greatest party has arrived here in Hawai‘i. The Zumba® Fitness craze is exploding in popularity across the Islands. The Zumba program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms with easy-to-follow moves for all ages, shapes and sizes. This one-of-a-kind fitness program aims to get you hooked and make you want to workout.

Zumba fanatics achieve long-term benefits from this one-hour, calorie-burning, body-energizing workout and conditioning.

The routines feature interval training sessions, with movements designed to engage your body and mind. Fast and slow rhythms are combined with resistance training to burn fat and tone and sculpt your body. Add some Latin flavor and international zest into the mix and you’ve got a Zumba class!

In only a few short years, Zumba has spread like wildfire, positioning itself as the single most influential movement in the fitness industry.

Debbie Azama-Park and Genie Brown are just two of the approximately 300 instructors in Hawai‘i. You can find Zumba classes just about anywhere, including most fitness clubs.

As a long time fitness member, Debbie continues to exercise in her adult life. She has practiced yoga for 18 years, yet she wanted to add a cardio portion to her physical regimen. Then Zumba came into her life. “The music is key to working out with Zumba,” she says. “You cannot sit still when the music is going. The Cumbia music is my favorite of the Latin rhythms.”

Debbie knows that trying something new is always a little challenging, but she always says to never give up. She encourages, “If you love music, it will get easier and the music will keep you going.”

Genie Brown from Mililani has been teaching since early 2009. As a long-time fitness instructor, she confesses that she did not care for Zumba at first. She was not a dancer and sometimes she felt a little awkward. “Shaking around at an older age was not easy at first,” she says, “but I wanted to teach Zumba because I felt that teaching a fun class would be more inspiring. Participants just let loose and put their own attitude into their moves.”

Genie’s students benefit from class in a variety ways. For example, student Stephanie of Mililani lost 6 pounds in only a couple of months, and Jan found out that her blood pressure went down. Phil of Wahiawaˉ lost eight pounds, but the bigger benefit is that he can now fit into his pants again.

According to Genie, everyone should walk a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. In a normal 45-minute Zumba class, students take more than 5,000 steps. This is half of the daily recommended steps in just 45 minutes. Zumba also helps with flexibility, strength and back pain … not to mention it almost guarantees a good night’s sleep!

So if you want to enjoy a longer, healthier life, call Debbie Azama-Park at 625-1040 or Genie Brown at 531-3558 for a class. Active aging is here to stay and so are the Zumba parties.

The greatest party has arrived here in Hawai‘i. The Zumba® Fitness craze is exploding in popularity across the Islands. The Zumba program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms with easy-to-follow moves for all ages, shapes and sizes. This one-of-a-kind fitness program aims to get you hooked and make you want to workout.