A Sweet Life

Many claim they are leaving a legacy, yet Henry Kapono Ka‘aihue lives his every day, instilling pure aloha into everything he does. In his alleged “Golden Years,” when most are retired or slowing down, this remarkable music man has no intention of doing any of that any time soon.

Keep Good Health Insurance

During my 12-plus years in the Medicare health insurance field, I have talked to many people aging into Medicare. In our discussions, I am consistently told that they never get sick and take few drugs, so they are just looking for the cheapest plan. I am always surprised, because I have noticed that health problems tend to manifest as seniors move into their 60s, 70s and beyond.

Prevent Identify Theft

Protect your identity and help prevent healthcare fraud by guarding your Medicare card like you would a credit card. Scammers are expanding their targets, especially kūpuna, and they can be very convincing. A fraudster recently contacted a Honolulu resident, stating the resident’s name and date of birth. The con artist then offered to replace the resident’s Medicare card if he would share his Social Security Number. Luckily, the resident did not cooperate with this scammer.

Manual vs. Electric Toothbrushes

A healthy smile requires everyone to commit to three simple actions: Brush twice a day, floss daily and see your dentist twice a year. You may have also considered new technology to make your oral hygiene routine a little easier and more efficient. So, which is better, manual or electric?

Self-Renewal Tips for Caregivers

Caregivers are some of the most selfless people you will find, constantly putting the needs of others before their own. In Hawai‘i, over 65,000 people are family  caregivers for almost 30,000 loved ones living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. In my seven years of experience working with family caregivers, I’ve seen caregivers who make many sacrifices, sometimes neglecting their own health and often postponing vacations for years. If this is you, it’s time to focus on self-renewal.

Benefit of Live Music in Nursing Homes

Much more than just a time-filler, live music holds therapeutic benefits for nursing home residents. According to a 2016 study, live music has been shown to reduce cortisol levels in the body, allowing for a stronger immune system, reduction in depression, better memory and many other benefits. It’s no wonder that nursing homes schedule in a healthy dose of live music!

McDating: Romance Under Golden Arches

Turns out, you just might find more than two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun at your local McDonald’s. Venetia Angel, 63, routinely visited her local McDonald’s in Pukalani on Maui. One evening, she approached a group of senior ladies who were playing cards. She noticed them there often. That evening, she asked what they were playing. Although she did not know the game called “books and straights,” they insisted she join them the next night.

A Perfect Match Forged in Honesty

Rose Singarella and Mladen Karcic, both 53 when they met through an online dating site, did not wade in the shallows during their initial conversations, but plunged right into the deep end. Mladen’s mother was seriously ill; Rose was still recovering from the loss of her fiance. She had promised him that she would look for love again. So with pain still fresh from her own loss, Rose sought to help Mladen grapple with his mother’s illness and eventual death. It just doesn’t get any deeper than that.

Spreading Happiness One Chocolate at a Time

Valley Isle Chocolates, a small family business on Maui, is beginning the New Year with a new kitchen space, new equipment, new packaging and new ideas for the future. Now, they are very busy making chocolates, developing recipes and selling their wares at many farmers markets and local brick-and-mortar stores. At the end of last year, Susan Schwartzkopf “and sons” moved production from their certified home kitchen to a commercial kitchen space in Kahului.

How to Downsize the Right Way

Downsizing sounds like a great idea… until  you begin to wrap your head around the massive task of moving. The thought of leaving a longtime home, with all of its associations — the height chart on the laundry room doorframe, the grave of a beloved pet — can be heart-wrenching. Add to that the cost of moving and the burden of offloading half (or more) of your possessions, and the project can quickly overwhelm even the most capable older adult.

January – February 2023

January – February 2023

The January-February 2023 issue of GENERATIONS MAGAZINE features Hawaii music legend and icon Henry Kapono and how, at nearly 75, this remarkable musician keeps his career and family rolling happily forward. We’ll give you the breakdown on this month’s increase in Social Security benefits. Editor Debra Lordan takes a look a love, chocolates and senior romances in three articles. And everyone’s favorite radio personality and artist extraordinaire Frank B. Shaner has some off-beat thoughts on growing older.