For the 44th consecutive year, the Mayor and the Honolulu Committee on Aging will be honoring outstanding senior volunteers. The event will be held Thursday, April 08, 2010 at the Hawaii Convention Center from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Admission is FREE and the public is invited to share in this celebration.

The Hawai‘i County Office of Aging was honored Tuesday, February 23, 2010 with the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Exemplary Partnership Award at the 2010 Grantee National Meeting “Changing Systems Changing Lives” in Alexandria, VA.

The award was given to Hawaii'i County for establishing diverse partnerships with local service provider organizations to create their Aging and Disability Resource Center. Click here to read more.

The Federal Government will be conducting a nationwide census that will affect all residents living in the United States. It's important to get counted! The information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like schools, highways, senior centers, hospitals and emergency services.

In March, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States and Puerto Rico. When you receive yours, just answer the 10 short questions and then mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided.   If you don't mail the form back, you may receive a visit from a census taker, who will ask you the questions from the form.  Federal law protects your identity and the information you give. Click here to learn more.

Windward Community College is offering two 1 week, 40 hour, Personal Care Aide (PCA) courses in February and March.  The focus of the program is to provide students with the necessary bedside skills, technical knowledge and specific training experience to secure entry-level employment as a PCA.   Students must attend every hour of each of the 5 days in order to successfully complete the class and earn a certificate.

The next PCA classes will be held on:

• Wednesday, February 17, 2010 through Sunday, February 21, 2010 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
• Wednesday, March 3, 2010 through Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

The class is free of charge to qualified students. Seats are first come-first served based on who completes the entire application process first. Visit the Windward Community College website for information on how to apply and qualify for tuition assistance.  
 

The Weatherization Assistance Program -- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (WAP-ARRA) -- helps low income individuals and families reduce energy consumption and utility costs through free energy saving devices, including solar water heater systems, and energy conservation education.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis through August 2010.

Contact the Honolulu Community Action Program for eligibility and application information.

The Aging and Disability Resource Center website was featured on the KHON2 Elderhood Project with Kirk Matthews.

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Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational program designed to help family caregivers reduce the negative effects of caregiving (e.g., guilt, anger, depression) and improve caregiver self-care and communication skills. The workshop consists of six class sessions held once a week for 2 and a half hours.

Contact the Elderly Affairs Division at 768-7700 for more information.

Kapiolani Community College’s Kupuna Education Center is offering a new non-credit course entitled, “Encore Career Change and Life Transition for Boomers”. This course is for baby boomers looking to make a life transition change by re-careering, semi-retirement or volunteer work.

The 4-session course starts Monday Jan. 25 and runs through Feb. 22 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in Kōpiko 128. Cost is $40.00. To register, please call 734-9211. For questions please call 734-9108. 

For more information about this class and other caregiver workshops, visit www.kupunaeducation.com

Caring for Hawaii's Elders, a honoluluadvertiser.com blog, featured the Eldery Affairs Division and new ADRC Hawaii website on November 6 and 9, 2009. Click here to read more. 

 Read President Obama's Proclamation

On October 14, 2009, the City & County of Honolulu implemented a new application system for determining eligibility for TheHandi-Van, the City’s paratransit service for people with disabilities who are unable to independently use TheBus.

• Checklist to Help Prepare for Hurricanes, Tropical Storms Or Any Major Disaster
• Tsunami Preparedness 2009

Starting July 1, 2009, the Department of Human Services (DHS) Adult Protective Services program will accept reports on abuse that cover: 1) caregiver neglect; 2) financial exploitation; 3) physical abuse; 4) psychological abuse; 5) self-neglect; and/or 6) sexual abuse. 

The new law focuses on "vulnerable" adults  instead of "dependent" adults. A vulnerable adult is defined as anyone 18 years or older with a mental, developmental or physical impairment who is also unable to: 1) communicate or make responsible decisions to manage his or her own care or resources; 2) carry out or arrange for essential activities of daily living; or 3) protect oneself from abuse.
 

Click on the links below to learn more:

• Highlights of Hawaii's New Adult Protective Services (APS) Law Effective July 1 2009 - Act 154
• Brochure: Vulnerable Adult Abuse & Neglect in Hawaii (DHS 1610 7/09)
• Adult Protective Services Mandated Reporter Guidelines

August 6, 2009 - Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced the winners of the 2009 Honolulu Forever Young awards, honoring individuals 65 or older who exemplify “successful living.” See this press release for more information.
 

April 25, 2009 - The State Executive Office on Aging and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Hawai’i, in collaboration with the City and County of Honolulu’s Elderly Affairs Division, sponsored “PROTECT, DETECT, REPORT,” an anti-fraud conference held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.  The conference provided tips on how to PROTECT elders from fraud; information about how to DETECT different types of fraud; and advice on how and to whom to REPORT fraud.  For more information, download the Hawaii's Fraud Prevention & Resource Guide. The 134-page guide provides information about different types of fraud and how you can protect yourself.

April 22, 2009 - See this press release from Department of Health announcing a new resource for mental health.

April 2, 2009 - Mayor Mufi Hannemann congratulated 79 senior honorees at the 43rd Annual Mayor’s Senior Recognition Program. The 2009 Outstanding Male and Female Volunteers were Charles Clark and Michiko Motooka. Also recognized were four Akamai Living Award winners: Lawrence Morisako, Victorio Macatumbas, Serafina Gangemi Smith, and Antonio Garcia. These seniors represent the many who generously help others cope with life’s difficulties or assist organizations that deliver health care, recreational or social services. See this press release for additional information.

March 19, 2009 - The State’s Executive Office on Aging (EOA) has received a total of $485,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 for senior nutrition services. See the EOA News Release for more details.