About 200,000 seniors live in Hawaii, a relatively small number but in a state with a small population, it represents nearly 15% of the entire state, and that is a significant number. Also significant is the fact that there are 25% more seniors now than there were in 2000.
This means that the state has to come up with a way to take care of this growing sector, making sure seniors live full, rich and most importantly, healthy lives. The Executive Office on Aging “is the designated lead agency in the coordination of a statewide system of aging and caregiver support services in the State of Hawaii.”
It offers programs and services, including:
-- Elderly Recreation Services: Offering sports, recreation and leisure activities for seniors.
-- Hawaii’s Fraud Prevention & Resource Guide: Helping seniors protect themselves from fraud.
-- Healthy Aging Partnership: Offering health promotion and disease prevention programs to improve the overall health of seniors in Hawaii.
-- In-Home and Community Based Services: Keeping people independent in their own homes. Services include adult day care, home delivered meals, congregate meals, chore assistance and personal care.
-- Family Caregiver Support Services: Assistance and support for family members caring for a senior.
-- Long-Term Care Ombudsman: Information, outreach and advocacy for residents of long-term care facilities.
-- Nutrition Program: Nutrition information to help seniors eat better, as well as providing actual meals.
-- Retired & Senior Volunteer Program: Volunteer opportunities for seniors who still want to serve the community.
-- Sage PLUS Program: Health insurance information, education, counseling and referrals for Medicare recipients.
-- Senior Medicare Patrol Hawaii: Preventing and rooting out Medicare fraud.
-- Senior Training and Employment Program: Training and job placement for low-income seniors.
-- Transportation: Helping seniors get to medical appointments and taking them on such outings such as shopping.
In a place like Hawaii where the weather is beautiful all year round, it makes sense that seniors would want to get out of the house and be active. The medical alert industry has recognized this and has developed an alert system that is mobile.
The mobile unit is about the size of a deck of cards, but packed inside the small device is GPS and cellular technology. If trouble arises, you would be able to call and talk with the monitoring center directly through the unit. If help is needed, the monitor would be able to pinpoint your location and send assistance right to you.
When you are home, the mobile device sits in a recharger that acts as a base unit.
If you are not an active senior, then you should consider getting a traditional medical alert system for your home. It can offer you the peace of mind the help is just the press of a button away.
To compare the offerings from more than a dozen top companies, click here.
Hawaii has an Area Agency on Aging office to serve each of its five counties, except for Kalawao, which is served by the state’s Executive Office on Aging.
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