When it comes to long-term care, Hawai'i is at critical mass. Ours is the only state in the nation whose long-term facilities — from skilled nursing to elderly residential care homes — run between 90 to 95 percent full, according to AARP Hawai'i. The state is booked solid, and with an aging population, that's a recipe for disaster. Because of this alarming deficiency, more families are left with no choice but to care for elderly parents in their homes.

This is a full-time job that can be emotionally and financially draining for families. The state must do all it can to provide them with the resources they need. The state Legislature formed a joint committee last year to come up with a series of recommendations to do just that.

But there is also another growing segment of caregivers: grandparents raising their grandchildren.

And while they may perform all the duties of caregivers — providing food, shelter, clothing and emotional and financial support — they have yet to be given the same resources that other family caregivers are entitled to from the state.

Many attribute this to Hawai'i's long cultural practice of hanai. Though steeped in tradition, the practice is not a legal adoption. "Grandparents have always taken in grandkids. They don't want to adopt or become the kids' foster parents because that would mean admitting that their children aren't fit parents," said Jacqueline Chong, chairwoman of Na Tutu, an advocacy group for grandparents.

But with the state's rising cost of living, these grandparents are in more need of assistance than ever before. Approximately 26 percent of grandparents in Hawai'i are raising grandchildren, according to the U.S. Census.

Of the 14,029 grandparents in the state who report that they are responsible for their grandchildren, more than one-fifth say that the children's parents are not present in the household. Sadly, many of these cases involve drug-addicted parents.

Most of these grandparents are on fixed incomes, and about 13.4 percent of them live in poverty. These are mostly retired people who are not far from needing caregivers of their own, and they deserve the same state resources afforded to other care providers.

Two bills, HB 825 and SB 1916, serve as a family caregiving omnibus package. Thanks to Na Tutu, the bill includes a request to expand the definition of "caregiver" to grandparents raising grandchildren. The bills also seek to strengthen support of family caregivers by extending the joint legislative committee on family caregiving, and appropriating funds to expand services for care recipients and caregivers.

If passed, this could mean an extra $500 a month for grandparents that can go toward school supplies, clothing and food for their grandchildren. This amount can make a significant impact on these families.

It could also give them access to a variety of services, such as counseling, job placement and transportation.

Whether it's caring for parents, a spouse, extended family or grandchildren, we will all be a caregiver or care recipient at some point in our lives. If we don't invest in support now, we will all pay the price when that time comes.