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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, August 20, 2007

COMMENTARY
Collaborative effort needed to help kupuna

By Marian E. Tsuji

TO GIVE

Volunteer drivers or anyone interested in contributing to Lanakila Meals on Wheels can call the organization at 531-0555 or make a donation at any Central Pacific Bank location. You may also make a donation on Lanaikila's Web site, http://lanakilahawaii.org.

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The funding issues surrounding federal, state and county procedures and how they affect Lanakila Meals on Wheels are complex. We need to work collaboratively on an urgently needed solution to protect the health and dignity of our seniors.

We appreciate the Legislature appropriating and the governor signing SB 1916 on June 21, which provides an additional $475,000 in the 2008 fiscal year and $525,000 in fiscal year 2009 for all of the Kupuna Care in-home services throughout the state of Hawai'i.

Based on preliminary estimates, the portion of funding that will be available to Lanakila Meals on Wheels will provide a year's worth of meal service to more than 100 seniors. Receipt of these funds was factored into our fiscal year 2008 budget plan.

To provide this urgently needed service, we seek the governor's support to immediately release these funds to the counties for allocation. The city's Department of Community Services Elderly Affairs Division has been very supportive in expediting the distribution of these funds to providers who support vital elderly services.

That's for the short-term. For the long term, we really need to work together on a solution to continue meal service and other Kupuna Care programs for Hawai'i's senior citizens.

Even with an expedited release of SB 1916 funds and the tremendous community support we have received, Lanakila still faces a funding shortfall of more than $100,000 to continue meal services this year. The significant shortfall is due to rising expenses and decreased funding for fiscal year 2008, which began July 1. This does not include meals for the 308 homebound seniors on our wait list.

Food is a basic need, but it is only one aspect of Kupuna Care services. These services help older adults maintain their independence with dignity, and include assistance in finding appropriate shelter, transportation and healthcare. It prevents premature institutionalization, which saves money for government, taxpayers and families in the long run.

Care home expenses are more than 10 times the cost of Kupuna Care services. Behind every number is a person who could be your friend, neighbor or family member. A typical senior receiving home-delivered meals is in her mid-80s, living alone with an income of $1,000 or less per month. Elderly women are at a greater risk of living in poverty. Almost 1 in 3 women aged 85 or older has an annual income below $10,000 — the poverty threshold in Hawai'i for those 65 and older.

"Sarah" is just one example. She worked hard all her life, but the retirement benefits from her modest art teacher salary are just not enough to cover the costs of living in Hawai'i and the row of medications that line her windowsill. When she was younger she loved to travel, but now Sarah is homebound. Her one-room apartment practically doubles as a museum with the array of paintings, sculptures and other artifacts displayed from her travels. She appreciates the meal, but more important is the volunteer who delivers the meal — her connection to the outside world.

Sarah spent her life giving to the community as a teacher. Now it is our turn to give back.

Lanakila Meals on Wheels is the only island-wide meal delivery program, servicing our neediest homebound seniors in low-income and rural areas on the island. It is a partnership program, with a blend of funding from government (60 percent), private donations and grants (21 percent), Lanakila's social venture, Xpress Chefs Catering (12 percent), and a USDA grant(8 percent).

It will take all segments of the community and government working together to address the challenge Hawai'i faces as the state with the highest longevity rate and fastest growing senior population in the nation. By the year 2020, one in four people in Hawai'i will be 60 or older. This will mean fewer young people to support the growing number of senior citizens. Healthcare costs will continue to rise dramatically as the population ages and life spans increase.

We need to increase awareness of these broader issues and the economic implications. Our community is one that honors our kupuna and recognizes that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. We can't let our kupuna down. Our state's future will be determined by how we choose to deal with this issue.

Marian E. Tsuji is president and CEO of Lanakila Rehabilitation Center Inc.