ELDER CARE

LEADERSHIP WITH VISION, COMPASSION NEEDED

Missing from Gov. Linda Lingle's State of the State speech last week was any mention of healthcare and long-term-care support services for Hawai'i's elderly. In tough economic times like these, the needs of Hawai'i's poorest, oldest, and most vulnerable citizens are greatest.

Now more than ever the public sector should support programs like Kupuna Care. This is the state-sponsored program that provides home-delivered meals, adult day care and personal care for older adults who cannot live at home without assistance. Times are hard, but that is precisely why Hawai'i should be helping the elderly with activities of daily living such as eating, dressing, bathing and toileting. Only then may we age with dignity in our homes and communities.

We need compassionate leadership with the vision to plan and prepare Hawai'i for the growing needs of our rapidly aging population. We need a clear plan for the time fast approaching when one out of four people in our state will be age 65 and older. Today, Hawai'i's unpaid family caregivers are quietly carrying a tremendous burden of responsibility. The state should recognize their contributions to our community and support them with thoughtfully coordinated programs.

LONG-TERM-CARE PANEL CAN GUIDE LAWMAKING

Thank you for publishing Rob Perez's timely article on the problems of families facing long-term-care issues. As someone who is 66, I, and almost every one of my friends, has experienced these issues. Almost everyone does. Even children whose parents are "lucky" enough to have no assets or income and can qualify for Medicaid find they must supervise every aspect of their parents' care. Even then, the red tape is daunting.

The rest of us make do, trying to make sense of the patchwork of available services. Some of us are long-distance caregivers who must fly from Honolulu to Hilo, or even to the Mainland to help aging family members. Not easy when you're trying to hold down a full-time job.

There are solutions to this problem that can make things easier for everyone. We know that people want to age in their own homes and do better when they do. Government needs to shift the balance of Medicaid payments away from expensive nursing homes and more toward community and home-based services.

We need the Legislature and the governor to recognize the seriousness of this problem and do something about it. Funding the work of the long-term-care commission is essential. People are willing to do their share, but we need the public sector to show leadership and vision on this serious issue.

ECONOMIC WOES

HOPE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS WILL STICK AROUND

It is disturbing to read about the plight of several respected Mainland newspapers. They are suffering layoffs, mergers, reduced printing days, or complete shutdowns. Even the two local newspapers are now eliminating certain features and announcing layoffs.

I recognize the economics that dictate their problems. With the advent of the Internet, advertisers now have to split their money over more venues.

But I remain a newspaper devotee. I am not a news junkie, but I do want to be aware of what is happening in the world.

I get the headlines, weather, and traffic from the radio in the morning and I watch the TV news at 6. But I most enjoy sitting down and reading the newspaper.

Radio and TV news provide a service, but once spoken, their words are gone. And time constraints prevent them from providing much in-depth analysis. But the printed word remains on the paper.

I can stop reading if I want and return to where I left off. I can re-read something that is especially interesting, and I can save something for future reference.

I know that various news sources are available on the Internet, but I don't enjoy reading one screen at a time, and it is not as comfortable as my favorite chair.

I fear the worst, but I hope that the two local newspapers can ride out the current economic situation and be around for a long time.

RAIL MONEY

WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO CONSIDER USE OF FUNDS

At a time when state leaders are searching for solutions to overcome the $1.8 billion revenue shortfall projected by the Council on Revenues earlier this month, we cannot afford to dismiss any potential solutions, regardless of how unpopular they might be.

Given the nature of the challenge we face, it is disappointing The Advertiser came out so quickly against a preliminary idea to explore the temporary use of the general excise tax surcharge for rail to help balance the state budget.

The idea — just one of many that were raised during collaborative budget discussions between the administration and legislative leaders — would transfer the surcharge collected during the next fiscal year, approximately $165 million, to the state's general fund. To ensure sufficient funds are raised for the O'ahu rail project, the surcharge, which is authorized to be collected over 15 years, would be extended for an additional year.

The use of rail funds is possible at this time because enough funds have already been collected to continue the current planning and design phases of the project.

The one-year extension of the surcharge would allow for the replenishing of the fund for rail purposes at a point in the development of the project when it is needed.

The decisions our leaders must make will be tough and in some cases unpopular. But, they are decisions that need to be made. We must be willing to rationally discuss advantages and impacts of all ideas under consideration, and resist the urge to dismiss ideas without first listening to and understanding the reasons these options are being considered.

CIVIL UNIONS

LET'S ENSURE ALL HAWAI'I 'OHANA TREATED EQUALLY

Bravo to the Hawai'i Legislature for addressing a basic question of equality this session. Especially at this time, when the global economy is so seriously impacting all families, legislating equality is an essential part of a common safety net that helps everyone.

It has been more than 10 years since this important area of public policy has been addressed. Meanwhile, the world has forever changed, from 9/11 to the "new economy." Are you afraid of equality, now?

Remember, we're talking about a family's access to healthcare and nearly all forms of insurance. It is about protection in tax-filing status, parenting rights and access to a range of public assistance.

It is about ensuring that our visitor industry is being globally competitive. It is about families securing their joint assets, and buying, selling or renting their home. We're talking about some of the most important and common economic activities that we all do or rely on to raise our families.

Civil unions is a policy that President Obama is specifically asking Americans to embrace. The White House Web site affirms his commitment to civil unions. In this new year and this new era, let's ensure all families in Hawai'i are treated equally.