LIHU‘E — To address the needs of Kaua‘i’s growing senior population, the Agency on Elderly Affairs is in the process of collecting data that will be incorporated into its Four-Year Area Plan on Aging for October 2011 to September 2015,
LIHU‘E — To address the needs of Kaua‘i’s growing senior population, the Agency on Elderly Affairs is in the process of collecting data that will be incorporated into its Four-Year Area Plan on Aging for October 2011 to September 2015, a county news release says.
Currently, there are an estimated 14,150 seniors living on Kaua‘i, and by 2015, roughly 31 percent of the island’s population or 19,800 will be 60 years or older.
“Every four years, our Elderly Affairs staff creates a plan focusing on the needs of the kupuna in our community,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. “It’s important that this is done so we can prepare for the growing needs of this segment of our population.”
There are several components to the needs assessment being conducted by AEA including: focus groups; a public hearing; and a listening summit.
“If anyone is interested in providing input on our area plan, we encourage them to contact us via e-mail or by telephone,” said Kealoha Takahashi, head of the Office on Elderly Affairs.
In May, the Agency held a listening summit in which various stakeholder groups were invited to attend and provide their perspective including: seniors; baby boomers; caregivers; and agency representatives.
The attendees were divided into groups and the following topics were discussed: challenges facing seniors and persons with disabilities; unmet needs; possible solutions and opportunities; the role of government; and gaps in services.
Among the comments shared at the listening summit were:
— Develop a public awareness campaign on services available for seniors by utilizing public access TV and radio stations.
— Empower families and seniors to focus on self-responsibility.
— More emphasis needed on planning for long-term care.
— Need more mental health case management services on Kaua‘i.
— Offer a broader range of activities at senior centers, such as computer classes.
— Older adults need retirement redirection to share their talents.
— Provide tax incentives for families to care for their elders, e.g. family leave and retrofitting home.
Also at the summit, the Kaua‘i Aging & Disability Resource Center website, www.kauaiadrc.org, was officially launched.
The new website is designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for information on services available on Kaua‘i for older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.
A public hearing on Kaua‘i’s Four-Year Area Plan on Aging will be held early next year. After revisions are made, it will be presented to the County Council and the mayor for their review and approval.
The county’s final draft will then be submitted to the state Executive Office on Aging and incorporated into a statewide plan.
For more information or to provide input on the area plan, call the Agency on Elderly Affairs at 241-4470 or e-mail elderlyaffairs@kauai.gov.
