October 2 meeting: CANCELLED!!!

The Joint Legislative Ciommittee on Aging in Place/Kupuna Caucus meeting scheduled for Friday, October 2 at 2pm has been cancelled.

The Co-Chairs apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The next meeting will be on Friday, November 6, 2009. A notice will be forthcoming.

September 28 Meeting: The ACLU - 89 and Still Defending Civil Rights: Activism at Any Age

Click here to listen.

Laurie Temple, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Hawaii, is a 2004 Loyola Law School graduate and, prior to joining the ACLU, worked at the California Women’s Law Center and the Western Law Center for Disability Rights.

Notes

ACLU-89 and Still Defending Civil Rights: Activism at Any Age.

Laurie Temple, Staff Attorney

The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in1920. Locally a staff of 5 and volunteers are working to defend the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the bill of rights and to extend them to those that have traditionally been denied.

During the 2009 legislative session, besides monitoring hundreds of bills, ACLU testified in writing or in person on over 85 bills and resolutions. Four bills were enacted into law and 3 resolutions were adopted. The bills passed (SB777) requires any state-funded sex education program to provide medically accurate sexuality education, (SB539) ensures that the Dept. of Public Safety focuses on reentry and reintegration support and services. (SB1058) establishes a taskforce to examine current medical marijuana medical laws and make recommendations for improvement. (HB358) allows for the development of an alternative program to incarceration for persons with drug addictions.

Legislative priorities for 2010: Supporting Civil Unions, Eliminating Mandatory Minimum Sentences, Emergency Contraceptives dispensed in Emergency Rooms and Voting for Incarcerated Individuals.

For more information visit their website at www.acluhawaii.org or call 522-5906.

Kupuna Caucus & Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place meeting - October 2

The Kupuna Caucus and the Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place will meet at 2:00pm on Friday, October 2, 2009 in state capitol conference room 329 to receive reports and updates on:٠Hawaii Long Term Care Reform Task Force, ٠Kupuna Care and Preservation of the Safety Net, ٠Health Aging Partnerships, ٠Aging Disability Resource Center, ٠Senior Centers, ٠Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, ٠Website Posting of Care Settings, ٠Home for Life Task Force, ٠Paid Family Leave, ٠Funeral Trusts, ٠Long Term Care Commission, ٠Center on Aging at the University of Hawaii, ٠Leahi Hospital, ٠Certified Nurses Aide Continuing Education, ٠Home Care Agency Licensing, ٠Adequate Medicaid Reimbursements, ٠St. Francis Staying Healthy at Home, ٠Quest Expanded, ٠Fall Prevention, ٠Federal Health Care Reform, ٠Integrating Care Homes in the Community, ٠Implementation of Adult Protective Services (Vulnerable Adults) Law,٠KCC Caregiver Training Program, and ٠2010 legislation. The public is welcome.

Persons who wish to submit testimony or who have questions are asked to contact Senator Les Ihara's office at 586-6250. A copy of the JLCAIP notice can be found at:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/hearingnotices/HEARING_JLCAIP_10-02-09_INFO_.HTM

September is Senior Fall Prevention Awareness Month!

The Hawaii State Department of Health's Injury Prevention Program and the Hawaii Fall Prevention Consortium, in collaboration with Longs Drugs, The Hawaii Optometric Association, and KTA Superstores, is sponsoring Senior Fall Prevention Awareness Month during September.

"On average, every five hours in Hawaii, a senior suffers a fall injury so serious he or she must be hospitalized," said Director of Health Chiyome Fukuno, M.D. "Fall prevention is a major concern for the safety and well-being of our kupuna, the fastest growing segment of our population." Fall incidents increase dramaticaly in the years after age 65, and those who have fallen once are much more likely to fall again. Every year in Hawaii, on average, 65 seniors die, 1560 are hospitalized, and 4195 are treated in emergency departments due to falls, resulting in almost $43 million in hospital and physician charges. Adding the cost of rehabilitation and nursing care can double that amount.

Senior Fall Prevention Awareness Month activities in September will include:

*September 18 - the Big Island's KTA Puainako store pharmacists will conduct senior medication reviews with the assistance of UH Hilo School of Pharmacy students

*September 22-27 - by appointment only, in-store pharmacists at all Longs Drugs statewide will conduct free medication reviews for seniors to check for medicines that could cause or contibute to a fall

*September 25-27 - free physical screening of seniors to assess their risk for falling will be given by volunteer physical therapists from Straub, Rehab Hospital, and FIT Therapy during the Seniors' Fair and Good Life Expo at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall

Senior fall prevention tips include participating in tai chi or exercising regularly to increase balance and flexibility, having a doctor or pharmacist review your medications yearly, having eyes checked annually, and making the home safer by removing fall hazards and improving lighting.

For more information about fall prevention for seniors, call the Department of Health Injury Prevention program at 733-9202.

Health Care Reform Briefing - Friday, September 18

There will be a joint Keiki and Kupuna Caucus meeting at the State Capitol Auditorium on Friday, September 18 from 9:30am to 11:30am. AARP's Senior Legislative Representative for Congressional Relations, Greg Wang, will provide a status update on key health care reform legislation currently before Congress.

The public is welcome.

September 28 Program: The ACLU - 89 and Still Defending Civil Rights: Activism at Any Age

MONDAY, September 28, 2009

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Miyama Main Hall, Harris United Methodist Church
Nuuanu Ave. and South Vineyard Blvd.

Ample parking - driveway off Nuuanu Ave.

AGENDA:

11:30 Luncheon:, Salad, Drinks, Dessert by Eloise $5.00 Donation

11:45 Welcome: Introductions and Remarks, Larry Geller, President

12:00 Program: Laurie Temple, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Hawaii: “The ACLU - 89 and Still Defending Civil Rights: Activism at Any Age.” Temple is a 2004 Loyola Law School graduate and, prior to joining the ACLU, worked at the California Women’s Law Center and the Western Law Center for Disability Rights.
Questions and Answers

12:50 Announcements

1:00 Adjourn