Aftermath of Storm Flossie

Story and photo by Teresa Lopes.

This morning when I got to work I could hear the swishing of a palm tree against the concrete while walking from the Weinberg parking lot to the building entrance. I looked up ahead of me and saw John Kaauwai with a huge palm frond in his hands sweeping the entrance way. He was as busy as can be, and on a mission to clean up all the leaves and flowers that Tropical Depression Flossie left at the entrance. 

John said he was feeling real good this morning and he picked up the palm and swept the whole entrance way. He told me to find the housekeeper who normally sweeps outside and let her know he did it for her. Tori had come to work at 5:30am and saw all the leaves and flowers that she had to swept up after she finished cleaning the activity center. She was surprised when she went out a little after 7:00am and saw that the area was cleaned! When she saw the pictures that I took, her mystery was solved. Tori was so happy and appreciative of John's help. She said she was going to find John to thank him personally. Mahalo John!

This story illustrates several Eden Alternative Principles:

• Principle 4: An Elder-centered community creates opportunities to give as well as receive care. This is the antidote to helplessness. - John not only provided care for Toni by helping to cleanup after the storm so that she didn't need to, but also for other staff, residents and visitors who use the walkway.
• Principle 5: An Elder-centered community imbues daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating an environment in which unexpected and unpredictable interactions and happenings can take place. This is the antidote to boredom. - John just happened to see the palm frond and thought it would be good to use to sweep aside debris from the storm.
• Principle 6: Meaningless activity corrodes the human spirit. The opportunity to do things that we find meaningful is essential to human health. - John was feeling good this morning and wanted to help out by sweeping the building entrance.
• Principle 8: An Elder-centered community honors its Elders by de-emphasizing top-down bureaucratic authority, seeking instead to place the maximum possible decision-making authority into the hands of Elders or into the hands of those closest to them. - John chose to sweep aside the leaves and flowers himself without having to ask anyone if it was alright.

Professional Baseball Player Visits

Eri Yoshida, a pitcher for Na Koa Ikaika Maui baseball team, did an impromptu visit at Hale Makua Kahului on July 15 to present residents with a signed baseball and tickets to baseball games. While at Hale Makua Eri spent time talking with Shinobu Abe, who joyfully shared that her nephew is Washington Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki.

This visit illustrates the Eden Alternative Principle 5: An Elder-centered community imbues daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating an environment in which unexpected and unpredictable interactions and happenings can take place. This is the antidote to boredom. 

A Meaningful Birthday Celebration

Resident Bud Uyenoyama recently celebrated his 97^th birthday. Knowing that Uncle Bud enjoys playing cards, care partner CNAs Dee and Faina set up a table and started a card game. They taught Uncle Bud how to play a game called Monkey Monkey. Soon care partner Jay came by to join in the fun. Then Uncle Bud’s roommate joined in the fun and was teaching the care partners how to play poker, which is Uncle Bud’s favorite card game. 

This is a great example of several Eden Alternative Principles:

• Principle 4: "An Elder-centered community creates opportunity to give as well as receive care. This is the antidote to helplessness. - Uncle Bud's roommate taught Dee, Faina and Jay how to play poker. 
• Principle 5: "An Elder-centered community imbues daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating an environment in which unexpected and unpredictable interactions and happenings can take place. This is the antidote to boredom." - Uncle Bud's roommate and care partner Jay unexpectedly joined in the card game.
• Principle 6: "Meaningless activity corrodes the human spirit. The opportunity to do things that we find meaningful is essential to human health." - Uncle Bud had the opportunity to do something that was meaningful. 
• Principle 8: "An Elder-centered community honors its Elders by de-emphasizing top-down bureaucratic authority, seeking instead to place the maximum possible decision-making authority into the hands of Elders or into the hands of those closest to them." - Dee and Faina knew that Uncle Bud enjoyed playing cards, and decided to celebrate his birthday by playing cards. A manager or supervisor didn't ask them to do it.

What a beautiful day

This morning as I walked to the Ilima neighborhood wanting to wish Uncle Bud Uyenoyama a happy 97^th birthday. When I got there, care partner CNAs Dee and Faina were setting up a table in front of Uncle Bud. They both sat with him to wish him a happy birthday, and knowing that he likes to play cards they started a card game. Both beautiful young ladies taught Uncle Bud how to play a game called Monkey Monkey. Soon care partner Jay came by to join in the fun. I left to print a picture for Uncle Bud, and when I got back Uncle Bud’s roommate was playing cards with all of them and was teaching them how to play poker, which is Uncle Bud’s favorite card game. 

What a beautiful morning, I couldn’t help but play a couple hands of poker myself.

This is a great example of several Eden Alternative Principles:

• Principle 6: "Meaningless activity corrodes the human spirit. The opportunity to do things that we find meaningful is essential to human health." - Dee and Faina gave Uncle Bud the opportunity to do something that was meaningful to him. 
• Principle 4: "An Elder-centered community creates opportunity to give as well as receive care. This is the antidote to helplessness. - Uncle Bud's roommate taught Dee, Faina and Jay how to play poker. 
• Principle 5: "An Elder-centered community imbues daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating an environment in which unexpected and unpredictable interactions and happenings can take place. This is the antidote to boredom." - Uncle Bud's roommate and care partner Jay unexpectedly joined in the card game.
• Principle 8: "An Elder-centered community honors its Elders by de-emphasizing top-down bureaucratic authority, seeking instead to place the maximum possible decision-making authority into the hands of Elders or into the hands of those closest to them." - Dee and Faina knew that Uncle Bud enjoyed playing cards, and decided to celebrate his birthday with a few hands of Monkey Monkey and poker. A manager or supervisor didn't ask them to do it.

Thank you Ilima staff you are awesome and you made my day!

- Teresa Lopes, Activities Director

Transforming a Nurses' Station into a Living Area

I was at our on-site yoga class the other day and Ted Tucker, our Chief Human Resources Officer, shared that he was out in the neighborhoods the evening before and was pleased to see that when he stopped at the West Neighborhood, he found two residents eating their dinners while one nurse was charting in the kitchen. This may not sound like something to get excited about, but it's a small step in creating an environment that feels like home.

Back in January 2009 the renovation and transformation of the West Neighborhood nurses' station into a kitchen, dining and living space for residents was completed. Nurses still do their paperwork here, but now it's a mixed use area for both residents and nurses. Residents have a living area where they can watch TV and relax, and there's a dining area adjacent to the kitchen where they can eat their meals with one another. One of the biggest challenges has been the adjustment of using the same space as a living area for residents and and a work area for nurses.

In moving toward creating a more home-like environment for residents, one of the goals for this Neighborhood is to be able to serve meals family-style instead of on individual trays. While residents are currently encouraged to sit together to eat, a family-style meal would mean that residents could choose what they want to eat and if they want to have seconds. One can imagine that the social interactions that occur around a dining room table may be much more dynamic than those in a cafeteria.

Residents Give Back to Our Troops

During this holiday season it is important to remember our kupuna and disabled, and all that they have to give back to the community and the rest of the world at large. Just because someone moves into a nursing home doesn't mean that their life stops or that they lack anything to give back to others. At Hale Makua the rich lives of our residents go on as we help them to continue to celebrate life's journey in their new home.

Throughout the month of November, the residents and Activities staff of Hale Makua Kahului worked tirelessly to sew over 60 stockings and fill them with goodies for our service men and women overseas. Stockings included a thank you note or Christmas card, plus essentials such as cold drink mixes, lip balm, beef jerky, granola bars, travel sized shampoos, toothbrushes, coffee creamer, and sugar packets. These items may seem like everyday items to us, but to our troops overseas these were considered treats. Click here to read this cover story on The Maui News website.

On Christmas Eve the residents received their first thank you card from an overseas solider thanking them for remembering our troops this holiday season and for the stocking stuffed with goodies. A second thank you letter was received today from John Dominicis who is currently serving in Kabul, Afghanistan as a special advisor to General McChrystal.

All photos courtesy of Amanda Cowan, The Maui News.