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.

New Clothes, New Ideas

Residents at Hale Makua Kahului had a problem. Many residents love to go shopping with the care partners to buy clothes and other items. Until recently, after each shopping trip, new clothes were passed from the Activities staff to Environmental Services, and then to the Neighborhood Clerk. Residents brought the issue to staff, letting them know that it was taking too long to get new clothes back.

Kahului Activities Director Teresa Lopes went to her staff with the resident’s suggestions and found a way to make the process easier for residents. The Activities staff quickly agreed to help.

Now, when residents return from a shopping trip, care partners label their clothes and add them to the resident’s inventory immediately. Then the residents can take their clothes with them. The same process works for clothes that residents buy at craft fairs and the  bingo store.

In the photos, resident James Miller gives his new shirt to Bety Idica and watches as she labels it. James was the first resident to have his items labeled by the Activities staff. Teresa Lopes says that “residents are happy and it’s working so beautifully.”

This story illustrates Eden 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 the Elders or into the hands of those closest to them.” When residents brought up a problem, staff did not reply that it was someone else’s job, they found a solution that simplified the existing process.

Residents Make Their Own Menu Choices

Resident Ron Irimata likes to eat and he knows exactly what foods he likes. Ron has an individualized menu, so every week he works with carepartner and Resident Relations Coordinator  Edna Hedani to plan his menu.

Edna assists Ron is recording his meal selections for the week. Ron likes designing his own menu because he can eat foods he enjoys and “you don’t have to just eat what they’re serving.” Edna adds that Nutrition Services likes helping residents with their menus because it cuts down on wasted food. Ron says that his favorite food at Hale Makua is “just about everything.”

This story illustrates Eden 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 the Elders or into the hands of those closest to them.”

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.

Moving Decision-Making Closer to Elders

Hale Makua Wailuku resident William Shigetani’s daughter-in-law brought in bananas for Mr. Shigetani and staff. There were so many bananas care partner and Neighborhood Clerk Lily Vergara thought it would be nice to make something different with the bananas for Mr. Shigetani to try. At lunch time she fried and boiled the bananas and brought them to Mr. Shigetani. While he was skeptical at first, he tried the fried bananas and enjoyed them so much that he told Lily that he didn’t want to share them with the other residents.

This is an example of Eden Alternative 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 the Elders or those closest to them”.

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

Resident-Directed Care Creates the Feel of Home

Resident Dave Fichman needed more space for all of his family photos and frames for his loose photos. When he mentioned this to care partner Rhonda Reny, she was eager to help in whatever way she was able to. She didn’t need to think twice or seek approval for bringing in some picture frames that she wasn’t using at home and finding some inexpensive shelves. Rhonda worked with Dave to arrange all of his photos and care partner Edwin Asuncion to install the shelves.

Together with Dave, Rhonda and Edwin, decided how the photos and shelves should be arranged; creating a more home-like, personalized space for Dave.  This is an example of Eden Alternative Principle 8, which states “An Elder-centered  community honors its Elders by de-emphasizing top-down bureaucratic authority, seeking instead to place the maximum possible decision making into the hands of Elders or into the hands of those closest to them.”

Elder Decision-Making in Action

Eden Alternative Principle 8 states that an Elder-centered community seeks to place the maximum decision-making authority into the hands of the Elders or those closest to them. 

With this principle in mind, Elders participated in the interview process for an Activities Director and a Dietitian at Hale Makua Wailuku. Care Partner Connie Miller said that having a resident present in the interview was helpful, as she was able to watch their interaction, and the residents had some interesting and meaningful questions to ask the applicants. It’s a good way to determine if the new employee will be a good fit with the residents.

Alan Camara, Faye Massey and Peter Kaina, pictured above, are just three of several residents who have been participating in interviewing job applicants.