Hawaii
Increase Access to Home and Community-Based Services
Kupuna Care and Kupuna Caregiver
The Alzheimer's Association, Aloha Chapter is committed to continuing to support the Kupuna Care and Kupuna Caregiver programs. The ʻohana of people with Alzheimer's Disease provide 75 million hours of unpaid care each year. Kupuna Care is funded by the State of Hawaii to provide services such as transportation, attendant care, case management, home-delivered meals, homemaker, and personal care services. The Kupuna Caregivers program, aimed at supporting working caregivers. This program provides financial assistance to support employed caregivers to remain in the workforce, provided certain criteria are met. EOA and the county Area Agencies on Aging are working to develop and implement the program.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Fund the Dementia Services Coordinator Position within the Department of Aging
There are an estimated 28,000 people with Alzheimer's Disease in Hawaii and that number is projected to grow to 35,000 by 2025. Dementia costs Hawaii $17,617 per capita in Medicare spending each year. Additionally, Alzheimer's specifically cost Medicaid $207 million in 2018. Hawaii Revised Statute §349-3.2 established the position within the Executive Office on Aging but it has not been funded. While the Hawaii 2025: State Plan Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias identifies strategies in addressing the multifaceted issues in dealing with the disease, the services and activities needed requires coordination at a systemic level through an Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator. This position can help ensure that people with Alzheimer's and their ʻohana receive necessary services, reduce duplication of services, and increasing the availability of dementia detection and diagnosis.
Hawaii State Plan Overview
Hawaii State Advocacy Day
March 04, 2019
March 4 Alzheimer’s Description: Join us from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on March 4, 2019 at the Hawaii State Capitol to march and advocate for support for people with Alzheimer’s Disease and their families. We will meet in the morning in room 423 for advocacy training followed by the march around the Capitol and meetings with Legislators. This year, we are supporting: • Funding the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator HB581 & SB366 Hawaii Revised Statute §349-3.2 established the position within the Executive Office on Aging but it has not been funded. While the Hawaii 2025: State Plan Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias identifies strategies in addressing the multifaceted issues in dealing with the disease, the services and activities needed requires coordination at a systemic level through an Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator. • Recognizing Dementia is a Chronic Disease HB579 & SB676 Presently, there is no Dementia-Specific position within the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division (CDPHPD). We support legislation to expand CDPHPD by establishing a position to promote wellness through effective prevention, detection, and management of dementia. • Establishing a Screening Pilot Program HB474 & SB1032 Hawaii does not perform a sufficient number of screenings for dementia. Additionally, there are disparities in care received by certain communities including for people of Native Hawaiian ancestry. We support establishing a pilot program within the Department of Health to: promote dementia screenings and education; and partner with providers to screen eligible participants. Register Today: Register Here: bit.ly/March4Alz Registration Deadline: Thursday, February 28th. If you have any questions about this year's Advocacy Day or any state policy activities, please contact Ian Ross by email at [email protected] or by phone at 808.591.2771 ext. 1333. Thank you for your participation. We look forward to seeing you at the Capitol! On the Day: Please wear business casual attire, preferably purple, and shoes you are comfortable marching in. Metered parking available in the parking garage under the Capitol as well as at the Department of Health. We are also working to set up carpooling and discounted rideshare. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know by Thursday, February 28th.
2020 Advocacy Forum
March 22-24, 2020 alz.org/forum
As an Alzheimer's advocate, you've worked to advance critical public policy, making a difference in the lives of all those impacted by Alzheimer's. Together we've achieved great increases in federal Alzheimer's research funding and secured critical advances in care and support. But we can't take our successes for granted — we need to keep the pressure on.
Join us in Washington for an inspiring three-day event filled with networking, training and education.
Be part of the movement that's making a difference in the fight against Alzheimer's.
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in Hawaii
State Affairs Contact Ian Ross | 8085912771 | [email protected]
Elected Officials
Enter your address here to see your elected officials' positions on Alzheimer's and ways you can contact them to support the Alzheimer's community.
Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4,200 | 12,000 | 13,000 | 29,000 |
| 2025 | 4,800 | 16,000 | 14,000 | 35,000 |
Percentage change from 2019
Medicaid
$232
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2019)
21.2%
change in costs from 2019 to 2025
Medicare
$17,965
per capita Medicare spending on people with dementia (in 2018 dollars)
HOSPICE (2016)
#
of people in hospice have a primary diagnosis of dementia
of people in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
Hospitals (2015)
#
of emergency department visits per 1,000 people with dementia
dementia patient hospital readmission rate
Caregiving
Number of Caregivers
Total Hours of Unpaid Care
Total Value of Unpaid Care
Higher Health Costs of Caregivers
Number of Deaths from Alzheimer's Disease (2017)
| 6th | leading cause of death in Hawaii |
| 294% | increase in Alzheimer's deaths since 2000 |
For more information, view the 2019 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report at alz.org/facts.
U.S. Statistics
Over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, and as many as 14 million will have the disease in 2050. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is estimated to total $290 billion in 2019, increasing to $1.1 trillion (in today's dollars) by mid-century. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer's or another dementia.