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TWO SENIORS IN CRISIS ARE HELPING ONE ANOTHER...
At 84, Siletha (above right), was terrified she would become homeless when her rent increased by $400 per month. Although she works as a caregiver to supplement her small social security income, the increase meant she had to draw from her meager savings that would run out in a few short months.
Meanwhile, Chieko (above left), was experiencing significant memory issues, causing her to forget to pay her bills and even to eat. WCC staff put the two ladies together and they hit it off.
Siletha rented a room in Chieko’s condo for a reduced rate in exchange for helping. But Siletha doesn’t assist Chieko out of obligation - they have forged a wonderful friendship. However, they still faced challenges as Chieko could no longer work.
Siletha became one of the first recipients of a new rental subsidy program for seniors in need through a partnership with the Institute for Human Services. The assistance puts her on more stable financial footing.
ACTIVE AGING
At Waikīkī Community Center, we promote lifestyles that keep seniors and people of every age engaged physically, mentally and socially. Having meaningful, rich lives through the end of our lives keeps us healthy and active as we age and allows us to continue contributing to community. Our Active Aging initiatives focus on volunteerism, employment & civic engagement.
“Given the rapid growth of the older adult population, it is unlikely that Hawaii will ever have enough resources...for long-term supports... attention needs to be placed on...an active aging approach.” ~The State of Active Aging, Executive Office on Aging
HELPING SENIORS IN NEED
We help seniors who are vulnerable, isolated and/or frail. They often have a variety of urgent challenges that cannot be addressed by one program, service or even agency. We fill this gap by...
1) Coordinating Services
We help seniors overcome the BARRIERS to resources. ACCESS - Often seniors cannot access existing services due to unawareness, complex qualification requirements and/or application processes. MANAGING MULTIPLE SERVICES - Most seniors in need have multiple challenges that require many different services/programs. Each resource has its own set of requirements and processes, which can be overwhelming.
2) Partnering
We work with a wide array of individuals/institutions to help some of our most vulnerable seniors stabilize and move forward, including many at risk for becoming homeless. At times there is no service to meet a need. We put together creative, individualized solutions working with other nonprofits, government agencies, businesses, individual volunteers, landlords, and others who are willing to work with us in support of our kupuna.
Would you like to support our efforts?