Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 9, 1 September 2020 — Lunalilo Home: The Legacy of a King [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Lunalilo Home: The Legacy of a King

Lunalilo Home occupies five acres in a quiet Hawai'i Kai neighborhood on the slopes of Koko Crater. Dating back to 191/, the building was originally occupied by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). See www.lunalilo.org/about/history-of-lunalilo-home for more information about the history about the home. - Photo: Lunalilo Home

ByCheryl CheeTsutsumi Since 1883, Lunalilo Home has provided care for kūpuna with aloha; hō'ihi (respect, dignity); laulima (collaboration, teamwork); mālama (caring); ho'omanawanui (patience); kūlia i ka pono (striving for the right); and lokomaika'i (benevolence, grace). The residential care home was established in accordance with the will of King William Charles Lunalilo, the first ali'i to create a charitable trust for the benefit of his people (see www. lunalilo.org/about/history-of-lunalilo-home). Although he reigned for just 13 months, from January 8, 1873 to his death on February 3, 1874, Lunalilo was dearly loved by his people, who nicknamed him "Lokomaika'i" because of his kind, gen-

Diane Paloma, Ph.D., chief executive officer for the King Lunalilo Trust and Home. - Photo: PobertAveau

erous nature. Originally located in Makiki, ma kai of where Roosevelt High School now stands, Lunalilo Home moved to its present site on the slopes of Koko Crater ' in Maunalua (now known as Hawai'i Kai) in 1927. It offers round-the-clock j care and supportive services such as respite

care, day care and meal piek-up and delivery. Any senior who is ambulatory or independently mobile with devices, and who needs minimal supervision and/ or assistance with personal care, is eligible to apply for admission to the home. In keeping with Lunalilo's will, priority is given to kūpuna of Hawaiian ancestry. "Elder care in general is a difficult process; plus, we in Hawai'i are raised with the notion that

we must take care of our aging loved ones," said Diane Paloma, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the King Lunalilo Trust and Home. "There's tremendous guilt when we realize we ean no longer do that on our own and have to put them in a care home, away from everyone and everything that's familiar to them. At Lunalilo Home, we're dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of King Lunalilo to provide a safe, comfortable, nurturing haven for kūpuna. We are another 'ohana for them." Throughout the day, clients may participate in diversions ranging from movies and trivia games to Bingo contests and cooking demonstrations. On Friday afternoons, they enjoy live music performed by the staff. Also contributing to holistic health are private Zoom sessions with a elinieal psychologist from I Ola Lāhui, whieh was founded in 2007 to address the need for behavioral health services for Native Hawaiians and those living in rural eommunities. Lunalilo Home launched this service in January, thanks to a two-year grant from OHA. "In the beginning, a psychologist from I Ola Lāhui eame every Thursday to meet with residents coping with depression, loneliness, anxiety and feelings of abandonment," Paloma said. "Because of the pandemic, we had to institute a no-visitors policy, but, thankfully, the Zoom meetings are working well. Mental and emohonal health are as essential to wellbeing as physical heahh." Meals at Lunalilo Home provide sustenance for both body and soul. As mueh as possible, menus offer comfort food that kūpuna remember from their childhood. Crops flourishing in the on-site garden include kalo, 'ulu, 'uala, eggplant, squash, herbs and green onion. They appear in 'ono dishes such as pinakbet, ehieken sabao and beef stew thickened with poi and made with easier-to-chew meatballs. 'Ulu and kalo have been substituted for potatoes. "It's great to know we have a source of fresh, healthy food

for our kūpuna right in our backyard," Paloma said. "As a bonus, growing some of our food has helped our bottom line." Finances are also an ongoing eoneem for many families in Hawai'i. Elder care requires a lot of time, energy and money — adding another layer of stress as people struggle to make ends meet. Because of the "silver tsunami," demand for care-home beds statewide is already far exceeding supply. That is driving up costs, widening the chasm between those who ean afford to obtain services and those who can't. "If your parents ean pay out of pocket, every resource will be available to them," Paloma said. "If they can't, there won't be many affordable options. What do you do? You sell their house, take a second mortgage on yours, work two or three jobs and/or tap into your 401(k) to help cover the cost of their care." To stave off the additional expenses, people will usually wait as long as possible to seek assistance. Kūpuna might be left at home alone during the day, perhaps ineapahle of eooking or remembering when to take their medication. "Elder neglect and abuse are becoming more eommon, especially with the turmoil the pandemic has caused," Paloma said. "Abuse ean be physical, mental and/or Ananeial. We've seen cases where kūpuna really need supervised care, but they're kept at home because their Social Security eheek helps pay the rent or mortgage." In traditional Hawaiian society, kūpuna were honored for their skills, insights and knowledge; however, when Western ideals were adopted, their role was diminished. "Today, many people depend on their parents to piek up their kids from school, take them to soccer practice, help them with homework and maybe even bathe and feed them," Paloma said. "When Mom and Dad ean no longer do that, their perceived value changes. Instead of helping to provide care, they now need care, and they become one more task to be handled in already hectic lives." She believes addressing these issues requires a collective effort that starts with how people view elder care. "The word kuleana is an excellent example of that," Paloma said. "Kuleana means responsibility or burden, but it also means privilege. Kūpuna ean share stories about old Hawai'i that many of us know nothing about. They have wisdom and amazing life experiences and deserve to be cherished and respected. It is our kuleana to care for them, but how we do that depends on how we define kuleana. Burden or privilege? For us at Lunalilo Home, it is a privilege." ■ Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi has \vritten 12 books and countless newspaper, magazine and website articles about Hawai'i's history, culture, food and lifestyle.