St. Francis Healthcare System was one of three nonprofit organizations selected to participate in the Aloha United Way Active Aging Initiative. St. Francis was awarded a grant for $600,000 over a three-year period to develop and measure the impact of new active aging designed for seniors.
Kokua Kalihi Valley and the Waikiki Health Center were the two other recipients of the AUW Active Aging Initiative grants.
“For too long healthcare has focused on sickness instead of healthy living and wellness. This demands fresh, new ideas and synergistic, iterative thinking so that seniors can enjoy productive lives,” said Jerry Correa, CEO of St. Francis Healthcare System. “Our proposed innovative program, called Hana Hou, sets the stage for optimal aging, emphasizing personal fulfillment and enrichment for seniors, while balancing their other obligations, including caregiving duties. We are fortunate to have Dr. Cullen Hayashida, kupuna education expert, to assist us with developing this unique program.”
Hana Hou is composed of multiple components: The first two are: 1) the Kupuna Connection TV series to showcase the meaning of active aging and best practices in Hawaii and 2) the Active Aging Resource Roadmap/Guidebook to serve as a guide for baby boomers to navigate through their senior years.
In addition, the project will focus heavily on creating opportunities to train older adults on how best to use the ‘bonus’ years with four types of training programs: pre-retirement seminar introductory presentations; introductory workshops; intensive “Finding Your Next Act;” and finally, life coaching.
Watch for more details as the program is developed!