Advocacy

Retirement savings are a major concern in Hawaii, where residents 60 and older are expected to account for 28 percent of the state population by 2030. In an AARP survey of Hawaii registered voters ages 35 to 64, nearly 6 in 10 of those in the workforce said they worry about having enough money in retirement.

Updated 10/10: Listen to the entire recording here! Press release from the event is below.

AARP Hawaii fought for the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act to help family caregivers when their loved ones go into the hospital and as they transition home. Now, you can download your free CARE Act wallet card for you and any loved one you may care for.

State legislators unanimously passed legislation in May to help family caregivers be better prepared when a loved one comes home from a hospital stay. Gov. David Ige (D) signed the bill in June, and the new law will take effect July 1, 2017.

AARP Hawaii announces the appointment of Audrey Suga-Nakagawa as director of advocacy. She comes to AARP with more than 25 years of consulting and management experience in public health, health care administration, social services and gerontology. Prior to her appointment, Suga-Nakagawa served on AARP Hawaii’s volunteer Executive Council and provided outreach and advocacy expertise to public- and private-sector agencies as the owner of ASN Consulting Services.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed into law today a bill requiring hospitals to establish procedures giving family caregivers the opportunity to receive instruction in the medical tasks required when their loved ones are discharged. The CARE Act – HB 2252 HD1 SD2 CD1 – paves the way for greater consideration of caregivers in hospital discharge processes. The law takes effect July, 2017.

Volunteers and staff from Hawaii were in Washington this week to advocate on behalf of AARP members and all older Americans on the crucial issues of family caregiving and Social Security. While meeting with members of Congress, they had crucial asks: