Twenty-one years ago, at its very first public assembly in August of 1996, FACE (Faith Action for Community Equity), an alliance of faith-based and other organizations who focus on issues of social justice, identified long-term care for our kupuna as an issue of greatest importance to our community.
Hawaii has the fastest-aging population and the most people over age 65 per capita in the nation, so it’s no surprise that there are over 50,000 working caregivers who provide care for an aging family member. Twice during the next 10 years, FACE worked successfully with legislators to pass bills addressing long-term care. In both instances, the bills were vetoed.
Fast forward to 2017. This year, thanks to the efforts of key legislators in both the House and the Senate, House Bill 607 — the Kupuna Caregivers Bill — unanimously passed both the House and Senate.
This bill will help family caregivers by providing up to $70 per day to hire professional caregivers, home health care workers, or help providing meals or transportation. Its intent is to provide respite for family caregivers, many of whom face the incredibly difficult choice between remaining employed to provide for their family or leaving the workforce to provide care for an aging parent.
When signed by the governor, this legislation will be the first of its kind in the United States.
This bill is a win-win-win. Aging family members are able to stay at home, which we know is the preferred situation for the majority of our kupuna. Unpaid family caregivers are able to remain in their paid employment at least part-time, protecting their retirement benefits.
Plus, employers of family caregivers continue to have an experienced employee on the job. And finally, new employment opportunities arise for professional caregivers who can provide respite care.
Having passed with unanimous support in both chambers of the Legislature, there are many champions of this bill. Most importantly, Sen. Roz Baker, who met directly with the community and authored the bill, and Rep. Greg Takayama, who worked with the Kupuna Caucus and introduced the companion bill in the House. Sen. Josh Green and Rep. Dee Morikawa quickly heard the bill through their respective committees, demonstrating their commitment to our kupuna. Sen. Jill Tokuda and Rep. Sylvia Luke worked diligently to pass the bill through the money committees in a year almost completely dominated by the debate over rail funding.
The Kupuna Caregivers program will become a reality only with the approval of Gov. David Ige. As someone who has shown compassion toward kupuna, the governor has been sympathetic to caregivers and their families’ struggles to make ends meet in our local economy. We are hopeful that we can count on his approval and add his name to the long list of champions of House Bill 607. Governor, our kupuna and their caregivers await your signature.
