Maluhia Adult Day Health Center

Written by Sunrise on KGMB9 - sunrise@kgmb9.com

April 07, 2008 09:43 AM

Adult day care centers in Hawaii are great for our kupuna to socialize and get exercise but still live at home. Maluhia Adult Day Health Center is one of the best, because they have a staff doctor on site, they're open on Saturdays and have something special - a hard-working and well-loved therapy dog named Abby.

DR THOMAS: This morning I've got with me a couple of experts in helping people stay at home. It's Jeri Takamiya and Dr. Albert Yazawa. Thanks for coming in and being a part of the Genius of Aging and, by the way, I think you guys are geniuses, because you've really worked out a system that helps people, older people maybe with some health needs to live at home. Jeri, you want to describe what you do?

JERI TAKAMIYA: I'm the manager of Maluhia Adult Day Health Center, and we're basically a place to do during the day for elders, that helps support them, keep them independent, and keep them happy during the day so their caregiver doesn't have to worry about them during that daytime.

DR. THOMAS: And you're the doc on duty, Dr. Yazawa. You're the doc on duty there at the Health Center. What's different about seeing people at the health center there than working maybe in a doctor's office someplace else?

DR. ALBERT YAZAWA: I think one of the things that we do, I've become sort of the primary care physician for maybe 80 or 90% of the people that come to our day care center so it's just a lot easier. If something comes up, staff tells me, "Hey, Mrs. So-and-So is coughing," or whenever the adult children come in, they stop by the office and let me know, "Could you take a look at Mom real quick?" I think we're able to prevent people from going into hospitals, we're able to take our time to evaluate the patients, see them in the normal day activities.

DR. THOMAS: You know the old saying, "A stitch in time saves nine." So really what you're doing is medically, folks are coming in, spending the day, having a good social life. Also, getting attention to some pretty important medical problems, and you also brought an assistant with you, I'd just like to point out, we have Abby here….Abby is a therapy dog who also comes to work at the center, and what kinds of impact does Abby have on the lives of people who come there during the day?

JERI TAKAMIYA: Well, she's there almost on a daily basis, and she just comes in and wanders around, greets everybody. I think she's the happiest person on Mondays, because she hasn't seen us all weekend and…

DR. THOMAS: (LAUGHS) Well, Monday morning for her, yeah!

DR. YAZAWA: The only person that's happy to work on Monday morning…

DR. THOMAS: Nice.

JERI TAKAMIYA: She just about bowls people over on Monday mornings, you know. And, we have to send her home, back to Doc's office for lunch, because the tendency is to feed Abby. You know whatever we're eating, she's eating, you know, more.

DR. THOMAS: And you guys also have an option for people who need a place to go on Saturdays too, right?

JERI TAKAMIYA: Right, we're kind of unusual in terms of a day center because we're not just open Monday through Friday, but we're also open on Saturdays. And that's been kind of a plus for a lot of caregivers that have just the time to get off. If they've worked Monday through Friday full time, they just need a day off, you know?

DR. THOMAS: So, that's great. You know I'll tell you, from where I come from, and you know, as a geriatrician, like Dr. Yazawa, my attitude is, all of America, Hawaii, Honolulu, all the Mainland, we all need more choices like this. So that there are lots of families out there that really want to help somebody they love stay at home? And, if you don't have a choice like this, it'd be very hard to do. I mean, really helping people stay at home, and I think that's delightful. Now, how do people get in contact with you, or find out more about what you do? What kind of contact do you have?

JERI TAKAMIYA: The easiest way is just to call us. And our phone number is 832-6130. And they can call us and leave a message if we're not there at the middle of the night and we'll get back to you the next morning.

DR. THOMAS: Wonderful. Well, I was gonna say, you guys are a couple of the real geniuses of aging, and it's really nice spending time with you.

Both: Thank you.

Last Updated ( April 07, 2008 09:43 AM )

County Agencies on Aging Senior Helplines
(For all information and resources related to aging and caregiving)

Elderly Affairs Division, Oahu
Phone: 768-7700
www.elderlyaffairs.com
Hawaii County Office on Aging
Phone: 961-8626
http://www.hcoahawaii.org/
Kauai Agency on Elderly Affairs
Phone: (808) 241-4470
http://www.kauai.gov/elderly
Maui County Office on Aging
Phone: (808) 270-7774
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/departments/Housing/aging.htm