Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Monday, Dec. 28, 2015

THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN HAWAI`I erroneously believe their health insurance plan and government programs will cover the costs for long-term services and supports, according to a recent statewide survey commissioned by of the state Executive Office on Aging. 

      The survey, conducted by Market Trends Pacific as part of a long-term services and supports public awareness campaign, showed that slightly more than half of respondents, about 54 percent, are very or fairly familiar with long-term care, while about a fourth of the respondents, or 24 percent, has any familiarity with long-term services and supports.

      Those who are least aware of long-term care are younger residents who have been in Hawai`i for 20 years or fewer, non-home owners, persons without a college degree, and males.
      The survey results showed many are unclear about who pays for long-term care: 39 percent think that their health insurance covers it, and 24 percent trust that the government will help them. The majority of respondents identified health insurance, personal savings, Medicaid or Medicare as funding sources.
      “Many in Hawai`i may be aware of the need for long-term care, but there is clearly a smaller percentage who are aware of the need to prepare for the costs associated with that care,” said Terri Byers, director of the Executive Office on Aging. “We know that we should save and plan for college or retirement, but long-term care is not often part of the picture, despite the fact that 70 percent of us will use long-term services and supports at some point in our lives. We recognize that we must begin to change this.”
      The cost of long-term care is one of the obstacles to preparing for long-term services and supports. Young adults may have other financial obligations and may already have difficulty making ends meet. “This is not an issue on their radar, and the costs may make many shy away from even trying to plan for long-term care,” Byers said.
      “The Executive Office on Aging is launching a public awareness campaign in early 2016 to help people understand their options and the need to plan ahead to enjoy more choices and to avoid the risks of not being financially prepared,” Byers said. “Many have been led to believe impoverishing themselves to qualify for government assistance is the best solution, but this ultimately limits their options.
      “It is clear that there are no private products available on the market that provide an answer for everyone, and the best made plans don’t always materialize. Our ultimate goal is to initiate a conversation and inspire more people to find out all they can to be prepared mentally, emotionally and financially to create a personal plan for care that is sustainable and adaptable.”
      The survey consisted of a total of 297 landline phone and mobile interviews and 306 online questionnaires. Results are available from the Executive Office on Aging’s Aging and Disability Resource Center website at www.hawaiiadrc.org.
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HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT MOSQUITOES is available on Hawai`i Department of Health’s website. According to DOH, mosquitoes have been around for millions of years. In that time, they’ve diversified into about 3,000 species worldwide. They have successfully adapted to climates from the arctic to the tropics. Some mosquitoes bite humans while others prefer other animals, and some even just sip plant nectar. Some transmit diseases, while others do not. Some are active during the day, others at night. Some prefer to breed in clean water, others in dirty ponds and swamps. 

      In Hawai`i, the Aedes aegypti (Yellow Fever Mosquito) and Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito or Forest Day Mosquito) carry the dengue virus, DOH reported. Other Aedes members can transmit dengue but are not found in Hawai`i. These mosquitoes are most active in the early morning after daybreak and the late afternoon before sunset.
      Only females bite. They require the protein of a blood meal for development of their eggs – they do not feed on blood for their own nourishment. Since blood is only required to build eggs, the males do not take blood, but rather feed on plant nectar.

      Females may feed one to three times to obtain a full blood meal. The speed of digestion of the blood meal may take two to three days in tropical areas, and then the female is said to be full of eggs. After laying the eggs, the female mosquito is ready to take another blood meal. So, the female mosquito feeds several times during its lifetime. 

      Heavy mosquito nuisance usually indicates a nearby breeding source, according to DOH. Aedes mosquitoes typically lay their eggs on accessible surfaces above the water line/level. Common breeding sites are in water found in old tires, clogged roof gutters, cans, bottles, unused swimming pools, unused fish ponds, pineapple lilies (bromeliads), hollow bamboo stumps, hollow tree stumps, uncapped hollow tile walls, uncapped fence pipes and overflow trays under house plants.
      Aedes albopictus adults usually rest outdoors in places such as bushes, but they can be found indoors in houses and other dwellings. Aedes aegypti are most commonly found indoors and only occasionally outdoors in garden vegetation. These mosquitoes travel less than 200 yards.
      See health.hawaii.gov.
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VOLCANO ART CENTER PRESENTS RECENT artwork by Daniel Moe in an exhibit titled Carved By Sand beginning Jan. 9. The solo show features a new collection of blown, sculpted and carved glass work exploring patterns, symbols and images which highlight the environment, spirit and culture of life on Hawai`i Island.

      Moe makes glass during three or four six week-long studio sessions each year. He works with an apprentice as well as several assistants. He continues to create his Kilauea collection, which includes the Kilauea crackled vase, a shiny, black vessel with orange veins and hot lava flowing from it. Moe’s Kalapana Kai collection features the Kalapana Kai wave, a loose, cresting, clear blue wave.
      “I fell in love with glass as a medium to express my love and connection to nature,” Moe said. “When I approach glass in its fluid state, I feel as if this connection is enhanced. Tuning into this sacred space allows me to understand the link between the earth elements and my own.
      “Glass is not only a material, it is matter, living its own life, a powerful medium of communication. It is both beautiful and treacherous. It lends itself to metaphor because it can imitate some things, such as water, magma, stone and suggest other things like air and light. It is poetry. The ephemeral changing colors and movement of magma and moving water are properties of the glass itself. It can be liquid, viscous, transparent, opaque, shiny, solid, adaptable, flowing and versatile. This makes it the perfect material to express the dynamic raw and liberating energy revealed in the `aina of Hawai`i.”
      Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply.

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