Tag: dementia

Kūpuna Bills Expand Dementia Care and Awareness

July 31, 2026 | News, Program & Policy

By Dr. Kevin Kawamoto

Time to roll up our sleeves and get to work! A number of dementia and kūpuna-related bills that are now law will be keeping the aging services network in our state busy in the coming months and years.

With the signing into law of HB 1853 on July 14, 2026, Gov. Josh Green officially launched the HANAI Memory Network, a statewide program administered by the Department of Health, Executive Office on Aging. The program is intended to help members of the public 1) get diagnosed earlier if they have symptoms of dementia, 2) find access to care across all counties, and 3) benefit from coordinated services to reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

“By shifting from crisis-driven care to proactive planning,” the bill – now known as Act 245 – states, “Hawaiʻi can improve outcomes for kūpuna and caregivers while reducing Medicaid costs and alleviating pressure on the State’s long-term care system.”

HANAI is an acronym that stands for Hawaii’s Assistance for the Navigation of Alzheimer’s Intervention. In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, the word “hanai” means to feed, nourish raise, or adopt – an appropriate concept for a program meant to coordinate care and caregiver support, as well as to facilitate access to services and local resources, especially on the neighbor islands and in remote locations where specialists and resources are limited.

The $3 million funding allocated by the Hawaii State Legislature for the HANAI Memory Network and advocated by the Alzheimer’s Association of Hawaiʻi demonstrates a commitment to helping individuals living with ADRD and those who care for them. The Executive Office on Aging has been collecting community input on developing the HANAI Memory Network as the program gets off the ground.

Other kūpuna-related bills that passed the 2026 session include HB 1973, now Act 246, which establishes a one-year pilot program within the Executive Office on Aging called KupunAloha that will provide in-home health care and support services to eligible participants who do not otherwise qualify for government assistance for these services.

HB 1974, now Act 223, requires the state Health Planning and Development Agency to develop a comprehensive state plan on hearing loss. The plan will be focused on improving access, affordability, awareness, and early detection of hearing loss in collaboration with community stakeholders, relevant advisory boards, and state agencies.

Hearing loss can be experienced by younger people, of course, but it is especially detrimental to older adults if it results in social isolation or lack of communication with others. A 2020 report of the Lancet Commission identified untreated hearing loss as one of the risk factors for developing dementia.

SB 2866, now Act 250, makes the state Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna, administered by the Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority, permanent. Thus far this program has helped hundreds of vulnerable older adults from facing eviction and homelessness through monthly rental assistance, but the program was to sunset in 2028.

SB 2259, now Act 251, is intended to create a dementia-friendly business environment by establishing “a business recognition program within the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to promote brain health awareness in the business community and provide knowledge on the harmful effects of not only Alzheimer’s disease, but all forms of dementia, to better serve and support customers while creating a dementia-capable workforce.” The bill passed final reading and was enrolled to the governor.

HB 1804, now Act 259, turns a lens to the future of long-term care financing. The bill requires the Executive Office on Aging “to develop the framework and scope of work for a proposed study that examines the feasibility, impacts, and costs of different public and private financing options for long-term care services and supports and submit a report to the Legislature.” With longevity in Hawaiʻi creating a sub-population of older people in the Islands living very long lives, the issue of cost to pay for long-term care is critical. Such a report will explore different options and how to pay for them.

Hawaiʻi Dementia Initiative coalition and community members may be asked for their input and participation on these new laws and programs as they get integrated in the community.

Posted in News, Program & PolicyTagged bills, cognitive screening, dementia, dementia care specialists, diagnostics, legislation, memory clinic

Driving and Dementia

Dr. Gina Fujikami, Geriatrician at Queen’s Medical Center and Clinical Assistant Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Hawaiʻi, and Ivy Castellanos, Director of Programs at Alzheimer’s Association of Hawaiʻi, will be presenting on “Driving and Dementia” via Zoom to the Department of Geriatric Medicine Grand Rounds, on Monday, August 10, 2026 from 12:30-1:30pm (HST).

At the end of this session, physicians will be able to identify potential driving concerns in patients with dementia and how to best counsel patients on stopping driving symptoms in aging.

Intended Audiences: Physicians, nurses, and other allied health staff caring for geriatric patients.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Queen’s Medical Center and the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. The Queen’s Medical Center is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Queen’s Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Brain Health Summit

The Alzheimer’s Association Brain Health Summit brings together Hawaii’s leading researchers and experts to share the latest research updates and breakthroughs in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia.

Join us for a dynamic morning dedicated to the latest advances in brain health and hear directly from our lineup of local experts as they share fresh insights into neuroscience and cognitive health.

This free, half-day summit will spotlight new research, emerging diagnostics and therapeutic approaches, including disease-modifying treatments available in Hawaii and key lifestyle interventions that can keep our brains healthy and reduce our risk of cognitive decline.

Dementia-Specific Respite Care: Innovative Programs and Sustainable Pathways

The Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) is funded by the Administration for Community Living, and administered by the Alzheimer’s Association, to pilot innovative dementia-specific respite programs. The programs are designed to expand access to high-quality, person-centered respite care for people living with dementia and their caregivers. CDRI awards grants to support home and community-based service programs that advance innovation, accessibility, and sustainability in respite services. This webinar will provide a brief overview of CDRI’s funding approach, program structure, and impact to date, followed by presentations from two funded providers highlighting their respite models.

The Care Collective in Boise, Idaho, will discuss their CDRI funded program which is leveraging a volunteer driven, community-based approach to delivering group respite in a faith-based setting. Participants benefit from live music, movement and creative activities, as well as intergenerational visits. The University of Central Arkansas will discuss their Interprofessional Therapeutic Activity Program (I-TAP), which delivers programming through structured activity sessions focused on physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement. By integrating physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, and exercise science students into these dementia specific sessions, I-TAP pairs person centered respite for families with essential, supervised clinical training for students.

Dementia, Restraints, and the Regs

Healthcare Association of Hawaii is hosting this webinar. Providing care to those living with dementia in nursing facility settings can be complex and rewarding. Having an understanding of various approaches to deal with challenging behaviors is important and impactful to the resident’s quality of life.

Best practice standards indicate that dementia behaviors should be managed without the use of physical or chemical restraints; however, when they are deemed necessary staff members must have knowledge of current CMS regulations and documentation requirements. The interdisciplinary team must make efforts to reduce psychotropic drug use as appropriate and provide compassionate and person-centered care in compliance with regulatory standards.

Join us as we examine strategies to manage challenging behaviors from those living with dementia and discuss physical and chemical restraints, documentation standards, interdisciplinary approaches, and maintaining quality of life in accordance with regulatory compliance.

Learning Objectives

1. Define and describe consequences of physical and chemical restraints
2. Identify strategies to mitigate physical restraint use
3. Describe CMS regulatory requirements related to psychotropic drug use
4. Explore how to apply practice strategies to facilitate the reduction of psychotropic drug use

Target Audience

Interdisciplinary team members working in post-acute and long-term care settings

Speaker: Aida Wen, MD, CMD, Geriatrician and Associate Professor, University of Hawaii at Manoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Driving and Dementia: Balancing Safety, Independence, and Dignity

Hawaii experts share insights on issues related to Driving for persons who are living with memory loss or dementia and their caregivers.

By the end of the presentation, family and friend caregivers will be able to:

Understand how dementia can affect driving ability (Identify common cognitive, visual, and motor changes that impact driving safety at different stages of dementia)
Recognize warning signs and risks related to unsafe driving (Describe behaviors and incidents that may indicate it is no longer safe for a person with dementia to drive)
Balance safety concerns with respect for independence and dignity (Explain why driving is closely tied to identity and autonomy, and why compassionate decision-making is essential)
Communicate effectively about driving concerns (Apply practical strategies for initiating and navigating difficult conversations about driving with empathy and respect)
Feel more confident and supported as a caregiver (Identify resources and next steps to reduce stress and support both the caregiver and the person living with dementia through driving transitions)

Gina Fujikami, MD, is Division Chief of Geriatrics at The Queen’s Medical Center. She earned her MD from the University of Hawaii (UH) John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and completed a Geriatric Medicine fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Fujikami is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Geriatric Medicine at JABSOM and serves as a member of the Alzheimer’s Association Hawaii’s Leadership Board, where she chairs the Care & Support Committee. Her passion for geriatrics is personal, stemming from her experience watching her grandfather who was living with dementia, which drives her commitment to helping families navigate this diagnosis.

Ivy K. Castellanos is Director of Programs with the Alzheimer’s Association, Hawaii Chapter. She holds a Master’s degree in Behavioral Science and Health Education from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and has more than 20 years’ experience in the combined areas of health education, health promotion and disease prevention, health equity, and corporate wellness. She has served in roles with organizations such as HMSA, the American Heart Association, and HealthAssist, and has held research positions with the Johns Hopkins Center for Cancer Pain Research and the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research in Baltimore, Maryland. Ivy joined the Alzheimer’s Association in 2014 and finds joy in empowering families affected by dementia. She is a full-time mom of two and a full-time caregiver for her mother.

Catholic Charities Hawaii (CCH) is continuing their series of expert speaker workshops focussing on Dementia-Related Behaviors and issues that can be challenging for caregivers and providers of persons living with dementia in the community. This series is made possible by a grant given to Catholic Charities Hawaii from the Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging for the Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative awarded to organizations across the country to increase resources and information with the goal of improving the well-being of persons living with dementia in the community and their caregivers. One of our grant objectives is offer training and support, connection to resources, and a chance to ask questions with experts in the Zoom sessions.

Supporting Function and Safety After Diagnosis: Dementia Care Planning for Adults with IDD

The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices is hosting an educational series called “Advancing Dementia-Capable Primary Care: Supporting Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.” This series supports primary care clinicians participating in the CMS GUIDE Model and others serving adults with IDD, including Down syndrome. The series provides a practical, step-by-step framework spanning early identification, diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and post-diagnosis care planning.

1 Free CME contact credit will be provided upon attendance and completion of post webinar survey.

Following a dementia diagnosis, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) need coordinated, person-centered support. Presented from a nurse practitioner and social work perspective, this one-hour webinar focuses on practical post-diagnosis care planning, highlighting strategies to support function, safety, communication, and collaboration with families, direct support professionals, and community resources.

Presenters: Marie Clouqueur, LICSW and Kathryn Service, RN, M.S., FNP-BC, CDDN

Diagnosis and Management of Dementia in Adults with IDD

1 Free CME contact credit will be provided upon attendance and completion of post webinar survey.

This session will be on “Diagnosis and Management of Dementia in Adults with IDD.” Diagnosing dementia in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) presents unique clinical challenges that can lead to under-recognition or delayed diagnosis. This one-hour educational activity equips primary care clinicians with a structured, IDD-informed diagnostic approach, including how to adapt standard dementia evaluations, identify reversible conditions that mimic dementia, and assess likely dementia etiology. Participants will gain practical guidance on avoiding common diagnostic pitfalls and determining when specialty referral is indicated.

Presenter: Seth Keller, MD. Neurology Associates of South Jersey

Early Detection of Dementia: What to Do Now — National Resources to Plan, Partner, and Act

The BOLD Public Health Center of Excellence on Early Detection of Dementia is pleased to offer an upcoming webinar to discuss new resources that they have developed for our partners, including two new resource guides — one for community-based organizations and one for health departments who are interested in promoting early detection of dementia within and across sectors.

In this conversation they will discuss how to leverage the Center’s resources to assess needs and assets; identify goals and next steps; build and sustain partnerships; and measure and communicate your impact.