Our Kupuna and the Needy
Central to the ‘ohana values that make Hawai‘i great is our commitment to care for our loved ones as they grow older and for the less fortunate. Sadly, sky-rocketing costs of housing, medical care, prescription drugs, and other necessities are pushing families to the limit. We need to do everything we can to provide a safety net that will keep our kupuna and the needy from falling through the cracks.
To care for our kupuna, we will:
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Fund programs that provide basic services, such as long-term care, chore services, caregiver support, disaster planning and preparedness, and Medicaid.
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Extend the Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), an innovative, community–based program to prevent institutionalization and keep down long-term costs, whose funding currently ends in 2006.
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Make sure we have enough trained people to care for our küpuna by expanding long-term care programs in our community colleges.
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Work with the counties to provide property tax relief to older residents.
To assist the needy in our communities, we will:
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Increase welfare payments to keep pace with inflation.
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Work with youth advocates to establish a "Bill of Rights" for foster youth and to improve conditions for at-risk youth.
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Clamp down on drug companies who inflate prescription drug prices.
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Guarantee health coverage for every resident of our state.