On Wednesday, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami presented a proclamation announcing that September is National Healthy Aging Month and National Senior Center Month to representatives of the county’s Agency on Elderly Affairs, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and several of Kauai’s most well-known kupuna, including Janice Bond and Santa in Paradise (also known as Phil Worwa).
National Healthy Aging Month and National Senior Center Month is a time set aside to celebrate the importance of healthy lifestyles, community engagement, and resources that support older adults, the proclamation states.
“Healthy aging is not just about living longer — it is about living better,” said Executive Emily Ishida. “This month, we celebrate the vitality, wisdom and resilience of our kupuna, and reaffirm our commitment to creating an age-friendly community.”
Examples of this claim are evident in many places.
Starting at 10 a.m. today at the Kukui Grove Center, the Kauai Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a partner with AmeriCorps Senior, is coordinating the National Day of Service and Remembrance, a tribute to first responders and survivors of the 9/11 disaster.
“We, the Agency on Elderly Affairs, will be there with a table,” said Johnny Yago of the Agency on Elderly Affairs. “We are promoting the wide variety of services we provide kupuna. We’ll also have a table with Paige Moura and the annual Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital Healthy Living Fall Celebration on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the KVMH campus.”
More recently, the Filipino dancers from the Lihue Senior Center participated in the International Peace Day activities on Sunday at the Kauai Soto Zen Temple under the direction of Alan Villaflor and Steven Domingo.
Kawakami said that with the proclamation, the County of Kauai, through the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Agency on Elderly Affairs, is honored to recognize and uplift kupuna who have given so much through their wisdom, service and dedication, and who continue to enrich the vitality, culture and strength of our island home.
Kawakami said his biggest concern about kupuna is the loneliness and isolation they live with. He discovered this during the COVID-19 pandemic when kupuna wanted to be part of the community.
“Every kupuna, regardless of age or ability, can participate in activities and programs that promote well-being, whether through exercise, social gatherings, creative pursuits or community service, all of which contribute to a healthier, more vibrant Kauai,” the proclamation states.
Kawakami encourages all citizens to support, celebrate and take part in the efforts of local organizations and senior centers that empower kupuna to live active, engaged and healthy lives filled with purpose and joy.
Source: The Garden Island