Caring for Hawaii

Established in 2001, Healthcare School of Hawaii's goal is to train students to demostrate basic nursing skills, personal care and hygiene skills, and the caring and respectful nature of a nursing assistant.

Healthcare school of Hawaii (HSCH) is a dynamic institution dedicated to providing high quality educational programs of distinction for new students who desire to be a nursing assistant, for CNA's who wants to be a nursing assistant II, the recertification of certified nursing assistant as mandated by the Hawaii Department of Human Services, or students who wants to learn nursing skills for their pursuit of higher education. HSCH prepares students for lifelong learning and love for their chosen profession.

HSCH offers training programs at times convenient to students, employing innovative delivery system and rich learning resources.

Students will be able to demonstrate basic nursing skills, and the caring and respectful nature of a nursing assistant.

HSCH offers nursing assistant training program that leads to certification in the State of Hawaii. Successful completion of the program qualifies the student for State / OBRA competency testing.

The course includes 84 hours of classroom instruction and 18 hours of clinical experience in a nursing home for a total of 102 hours. Classes meet three times a week for 4 hours. Classroom classes will include skills training and vital signs practice sessions. Clinical practice will be on weekends or weekdays (as the case maybe) at a nursing home contracted by HSCH. You will be supervised. A scrub uniform is required.

Characteristics and Trend of Family Caregivers in Hawaii

Caregiving has always been a universal experience affecting people of all ethnicities, lifestyles, and income levels. But recently,family caregiving has become more than an act of love and familial responsibility. It has become an essential element of our health and long-term care system.

Characteristics

Families, rather than institutions, are the primary providers of long-term care in the State. In 2003, approximately 21% of Hawaii's adult population, or 192,390 individuals, were providing care or assistance to a person age sixty or older, with 29% caring for a spouse or partner, and 21% caring for a parent. These may be a relatively low numbers since there are many “hidden” caregivers in Hawaii – those who do not identify themselves as “caregivers”. In Hawaii, the likelihood of becoming a caregiver is similar across different demographic groups and among persons with varied socioeconomic characteristics. Adults of any household income have a similar likelihood of caregiving. Married persons in Hawaii are just as likely to provide care as their unmarried counterparts. Among the different ethnic groups in Hawaii, native Hawaiians are most likelyto provide regular care to a loved one, followed by Filipinos, Japanese, and Caucasians. 12% of men and 16% of women provide care or assistance to someone age sixty or older. Women, however, are more likely than men to be primary caregivers, providing higher intensities and frequencies of care, according to national studies. 65% of Hawaii's caregivers are employed. To balance their employment and caregiving roles, working caregivers take leaves of absence, report to work late or leave early, change from full-time to part-time employment, change to less demanding jobs, retire early, or give up work completely. As a consequence, caregiving may reduce a caregiver's retirement income since reduced hours on the job or fewer years in the workforce may mean fewer contributions to pensions, social security, and other retirement savings.

Trends

Significant changes in Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs nationally and locally will impose greater responsibilities upon individuals and families to be well-informed and astute about long-term care planning, financing, and the options that may assist them in the future or the present. Expert, one-to-one counseling continues to be a significant demand by consumers who often need help articulating their questions before being able to ask for specific information or help. Hawaii is facing a growing healthcare worker shortage, while at the same time health and long-term care needs continue to rise. As a result of cost-containment policies and practices, people with healthcare needs are being discharged from hospitals and other care facilities with complex healthcare requirements.

Reference: Information Dissemination ACT 226, SLH 2007.