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St. Francis Presents Blueprint to
“Stay Healthy at Home”

St. Francis Development Corporation, an affiliate of the St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, is planning a new residential care community in leeward Oahu that includes 200 rental apartments for seniors aged 62 and older and 65 townhomes and 60 cluster homes for leasehold purchase by any qualifying individuals. Called Franciscan Vistas Ewa, it will be located on 23 acres in Ewa Villages. Seniors will be able to live independently and have access to fee-for-service assistance, including transportation, meal preparation and live-in help. In addition, there will be a 15,000-square-foot community center offering recreational and fitness programs, group activities and gardening opportunities. This Stay Healthy at Home Health and Wellness Program, featuring individualized supportive care and services in one location, is the first of its kind in Hawaii. Construction of Franciscan Vistas Ewa’s infrastructure is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year with construction of Phase I, including the community center and 35 percent of the homes, to begin six months later. Development of Phase II (the senior rental apartments and remaining residences) will immediately follow completion of the first phase. Selections for occupancy, slated for early 2008, will be made on a first-come, first-served basis as applications come in and are approved. Call 678-7258.

Bookworms, Music Lo?ers Gather at Hawaii Book & Music Festival

The inaugural Hawaii Book & Music Festival, “A Celebration of Story and Song,” will enliven the grounds of Honolulu Hale on April 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The free event will feature presentations and signings by some 200 poets, storytellers, chanters, dancers, playwrights, composers, arrangers, musicians and authors, including nationally acclaimed novelists Maxine Hong Kingston, John Saul and Kiana Davenport. Also planned are a Pitch the Publisher booth manned by local publishers who will critique unpublished works; a Keiki Reading Tent where readings by acclaimed children’s book authors and local celebrities will be held; a Hawaiian Culture Pavilion offering programs devoted to Hawaiian language, chant, hula and music; and a Fine Living Pavilion where you’ll enjoy health and wellness programs and appearances by well-known local cookbook authors and chefs (look for Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong and Sam Choy). Nearly 100 booths will offer books and music for sale, and there also will be arts and crafts displays and nonstop live entertainment. Proceeds from the festival will benefit Hawaii Literacy and the Read to Me International Foundation. Call 589-BOOK or peruse hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org.

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Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50

That’s the title of Joan Rattner Heilman’s best-selling book — a mouthful to be sure, but it’s chock-full of great deals to chew on if you’re a senior. For example, are you dreaming of a getaway to Europe? Heilman advises, “Thalys, the European high-speed rail network with trains that connect Paris with more than 25 cities in four countries, gives a discount of over 30 percent on the cost of first- and second-class tickets to travelers 60 and older.” What about hotels? Sheraton Hotels & Resorts provides “an outstanding break if you are a member of AARP,” according to Heilman. “It’s a discount of up to 50 percent off the published room rates when you book a stay that includes a Thursday, Friday or Saturday arrival and make a nonrefundable reservation at least 21 days in advance.” Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures retails for $14.95 and is available at all major bookstores, through www.amazon.com or directly from the publisher, McGraw-Hill, at (800) 262-4729. Heilman is in the process of updating and researching material for the 17th edition of the book, which will be out in the fall with a price tag of $16.95.

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Learn about important topics such as preventing identity theft and play fun rounds of bingo to boot! That’s the concept behind Central Pacific Bank’s (CPB) 12-week Come Play Bingo program for seniors, set to run from May through early July. In May, bank representatives and a speaker will visit 10 senior centers and clubs on Oahu. Following their presentation, attendees will play bingo for the chance to win door prizes and enter the grand prize drawing for an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Las Vegas. On June 16, 23, 30 and July 7, CPB will sponsor Come Play Bingo on KFVE-TV from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Pick up bingo cards from any CPB branch and play the game at home. The winners of weekly prizes will be entered into the grand prize drawing. Come Play Bingo will culminate on July 20 with CPB’s Senior Day at the Hawaii Convention Center, during which the winner of the grand prize will be announced. Call 544-0637.

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Sharpening Your Tools for Life

Some 3,500 people are expected to attend the Tools for Life expo at the Hawaii Convention Center on June 9 from noon to 6 p.m. and June 10 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Open to the public, it will feature more than 150 exhibits focused on assistive technology, products, services and laws affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Held in conjunction with the Disability Access Conference (June 8-9) and the AARP Caregivers Conference (June 10), both of which also are open to the public, Tools for Life will introduce the latest in assistive technology and community services. Assistive technology levels the playing field so that regardless of their disability, people can live independently, obtain employment and participate in every aspect of community life. Admission to the expo itself is free, however, fees apply for the conferences’ workshops and seminars. Call for more information: Tools for Life, 532-7110 or visit www.toolsforlifehawaii.com; Disability Access Conference; 586-8121; and AARP Caregivers Conference, 523-4908.

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