Dear Frances – In Praise of the Silent Caregivers
Frances H. Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa An Open Letter to the Press and Dr. Oz Special attention is suddenly being paid to Alzheimer’s disease on television and in the news media because a famous person’s mother....
Dear Frances – Seeing Half-Full
Frances H. Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Frances, I’m one of the elders who still open doors. When a young man opened the door for my wife recently, she told him, “Thank you for being a....
Dear Frances – Picking up on the Signs
Frances H. Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Readers, At a bookshop recently, the perfect book jumped out at me. “Buy me, buy me,” author Graeme Simsion whispered to me. “I’m the perfect follow-up to last month’s....
Dear Frances – More Thoughts on Surviving Loss
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Frances, Funny (but not ha-ha funny) that you would bring this (February’s column on “To Help Us Make It Through”) up now about our loved ones who are no longer here. Just yesterday, the once-a-week mow-and-blow guy asked, “How’s your mother?” I must have looked stricken because he immediately....
Dear Frances – “Dear Frances” to Help Us Make it Through
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Frances, So, what did you get from your mother this past Christmas? Lilly Hawai‘i Dear Readers . . . Lilly is referring to a story I shared with you some time ago in this column. Lilly . . . you will find the answer to your question at....
Dear Frances – The Mighty “P”: Poetry
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Frances, I was watching an Alzheimer’s program and it made me want to thank you for saving me from being who I was starting to become. It allowed me to....
Dear Frances – A Read and Contemplate Column
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Readers, As this issue of The Hawai‘i Herald reaches you, I am in New Jersey to speak and lead a workshop at the Brookdale Foundation National Respite and RAPP (Relatives as Parents Program) conference. I knew I would be away, so I decided to devote this month’s column....
Dear Frances – Taking Life in Stride .. Breathe In .. Breathe Out
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Readers, At our monthly poetry writing session, Lynda shared the following poem. She is her mother’s caregiver. As she read, we all began laughing. “Oh, you find this funny?!” Lynda asked. Another caregiver in our group asked her if she was offended by our laughing. “Oh no, I....
Dear Frances – The Power of Poetry
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa These poems were shared at our recent poetry writing support group for caregivers. Our discussions follow each caregiver’s poetry. SADNESS I am sad because my sister-in-law is terminally ill I....
Dear Frances – Preserving Memories By Passing on Treasures
DEAR FRANCES By Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Frances, I enjoy reading your column in The Hawai‘i Herald. For the past 12 years, my husband and I have been caregivers for both of our parents, mainly for my parents. My mom is still alive and at 92 years of age, shows no signs of dementia and....
Purchase Culture4Kids!
