The Staff at Pearl City Nursing Home

I spent the morning at the Pearl City nursing Home this morning and decided to break out my Christmas music. There was a yet to be decorated tree in the lobby but the day room was decorated with Christmas trim and tinsels. There were some remnants of Thanksgiving decorations still up, but overall, the setting was festive. The floor that I was to entertain on has a piano with a broken foot pedal that controls the sustain sound so I knew I would be struggling.

Upon entering, I saw Theresa, who used to sing professionally with her band in a previous career. She and her band toured the Far East. I asked in passing if she could sing "O Holy Night" and she replied with an emphatic "YES!"

So, I'm figuring I could get at least a couple of songs out of her. The patients liked her so much that she ended up doing about 7 songs.

Theresa also uses her experience as a former performer to keep the patients involved with each song by hand-clapping and use of bells and other instruments. She does a great job in converting music as entertainment into music as therapy.

The staff at this nursing home has a loving attitude towards the patients/residents.

Yvonne, for example, sometimes sits with a patient who may be feeling badly about something and hold her hands while I perform. They sometimes tease Yvonne and "demand" that she sings a song.

Yvonne, singing at the request of her patients/residents. File Photo.

So, Yvonne, a Karaoke singer always complies. And the patients show so much appreciation for the effort that Yvonne puts in. Keep in mind that we don't rehearse anything beforehand and I'm only guessing at the keys that they sing in.

Theresa, relaxing with me after a song.

Yvonne shooting the breeze after one of my visits. File photo.

And the winners are the kupunas.

V.A. Center for Aging Memorial Celebration

I provided patriotic music for the V.A. Pacific Islands Health Care System Center for Aging this morning. This is the thirteenth year where they honor those who went through the Center for services and have recently passed away in the immediate past 12 months.

Looking like a peacock... wind was a factor. Messed up my increasingly sparse head of hair and I had to place the piano lower than I wanted to. Didn't want the wind to blow everything over.

Marty Parmelee, the Mistress of Ceremonies introduced Kumu Pomai Tenn to do the opening chant. He also did the closing chant.

 The color guard posted the colors.....

The Air Force sent a singer to sing the National Anthem and Hawaii Ponoi. That's the Air Force's new dress uniform for bands and special services.

The chaplain at the Center, Reverend Charles Card gave the opening prayer.

Mrs. Wanda Ulmer, who lost her husband  about two years ago, sang a Song of Aloha. She is very grateful for the services that the Center provided because she attests that she would not have been able to care for her husband after his stroke.

 Wanda would like to do more as a volunteer so I invited her to share her voice every Monday when I entertain there. I encourage anyone who has a hobby, skill, talent or just the time, to find some way to volunteer. If you teach them photography, for example, you have not only helped them to enhance their artistic skills, but also provided a therapeutic activity, engaging them mentally, physically and emotionally. Can be done at any nursing facility.

Nurses Janelle Ando and Devera Chun read off the roll call. As each name was read, Cecil Meadows rang a bell.

As each name was read, a family member placed a flag on the alter. Many of these veterans don't have family members here so staff members placed the flags in their honor. Each of the deceaseds received a salute from the honor guards as their names were called.

 The guy that made everyone sound good. For musicians, good sound men are worth their weight in gold. In this case, Tate is a nutritionist was outranked by the Doc, whose sound equipment we use every year. For an outdoor setting, he made me sound decent (vs. indecent, I suppose).

The staff at the Center always want to contribute something to the celebration of these soldiers. Today, they sang and danced to Aloha Oe. These folks have so much love and aloha for those placed in their care.

Closing remarks by the Medical Director, Dr. James Epure.

Kumu Pomai Tenn gave the closing chant and the color guards posted themselves while the bugler from the Marine Corp played Taps.

To all who took an oath to defend the Consitution of the United States seriously, even at the risk of life and limb, I salute you all.

HEIDI SHIOZAKI… THE ARTS AND CRAFTS LADY

Every Monday morning, I’m at the Center For The Aging on the grounds of Tripler Army Medical Center. By far, the most popular person there is the lady with the crafts wagon.

Frankly, I’m glad she comes into the dining room where I perform because if she’s not there, the room would be empty. I’m not very popular. She’s prettier than me.

Heidi making a moccasin

Heidi works for an organization called Help Hospitalized Veterans. She’s on the grounds of TAMC at least four days a week, helping the veterans do projects that keep their minds and hands busy.

www.hhv.org

Heidi grew up on the mainland and makes Hawaii home with her husband and family. She is half Okinawan and tries to stay in touch with her heritage by cooking Okinawan pig’s feet soup and other popular dishes.

Help Hospitalized Veterans has been around since 1971 and celebrated its 40^th anniversary in April. The National Headquarters is in Winchester, California but Heidi works out of the VA Medical Center on the grounds of TAMC.

The services are available to anyone who is considered a veteran and to those who retired from the military. You don’t need to be a disabled veteran to use their services.

Some of the art work by the residents at the Center include paintings, building model cars and planes and even making moccasins.

http://malamakupuna.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html

Many of the residents look forward to Heidi’s visits and help. She is very positive and encourages everyone no matter how much difficulty they have utilizing their hands.

OUR VETS WHO PROTECTED OUR FREEDOM

V.A. CENTER FOR THE AGING.... Caring for our vets.


The Spark Matsunaga V.A. Center for the Aging is located on the grounds of Tripler Army Medical Center and is in a building that is physically detached from the main V.A. Center and is on the Ewa side of the main building. It is a geriatric center with 60 beds for inpatient care. Additionally, the Center also services veterans who need rehabilitation physical therapy and psychological treatment as outpatients.

I first began entertaining there in late 2002 or early 2003. I wasn't very good, having only learned to play the piano about 18 months earlier. I was self-taught to boot. But, the patients/residents were forgiving.

These are folks who are combat-tested, tough, crusty and in spite of their broken bodies, minds or spirits, stand tall in defending their dignity. Many went through the period during the Viet Nam era where they were ordered not to wear their uniforms off base. Civilians would yell obscenities and sometimes threw human waste on soldiers in uniforms. If they defended themselves, they faced court martial or at the very least, Article 15.

They watched me and tested me to see if I was volunteering just to feed my ego. Some would run their wheelchair up against my keyboard just to see how I would react. They were, and continue to be warriors. Warriors don't ask for help. They are trained to make do and improvise.

I tried to guess as to why I was being treated so rudely. First, of course, was the possibility that I was plain bad as a musician. Second, was that they didn't trust me and third, was that their medication caused a change in their personality that made them mean-spirited. Of course, I chose the third.

The truth is that they likely didn't want me there performing if I did so because I felt pity for them. When they realized that I was coming every Monday morning, rain or shine, they began to trust that I was there because I enjoyed their company. Or, I suspect that they just resigned themselves to accept me because I wasn't going away.

Each had his own song that he wanted to hear. One gunny from Texas was the mildest and kindest individual you could meet. If I ended my program, however, without singing his song, "Your Cheating Heart", he would go into a tirade and he would shout the harshest profanities only a marine gunny would know. Gunny was always the first person in the room when I arrived, reading his book (he went through a book a day sometimes), and waited patiently for his song.

Every year, the Center holds a memorial ceremony for those who passed away during the previous 12 months. I've had the privileged of providing 30 minutes of pre-ceremony music for the past 3-4 years. I did mostly patriotic and gospel music.

In years past, I've performed in a gazebo which is about 30 feet away from the audience, who were seated in the courtyard under a tent. The courtyard overlooked the ocean, airport and the Sand Island Lagoon. I had no opportunity to interact with the audience while performing.

On June 25, they held the ceremony indoors because of potential inclement weather. The audience was about 5 feet from my keyboard. For the first time, I could see and hear the tears and sobs as I went through my songs. America, Battle hymn, God Bless the USA, America the Beautiful and Amazing Grace were particularly emotional for family members. A couple of veterans had to leave the room because they didn't want anyone to see them cry. They truly love this country. For those who wonder why I'm there every Monday morning, it is because I get to touch their souls like this.

For a slide show of the event:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1389124686907

The ceremony was a typical military one, with honor guards doing a slow salute as each of the 100+ names are called followed by a ringing of a bell by Cecil Meadows, a retired veteran. Family members placed a flag at the altar when their deceased's name was called. Opening and closing Hawaiian chants were done by Liane Davidson, colors were posted and Gerry Vincent sang the National Anthem and Hawai'i Pono'i. A Navy bugler played Taps.

More about the facility:

http://www.hawaii.va.gov/services/ecrc.asp

For those who want to help by volunteering:

http://www.volunteer.va.gov/

Some people don't have the time to volunteer but want to help. If that's your situation, the V.A. accepts monetary donations. Or, do both as I do.

To all our veterans, I salute you on this 4th of July.