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Nearly six in ten residents (57 percent) believe that Hawaii’s health care and long-term care are in a state of crisis or have major problems. This according to a survey of adults age 18 or older released by AARP Hawaii. The survey of 1,043 registered voters reveals the depth of residents’ concerns with these issues on a county-by-county basis and offers the most recent evidence that Hawaii’s health care and long-term care systems are at a tipping point.

“The survey findings are especially sobering when you consider how rapidly Hawaii’s population is aging—and that the number of people age 65 and older is projected to nearly double in the next two decades,” said AARP Hawaii volunteer State President Stuart Ho. “It would be folly to put our heads in the sand and believe that we have plenty of time to address these issues. The survey shows that residents of all ages and on all islands are struggling right now to cope with rising health care costs and a very scary long-term care crisis. We need to act now before baby boomers begin retiring in large numbers. The consequences of doing nothing are unimaginable.”

Key Findings – Health Care (cost – access – quality)

• Cost and access to health care are the top concerns of residents looking ahead to the next five years—with 56% of those surveyed saying they are ‘extremely concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about paying more for health care.
• Three in four residents (75%) say their out-of-pocket medical expenses have increased in the past five years.
• More than half of residents (51%) with out-of-pocket monthly expenses say it is at least somewhat difficult for them to pay for these medical expenses.
• Over a third of residents say they have traveled off-island to receive health care services that were not available in their community (Kona: 49%; Maui: 45%; Hilo: 42%; Kauai: 40%; Honolulu: 6%).

Key Findings – Long-Term Care (cost – access – options)

• Almost six in ten residents say they are not very (23%) or not at all (36%) confident that they could afford one year of long-term care. Note: In Hawaii, two hours of daily in-home care costs about $16,000 a year, while full-time nursing home care costs about $107,000 a year.
• Nearly three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed are worried about being able to receive long-term care services in the setting of their choice.
• Almost eight in ten (78%) residents strongly or somewhat support AARP Hawaii advocating to increase funding for long-term care services that help people stay in their own homes or communities.
• Six in ten (62%) residents support paying a small monthly premium to receive quality long-term care services in the future.

A full copy of the 2008 Hawaii Health and Long-Term Care Survey can be found at www.aarp.org/hiltc

Other Resources
www.aarp.org/caregiving