{"id":160912,"date":"2022-06-20T12:08:46","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T22:08:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=160912"},"modified":"2025-11-18T13:03:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:03:21","slug":"dementia-storybook-distributed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/06\/20\/dementia-storybook-distributed\/","title":{"rendered":"Dementia storybook distributed to public schools, libraries statewide"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"grandpa<\/p>\n

Currently, nearly 100,000 k\u016bpuna and others in Hawaiʻi<\/span> are impacted by Alzheimer\u2019s disease or another form of dementia. In Hawaiʻi<\/span>, where multigenerational homes are common, many young people are living with older adults with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other dementias. Yet, youth caregivers are largely invisible to the eldercare service system. <\/p>\n

\"pomai<\/p>\n

To shine light on this issue, a storybook for Hawaiʻi<\/span> youth, titled Pomai and her Papa<\/em>, developed by University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa public health<\/a> and social work<\/a> researchers, has been distributed to all 294 Hawaiʻi<\/span> Department of Education public and charter schools, and all 51 public libraries statewide. Books were provided free of charge, and included a short guide for young people and one for supportive adults. <\/p>\n

Developed by the H\u0101 K\u016bpuna, the National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders<\/a>, a program of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health<\/a>, the storybook follows Pomai as she navigates troubling changes she begins to notice in her Papa. She starts to struggle in school because she is unsure how to help him.<\/p>\n

Booklet helps keiki understand dementia, memory loss<\/a>
—July 30, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“This book mirrors the lives of our students,” says Joyce Pien, library literacy teacher at P\u0101lolo Elementary School. “It validates their life experiences as grandchildren who cherish their aging grandparents.” <\/p>\n

The book was based on research conducted by the H\u0101 K\u016bpuna team through which they interviewed youth, physicians, eldercare providers and cultural advisors. <\/p>\n

Mnemonics help retain information<\/h2>\n

“The data suggested that youth liked stories, especially those that reflected the faces and voices of Hawaiʻi<\/span>,” said Shelley Muneoka<\/strong>, coordinator of H\u0101 K\u016bpuna. “We also learned that mnemonics can help youth recall larger pieces of information.”<\/p>\n

Thus, the mnemonic HALIʻA<\/span> (fond remembrance), developed by Lana Sue Kaʻopua<\/span>, appears throughout the book that outlines symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other forms of dementia:<\/p>\n

This book mirrors the lives of our students
—Joyce Pien<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

H:<\/strong> Hard to remember names, events, basic information. May lose track of days, dates, time of year. Hard time finding things.
\nA:<\/strong> At risk of wandering and other unsafe behaviors.
\nL:<\/strong> Loses judgment, has harder time problem-solving.
\nI:<\/strong> Increasing difficulty in remembering words when speaking or writing.
\nʻA<\/span><\/strong> ʻAno<\/span> (a person\u2019s basic nature, personality) changes. With these changes can come confusion, frustration, anger and impatience that can be seen in facial expressions, voice, gestures and behaviors.<\/p>\n

“The story book also provides links for more information about dementia,” said Kathryn L. Braun<\/strong>, director of H\u0101 K\u016bpuna and professor in the Office of Public Health Studies. “It also includes ways to connect to the Alzheimer\u2019s Association-Aloha Chapter<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Download Pomai and Her Papa<\/em> for free<\/a>. A full report of the research upon which the book is based is published in Gerontology and Geriatrics Education. <\/p>\n

Braun and Muneoka\u2019s co-authors on the paper also included: Colette V. Brown<\/strong>, Lana Sue Kaʻopua<\/span><\/strong>, Yan Yan Wu<\/strong>, Rachel L. Burrage<\/strong> and Yeonjung Lee<\/strong> from H\u0101 K\u016bpuna National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nearly 100,000 k\u016bpuna and others in Hawaiʻi<\/span> are impacted by Alzheimer\u2019s disease or another form of dementia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[972,1363,241,449,158,244,596,9],"class_list":["post-160912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-alzheimers-disease","tag-manoa-research","tag-public-health","tag-public-health-sciences","tag-publication","tag-social-work","tag-myron-b-thompson-school-of-social-work","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t