My late mother was born in Paia one hundred years ago. Like many other plantation families of years past, taking care of kupuna is so important then and now.

But for those families with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s, it reshapes families.

More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s, often sacrificing their own health, income, and stability. In Hawai’i, where multigenerational caregiving is common, this burden is especially profound.

The CDC’s BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act supports state, local, and tribal health departments in implementing community-based interventions. The requested $35 million will help expand caregiver resources, improve early detection, and promote brain health through the new Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map.

Scientific progress is also key. Continued investment in research will help accelerate breakthroughs that could ease the burden on families and caregivers.

I, along with the Alzheimer’s Association, urge Sen. Mazie Hirono to support $113.485 million in additional funding for Alzheimer’s research at National Institutes of Health, and to advocate for full funding of the BOLD Act to strengthen public health responses across Hawai’i and the nation.

Calvin Hara

Paia