Makapuu Trail needs restrooms

It was very disappointing to see that restrooms at the trailhead were not reported to be part of the much-needed work at Makapuu Lighthouse Trail.

There were thousands using the trail Dec. 29 when I hiked there with visiting friends.Of course, they started the hike with full bladders, and when they reached the top, they trundled into the bushes for relief and many left tissue.

Anyone can go up to the top and see what the lack of trailhead restrooms has wrought.

Such a high-traffic state recreation spot simply has to have restrooms.

William Reese Liggett
Wilhelmina Rise

Caregivers should be offered training

I’m a strong supporter of a bill that would help family caregivers by requiring hospitals to instruct them in the care needed at home when patients are discharged.

Senate Bill 296 (companion bill House Bill 490) would be a source of comfort to families like mine.

During the last days of my father’s life, my mom and I cared for him at home as best we could. One of his last surgeries involved the insertion of a feeding tube that had to be kept clean and sterile at home to avoid infection. I felt uncomfortable with this because I had no prior experience doing that.

Mom and I were lucky that she was knowledgeable about discharge procedures because of her nursing background; however, not all families automatically know.

Hawaii’s caregivers would benefit from a law setting a minimum standard of instruction at the time of discharge.

Deidre De Jesus
Waipahu

AARP ignoring needs of members

Some of us are concerned that AARPcould be doing more for its membership than prowling the halls of the state Legislature advancing its own internal causes.

Maybe it’s time for members to take a long, hard look at who is really being served. Let’s work to keep AARP focused on its charter to serve its members, many of whom need all the help they can get.

Ron Weinberg
Waimanalo

Connector woes bear more scrutiny

Regarding the Hawaii Health Connector, an all-too-familiar scene: Access to large sums of taxpayer money with little or no oversight; questionable contracts with enormous cost increases; fraud, waste, abuse with no one held accountable.

When does it all stop? Never.

And to make matters worse, Hawaii taxpayers may be on the hook for the $204 million. Who’s idea was it to break something that wasn’t broken?

We can only hope auditors and prosecutors remain diligent and get to the bottom of all these shenanigans that are enriching people at the expense of the public. Kudos to state Auditor Jan Yamane for telling it like it is.

Orson Moon
Aiea

Let’s work to train, retain isle doctors

We were heartened to see the Star-Advertiser’s support for a variety of solutions to the state’s physician shortage crisis ("Do More to Lure Doctors," Our View, Jan. 26).

Here on Hawaii island, Hawaii Health Systems Corp. is midway through its first year of family physician training at Hilo Medical Center to help address physician shortages statewide.

Continued community support and legislative funding of HHSC’s Primary Care Training Program are necessary to train and retain tomorrow’s doctors here.

Our program also integrates our physician training with other critical team members such as nurse practitioners, psychologists and clinical pharmacists. The interest in this team model of training has been overwhelming. For the second class of residents starting July 1, an astound- ing 560 candidates have applied for the four seats in our physician training program.

We must all continue to work to develop successful partnerships that will ensure physicians trained in Hawaii will stay and care for the people of Hawaii.

Dan Brinkman
Interim East Hawaii regional CEO, Hawaii Health Systems Corp.
Kristine McCoy, M.D.
Residency director, HHSC Primary Care Training Program

Homeless do need own ‘bill of rights’

How ironic.

Some so-called "experts" on homelessness, who’ve never spent a single day without the comfort and protection of a home, would deny the most basic "bill of rights of the homeless" to those who, for whatever reason, actually find themselves without a place to live.

Probably because they’ve never experienced it themselves, these folks seem to be nearly clueless about how badly almost all those without a home are treated, every single day.

Until the day we have truly affordable housing — and virtually "no-cost" housing for the most disadvantaged citizens — we absolutely must have the legal protection that a well-defined "bill of rights" would afford our fellow citizens living without the protection of a home.

David B. Cannell
Waipahu

Pressure UH regents to fix financial mess

It is troubling to hear instance upon instance of the University of Hawaii operating out of control — in particular, in the Athletics Department.

It appears this is taken as business as usual and nobody gets particularly upset. Of course, it is not their money that is being wasted, and so it goes on.

It seems that Gov. David Ige could put pressure on the UH regents to hold people accountable. Unfortunately, the whole place is grossly mismanaged and holding people accountable should result in a mass exodus of department heads, administrators and other staff.

It’s really quite unbelievable that we put up with this.

Paul Tyksinski
Kailua