If you have had the pleasure of seeing the 2002 Walt Disney Pictures animated film, Lilo & Stitch, you probably will recall Stitch's most memorable line:
"Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind, or forgotten. This is my family. I found it all on my own. It's little and broken, but still good. Yeah - still good."
Lilo and Stitch is the story of a 19-year-old Hawaiian girl, who after the death of her parents, found herself caring for her much younger sister, Lilo. She does everything in her power to prevent Lilo from being taken away by Social Services to be put into foster care. The 2 sisters then decide to visit a local animal shelter to adopt a pet so Lilo will have some company and will stay out of trouble. The strange looking "dog" they adopt turns out to be the product of an intergalactic genetic experiment gone wrong. Stitch, as Lilo named him, somehow escaped exile on an asteroid, and landed on planet Earth in Hawaii. The story of their adventures, mishaps, trials and tribulations all focus on the concept of "Ohana." According to Wikipedia it means family in an extended sense of the term including blood-related, adoptive or intentional. It emphasizes that family are bound together and members must cooperate and remember one another. Many communities in Hawaii and the mainland have made sure to incorporate the concept of Ohana and look out for their senior and elderly citizens. Assisted living facilities across the nation adopt the values of Ohana to make their senior communities a better place for the elderly.
My experience of seeing the film was more meaningful because I was able to see it with my family at The Historic Waimea Theatre on the Island of Kaua'i. It didn't have the glitz and glamour of some of the popular extravaganza-style movie theaters on the Mainland. But among the seating arrangements for its 270 patrons, it did have a special section for "tutus." Tutu in Hawaiian means grandmother. The inclined seats were rattan style with especially large, comfortable cushions offered at no extra charge to provide the utmost comfort for senior patrons. Ticket prices with the senior discount for patrons 55 and older were $6.00. Waimea Theatre was built in 1938 and went through decades of various ownerships, neglect, conversion to a warehouse and retail space. After damage from Hurricane Iniki in 1992, it was restored to its original natural charm and reopened in 1999.
Many communities offer senior discounts and special accommodations for senior citizens. But the fast paced modern world can many times put seniors in harm's way. To provide seniors with easy living, comfort and medical care they need, many societies are incorporating assisted living facilities to help seniors enjoy their remaining years in serenity. Seniors are able to stay out of harm's way and can receive the medical care and attention they need.
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