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Figure 12. Hawai'i County 65+ with a Disability INDEPENDENT LIVING DIFFICULTYCARE DIFFICULTY-SELFAMBULATORY DIFFICULTYCOGNITIVE DIFFICULTYVISION DIFFICULTYHEARING DIFFICULTYWITH A DISABILITY35%30%25 <br />%20%15%10%5%0%Two or More RacesSome other RaceOther Pacific IslanderNative Hawaiian andAsianand Alaska NativeAmerican IndianAfrican AmericanBlack orWhite Race 2020 <br /> Figure 11. Hawaiʻi County 60+ Popula?on by 12.9%28.9%48.3%than "very well"Speak English lessthan EnglishLanguage otherEnglish Only Hawaiʻi County Figure 10. 60+ <br /> Limited English Proficiency 7%17%83% <br /> <br />Race is an important social factor in <br />understanding disparities in the well- <br />being of older adults in many areas of <br />life including: income, employment, <br />health, housing, and criminal justice. <br />The COVID-19 pandemic brought to <br />light disparities in national health <br />systems with varying degrees of success <br />in treatment and loss of life due to <br />ones’ race and economic status. Some <br />racial and ethnic groups receive poorer <br />medical care, are less healthy, have <br />shorter life expectancies, and reduced <br />quality of life. The ethnic composition <br />of Hawaiʻi Countys’ 60+ popula?on is <br />made up of nearly 50% White, 30% Asian, 13% two or more races, 9% Hawaiian, and less than 1% Black and <br />American Indian. (Figure 11) <br />Older adults who experience limited English proficiency are at risk for greater economic insecurity and <br />inequality of access to services. Barriers of language and culture often impede eligible seniors’ ability to <br />access benefits and services. Limited English speaking older adults are twice as likely to fall below the FPL as <br />other older adults. Government programs must make special efforts to ensure that limited English speaking <br />populations have equitable access to services. <br />Visual impairment, reduced motor skills, hearing and memory loss are common in the progression of aging. <br />Many elderly adults live with a comorbidity of physical and health related conditions that make self-care <br />more difficult. (Figure 12) Through the Older Americans Act grants and the State’s Kupuna Care Program, <br />funding is available for <br />programs that aid in the <br />promotion of <br />independence for those <br />who may be experiencing <br />difficulties in performing <br />activities of daily living and <br />their caregivers. They <br />include: supportive home <br />and community-based <br />services, nutrition <br />programs, legal assistance, <br />disease prevention <br />campaigns, health <br />promotion services, and <br />caregiver support <br />programs. <br />Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates <br /> <br />23 <br /> <br />