20/22 Web Series on Caregiving: Long-Term Care: Costs, Consequences and COVID-19
Wannette Gaylord, President of the Alliance of Residential Care Administrators (ARCA), owns five state-licensed ARCHs in Honolulu. Prior to caregiving for more than 20 years, she helped her father’s business at age 15. Gaylord advocates on behalf of Hawaii’s frail and elderly population, and truly believes it is her privilege to Mālama ka ‘āina and Kupuna.
John McDermott is the Hawaii State Long-Term Care Ombudsman under the Executive Office on Aging. Born in New York, McDermott has lived in Hawaii since 1985. He has a Master of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and Masters of Social Work from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. McDermott was Director of Social Services at Maunalani and Hale Nani rehab and nursing centers before becoming the state LTC Ombudsman in 1998.
Lynn Niitani is the Volunteer Coordinator for LTCOP. With a Masters of Social Work from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Niitani started her career as a social worker for a local nursing home and was the director of an adult day health center, before overseeing family support and violence prevention programs for the DOH. Like many local professionals, she is balancing work responsibilities while raising a family and caregiving for aging parents.
