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I moved to Alaska in 1982 to take a job in a fledgling nonprofit organization. By 1988 I had blundered into a teaching position at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Among other benefits included with the job was a traditional pension. At the time, I was a young man more interested in a paycheck. “Pension shmension” -- who cared? Now I am an older guy who has been retired several years. That reliable monthly pension check is by far the biggest part of my income, more than double my Social Security income. The life my wife and I lead as old...
We used to have two cars until a few years ago when the 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan suddenly made loud clunking noises and stopped running – forever. On the one hand we were sad to see her go. My wife and I had lots of shared memories about taking the “red rocket” on camping trips around Alaska, and even a three-month car-camping excursion down the Alcan and around the western half of the United States. On the other hand, two cars for two people seemed a bit excessive. We could save thousands of dollars a year by sharing a single car. Lower...
Are you feeling all smug and comfy about the level of your personal savings for retirement? OK, that was a rhetorical question. A report recently released by the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) found that 75 percent of adult Americans are concerned about their ability to achieve a secure retirement. In addition, 86 percent believe that the nation faces a retirement crisis. “It’s no wonder Americans believe the nation faces a retirement crisis – the evidence is irrefutable that the hope of retirement is out of reach for millions...
Going out to eat at your favorite restaurant can be a very pleasant experience – unless you get food poisoning. Eating at home or eating out is an important distinction because Americans are twice as likely to get food poisoning from food served in restaurants compared to food prepared at home, according to a 2014 study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Here in Alaska we have easy access to a lot of health information about most restaurants, but first a little background. Food poisoning is common and often quite serious. The F...
Despite the fact that this bill has over 100 Congressional co-sponsors, you probably have not heard about H.R. 676, The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act. This legislation would: • guarantee access to comprehensive, high quality, affordable health care to all U.S. residents; • allow you to go to doctors and hospitals of your choice (unlike private insurance, which often forces you to use their list of doctors and hospitals); • not require you to pay copayments or deductibles; • not surprise you with huge unexpected medical bills....
“Aging Alaskans Info” is a blog and website which I started earlier this year to be a comprehensive resource for aging Alaskans and our families. I started the website for reasons that were personal and difficult, yet familiar to most of us. I have been in Alaska since 1982, but in the last decade I was responsible for the care of my elderly mother and aunt, who were both living in New Mexico. They have since passed away, but it was a tremendous struggle to try to help them manage their lives from such a great distance. This stressful exp...
