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Alaska is getting older every day. We expect by 2030 that 30% of us will be 55 and older and still in the workforce, so Alaska has a different issue. We are trying to bring retirees back into the workforce. – Rita Gray, MASST I had a most interesting conversation in mid-January with Rita Gray, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training (MASST). I wanted to discuss ageism against seniors in the Alaskan workplace. Her response was not what I expected. Selections from the interview follow and have been edited f...
Tax scams are among the most stubborn cons out there. They reappear often, each time with a slightly different spin. Better Business Bureau advises taxpayers to watch out for these four tax scams: IRS impersonation scam According to the 2022 BBB Online Scams Report, impersonating an authority figure or organization accounted for 54% of online purchase scams. IRS impersonation scams most often start with a phone call from a fake IRS agent. The “agent” says you owe back taxes and pressures you into paying by prepaid debit card or wire tra...
Social Security beneficiaries will soon receive a whopping 8.7 percent increase in monthly checks — welcome relief for retirees fighting the ravages of inflation. This is the largest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) since 1981 and will add $146 to the average retired Social Security recipient’s monthly benefit, pushing it from about $1,681 to $1,827, says the Social Security Administration. The agency began adjusting Social Security benefits for inflation in 1975 to ensure that the buying power of monthly checks did not evaporate as prices ine...
Q: As my health declines it is harder to have good days. How can I adapt to my changing life? A: The American Psychological Association (APA) defines resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress”. Successful aging is a process. Studies have shown that art can help people with depression, anxiety, and stress, and art has also been linked to improved memory, reasoning and resilience. There’s something quite beaut...
Music therapy now is moving into a new realm thanks to smartphones. A music app has been developed that provides therapy by consoling, relaxing and uplifting users. Music has the potential to change emotional states and can distract listeners from negative thoughts and pain. It has also been proven to help improve memory, performance and mood. Music and emotions, with an app Man Hei Law of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and his team have developed what they currently are calling...
If you wear glasses (or contacts) try to minimize their use to times when you are reading, driving or doing other precision work. But if you're just lounging around at home and can bathe, cook, garden, play a game, etc. without your glasses - do it. The more dependent you become on your glasses/contacts, the weaker your eyes become. Limiting your eyewear usage gives your eyes a chance to practice focusing unaided, thus strengthening them, and allowing for fewer prescription changes in the long...
Medicare coverage and costs normally change each year, so it is important to understand and review your benefits. Here is an overview of what’s new in 2023. Part A Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, home health care, and hospice. Most people do not owe a premium for Part A, but if neither you nor your spouse have 10 years of Social Security work credits, you may owe a monthly premium. If you are admitted to the hospital as an inpatient, you w...
Alaska Health Fair’s Spring 2023 schedule is now online, with most events already posted on our website at www.alaskahealthfair.org. Please check back frequently, as the new season is fluid. We continue to add new dates as they come available and rarely postpone one. We have provided services to Alaskans for 43 years and continued helping residents see to their needs over the past few difficult years. We offer a selection of draw dates from our offices to a handful of February community events as our busy schedule ramps up for a busy spring. W...
Poisoning is the number one cause of injury-related deaths in the U.S., according to a report by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). More than 2 million cases of human poison exposure in the U.S. were reported in 2021 alone. While less severe poison exposures have decreased in recent years, more serious exposures have been on the rise, according to the AAPCC annual report. Since 2000, serious cases have grown by 4.44% per year ranging from moderate severity to death. This alarming trend reveals the importance of greater...
Making exercise fun and easy Ongoing research is showing that there are significant cardiovascular benefits at 6,000 daily walking steps at any pace. The evidence-based health benefits of walking are continuing to accumulate, according to ongoing research by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Findings from the latest study led by Amanda Paluch, an assistant professor of kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, show that older adults who walked between...
Dear Savvy Senior: Can you recommend some good reacher-grabber tools for seniors with back or hip problems who need help picking things up off the ground? I bought a cheap one a few months ago that doesn’t work very well but would like to find one that does. – Bad Back Betty Dear Betty: A good “reacher-grabber” is a very practical and popular tool for anyone who struggles with injuries, arthritis or loss of mobility. It works like an extension of your arm allowing you to reach down and pick things up off the ground without bending or stooping o...
Family Caregiver Support Programs offer free support meetings to allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located at 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 205 (located in the 4D Professional Building). You can call them at 907-262-1280. Call with suggestions and id...
The afternoon of Dec. 12, 2022, the phone rang and it was Michael, my snowplow driver. "Lady (he always calls me 'lady'), I've been thinking, and I just don't know what to do with you." He said he drove into my driveway a short way, dropped the blade and back bladed, but had no place to take the snow. We'd received 16 inches overnight, in this second of three snowstorms in about a week's time. Michael is a wonderful neighbor who has kept our driveway free from snow problems ever since my...
Tai chi can bring wellness to the body, mind and spirit with consistent practice but trying to find a teacher or starting a practice on your own can be challenging. A growing number of senior centers in Alaska are finding tai chi instructors as a result of an effort funded by the State of Alaska to hold "train the trainer" workshops. The goal is to bring tai chi to as many of Alaska's communities as possible by recruiting community members to become leaders in health as certified instructors...
The annual Bettye Davis African American Summit will take place during Black History Month at the Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School on Saturday, Feb. 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event continues the legacy of the late state senator Bettye Davis and brings together the Black community and other people of color in conversation and action to make Alaska a better place for everyone. Activities include presentation of the Black Teachers of Excellence Awards; forums focusing on health, justice and economic equity; entertainment, vendors and much...
After brief stints in Skagway and Whitehorse, one Kansas girl swirled her way into gold rush history when she stepped on stage at the Palace Grand in Dawson City in 1900. Kathleen Eloisa Rockwell, better known as "Klondike Kate," delighted audiences of miners with her song-and-dance routines. She wore an elaborate dress covered in red sequins and an enormous cape in one dance that made her famous. Kate would take the cape off and start leaping and twirling with a cane that had yards of red...
Before "Grease," the hit 1978 movie, there was "Grease" the musical theater production first performed in Chicago in 1971 before moving to Broadway a year later for over 3,000 performances. Adrienne Barbeau, who played Rizzo during the first five months of the show's run, helped commemorate the 50th anniversary of the production as a co-editor of the 2022 book, "Grease, Tell Me More, Tell Me More – Stories from the Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All." It features personal anecdotes from t...
When I was in college – still a young and callow fellow – the TV show “Dallas” premiered, and I became a fan. A few seasons in, there was a scene that affected my career. If you don’t remember the show, it featured a couple of brothers who were in the oil business in Texas. Bobby Ewing was the sincere, likeable younger brother. J. R. Ewing was the evil, manipulative older brother. The other characters included their regular nemesis, Cliff Barnes, a crusading lawyer who just happened to be Bob...
Dear Savvy Senior: What are the IRS income tax filing requirements for retirees this tax season? My income dropped way down when I retired in 2022, so I’m wondering if I need to even file a tax return this year. – Recently Retired Dear Recently: Whether or not you are required to file a federal income tax return this year will depend on how much you earned last year, as well as the source of the income, your age and filing status. Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s IRS tax filing requirement thresholds. For most people, this is pretty...
Q. Is the Apple Pencil useful? A. For me, it fits into the “nice-to-have” category. I have avoided writing about Apple Pencil before now because it was something of a curiosity. It only worked with pricey iPad models, and it seemed like a product whose customers already knew why they wanted one. Today all four iPad model lines support Apple Pencil, including the least expensive model. Moreover, a recent system update added a new app called Freeform on every Apple device. Taken together, these changes make the Apple Pencil worth a deeper loo...
For 39 years, Angel Flight West has transported thousands of people to medical care – for free. Flights are generally for passengers who can't afford airline tickets, or for whom travel by land or commercial airline could pose a physical hardship, passengers with compromised immune systems or who live in remote areas without access to commercial transportation. Angel Flight West provides air transportation within and across 12 Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, I...
For the second year in a row, Alaska Airlines and GCI have teamed up to donate one million miles to the American Cancer Society and their program to help Alaskan cancer patients travel for their treatment. Whether traveling from remote areas of the state or traveling out of state, every patient could use a little more support in their corner. The American Cancer Society can assist patients who need to travel within Alaska for medical treatment. In some limited cases, travel to the mainland may also be possible for patients who cannot otherwise...
