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“Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, returns Oct. 11, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appetizers and refreshments provided, and also streamed live via Zoom. This month’s program is a gubernatorial forum, with candidates answering questions, including those from attendees. Prior to the forum, there will be a presentation about ranked choice voting at 5 p.m., followed by a light dinner at 6 p.m....
Senior Voice has been recognized for excellence, winning four awards in the annual contest sponsored by the North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA), a nationwide network of publishers focusing on boomer and senior readers. Awards were announced Sept. 12, 2022, at the annual NAMPA conference, held this year in Las Vegas. Entries were independently judged by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri, who gave awards in categories based on the circulation size of the publication. Senior Voice entries...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received Aug. 31, 2022. Alaska’s Election System gave Alaskan voters more choice, voice and competition on Election Day. A near-record number of Alaskan voters participated in the Aug. 16, 2022, special election. When surveyed after voting, 95% of Alaskans reported that they received instructions on how to rank their choices. Additionally, 85% of Alaskans reported ranked choice voting was “simple.” Voters were given broad choice and competition between the three candidates in this special election. It was...
“Expenditures made by retirees of state and local government provide a steady economic stimulus to Alaska communities and the state economy.” – National Institute of Retirement Security, Pensionomics 2021 Tourist greenbacks coming to Alaska fluctuate dramatically year to year. Same with fishing revenue, oil bucks, construction expenditures, and federal dollars. Some years it’s downright scary. So, what are the stability superheroes of the Alaskan economy? An important one is the traditional “defined benefit” pension plan where, regardless...
Dear Editor, Seniors should vote Nov. 8 against a convention to revise our state constitution. We could lose a lot in a convention. Article XII, Section 7 says benefits that state, borough, city and school district retirees have accrued “shall not be diminished or impaired” but, even with that protection, the Retired Public Employees of Alaska has had to sue the state repeatedly to roll back diminishments. The retiree trust funds are underfunded by billions, so in a convention there’d probably be a drive to eliminate that debt by killing the ...
AARP Alaska wants to insure that people in later life have opportunities to contribute to their communities. AARP volunteers serve throughout Alaska and across the nation to create better places for people of all ages. With deep local knowledge, they are well-positioned to make communities more age-friendly. Anchorage’s membership in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities is a commitment to make community improvements over a five-year period. The first two years will be spent engaging the Anchorage community, establishing a t...
Combating seasonal affective disorder (SAD) requires a multi-prong approach that may include light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medications, or vitamin D. Known as "the winter blues," Alaskans face the highest risks due to a lack of light in the winter and now is when treatment needs to begin. In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer. This is known as winter-pattern SAD, or winter depression. Some adults may experience...
October is one of our busiest months for Alaska Health Fairs. We continue to provide pre-scheduled appointment-based services to communities and worksites. October community events include many in Anchorage and Fairbanks, plus Delta Junction, Girdwood, Houston, Juneau, North Pole, Prince of Wales Island, Two Rivers and Valdez and lots of worksite events (not listed). We continue to ask for masking of event volunteers and participants, as we work around ever-changing circumstances in our communities, state and nation in a safe and effective...
Another autumn is upon us, and one thing that means is that Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (OEP) will be happening soon. Each year from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, you can make changes to your Medicare sponsored Prescription Drug (also known as Part D) coverage in order to meet your needs for calendar year 2023. As long as you make your decision and request any coverage changes by Dec. 7, then that insurance coverage will be effective, Jan. 1. You may be able to receive better drug coverage at a...
Oct. 18, 2022, is Alaska Day. It marks the formal transfer of Alaska from the Russian Empire to the United States of America. 2022 is the 154th anniversary of this transfer that changed and impacted the history of our state. It is something we can celebrate. We can also celebrate when we take the time to take care of ourselves. A part of this includes making sure we are current on our Medicare enrollment. People do have questions regarding Medicare. It is a large federal health insurance program and can be complex due to the unique needs of...
My name is Denny Darby. I work for the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation as the Resource Coordinator for the state of Alaska. I live in Juneau. My job is to identify people with Parkinson’s disease throughout Alaska, form Parkinson’s support groups whenever possible and support individuals or groups with resources provided by the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation. Our services and resources are 100% free. Some of the available resources offered by the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation include access to a Movement Disorder Specialist (a neurologi...
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 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. Support meetings 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. Call with suggestions and ideas for...
Q: Why aren’t assisted living costs covered by my health insurance program? A: When people think about assisted living, they often presume costs are covered by their medical plan. However, as a general rule, traditional employer-based health insurance will not cover daily care over a long period of time. A common misconception is that Medicare extends to long-term care stays. However, Medicare is strictly a health insurance program that covers costs related to illnesses and injuries and, to s...
Fall in Alaska is unpredictable, and usually that means snow and slippery surfaces. It is easy to be distracted when in familiar surroundings, and this creates an accident waiting to happen and we trip, slip, fall or have a scary close call. According to the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2020, Alaska led the nation as the highest-risk state when it came to falls of people over 65 years of age. The U.S. average is 27.1% and Alaska is 36.5%. This means approximately 1 in 3 Alaskans aged 65 and older are falling each year. W...
Hold on, I am getting a message from my knee It is now possible to receive data from your knee about how it is healing. Knee replacements are getting smarter and may improve outcomes, thanks to a new joint component that securely tracks and transmits knee motion data. Physicians are using the data to optimize patient monitoring and recovery. The new component is called the Persona IQ Smart Knee implant. It includes a 10-year battery and sensors that constantly capture long-term postoperative...
Across the country, residents of long-term care facilities along with family members, ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff and others will honor the individual rights of long-term care residents by celebrating Residents’ Rights Month in October. Setting aside a month to focus on rights is an effective way to ensure this important topic is recognized in our community and state. Residents’ Rights Month is celebrated each year to highlight residents living in all long-term care settings. It is a time to reflect on the importance of the Nur...
The third grade students looked at me like they did the other two docents – old ladies who were telling them what life was like back in the good old days of 1935. The way I talked made one student ask if grew up in the house. I couldn't blame him, but I wasn't even born for another 20 years. Why could I identify so easily with children living in Palmer in 1935? Barbara Thomas, head docent for Colony House Museum, had asked me to help with the Knik Elementary School tours that October 2016 m...
Left: Bill Tull watches former Mat-Su Senior Services, aka Palmer Senior Center, Board President Janet Beeter demonstrate her ulu-handling skills as she processes salmon donated to the center by way of the "Silvers for Seniors" campaign. Each year, members of Northern District Setnetters donate a portion of their catch during a single day of the fishing season to the senior center. Copper River Seafoods provides a tote with ice to haul fish from the Port of Anchorage to the center in Palmer....
Sealaska Heritage Institute’s fall lecture series continues through October, with free noon lectures on topics ranging from clan crests, lost Alaskans, historical trauma in Alaska Native peoples and Alaska Native history. All lectures will be at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau and livestreamed on Sealaska Heritage Institute’s YouTube channel at noon and saved to the institute’s channel immediately after. The October lecture schedule: Oct. 4 “Epigenetics and Historical Trauma in Alaska Native Peoples,” by Riphan Malhi Oct. 6 “Mornings...
The Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA) will hold its quarterly board meeting Oct. 3-6 at the Anchorage Activity Senior Center. Subjects that will be covered include senior housing, updates on health and social services, the state plan on aging, Pioneer Homes, AgeNet, AARP, Office of the Long-Term Ombudsman, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and much more. While this is an in-person meeting, participation is also possible via Zoom or teleconference. For link information, visit https://bit.ly/3SlxzeT. The public comment portion of the meeting...
Not only does Alaska have a history steeped in fur trading, whale harvesting and gold mining. It also has drawings on rocks usually associated with primitive people in exotic faraway lands. Petroglyphs, the Greek word for rock carvings, are among many enigmas of science. Because their true meanings are elusive, they remain a mysterious link to a people who inhabited the world a long time ago. Many of Alaska's petroglyphs, which are in abundance in the Southeastern part of the state, are unique...
Fairbanks Senior Center’s “Helping Hands Home Modifications” program is looking for veterans in need of home modifications. Improvements, even small ones, can make a substantial difference in household safety and quality of life: bathroom grab bars removable shower head enhanced lighting handrails for stairs and steps smoke and carbon detector installation If you know a veteran who could benefit from assistance like this, or other projects, contact Shawna Chastain with the Helping Hands program, 907-452-2562 or nscoa.admin@a...
I was watching a Korean comedy series recently online, called “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”. It is about a brilliant but significantly autistic woman who becomes a lawyer. If you don’t mind reading subtitles (or alternatively, if you speak Korean) I can highly recommend it. One episode involves an inheritance dispute. After the father dies, the two older brothers convince the youngest brother that under Korean law, the oldest brother get the largest percentage of the estate, the second broth...
For a variety of reasons, many older Americans won’t retire. According to a May 29, 2019 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30.2% of Americans ages 65 to 74 are projected to be in the workforce in 2026. While financial necessity is one big reason many people won’t retire, others are choosing to stay employed for as long as they can. According to Maurie Backman, in “3 Reasons to Work During Retirement,” generating extra income, saving on leisure costs, and warding off depression top the reasons many seniors choose to remain in the wo...
Q. Years ago I converted a box of family photos with a desktop scanner. Are scanners still around, or have they gone the way of the fax machine and pay telephones? A. Tabletop flatbed scanners are still available. And far less expensive than they were years ago. Pretty much any model that sells for less an $100 should do just fine. Just be sure that it is supported by whichever device you use it with. There is however another solution: a smartphone app. Today’s smartphone cameras are more powerful than most budget-friendly scanners, and w...
