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Are you looking for resources that will allow you to maintain your independence as you age? Look no further than your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Servicing locations all over Alaska, ADRCs are the link between the individual and various services catering to seniors, caregivers and people with disabilities. "We listen to what individuals are asking for and explain and offer a variety of services such as Medicare, senior benefit programs, personal care services and more...
There's a magnet for memories in Anchorage. Ask people about the 4th Avenue Theatre and memories come flooding back. They seem to come in two waves. Seniors remember the early movies shown there, some even recalling opening night, May 31, 1947, when excitement ran high for joining the crowd at the theatre's first movie, Columbia's hit, "The Jolson Story." Younger generations, the millennials, have fond memories of high school proms, school fundraising events and weddings held there. I sat with I...
The Trump administration has proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget, saying it is bloated with unnecessary expenses resulting in waste and abuse. It has also proposed to eliminate the independent status of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and absorb it into the NIH. AHRQ is a little-known agency that focuses on improving health care quality and applying it to patient safety. It is one of the true unsung heroes of the federal government, providing vital scientific research that has helped reduce...
Editor’s note: This is an April 13 letter Gov. Walker addressed to Alaska Pioneer Homes Division Director Vickie Wilson; Pioneers’ Homes Advisory Board Co-Chairs Robert Silvertsen and Robert Hall, Sr.; Juneau Pioneer Home Administrator Gina Del Rosario; and Veterans and Pioneers Home Administrator Joshua Shaver. I want to take this opportunity for you to hear directly from me about my commitment to the Alaska Pioneer Homes. You know more than anyone that Alaska’s Pioneer Homes are extraordinary places. I have visited most of them and enjoy...
The Senate Finance Health and Social Services Subcommittee closed out the operating budget for FY18 for the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) on Mar. 14. The Senate Subcommittee was able to reduce the DHSS budget by an additional 5 percent in general funds from the Governor’s FY18 budget with no additional reductions to many senior programs, including Senior Community Grant Services, Senior Benefits, elder protection and other services. “The committee prioritized seniors and the developmentally disabled for this year’s budge...
Imposter scams are on the rise – in fact, in 2016, according to the Consumer Sentinal Network, it ranked number two with 472 reported complaints by Alaska consumers, directly behind lottery/sweepstakes scams. Much of the time, these schemes are by phone. Scammers call consumers pretending to be from their utility company or cable company, from the IRS, law enforcement, internet or computer company (tech support scam) or from the court system. The caller claims you are behind in your utility payments, you missed jury duty and need to pay a f...
Sudden price spikes in older drugs are putting patients at risk of going without vital medicine. A new report by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging uncovered an insidious business model that’s leading to monopoly pricing power and astronomical price increases. Berna Heyman, a retired librarian who has Wilson Disease testified how she was a victim of obscene price gouging. Her annual co-pay for the drug Syprine rose from $700 in 2013 to $10,000 in 2014, with her drug plan paying over $260,000. When she and her doctor applied for V...
Editor's note: This is the sixth article in a series from the Diverse Elders Coalition, looking at different segments of the senior population. Cambodian American elders face many challenges similar to those of other low-income older Americans, such as poor nutrition, limited transportation and poverty. But they also face some very specific challenges as survivors of war and genocide, said Kaoru Watanabe, associate director of the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI). "A lot of times, as thes...
With the snow melting and the sun shining, we start thinking of being outside doing things like fishing, hiking, gardening, golfing and camping. If during the winter you have been inactive or recovering from an injury or illness, now would be the time to develop a specific exercise program for your recovery and long term health. To be safe, you should check with your doctor before starting on an exercise program. It is also a great help if you know what exercise your doctor recommended and what...
Alaska Health Fair’s Spring 2017 health fair season is coming to a close this month, so try and make it to one of the remaining events in your local community. These events offer free health screenings and education, low cost blood tests and more. The tests can help you learn about your health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. So take time out of your busy week and join AHF when they bring an event to your local area. A complete and comprehensive chemistry/hematology test i...
Are you aware that if you have Medicare Part B you are eligible to receive a large number of preventive services that will cost you nothing? Medicare’s goal in offering these preventive screenings is to find health problems early when treatment works best. Under Medicare Part B, preventive services are part of your benefits and you will pay no co-payment if you get the services from a provider who takes assignment. Taking assignment means that this provider has an agreement with Medicare to a...
The volume of veterans set to reach retirement age in the next decade will put tremendous pressure on the VA healthcare system. The Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS) is one program the VA is attempting to rebalance and revamp in an attempt to avoid any impact on veterans. LTSS offers client-centered services in the least restrictive setting possible. For the majority of veterans, that place is their home. In the past, the VA’s focus has been on elder care institutions; i.e. long-term care f...
Prediabetes is a surprisingly common condition among U.S. adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 86 million U.S. adults (more than one in three) have prediabetes, with only about 9 million even aware that they have it. Prediabetes not only increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but it can also have a significant impact on health care costs and overall well-being. Prediabetes is not just a condition of national concern, it is also a growing concern here in Alaska. According to the American D...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve recently read that all baby boomers should get tested for hepatitis C. Is this really necessary, and if so, what are the testing and treatment procedures? – Healthy Boomer Dear Healthy, It’s true. Both the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all baby boomers – people born from 1945 through 1965 – get a hepatitis C test. The reason is because baby boomers account for 75 percent of the 3 million or so hepatitis C cases in the U.S. Those that are infec...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in May. This month’s focus is on National Physical Fitness and Sport Month. Join for a time of caring and sharing, followed by a walk outside. May 2, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 9, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 16, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center,1 p.m. May 17, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. May 30, C...
Drinking tea may help combat Alzheimer’s disease A new study is suggesting that drinking tea may help reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults and for those who are genetically at risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the National University of Singapore conducted a longitudinal study involving 957 Chinese seniors aged 55 years or older. They found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline by 50 percent. In addition, those individuals who are APOE e4 gen...
Hospice of Anchorage has been around since 1980 and is a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) organization and a partner agency to United Way of Anchorage. We are a community agency comprised of an interdisciplinary team – volunteers, nurses, social workers, volunteer coordinator and a bereavement coordinator. We provide assistance with transition from life through death and to cope with loss and grief. This may be a one-time visit, periodic contact or may grow into an ongoing relationship lasting weeks, months or years. All services are provided free of c...
The Alaska Commission on Aging will conduct a quarterly meeting May 9 by way of videoconference and teleconference sites located around the state. Public participation is encouraged. The commission advocates for state policy, public and private partnerships, state/federal projects and citizen involvement on senior issues. Commissioners will hear presentations from and about senior service programs and agencies, including the Riverview Senior Living Community in Juneau, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Juneau Independent Senior Housing...
While the Southeast town of Sitka claims the first U.S. Post Office established in America's new possession of Alaska in 1867, Circle City – located on the banks of the Yukon River – holds the honor for the first post office in Alaska's Interior, according to "Directory of Alaska Post Offices and Postmasters." Circle City's first postmaster, famous outfitter Jack McQuesten, was appointed on March 19, 1896. Mail had been carried by private mail runners that traveled along a route from the new...
Known for his trademark salutation, "Hello Dere," his bug-eyed comic stare and wild Brillo-pad hair, veteran comedian Marty Allen is still making audiences laugh. "I get up in the morning and the only thing that doesn't hurt is my pajamas," joked Allen, who turned 95 in March, from his home in Las Vegas. A veteran of six decades in the entertainment industry, in 1957 the Pittsburgh-raised comedian teamed up with handsome lounge crooner Steve Rossi, who became his "straight man." The union produc...
On Memorial Day, we honor the soldiers and service members who have given their lives for our nation. Social Security respects the heroism and courage of our military service members, and we remember those who have given their lives in defense of freedom. Part of how we honor service members is the way we provide Social Security benefits. The unexpected loss of a family member is a difficult experience for anyone. Social Security helps by providing benefits to protect service members’ dependents. Widows, widowers, and their dependent children m...
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (May 9 and 23), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (May 3 and 17), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (May 4, 11, 18 and 25), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s southeast communities can call the Juneau Soc...
You like potato, I like potahto You like tomato, I like tomahto Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto Let’s call the whole thing off! The point the Gershwin brothers were making, I take it, was that slight differences in semantics shouldn’t make any difference in reality. Okay, maybe it’s more complicated than that, but I didn’t write this column to talk about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Sometimes, slight wording differences matter tremendously. Take Medicare and Medicaid, for example. They so...
Q. A couple of times when I answered my phone the first voice I heard asked if I could hear them. It seemed harmless, but I wonder. Is it harmless? A. No, it is likely a scam. There is a similar technique that has been making the rounds recently. It involves a friendly voice apologizing for having problems with her headset, then attempting to engage in conversation. The effect is disarming, and it took a few seconds to realize that I was listening to a recording. As consumers become more savvy about ignoring unwanted solicitations, callers try...
Denver is an outdoor city filled with urban adventures. The Mile High City is known for its world-class cultural attractions, thriving craft breweries and famous music scene, all within easy reach of the Rocky Mountains. Situated in the South Platte River Valley, this modern city draws openness from the Great Plains to the east and embraces the spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains to the west. Residents of this mile-high landscape are noted for their sunny dispositions-to match the area's...
