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Whereas, older Americans contribute to the fabric of our community and are keepers of our rich, cultural history; and Whereas, the Municipality of Anchorage acknowledges that the meaning of “to age” has changed for the better; and Whereas, the Municipality of Anchorage is committed to supporting older adults as they take charge of their health, explore new opportunities and activities, and focus on independence; and Whereas, the Municipality of Anchorage celebrates the value of inclusion and honors older adults as leaders in our community and...
Older Persons Action Group (OPAG) was founded more than 50 years ago as a grassroots nonprofit with the goal to improve services and develop programs that foster self-determination of older Alaskans. OPAG provides statewide advocacy on older persons’ issues through coordination and collaboration with other like-minded organizations. Some of its activities include publishing the monthly award-winning Senior Voice newspaper and website, producing the statewide Directory for Older Alaskans, and coordinating the monthly interagency Providers B...
Even in the best of times, social isolation is a significant problem. In Alaska, 42,898 people over the age of 50 live alone and are at higher risk of social isolation, which is now magnified by the “social distancing” requirements across the country. That’s worrisome. In fact, the World Health Organization was so concerned that the “social distancing” directive was contributing to isolation that it has modified the wording of its guidance: It now urges people to practice “physical distancing” to prevent the spread of the virus. Make no mista...
With social distancing, depression, isolation and loneliness hitting the nation’s seniors particularly hard as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government has made big changes to Medicare to help doctors reach patients easier without visiting offices or hospitals. But while it appears well-intentioned, these policy changes also are going to have to be more carefully thought out over time. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Medicare to open access to telehealth, connecting patients to health care providers through videoconferenc...
The Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer's Disease (MCCFAD) is a newly formed Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, housed at the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institute on Aging. The center partners with Michigan State University, Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan University to address issues that surround Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). It shares what is known about ADRD to create awareness, share resources and ultimately...
I am going to talk about safe grocery shopping during our very own pandemic, but first, a most interesting digression. Recently I was reading "A Journal of the Plague Year" by Daniel Defoe, a semi-fictionalized account of the 1665 Great Plague of London. I read most of it but couldn't finish because, frankly, it was too depressing in light of our current pandemic. However, I was intrigued by the strategies Londoners used to shop for groceries while their neighbors and fellow city residents died...
Alaskans may be good at maintaining distance from each other, but if you’re a caregiver (and even if you’re not), eventually you’ll have to leave the house to get groceries, replenish medications, or gather other supplies. If you usually stock up on incontinence supplies, toilet paper, or other products for personal care via Amazon or some other bulk supplier, be aware that shipping to Alaska may be backlogged. It may be better to shop locally to be sure of supplies on hand. Here are four tips for your personal safety, and the safety of other...
Dear Savvy Senior: Do currently offered vaccines against pneumonia provide seniors any protection against the coronavirus disease? I’ve always been bad about getting vaccinated, but this coronavirus pandemic is causing me to change my thinking. - Pro-Vax Patty Dear Patty: This is a great question. Because the coronavirus (COVID-19) attacks the lungs and respiratory system, many readers have asked whether the pneumonia vaccines, which are administered to millions of patients each year, might protect someone if they contract the coronavirus. But...
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a prudent idea to discuss the benefits of having a patient advocate and an authorized representative in the event that you are unable to represent yourself. Patient advocate A patient advocate can be a health care professional or a trusted person, perhaps a relative or friend who can look out for your best interests when you are not well. The advocate’s overall mission is to guide a patient through the healthcare system. Their assistance can i...
Alaska Health Fair has canceled all March through May 2020 health fairs, due to state or national mandates. We’ve continued to do our important work for Alaska at our local offices and hope to return to business “as close to usual as possible” in late May or early June. We expect to hold health fairs starting in August, so if you are interested in scheduling a late summer event, please give us a call. Call your local Alaska Health Fair office at 907-278-0234 in Anchorage and 907-374-6853 in Fairbanks to be waitlisted for when we return to ou...
If you have a spouse, sibling, parent, or other loved one in a nursing home, you may be worried about their safety and well-being because of the coronavirus pandemic. AARP has consulted with leading nursing home experts to provide you with some key questions to ask the nursing home: Has anyone in the nursing home tested positive for COVID-19? This includes residents as well as staff or other vendors who may have been in the nursing home. What is the nursing home doing to prevent infections? How are nursing home staff being screened for...
Older adults are at elevated risk for complications from COVID-19 and are dying at higher rates than younger patients. In light of these concerns, researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine and colleagues have just issued guidelines and best practices for healthcare providers and family caregivers who are providing care for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their recommendations are published in the Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine. “Our senior patients need a...
Editor’s note: This schedule may change, due to coronavirus safety measures. Be sure to confirm with the host agency prior to visiting. The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in May. This is Mental Health Month and the meeting discussion topic will be “Well into your Future, Maintaining Mental Health.” May 5, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 12, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 19, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senio...
In our last article, we talked about having an emergency plan for your pets in case of natural disasters. The current COVID-19 public health crisis is a reminder that we need pet care plans not just for disasters but in case we become ill and are unable to care for our pets ourselves or need to be hospitalized. Anchorage Animal Care & Control (AACC) had a dog brought to the shelter when both his parents were hospitalized due to COVID-19. Their daughter later stated that her parents delayed...
"Look! Look! Look!" I excitedly exclaimed to my almost 16-year old son as I pointed to the field on our left. We were driving past one of the many grain fields in the Matanuska Valley where we live. I would drop him off for his last day of school in a few minutes. He looked up from reading the all-important sports page of the newspaper. "What? Birds? I don't care about birds," he said with disgust. He went on with his reading, ignoring the four sandhill cranes foraging in the field. I wonder if...
Join Julie Riley, Tanana District Extension horticulturist on Fridays and Tuesdays for free, informal discussions on gardening in Interior Alaska, via Zoom web videoconferencing using your computer, smartphone, iPad or tablet. No internet service or cell phone coverage? No problem. You can dial in from your telephone, but you will only be able to hear the presentations, not see them. There are two weekly meetings: the VegHeads Virtual Garden Hour on Fridays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., and New Gardener Q&A on Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. VegHeads starts with...
Container gardens are a viable and popular cultivation option, especially for those who have limited sun-exposed spaces or are looking to start small and learn the basics of gardening. "Containers, whether bought or recycled, are a great place to plant herb and vegetable gardens," says landscape designer, Doug Scott of Redeem Your Ground in Atlanta, Ga. "But to get it right, there are a few things to keep in mind." To help you successfully cultivate a container garden, Scott offers the...
Mary Shields is the 2020 recipient of the distinguished Ron Hammett Award from the Municipality of Anchorage's Senior Citizens Advisory Commission. Annually, the award recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional service, leadership and civic engagement for improving the quality of life of seniors. Shields, a 47-year resident of Anchorage, served on the Alaska Commission on Aging (ACOA) from 2014 to 2019. With less than one year on the commission, she accepted the position of chair, and...
"Celebration," the enormous biennial Native American cultural event originally scheduled to take place this year in Juneau, is being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place this year, event organizer Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is holding a virtual Celebration during the time Celebration 2020 would have occurred, June 10-13. In lieu of in-person activities, the Celebration 2020 virtual event will include live watch parties of previous performances and new videos of associated...
The Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA) will hold their quarterly meeting on Monday, May 18 from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Subjects that will be covered include senior housing, updates on health and social services, AgeNet, AARP, Office of the Long-Term Ombudsman, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and much more. To listen-in or participate, call toll-free 1-800-315-6338, code 53250#. The public comment portion of the meeting will take place from 1:15 to 1:30 p.m. The Alaska Commission on Aging includes a roster of advocates from around the state...
Communities may apply for coronavirus-related funding in support of older adults through AARP’s Community Challenge grant program. Challenge grants will support quick-action projects that spark change and help improve communities for people of all ages in key livability areas of public spaces, transportation, smart cities, civic engagement, housing and other innovative projects. Since 2017, AARP has funded 376 projects through Community Challenge grants. Deadline extended: Applications will be accepted through May 15, 2020 (11:59 pm ET)....
The establishment of airplane competition didn't stop Chester Noongwook of St. Lawrence Island from continuing his dog sled mail service run until 1963. His was the last mail delivery of its kind in the country. Wien Airlines established the first commercial airplane base on St. Lawrence Island at Gambell and built a landing strip at Savoonga. The company took over the mail-carrying duties for the U.S. Post Office. But Noongwook was retrained on a supplemental basis whenever the planes couldn't...
While most of us will be remembering mothers on May 10 this year, entertainers who worked as child actors in television sitcoms may also have special memories of their 'TV mom.' For Paul Petersen, that was Oscar winner Donna Reed, matriarch from "The Donna Reed Show." In 2018 for the anniversary of the show's first broadcast, Petersen (and coauthor Deborah Herman) released "The Donna Reed Show: A Pictorial Memoir" (see www.micropublishingmedia.com ). "It's kind of an archival look back at an...
Dear Savvy Senior: What can you tell me about the retirement account changes that Congress recently passed in response to the coronavirus crisis? - Seeking Answers Dear Seeking: Tucked into the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, that President Trump signed into law in late March were a series of changes that can help retirement savers in need of cash, as well as help preserve the retirement savings accounts of current retirees while the stock market is down. Here’s a rundown to how three provisions in the CARES A...
Part two of two Last month we discussed retirement planning for the decade before retirement. This month, we continue with planning for retirement and post-retirement. Retirement Many boomers experiment with a trial retirement before we pull the plug. Perhaps we take a short leave or work part-time. Most importantly, we test the type of lifestyle we plan for our post-retirement years. A trial retirement allows us to examine how our expenses will change and whether we’ll be able to fill our time in meaningful ways. It also increases the l...
