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Now turning 67 years old, the first set of Baby Boomers, those born in 1946, continue to be myth-busters, according to a new study, “Healthy, Retiring Rapidly and Collecting Social Security: The MetLife Report on the Oldest Boomers.” The data, from the company’s MetLife Mature Market Institute, says the earliest Boomers aren’t necessarily “working ’til they drop,” as was predicted. More than half (52 percent) of the 1946 Boomers are now fully retired. Of those, 38 percent say, “I’m ready,” while 17 percent cite health reasons and 10 perc...
It was a caravan of carts, full of givers and receivers, and they were all having fun. The givers were a group of senior volunteers, members of AARP Sourdough Chapter 533. The receivers were people with disabilities. They were all taking part in Access Day, May 15, at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage. The afternoon may have been breezy, cloudy and cool, but there were warm smiles all around. Volunteers were driving a fleet of a dozen golf carts provided by the Anchorage Golf Course, just down...
After five days in the hospital with a fractured spine, Jean Arnau was discharged and needed to transfer to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation. Only then did her family find out that she had never been formally admitted as an inpatient to the hospital. While the care the 84-year-old Rhode Island woman got was exactly the same, she had been classified as an outpatient under “observation” – a status that cost her thousands of dollars more than she would have paid if she had been admitted as an inpatient. The same thing happened to Lo...
Congratulations to Rita Hatch, who was announced in May as the winner of this year’s Ron Hammett Award for outstanding service to seniors in the Anchorage community. Rita was presented the award at the Older Americans Month kick-off event May 2 at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center. Ron Hammett was a well-known advocate in Anchorage, having served on the Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, was board chair for the Anchorage Senior Center, and volunteered for AARP. It is fitting Rita be honored...
ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and BP all did very well this legislative session. The rest of us? Not so great. We lost $4.5 billion to three of the richest corporations in the world, money that could have been used to educate our children, provide public safety, and support vital programs such as the Senior Benefits Program and Alaska’s Pioneer Homes. I don’t believe in sacrificing essential services for Alaskans in order to increase oil industry profits. SB 21, the Governor’s oil wealth giveaway, will cause the state to choose between runni...
Editor’s note: This Dept. of Health and Human Services press statement was received on May 9. On May 9, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced new funds to help more uninsured Americans enroll in affordable health insurance coverage made available by the Affordable Care Act. In Alaska an estimated $1.78 million is available to support 25 health centers’ enrollment efforts. Nationwide, funding of approximately $150 million will expand the efforts at community health centers to provide in-person assistance to help enr...
Alaska Community Services, Inc. disclosed that it discontinued its Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs as of April 30, 2013. According to Executive Director Brenda Bogowith, the agency voluntarily relinquished their federal grants to operate the programs prior to their end date due to a monitoring site visit conducted in February 2012. The findings of that site visit resulted in programmatic and compliance issues which are currently under discussion with federal funding agency officials at the Corporation for National and...
“Yee Gu.aa Yáx X’wán,” goes a traditional Tlingit farewell: “Be of brave heart.” Of course, that can be easier said than done when facing terminal illness or the physical and mental deterioration that accompany aging—for individuals as well as their families. “These are intense situations, involving people at very challenging points in their lives,” says Willow Moore, executive director of Brave Heart Volunteers, a non-profit organization that provides free services including education, inform...
The Medicaid Expansion bill, which our Governor is opposing, would be a great benefit to the state for one simple reason. The Affordable Care Act is now a fact of life. It is not going away and not participating in it means that indigent patients enter the health care system through emergency rooms, which is far more expensive, and not through doctor’s offices. If these people were allowed to be on Medicaid, they could see a doctor and have access to preventive care and not become a high cost p...
If you are a Medicare beneficiary or someone who helps people access medical equipment or supplies such as oxygen equipment, diabetic supplies or wheelchairs, you should know about a Medicare program called Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program, that saves money for taxpayers and people with Medicare. Under this program, providers of certain medical equipment and supplies submit bids which Medicare uses to set payments that are lower than the price that is currently paid for these...
Swelling of the legs, feet and ankles is a common problem in seniors. The medical term for this is edema. Edema is the trapping of excess fluid in any part of the body, but occurs most commonly in the ankles, legs and feet. One source estimates almost 4.4 million people in the U.S. suffer from edema. Edema causes a puffiness of the tissue under the skin. The skin may appear stretched or shiny. Pressing on the swollen area may leave a dent when the pressure is relieved. Usually swelling of the legs and feet comes on gradually and may not be noti...
Detecting Alzheimer’s disease in its earliest stages Australian scientists say they now are much closer to developing a screening test for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. The investigators have identified blood-based biological markers that are associated with the build-up of amyloid beta, a toxic protein in the brain. This plaque build-up develops years before symptoms appear and irreversible brain damage has occurred. “Early detection is critical, giving those at risk a much bette...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following meetings and trainings this month: June 4, Caregiver Peer Support Meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. June 11, Caregiver Peer Support Meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m. June 17, Caregiver Training at Kenai Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m. Topic is “Mayo Clinic for Heart Health.” Understand your condition, eat well to feel well, and learn about soothing therapies. June 25, Caregiver Peer Support Meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m. There is...
When I lived in Bush Alaska, I used to love seeing the Native elders at the potlucks. They came from up and down the Yukon in all kinds of weather to sit together and share food and stories. As the moose nose soup bubbled and acres of salmon were placed before everyone, the feeling of community was so powerful and affirming, it simply felt wonderful to be there. It doesn’t feel wonderful to see Alaska Native elders in Anchorage long term care facilities. There are an estimated 250 Alaska N...
Fairbanks Resource Agency offers a free Information Exchange workshop for caregivers on the first Tuesday of each month. The workshops are open to the public and held at the FRA administrative office, 805 Airport Way, from 1 to 3 p.m. Refreshments and door prizes are on hand, and each workshop focuses on a different topic, featuring guest speakers. The June 4 workshop is “Discovering our Personality Style to Better Communicate Through True Colors,” presented by Bob Parr, assistant professor at UAF. Learn to understand your personality sty...
Public officials and Haines Assisted Living, Inc. (HAL) joined veterans and community members April 27 for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Soboleff-McRae Veterans Village in Haines. The project is the first state-funded private veterans housing facility in Alaska, and is designed to have 11 housing units for veterans and 10,000 square feet of office space for nonprofit support organizations. It is being constructed in downtown Haines and will be part of a complex that includes an assisted living facility and an independent living...
Anchorage is joining many other cities across the nation in establishing a Senior Friendly Project aimed at improving the shopping experience of our older citizens. The reason for such a project, as stated by Mayor Dan Sullivan, is because, “There has been a 52 percent increase in our senior population in the past 10 years. Seniors as consumers contribute an estimated $1.46 billion into the state!” This amount is increasing further as “baby boomers” are added annually to our population. The Sen...
An unofficial head count taken at Sitka by the U.S. Army in 1869 revealed 391 civilians made up the town’s population, which included 10 saloonkeepers and 29 prostitutes. It was hoped that the 1880 Census would elevate Alaska’s image. Chosen to take the important tally was one of the most controversial figures in Alaska history, Ivan Petroff. Years later, historians would say Petroff was everything from a “Prevaricator Par Excellence” and able historian, to a three-time Army deserter, falsifier of documents and “teller of tall tales.” P...
If you’re a fan of old movies, you’ll recognize what the classics “Gilda,” “Blackboard Jungle,” “Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” and “Fastest Gun Alive” all have in common: Glenn Ford. Oddly enough, though he appeared in around 100 feature films, the first biography on Ford was only published in 2011. Ford’s son, Peter, authored “Glenn Ford: A Life,” and talked about his dad and the book, which is an insightful Hollywood bio filled with stories of one of film’s most underappreciated actors. In a...
Un-Cruise Adventures plans 19 trips for 2014 in Hawaii, Mexico, Northwest U.S. and Alaska A few issues back I described the Hawaii tour that Un-Cruise Adventures has scheduled for 2014. Here’s more information about more adventures that the cruiseline with the funny (but descriptive) name has on tap for their “Active,” “Luxury” and “Heritage” sailings in 2014. The line’s eight vessels, carrying 22 to 88 guests, specialize in small-group adventure cruises in Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico’s Sea of...
