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The Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA) has two important events coming up aimed at improving the lives of Alaska's senior citizens. Senior Transportation Teleconference Join the ACoA on Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. for a teleconference dedicated to improving transportation services for Alaska's seniors. The session will focus on gathering community feedback and developing recommendations for enhancing transportation accessibility across the state. The teleconference can be accessed at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89719043442. The teleconference will bring...
Like many households, mine does a lot of shopping via mail. So when a text message from the postal service appeared on my smartphone, alerting me that a package was being held due to “incomplete address information” and would be returned if I didn’t act within 12 hours, I promptly poised my finger to click on the link. But then I stopped. Since when does the USPS send me text messages? And I’ve read that spam text messages are so potent now that simply clicking a link can open your device’s door to theft. Suspicious but curious, I visited t...
NIMBY, Not in My Backyard. These angry words have created barriers for those needing help finding safe housing and obtaining other basic needs. Central Lutheran Church in Anchorage reframed NIMBY and created a nonprofit organization, In Our Backyard (IOB). The mission is to provide safe, interim homes and connections to support services for our unhoused senior neighbors as they work to obtain permanent homes. In Our Backyard Board Chair Julie Green-Graham shared, “Each time the Sullivan Arena closed, members of Central Lutheran Church asked, h...
It’s essential for everyone aged 18 and above to have a will, an advanced health care directive, and a durable power of attorney in place. However, many people haven’t done this yet. The reason could be our natural discomfort when it comes to discussing topics like death or the potential loss of our ability to sign legal documents. As we grow older, these conversations become increasingly important. If you’re assisting a friend or family member, it’s crucial to ensure that they have all the necessary paperwork completed. Remember, these d...
Sure, it's just an ordinary asphalt parking lot, but it's the one by the gas station at the Girdwood turnoff. People in the Lower 48 loot their retirement security to make a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Alaska to see the view along there-the Turnagain Arm surrounded by towering snowy mountains. I didn't notice any of it. I was focused on using the bathroom. But first I had to get there. Step one was getting out of the car. And to do that I had to bend my knee. The pain was excruciating....
It’s almost back-to-school time and those runny nosed kids are going to be bringing bad bugs home. Here are four tips for keeping your immune system strong. To bolster your immune system, start with the basics, as always: Stay well- hydrated, keep a regular schedule that allows for eight hours of sleep each night, and eat a healthy diet. If you want to occasionally have a treat, that’s fine. Just don’t make a regular habit of sugary, fried or processed foods. Then try the following detox program to flush out your system and jump-start your...
The Ruby XL 5" is a digital magnifier that allows users to magnify materials up to 14 times -books, photographs, newspapers, medications, labels and more. Users can choose to fold out the handle for a balanced grip or use it as a reading stand that holds the screen at a comfortable angle. With options to adjust magnification, change contrast or color coding, or add a reading line, there are many ways users can customize the display to meet their needs. Digital magnifiers are manufactured with...
The much-anticipated Alaska Health Fair fall 2024 schedule is being released in the first week of August. As your trusted partner in health and wellness since 1980, we're gearing up for another season of empowering Alaskans with vital health education and affordable blood screenings. Our fall lineup promises a range of events across the state, bringing health resources directly to your community. Key points: - Schedule release date: First week of August 2024 - Events will span various locations across Alaska - Featuring our signature...
As Americans and as Alaskans, we share in the health care program costs of our Medicare, both through our federal income taxes and through the cost sharing paid by individuals enrolled into Medicare. But for some Alaskans with low income and low assets, these costs can be a significant part of the monthly budget – there are programs which can help save you money. In this month’s article, I will introduce the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), which can help with the bills for Original Medicare (as...
Q: As I reflect on the discussions surrounding "old age" that have been circulating lately, I find myself contemplating the challenges that come with aging. While I may not process information as quickly or move with the same agility as a younger person, I wonder: How can these issues be turned into positive experiences? A: The fourth century, BC Phoenician merchant Zeno once said after his ship hit a rock and lost all his cargo, “I made a prosperous voyage when I suffered shipwreck.” This anc...
Staying healthy at 35,000 feet If you are planning on flying and debating whether to wear a mask, it is best to know the facts. Infectious disease expert Dr. Clark Abraham, who is with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, said some people may be surprised about the risk of germ spread on most airplanes. “Commercial airplanes contain high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter systems, which exchange the air rapidly. In general, the risk of spreading an a...
Of the three components of physical fitness-aerobic, flexibility and strength -the latter is least likely to be addressed and the least palatable among the senior crowd. Why? The mere thought of it conjures up arduous workouts that are extraordinarily difficult. Images of grunting and groaning weight lifters, their anguished faces dripping with sweat, makes the whole thing seem so unappealing and ridiculously hard. This is an imagery that we need to dispel. Strength training for the elderly...
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest diseases in the world. It has been around for thousands of years. In the 200 years since TB was introduced to Alaska, it has ravaged much of the state, and continues to do so, even 60 years after the discovery of effective drugs to treat and cure the disease. TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, and Alaska continues to have the highest rate of TB in the United States. Most of Alaska’s cases are in the Southwestern and Northern regions of the state. In 2022, 95 Alaskans, ranging in age fro...
Dear Savvy Senior: I need to hire a good in-home caregiver to help my elderly father who lives alone. What’s the best way to do this? —Searching Sarah Dear Sarah: Finding a good in-home caregiver for an elderly parent is not always easy. How can you find one that’s reliable and trustworthy, as well as someone your parent likes and is comfortable with? Here are some tips that can help. Know his needs Before you start the task of looking for an in-home caregiver, your first step is to determine the level of care your dad needs. For examp...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following caregiver support group meetings in August. Meeting format is open discussion unless otherwise noted. Aug. 1 Tyotkas Elder Center, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 2 Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Aug. 7 Kenai Senior Center, joining with the “Stronger Together” group, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 15 Sterling Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Aug. 29 Nikiski Senior Center, featuring a showing of “Alive Inside,” about music and dementia, 1 to 2 p.m. Support meetings allow you to share y...
Cottonwood trees are spoiling the air with their seeds and causing a huge increase in seasonal allergies, so this is as good a time as any to explore how to handle allergies and discuss protecting ourselves at home from allergies. We will also talk about other allergies, as well. Let's talk about what you can do in your home to reduce allergens. Your heating and cooling systems can be great allies in the fight against allergies. During allergy season, running your air conditioning can help. It...
Redirection is a technique that shifts the focus of the loved one away from a situation that causes them fear, anger, anxiety, or from engaging in dangerous and unsafe behavior, toward a situation that’s more calm and pleasant. Last month we looked at the benefits, when caregiving for someone, of redirecting their attention and behavior toward the positive. Now let’s look at the unsuccessful outcomes of negative verbal redirection in a case where someone can’t find their purse and is convinced someone has stolen it. “Your purse hasn’t...
In 2009, Agnes Sweetsir noticed that the Yukon Koyukuk Elder Assisted Living Facility (YKEALF) in Galena was empty. "It just sat and sat," she recalls. "I lived right down the street and was embarrassed. It was just a monster of a building." Agnes prayed on it. "I figured I could help get it up and running for a few months, but I didn't realize we needed an administrator." She took on the role. "I worked 60 to 80 hours a week for $25,000 a year. Charlie Green was our maintenance manager-same pay...
The dictionary defines a prospector as one who searches or explores. Members of the Alaskan Prospector's Society (APS) are continually prospecting for fun and knowledge about the great state of Alaska. The celebrates its 80th birthday this August. According to the organization's website, APS organized in June of 1944 at Elmendorf Air Force Base, now Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. APS was a spinoff from a popular course titled "Short Course in Mining," at the University of Alaska's extension...
After an extra stressful week, I so looked forward to spending a whole day at the 43rd annual Scottish Highland Games on June 29. It had been on my calendar for over a month, but I hadn't been sure I'd be able to attend. This was not my first experience at the Games. That was back in the 1980s when our children were young and it was held on the grounds of the Eagle River Lions Club. My husband, Gary, had just learned that he came from a Scottish background, rather than Irish. That day in Eagle...
Gold miners in 1906 Fairbanks passed a fur cap for contributions to give the 7-year-old warbler. His only number was "In The Good Old Summer Time," but it pleased the whiskered sourdoughs in the frontier town. That was the beginning of a career that took the little singer far. Robert MacArthur Crawford grew up to become a professor of music, conductor of the Newark Symphony Orchestra and guest soloist for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. But his most enduring claim to fame...
Her film and television career only lasted a decade, but Evelyn Rudie's memories from the 1950s and 60s as a child actor remain vivid, beginning with a small role in the Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron 1955 musical, "Daddy Long Legs." After meeting director Henry Koster through a family connection when she was just three years old, young Evelyn was offered an audition at Twentieth Century Fox. "They thought I looked exactly like Leslie Caron would have looked like as a child," recalled Rudie, who...
The Social Security Administration will be providing in-person services to three local Alaskan communities, Dillingham, Nome and Sitka, the first week of August. These services will allow local Alaskans to perform a variety of essential tasks, including replacing Social Security cards, updating addresses, reporting changes, and asking questions about their benefits. This will be especially beneficial for those living in areas where access to an SSA office is limited, noted a Social Security Administration press statement. Bringing a form of...
Years ago, when my daughters were much younger than they are now, they came to me one evening with silly grins on their faces. “Dad,” they said, “We have a new advertising slogan for you.” I waited. “Sign and date, before it’s too late!” And then they laughed their little preteen heads off. I scratched my chin a moment and said, “You know, that's not bad. I think I'll use that.” They drew back in horror. “No, dad! Don't use that! It was a joke! That would be a terrible slogan!” And, becau...
Q. Some years ago I had a photo book printed, but I no longer see that option in my photos app. Where did it go? A. There are photo printing services online that print photo books. If you were using a Mac, you might be referring to its legacy photo service, which was discontinued years ago. Today, no matter what device you use, consider Photobooks Pro (see the link in the box). They are a high-quality photo printing service that offers dozens of book designs. And if my guess is correct that you were talking about Mac legacy software, Photobooks...
