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Registered voters in many communities across Alaska will vote on October 1 to elect municipal candidates. Local clerks are responsible for these elections. REAA School Board elections will also be held on October 1, but those elections are administered by the Alaska Division of Elections. A typical city or borough ballot might include a mayoral race; assembly or city council members; school board members; spaces for write-in candidates; and a local bond issue. It is important to note that a voter must be registered at least 30 days before the e...
Alaska’s senior population is growing fast, and the number of complaints to the state agency tasked with protecting vulnerable adult Alaskans of all ages is growing too. Adult Protective Services is holding two free resource fairs to share information with vulnerable adults, families, caregivers and service providers in Fairbanks and Anchorage this month. Both events run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a Friday. Anchorage Resource Fair The Anchorage fair will be Sept. 20 in the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 E. 19th Ave. There will be a...
Deborah Blake had a dream to take care of herself and her husband by gaining good solid paying employment. And now that hope has become reality for her and more. She and her husband came to Alaska in 2006 to spend more time with the grandchildren. Dennis, her husband, had always provided for the family, but now he had a debilitating disease and could not do the work he was accustomed to. Deborah knew in her heart it was her turn to provide for the family. Unfortunately, Deborah hadn’t worked i...
Oler Persons Action Group encourages seniors to engage in activities that maintain a healthy lifestyle. Basic factors contributing to healthy living are: good nutrition combined with physical, social and mental activity. Nutrition. People eating meals at a senior center will receive balanced and nutritious meals. However, those living on their own are encouraged to remember to include vegetables, fruits and fish in at least one meal a day. Avoiding fatty foods and excessive use of alcohol are also important factors in maintaining a healthy and...
September is National Preparedness Month. It is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for emergencies and disasters. This September, please prepare and plan in the event you must go for three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket, or local services for several days. Just follow these four steps: • Be Informed • Make a Plan • Build a Kit • Get Involved While each person’s abilities and needs are unique, every individual can take steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies. By evaluating your own perso...
Editor’s note: This press statement from Sen. Mark Begich’s office was received July 25. To encourage access and consumption of healthy traditional foods, U.S. Senator Mark Begich has introduced The Traditional Foods Nourishment Act of 2013. “Many Alaska Native traditional foods are proven to increase physical, emotional and spiritual wellness,” said Sen. Begich. “Traditional foods such as wild salmon, migratory birds, moose and berries are fresher, less processed and retain more nutrients. All of which benefit Alaska Natives who may struggle...
Confusion is common when laws change. And that may be even more true with health care reform, since nobody – including those in Congress who created the law – seems to understand it. One thing is certain, scam artists are out there taking advantage of the lack of knowledge to steal from trusting victims across the country. “There’s been a rapid increase in scams exploiting the confusion over health care reform,” confirmed Jim Quiggle, the spokesman for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. “People are uncertain what it means to them and sw...
Seniors who list various deductions on their income tax returns are getting a little-known break. It deals with health costs. For 2013 taxes, the claim for health related costs was jacked up from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of Adjusted Gross Income — except for taxpayers or their spouses who are 65 or older. For us seniors the deduction remains at 7.5 percent from 2013 to 2017. If your health-care expenses this year are anywhere near those of the typical senior, they would be about $10,600 each for you and your spouse. In 2010, health expenses a...
Do you know someone who’s hungry? Or if not hungry every day, someone who skips meals at the end of a pay period or who sometimes has to choose between buying food and medicine? Often people assume that it’s mostly street people who are hungry. The reality of hunger in Alaska is that 40 percent of families seeking help at food pantries and other distribution agencies have at least one employed member. Almost 60 percent of people needing food help are facing unpaid medical bills. Given the num...
It’s time again for the fair! Health fair, that is. Alaska Health Fairs, Inc. is ramping up events around the state, featuring free health screenings and education, low cost blood tests and more. These tests can help you learn about your health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. The test results give you and your health care provider important information about your physical condition and vital organ functions. A complete and comprehensive chemistry/hematology test is a...
I just thought you might want to know that on Wednesday, August 14, Social Security celebrated 78 years of providing retirement security to older Americans. In this time of financial uncertainty, when other sources of retirement income such as pensions and savings are increasingly out of reach for many Americans, Social Security is more important than ever, especially for those who do not have any other retirement income. July 30 marked the 48th anniversary of the establishment of Medicare and...
How will the health insurance Marketplace that starts in 2014 affect my Medicare coverage? The Health Insurance Marketplace is designed to help people who don’t have any health insurance. You have health insurance through Medicare. The Marketplace won’t have any effect on your Medicare coverage. Your Medicare benefits aren’t changing. No matter how you get Medicare, whether through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, you’ll still have the same benefits and security you have now, and you won’t have to make any changes. The Marketpla...
You may remember Judie Wolfe, who donated a kidney to her friend when she was 69 years old. Judie and Terri are the “poster children” for the Alaska Kidney Patients Association’s 2013 Inaugural Dash for Organ and Tissue Donation. They both feel strongly and are very vocal about elders being living donors, especially for their peers. In the fall of 2012, there was a chance meeting between former co-workers Judie Wolfe and Terri Teas (both grandmothers). During the conversation Terri confided in Judie that her kidneys were failing. Though Terri h...
Dear Pharmacist: I take a reflux medication daily as well as a chewable antacid. In the last two months, I’ve dealt with severe “Charlie horses,” toe tingling and occasional heartbeat skips or runs. My doctor prescribed leg cramp medication and referred me to a cardiologist. I know you’re a columnist, but I intuitively feel you can help me. I’ve been fine for eight months. ‑‑G.W., Peoria, Illinois Answer: My 23 years as a pharmacist (plus six years of schooling) comes in handy sometimes! Let me first say, do everything your doctor sugges...
Older adults are remaining healthier later in life Life expectancy has increased significantly over the past two decades in the United States and more Americans than ever before are living well into their eighth and ninth decades of life. Now, a new study is showing that Americans are increasingly healthier later in life. “With the exception of the year or two just before death, people are healthier than they used to be,” said study investigator David Cutler, who is with Harvard University, Bos...
Suicide among senior citizens is a major health problem, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many seniors have depression symptoms that are not properly diagnosed which leaves them vulnerable to suicide attempts. Every year, more than 36,000 Americans take their lives, says the CDC. From all these deaths, the age group with the highest rate of suicide is among those over age 65. Another 465,000 had to have medical treatment because of their failed attempts at killing themselves. Seniors who tend to try suicide...
There is a disconnect in the way we manage long term care for frail seniors. Nationally, we are moving toward taking seniors out of nursing homes and keeping them in the community, giving them more assistance in their homes or placing them in assisted living facilities. Since people generally don’t want to live in nursing homes, that’s a good thing. But we had better ask ourselves the question: are frail seniors getting the level of care they need in the community? Here’s the problem, from an om...
The Last Frontier Honor Flight, a newly formed hub of the Honor Flight Network, is now looking for World War II, Territorial Guard and Korean War Vets to sign up for a sponsored trip to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials that were built in their honor. We are concentrating on WWII vets and Territorial Guard first for obvious reasons – their advanced age is working against them and we feel the sense of urgency to get them back to D.C. For many, this may be their last mission. I heard about t...
The Organized Village of Kasaan announced the opening of the new SEARHC Kasaan clinic on Prince of Wales Island on July 26. The new clinic is a prototype “micro clinic” designed for communities with a full time population of under 100 residents. Funding for the design work on this statewide small clinic prototype was provided by the Denali Commission. The 975-square-foot clinic replaces the current clinic, which is about 250 square feet and did not allow for gurney or stretcher access, ade...
Cordova made national headlines when its citizens took a leaf from the annals of Boston. But instead of a tea party, they staged a coal party. They proved to a far away and indifferent government that the spirit of ’76 was still alive on May 11, 1911. Five years before, a campaign for the conservation of natural resources swept America, and the government decided to withdraw the coal, oil and timber lands of Alaska from private ownership. The Copper River Railroad stopped building its branch line to the Bering River coal fields. Katalla, w...
You won’t see Stuart Whitman’s name listed in the closing credits for the 1951 sci-fi classic, “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” But he’s there, if only for a few seconds, in an uncredited role as one of the sentries guarding the alien spaceship. Such was the humble beginning of many young actors in the 50s, appearing anonymously in bit parts hoping ultimately to be “discovered.” It took about a decade, but critics and audiences eventually noticed the handsome, dark-haired Whitman. While waiting...
Dear Jonathan: I went to see a lawyer because I wanted a simple will drawn up. By the time I was done, not only did I have a will, which was not the least bit simple, but I had a financial durable power of attorney, a health care power of attorney and living will, a trust, and a rather large bill from the lawyer. I was shellshocked. Do I really need all of these documents or was I scammed by the lawyer? Jonathan says: Without knowing anything about your personal circumstances, or what your objectives were when you went to see the lawyer, it is...
Summertime is over and it’s time to face the fall. Hopefully, your family has enjoyed a nice vacation and you’ve had your share of fun in the sun. You may even reminisce about the popular song, “See You in September,” which was written by Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards and made memorable by The Happenings in 1966. As children, teenagers and young adults return to school, now is a good time for you to take a look at the books, too — whether that means starting your retirement planning, making sure your retirement plans are on track, or taking th...
Q. Why do online companies offer rebates instead of just selling a product at a lower price? It seems like there are always strings attached such as receiving a rebate check that can only be used to purchase other company products. A. Companies have various reasons for offering rebates, but in general, there are three primary reasons: First, the time between the purchase and the rebate can be several months, a period in which your money is in the company’s possession, undoubtedly earning interest or working in other ways to its advantage. This...
“I don’t know what to do to celebrate your [70th] birthday!” my husband lamented. “I know you don’t want a party or jewelry, but I can’t decide what to do for you.” “I’m going to Scotland by way of Iceland!” my friend said exuberantly. “Why don’t you come with me?” And so it was that I found myself on Icelandic Air to Reykjavik one balmy night in July with my friend Sloane, an artist and former helicopter pilot who had been there in the 1960s when the airline had one prop plane and a dicey la...
