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The annual window for Medicare beneficiaries to review their prescription drug, or Part D, insurance plan options for next year is open until Dec. 7, 2015. Alaskans who get both Medicaid and Medicare can enroll or change plans any time. “Consumers should always compare plans, but this year it’s more important than ever,” said Judith Bendersky of Alaska’s Medicare Information Office. “Plan premiums are trending upward for the first time in years, so are many medication costs, and most of the plans that did not have an annual deductibl...
When Alaska Native elders talk about Alaska's traditional foods they often say, "real foods feed our bodies and our spirits." Eating traditional foods like moose, fish and berries often is easy as long as seniors remain at home, but is more challenging if they participate in senior meal programs or move into urban areas, long-term care, nursing homes or hospital settings. The National Resource Center for Alaska Native Elders (NRC) listened to Alaska Native elders and senior Alaskans express thei...
The Alaska Medical Care Advisory Committee will meet Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7, in Anchorage at the State Dept. of Health and Social Services Health Care Services Conference Room, 450 Business Park Blvd., Building L. The meeting hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 7. The public is invited to attend. The purpose of the committee is to serve as the primary advisory body to the Dept. of Health and Social Services under federal Medicaid provisions requiring that each state have an advisory committee. The...
Alaskan seniors are being targeted with unwelcomed calls from telemarketers pitching unneeded medical devices. Better Business Bureau and the Alaska Medicare Information Office say the callers will trick seniors into parting with personal information and agreeing to medical devices that may be lesser quality than claimed. Alaska health officials say the practice has been rampant in the state. The callers often times will offer Medicare recipients free or discounted wrist splints, back braces and diabetic supplies, even though they may not need...
Our lead story in last month’s edition on the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly’s decision to end the senior sales tax exemption left out a lot of information. This was largely due to the last-minute deadline we were dealing with: we wanted to be sure to highlight this action, since it could have ramifications for other areas of the state. But we need now to flesh out particulars we’ve learned about that may or may not mitigate the impact of this action to seniors. Here are a few of them, as gleaned from stories in the Juneau Empire and c...
Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage area? Want to get the word out about your own service? The monthly Interagency Breakfast, sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, is an opportunity for all of the above. Informal, early and free, with breakfast provided. The November meeting is Nov. 18, hosted by Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action Group for more information on these events or to be added to our e-mail reminder list, 2...
The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) will release its 2016 annual poster/print at three public sale-and-signing events featuring artist Jason Vukovich, who will sign prints and posters. • Houston, Saturday, Nov. 14 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Houston High School Library (12501 Hawk Owl Circle) • Anchorage, Saturday, Nov. 21 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Anchorage Historic Depot (411 W. 1st Avenue) • Fairbanks, Friday, Dec. 4 4 to 7:30 p.m., as part of Fairbanks First Friday event), at the Fairbanks Depot (1745...
The goal of the Sterling Christmas Angel Tree program, says program chairman Shirley Lowe, is that no child in Sterling be without a present to open on Christmas morning. The Sterling Senior Center has headed the program for the last few years after local churches that usually front the program were no longer able to be as directly involved. "I kind of just took it over when they said they needed someone to run it," says Lowe. "And it's been a privilege and a delight to be involved with the...
Everyone deserves to enjoy the warmth of the holiday season, and this year, Anchorage-area seniors who are alone or impoverished will be able to do just that. Sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care® office serving Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, the Be a Santa to a Senior® program provides gifts and companionship for lonely and isolated seniors. The program is made possible by the generous support of area nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community. “There are so many seniors, right here in Anc...
In an over-fed, undernourished world, here’s a bit of tasty news. Addressing just one simple nutrient deficiency can prevent a long list of modern society’s present-day diseases while vastly improving the quality of your life. You never hear magnesium mentioned in the same breath as vitamin C, A, E and calcium; however, magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in your body. The role of magnesium in preventing heart disease and kidney stones is widely accepted. Individuals who die suddenly of heart attacks have been shown to...
Memory Screenings are an important part of checking our overall health as we age. If you or a loved one are having concerns about memory loss and the difference between normal aging and cognitive impairment, make an appointment for a screening and learn more about both. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska will offer free memory screenings during November at the following locations and times. Registration is required. Nov. 3 Juneau 3225 Hospital Drive, #101, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Amber, 586-6044 Nov. 6 Fairbanks 565 University Ave., #2, 9 a.m. to 4...
Winter has finally arrived, with one small fall of the flaky, white stuff and if the prognosticators are to be believed, due to the imminent arrival of “El Nino,” it will be a mild one. At my age I am forever thankful. I used to welcome snow, when I could go “sno-go” riding and even take a turn on the old skis, but now snow is just a nuisance. It is again time to remind us that winter brings slippery steps, streets, roads and don’t forget fallen leaves, and we have to step carefully. And that...
Older Persons Action Group and Senior Voice Alaska recognizes and honors veterans every day for their service to our nation. But on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, special thanks are needed. A reprint from the VFW’s website on the origin of the well-known red poppy is in order for this edition. Buddy Poppy The VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was ado...
* The University Center Health Fair in Anchorage is Nov. 21. The print edition incorrectly listed it as Nov. 15. Please take note and spread the word! Alaska Health Fair, Inc. wraps up their fall series of health fairs around the state this month, 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...
The Alaska Kidney Patients Assoc. is offering free kidney health screenings in November for people at increased risk for kidney disease, meaning people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or immediate family members with kidney disease. To participate, contact the Alaska Kidney Patients Association, and they’ll arrange for you to get your lab work done at a local lab, free of charge. After you’ve completed the lab work, an appointment will be made on Saturday, Nov. 21, to go over the results with a medical professional, who will be able to ans...
Medicare’s open enrollment, the time you can keep or switch your Medicare coverage, runs from October 15 until December 7. To Medicare scammers, open enrollment means open season on seniors. The best advice to prevent yourself from being taken advantage of by these con artists and scammers is jarring but to the point: be rude and just hang up the phone. If a solicitation comes via email or on a website, don’t click on the link, as it may open you up to a computer virus. You may also need to watch out for predatory insurance agents, who som...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in November. This month’s topic is “Caregiver Wellness.” Nov. 3, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 10, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m.. Nov. 17, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 17, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, 3 p.m. Nov. 24, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Please join and share your experiences as a car...
Lowering your risk of catching a cold The common cold occurs approximately two to three times a year in adults. If you get that many, you are in the norm. However, if you get more than that you need to think about getting more sleep. New research suggests that a lack of sleep and walking around with a sleep deficit can significantly increase your risk of catching a cold. Studies also suggest that handwashing and zinc may help with prevention. A review of 67 randomized controlled trials found...
How do we deal with our grief over loss of loved ones and all the madness in today's world? In 1988 a Pan American flight over Lockerbie, Scotland was bombed out of the sky. In the play, "Women of Lockerbie," the women of Lockerbie are fighting with the U.S. government for the right to obtain the clothing of the victims of flight 103, which crashed over their village. By washing the clothes found in the wreckage and returning them to the families of the victims of the crash the women believe the...
Coping with grief during the holidays can be especially challenging. Relatives, friends, social gatherings, spiritual and family traditions, shopping, decorating—all can be overwhelming. Planning can help, which is why Anchorage hospice organizations are presenting a grief support workshop, “Navigating the Holidays,” on Nov. 17 at the First Congregational Church, on Northern Lights Blvd. just east of Lake Otis. The time is 7 to 9 p.m. This workshop will offer gentle suggestions for handling grief during the holidays and making plans that are r...
“Celebrate Senior Veterans Week” returns this year to the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, Nov. 9-13, featuring a week filled with information, recreation, companionship and remembrance. Here is the schedule: Monday, Nov. 9: Information Fair, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10: Presentations and guest speakers, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11: The center will close in observance of Veterans Day Thursday, Nov. 12: Veteran Luncheon, noon to 1:30 p.m. With keynote speaker Verdie Bowen, Director of the State of Alaska Dept. of Military and...
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor its annual noon lecture series to celebrate Native American Heritage Month and Walter Soboleff Day in November. This year's lineup includes some of the world's most distinguished Northwest Coast and Alutiiq artists and will conclude in early December with a panel discussion by young Native artists on the future of Northwest Coast art. SHI also will host a panel discussion,"Retrospective View of Dr. Walter Soboleff," to commemorate the state's...
Before the Internet and cell service became synonymous with instant communication, Alaska's remote villages relied on a military network of telephone-telegraph radiophone stations to relay messages. Only a few cables reached a few Alaska cities back in the mid-1900s, so messages from these Alaska Communication System stations were transmitted to and from radiophone stations scattered all over the territory. With no roads and no other forms of communication, these radiophones were the lifeline...
Come November, Henry Darrow's thoughts typically turn to turkeys ... and burros. Darrow, who turned 82 in September, played Manolito in the popular 60s western television series "High Chaparral." He recalls the memorable Thanksgiving episode, "For What We Are About to Receive," first broadcast on NBC on November 29, 1968. "We spent that episode looking for a lost turkey that I'd won in a shooting contest," said Darrow, from his home in North Carolina. "The bird falls off my wagon and in one scen...
