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Switching permanently to either standard time or daylight saving time would disadvantage either early risers or night owls, according to experts. The current system provides each group with benefits for half the year. Now, the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time is calling for change. The group contends abolishing seasonal time changes and adopting permanent standard time, follows science and prioritizes public health, safety and efficiency. A survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) found that half (50%) of Americans support...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The world is an economic mess. People with means are doing fine but they are a small portion of the population. We here in Alaska have not been hit as hard as parts of Europe but some of our older residents have changed their expectations. The March copy of the state Dept. of Labor Economic Trends show that Alaskans in the 55 to 65-plus age bracket are increasingly participating in the overall labor force. The percentage of increased participation is up about 6 percent for 2011 compared to previous years. It is more likely than not that the inc...
Just as many retiring baby boomers are seeking to buy long-term care insurance, the companies that provide it are making it more difficult to purchase by raising premiums, weakening coverage and charging women higher rates than men. According to data from the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, premiums have risen dramatically in just the last year, by an average of 10 percent for couples and 20 percent for singles. Alternatively, more companies are giving customers the option to...
For older Alaskans living on a fixed income, senior housing can be a great option. Sometimes, though, our office receives complaints about senior housing property managers who abuse their power, repeatedly entering tenants’ units without permission or threatening eviction if seniors complain about poor service. Thankfully, this does not happen often. It is very important for seniors to know their rights as tenants in order to avoid being intimidated. I’d like to recommend an easy-to-read boo...
The Alaska Brain Injury Network and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) present “Artistic Journey for Brain Injury Awareness,” May 11 in Anchorage, featuring folk music, art and educational presentations to highlight brain injuries and their impact on individuals and families. Informational booths will be on site, along with door prizes, raffles, and desserts provided by Sugar Spoon. The event takes place 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the ANTHC building, 4000 Ambassador Drive. Call 274-2824 or visit www.alaskabraininjury.net for more informa...
What do David Filby, Wilbur Post and Scrooge McDuck have in common? They were all characters (“The Time Machine,” “Mister Ed,” and “DuckTales,” respectively) played by actor Alan Young. A resident of Studio City, Calif., for over 50 years, Angus, as he was once known, was born in Northern England. His Scottish father soon moved the family to Edinburgh, then later to Canada when he was six. He suffered from prolonged bouts of asthma as a child and was bedridden for months at a time. During those depressing weeks, his spirits would be lifted b...
How long will your tax-deferred retirement savings last as you use them to supplement your Social Security checks? Obviously the answer is affected by how much you saved and the unknown factor of how many years you will live in retirement. But it also depends to a large extent on how much Uncle Sam leaves you after he takes what he calls his fair share. This is when the juggling act begins, figuring out ways to live comfortably and still make your retirement income stretch. Here are some ideas to help you save money by reducing how much Uncle...
From the stables to the tracks, people across the United States are already talking about this year’s Triple Crown. The three biggest thoroughbred horse races in the nation — the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky; the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland; and the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York — take place in the coming weeks. It has been 34 years since a horse has won all three and taken the U.S. Triple Crown. Social Security has a horse in the race, so to speak. We offer our own “Triple Crown” of social media at www.socia...
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (May 14 and 28), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (May 1 and 15), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s southeast communities can call the Jun...
Q. Sometimes when I drag a file from one location with the intention of placing it in another location, I fumble with the mouse and it winds up in the wrong spot. When that happens, is there some way I can cancel what I just did so I can start over? A. Windows does provide a second chance of sorts in the form of an Undo keystroke command for this type of oopsie. (It’s a technical term.) The universal Undo command is CTRL + Z, which works just about everywhere within Windows. You can use it copying or moving objects, pasting and even when e...
Dear Jonathan: I am a single man. My net worth is between $9 million and $10 million. I understand that under the current law the federal exclusion from federal estate taxes is $5 million, which means that if I die this year, my estate will incur a federal estate tax. My financial advisor is encouraging me to purchase a life insurance policy with a death benefit sufficient enough to offset any federal estate tax liability that will be imposed against my estate. Do you think this is a good idea? Jonathan says: The exclusion from federal estate...
We entered 2012 with a deficit, but with hard work and diligence we now operate in the black. In fact, this November, your board of directors passed the 2013 budget with a small surplus. We were able to achieve a surplus budget by reorganizing “Senior Voice” operating procedures (cutting expenses), increasing advertising income and receipt of a state NTS grant. Paid membership is down, so please take the time to pay your $20 membership fee. Many of our members have been donating fine art and cash to OPAG. These generous gifts help us del...
