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COVID-19 transmission continues to occur in many communities across Alaska, although overall case counts continue to slowly decline, according to state officials who are tracking the virus. Most COVID-19 infections in Alaska at this time are caused by viruses belonging to either the XBB.1.5 lineage or to BQ lineages. While many infections with the virus that causes COVID-19 are not detected or reported, changes over time in the number of reported cases still provide useful information about the...
Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska (ARA) organizes caregiver support meetings around the state, including Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau/Southeast, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su Valley, Seward, Sitka, Soldotna, Talkeetna, Willow. Call 1-800-478-1080 for details. ARA also hosts a statewide call-in meeting on the first Saturday and third Wednesday of every month, 1 to 2 p.m. For information, call Gay Wellman, 907-822-5620 or 1-800-478-1080. The Homer caregiver support group meets at the Homer Senior Center on the second and fourth T...
May has arrived, and as we welcome the warmer weather and blooming flowers, let us also take a moment to recognize the importance of mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Alaska Health Fair, Inc. is dedicated to raising awareness for mental well-being. Mental health is a crucial aspect of our overall well-being, as it encompasses our emotional, psychological and social wellness. Our mental health influences how we think, feel and act, and plays a significant role in our ability to cope with stress, relate to others and make d...
Hope Conference Alaska, presented by the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation, takes place May 6 at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The educational symposium will feature guest speakers Dr. Pinky Agarwal, with updates on Parkinson’s disease, and Dr. Karin Duncan, discussing gut health and Parkinson’s. Activities include a Qi Gong demonstration, Rock Steady Boxing, a resource fair and more for people with Parkinson’s, care partners, family, friends and interested health professionals. Boxed lunch provided by Sweet Caribou...
Powerful benefits from wild blueberries for older adults New research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition further supports daily consumption of wild blueberries for improving memory, brain function and blood pressure in older adults. A 12-week clinical trial called BluFlow, led by Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, an associate professor in Nutrition at the Department of Nutritional Sciences of King’s College London, investigated the cognitive and vascular benefits of daily wild blueb...
In February, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care. Despite his remarkable longevity and vitality until the end, President Carter still faced the inevitability of aging and the need for end-of-life care. After hearing this news, many people in the U.S. began wondering: what is hospice care? Hospice provides compassionate care to people nearing the end of their lives. It is a form of specialized healthcare that...
Stomach acid blockers are some of the most popular medicines on the market. You can get them over-the-counter (OTC) in supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, Costco, Amazon, you name it. They range in strength from Tums (basically just calcium plus sugar) to Protonix. The milder medicines (Tums, Rolaid, Alka Seltzer) bind up acid which is produced in your stomach at the beginning of your meals, whereas stronger medicines actually inhibit specialized cells in the stomach (parietal) from secreting acid. Many of these stronger PPIs (proton pump...
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to reduce the stigma associated with alcohol addiction and encourage people to seek help if they need it. Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that affects millions of Americans and can have serious consequences for their health, relationships and well-being. There are many resources available in Alaska to help you find treatment and recovery support: ARG Addiction Treatment Centers: This is a network of outpatient and residential treatment facilities that offer evidence-based programs for alcohol...
Northwestern University researchers in Chicago have developed a first-of-its-kind small, flexible, stretchable bandage that accelerates healing by delivering electrotherapy directly to the wound site. In an animal study, the new bandage healed diabetic ulcers 30% faster than in mice without the bandage. The bandage also actively monitors the healing process and then harmlessly dissolves into the body after it is no longer needed. The new device could provide a powerful tool for patients with dia...
Family Caregiver Support Programs offer free support meetings to allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located at 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 205 (located in the 4D Professional Building). You can call them at 907-262-1280. Call with suggestions and...
I will admit to being an enthusiastic, nutrition-minded cook with a penchant for making twice as much as my household can eat and often neglecting many purchased fresh edibles until they appear fit only for compost. Just this week, my countertop fruit bowl with tomatoes, avocados, apples, oranges and limes, transformed from beautiful and welcoming to "oh, no, I've done it again," with a couple overripe avocados and a seriously deteriorating, bruised apple. Even though none of us likes to throw f...
Hybrid immunity may be the best protection Analyzing data from controlled studies throughout the world, researchers discovered people with hybrid immunity are the most protected against severe illness and reinfection. Hybrid immunity occurs when someone has had at least the full series of vaccines and has a prior infection, in any order. The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, now is helping public policymakers understand the optimal timing of vaccinations. “The results reinforce the global imperative for vaccination,” said stu...
Preventing heart attacks in new ways After years of research, scientists have now developed a wearable cardiac ultrasound imager that can non-invasively capture real-time images of the human heart for an extended period of time. The patch, which is about the size of a postage stamp, is comparable to a commercial ultrasound device. Further, the imager can be worn during exercise and provide valuable cardiac information when the heart is under stress. “While existing wearable patches in d...
March is National Kidney Month, and Alaska Health Fair, Inc. and the National Kidney Foundation are urging everyone to take healthy steps to protect their kidneys. An estimated 26 million American adults have kidney disease, though most don’t know it. To protect your kidneys, you should get tested for kidney disease, reduce the use of NSAIDs (over the counter pain medicines), cut down on processed foods, exercise regularly, and control your blood pressure and diabetes. High blood pressure and diabetes are major risk factors for developing k...
Music therapy now is moving into a new realm thanks to smartphones. A music app has been developed that provides therapy by consoling, relaxing and uplifting users. Music has the potential to change emotional states and can distract listeners from negative thoughts and pain. It has also been proven to help improve memory, performance and mood. Music and emotions, with an app Man Hei Law of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and his team have developed what they currently are calling...
If you wear glasses (or contacts) try to minimize their use to times when you are reading, driving or doing other precision work. But if you're just lounging around at home and can bathe, cook, garden, play a game, etc. without your glasses - do it. The more dependent you become on your glasses/contacts, the weaker your eyes become. Limiting your eyewear usage gives your eyes a chance to practice focusing unaided, thus strengthening them, and allowing for fewer prescription changes in the long...
Alaska Health Fair’s Spring 2023 schedule is now online, with most events already posted on our website at www.alaskahealthfair.org. Please check back frequently, as the new season is fluid. We continue to add new dates as they come available and rarely postpone one. We have provided services to Alaskans for 43 years and continued helping residents see to their needs over the past few difficult years. We offer a selection of draw dates from our offices to a handful of February community events as our busy schedule ramps up for a busy spring. W...
Poisoning is the number one cause of injury-related deaths in the U.S., according to a report by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). More than 2 million cases of human poison exposure in the U.S. were reported in 2021 alone. While less severe poison exposures have decreased in recent years, more serious exposures have been on the rise, according to the AAPCC annual report. Since 2000, serious cases have grown by 4.44% per year ranging from moderate severity to death. This alarming trend reveals the importance of greater...
Family Caregiver Support Programs offer free support meetings to allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located at 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 205 (located in the 4D Professional Building). You can call them at 907-262-1280. Call with suggestions and id...
Swimming is the fourth most popular sports activity in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). However, it is much more popular in Alaska than many other states for a host of reasons. In the winter, swimming can be more than just exercise. Water fitness groups tend to be extensive, welcoming families consisting of seniors, young adults and everyone in between. Amanda Hanley is the aquatics director for the YMCA in Anchorage and said swimming is one of the best...
"Don't be afraid of the dietitian." – Amy Urbanus You eat every day, but are you eating the right stuff? Find out here. And don't be afraid of the dietitian. Amy Urbanus has been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for 22 years. During that time, she did employee wellness for a large regional grocery store chain, worked at Southcentral Foundation as an outpatient dietitian, put in some time at the Providence Diabetes and Nutrition Center at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, and lots more. C...
Medicare and Marketplace health insurance can easily be confused, but the two are different federal benefit programs. The Health Insurance Marketplaces were created by the Affordable Care Act. These Marketplaces allow people to buy insurance who do not have (or do not have enough) health insurance. You can access the Marketplace online at www.healthcare.gov or by calling 800-318-2596. Plans sold through Marketplaces are also known as Qualified Health Plans. Many people who have a Marketplace...
My name is Lee Coray-Ludden. I am a Certified Medicare Counselor through SHIP, the State Health Insurance Program. They provide the training and supervision. I serve the State of Alaska by phone and have been traveling around Alaska – it’s been fun and educational. My office is in the Soldotna Senior Center, that is also how the phone will be answered. My number is 907-262-2322. I work Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Just ask for Lee. I look forward to finding answers and possible solutions together. Currently there is a lot of...
A mind-controlled wheelchair can help a paralyzed person gain new mobility by translating users’ thoughts into mechanical commands. Researchers have demonstrated that individuals with the inability to voluntarily move the upper and lower parts of the body can operate mind-controlled wheelchairs in a natural, cluttered environment after training for an extended period. “We show that mutual learning of both the user and the brain-machine interface algorithm are both important for users to suc...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will continue its peer support meetings into 2023. Support meetings allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. Call with suggestions and ideas for upcoming trainings or follow on Facebook, @KPFCSP. The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located...
