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Combating seasonal affective disorder (SAD) requires a multi-prong approach that may include light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medications, or vitamin D. Known as "the winter blues," Alaskans face the highest risks due to a lack of light in the winter and now is when treatment needs to begin. In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer. This is known as winter-pattern SAD, or winter depression. Some adults may experience...
October is one of our busiest months for Alaska Health Fairs. We continue to provide pre-scheduled appointment-based services to communities and worksites. October community events include many in Anchorage and Fairbanks, plus Delta Junction, Girdwood, Houston, Juneau, North Pole, Prince of Wales Island, Two Rivers and Valdez and lots of worksite events (not listed). We continue to ask for masking of event volunteers and participants, as we work around ever-changing circumstances in our communities, state and nation in a safe and effective...
My name is Denny Darby. I work for the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation as the Resource Coordinator for the state of Alaska. I live in Juneau. My job is to identify people with Parkinson’s disease throughout Alaska, form Parkinson’s support groups whenever possible and support individuals or groups with resources provided by the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation. Our services and resources are 100% free. Some of the available resources offered by the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation include access to a Movement Disorder Specialist (a neurologi...
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 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. 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...
Hold on, I am getting a message from my knee It is now possible to receive data from your knee about how it is healing. Knee replacements are getting smarter and may improve outcomes, thanks to a new joint component that securely tracks and transmits knee motion data. Physicians are using the data to optimize patient monitoring and recovery. The new component is called the Persona IQ Smart Knee implant. It includes a 10-year battery and sensors that constantly capture long-term postoperative...
There are many health benefits to getting leaner, going well beyond fitting more comfortably in your clothes. It is important to savor food, take time to cook nice meals and especially take time to chew and enjoy every mouthful. Food is so yummy, and relatively abundant compared to early days in Alaska where most pioneers, including the ones from 10,000 years ago, lived by subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering. The so-called “Green Revolution” in the 1970s (which began the widespread use of GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers) mas...
Dear Savvy Senior: I just turned 65 and would like to learn more about the stronger flu shots I see advertised for older adults. What can you tell me about them and how are they covered by Medicare? – Senior Novice Dear Novice: There are actually three different types of senior-specific flu shots (you only need one) that the CDC is now recommending to people age 65 and older. These FDA-approved annual vaccines are designed to offer extra protection beyond what a standard flu shot provides, which is important for older adults who have weaker i...
We are in serious need of volunteers to help us produce much-needed events in communities across our amazing state. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, education and professional fields, medical and non-medical backgrounds. We assign important tasks for people of all ages. Help us to better serve your community by participating this season. If you are interested in knowing more, go to our website www.alaskahealthfair.org and click on “volunteer” below our logo at the top. Or call, in Anchorage 907-278-0234; Fairbanks 907-374-6853; Jun...
Monitoring health through sweat Researchers now have come up with a smart biosensor necklace that can track health status through sweat. In a new study published in the journal Science Advances, researchers at Ohio State University demonstrated a battery-free, wireless biochemical sensor that detected the blood sugar levels through substances excreted from their skin when they exercise. The Ohio State team fabricated a “smart necklace,” which has a functional clasp and pendant. Once placed aro...
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 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.comkpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. 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...
This may be jumping the gun a bit for more northern latitudes, but Alaska gardens will soon give us plenty of vegetables for making crisp, brined pickles or tangy fermentations. Some may be wrinkling their noses at the very suggestion of these sour condiments and as a nutritionist, I can only cautiously promote pickles on the plate. At the same time, I love pickles and fermented foods. I love classic dills, I love sweet and sour, I love the complex salty, tangy flavors of fermented vegetables. C...
Our Medicare benefits were established under the Social Security Amendment of 1965, reflecting the restrictions and limitations of most health insurance at that time. This law excluded coverage for certain things, like dental care and routine vision services. Long-term care is also excluded because these services do not meet the definition of health care services in the law. Just because something is not covered by Medicare, though, does not mean that it isn’t needed. As I discuss some types o...
Many of you have been out catching fish this summer, one of the healthiest foods that is found in our wonderful state. Others might have been catching up on household or honey-do projects, sleep, sunshine, family, vacations and more. Now, we want you to focus on catching up on your health needs, which might be considered a rare catch, indeed. We offer dozens of community events and a number of office events that are open to the public each health fair season. The fall 2022 community and office draw schedules are now posted on our website at www...
Walking away from knee pain It may be possible to combat knee pain with just a few walks around the block. A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology is suggesting that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among adults age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis is the most common form of arthritis. The study found that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint. “Until this f...
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 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.comkpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. The program will hold caregiver trainings and support group meetings in August at the locations below. 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...
Dissolving implant to replace drugs For the first time, researchers have come up with a dissolving implantable device that relieves pain without drugs. The new device has the potential to provide an alternative to opioids and other highly addictive drugs. Researchers in Chicago, Illinois, have developed a small, soft, flexible implant that relieves pain on demand and without the use of drugs. The biocompatible, water-soluble device works by softly wrapping around nerves to deliver precise, targeted cooling, which numbs nerves and blocks pain...
The government has launched a new initiative to expand the availability of at-home tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. The tests work with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone/tablet app to provide users with audible instructions, and audible test results. Order online at https://special.usps.com/testkits/accessible or by calling 1-800-232-0233. Each order will include two rapid-antigen tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. Orders will ship free, while supplies last....
Everyone has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new study by researchers at the University of Groningen, Netherlands has found that some individuals weathered the stress of the pandemic better than others, in part, due to their genetics. How a person perceives their quality of life depends on a combination of factors that include the genes they inherited from their parents and their environment (a mix of nature and nurture). Studying genes related to quality of life can be complicated, but the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the...
Hospice is a program of comfort care and end-of-life pain management for those with a terminal illness. In this month’s review of Medicare-covered hospice, we speak directly to patients as if they are the ones taking these actions or making these decisions. However, discussions about hospice often involve caregivers and family members as well. If you are a caregiver, family member, or a patient’s appointed representative, you may be leading these conversations or decisions, rather than the patient. You are also encouraged to call one of our...
In 2020, nearly one in five Americans was providing unpaid caregiving to an adult with health or functional needs. That’s 53 million caregiving nationwide. This number is expected to continue to grow as the senior population increases through the middle of the century. Nearly a quarter of those providing care are providing care for two or more people, while simultaneously working full or part time jobs. The fact is, caregiving can be an emotional rollercoaster, rewarding in its demonstration of love and commitment and also exhausting, overwhelm...
We continue to offer traditional community and worksite health fairs where we need staff support. Volunteers come from all walks of life, age groups, backgrounds and interests. Volunteer opportunities include: Office volunteers: client support, phones, mail, evaluations, tallies, supplies, pack/unpack events and more. Meet and greet: Welcome people at events, share how to do paperwork. Registration: Calculate/receive cash, card, checks; record on logs. Blood pressure: Stethoscope/pressure cuffs or auto-cuffs (no experience needed). Blood draw:...
Eggs pack important health benefit Researchers now are reporting that moderate egg consumption can increase the amount of heart-healthy metabolites in the blood, and eating up to one egg per day may help lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Eggs are a rich source of dietary cholesterol, but they also contain a variety of essential nutrients. There is conflicting evidence as to whether egg consumption is beneficial or harmful to heart health. A 2018 study published in the journal...
Anchorage Senior Activity Center will offer free vision and hearing screenings on Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is sponsored and coordinated by the senior center and the Anchorage Municipal Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, in conjunction with Alaska Hearing and Tinnitus Center and Makar Eyecare. For more information, call the senior center at 907-770-2000 or the office of Emily McMahan, 907-522-4357 or www.AllEarsAlaska.com....
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 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.comkpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. The program will hold caregiver support group meetings in July at the locations below. Training is from 1 to 2 p.m., with support group meetings following, 2 to 3 p.m. Unless otherwise noted, this month’s training features a presentation and discussion on “Assisted Living Questions,” with Melis...
Wearable device for COVID early detection University of Texas at Dallas bioengineers in collaboration with EnLiSense LLC have come up with a wearable sensor that can detect two key biomarkers of infection in human sweat, a significant step toward making it possible for users to receive early warnings of infections such as COVID-19 and influenza. The sweat sensor can identify the biomarkers interferon-gamma-inducible protein (IP-10) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Elevated levels of IP-10 and TRAIL indicate...
