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Dear Savvy Senior: I will turn 65 in a few months and will be enrolling in Medicare, but I am concerned about Medicare’s coverage of dental care. Does Medicare cover dental procedures? And if not, where can I get dental coverage? - Almost 65 Dear Almost: Medicare’s coverage of dental care is extremely limited. It will not cover routine dental care including checkups, cleanings, or fillings, and it won’t pay for dentures either. Medicare will, however, cover some dental services if they are required to protect your general health, or if you n...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in December. This month’s training focus is “Ten Keys to Creating Healthy Holidays”. Bring a snack to share and canned or boxed goods to give to the food bank. Dec. 4, Caregiver support meeting and Christmas Tea at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Dec. 11, Caregiver support meeting and Christmas Tea at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Dec. 18, Caregiver support meeting and Christmas Tea at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Support meetings allow you to sh...
I was eating dinner with my husband Sam and having homemade chicken soup with a slice of sourdough bread and melted butter. It was simple and delicious. We ate silently. Toward the end of the meal, he said, "We always eat our soup and bread silently because we are mentally calculating how to time the last bite so it's perfect." So true. We usually chatter during meals, and tell funny stories, but when soup and bread hit the table, it all goes to silence. I like to time my last bite so it's soup...
Know your vitamin D levels For the holidays, give yourself a present. Make sure you get your vitamin D levels checked and if they are low, get treatment. A new study now shows that vitamin D levels in the blood are linked to cardiorespiratory fitness. “Our study shows that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with better exercise capacity,” said Dr. Amr Marawan, who is an assistant professor of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University in Virginia. “We also know from previ...
You may have seen or heard a lot of buzz about the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for Medicare Part D. And you may think to yourself, “I am perfectly happy with my current prescription drug coverage and I don’t want to make any changes so I will stay with the plan that I have.” This decision could cost you money and here’s why. The (OEP) is a six week opportunity for those who have Medicare to review their coverage. Persons who have not had prescription drug coverage may join a plan and those w...
Alzheimer’s disease is daunting. The most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer’s affects over 7,500 Alaskans and 5.7 million Americans today. Research is being done around the world to detect and stop the disease in its earliest stages. At the same time, specialists are working to provide individuals and families with an arsenal of techniques and resources to ensure comfort, dignity and purpose as the disease progresses. Alzheimer’s disease can be found throughout history in stories of elders losing their memory. Until recently, this was thoug...
November is our final month of health fairs for fall 2018, with several events held around the state. Remember that the events offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable, comprehensive and private blood tests (starting at $20). These tests can help you learn about your overall health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be the most effective. Try to take time out of your busy schedule and take advantage of our team of medical and non-medical professionals when...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in November. This month’s training focus is “Holidays or Holy Cow Days? Destressing the Holiday Season”. Nov. 6, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 13, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 20, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 27, open house and workshop at Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office in Soldotna, Blazy Mall, Suite #209, 11 a.m. to 2...
Using new technology to get a better night’s sleep A whole new approach to getting a good night’s sleep just a click away. A new study from the University of Oxford and Northwestern Medicine has found treating insomnia with digital programs can improve insomnia symptoms. In a year-long study involving 1,711 people, researchers found online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) improved not only insomnia symptoms, but functional health, psychological well-being and sleep-related quality of life. A m...
Dear Savvy Senior: Does the VA provide any special burial benefits to old veterans? My dad, who has late-stage Parkinson’s disease, served during the Vietnam War in the 1960s. - Only Child Dear Only: Most U.S. veterans are eligible for burial and memorial benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration. Veterans who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible. To verify your dad’s discharge, you’ll need a copy of his DD Form 214 “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Ac...
As the holidays approach we have an opportunity to enjoy our traditions, remember family members who have passed, and recount the familiar stories that brings us together as a family. Those stories have the power to shape the ways we live our lives. They are important and are perhaps best told by our seniors. Just as we may be curious about where our elders came from, what they looked like, or even what jobs they held, equally important is the gathering of our family’s health history. Knowing what diseases grandparents or parents lived with o...
Older drivers are often stereotyped as being unsafe on the roadway, however data regarding their safe driving practices reveal quite the contrary. For example, according to a recent survey from AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, nine in 10 older drivers fasten their seat belts when they get behind the wheel and more than a third have taken driver improvement courses. As we age, the body becomes more fragile and therefore injuries may be more severe in the event of a...
BAs many of you know, Hospice of Anchorage has been around since 1980 and is a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) organization and a partner agency to United Way of Anchorage. We are a community agency comprised of an interdisciplinary team – volunteers, nurses, social worker, volunteer coordinator and a clinical coordinator. We provide assistance with transition from life through death and to cope with loss and grief. This may be a one-time visit, periodic contact or may grow into an ongoing relationship lasting weeks, months or years. All services are pro...
The month of October is a really busy time for Alaska Health Fair, with events in many locations around the state. Our events offer free health screenings, health and safety education (for all ages), plus 11 affordable, comprehensive and private blood tests (starting at $20 and are only offered to those ages 18+). These tests can help you learn about your overall health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. Take note that our most popular test is the Chemistry/Hematology...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in October. This month’s training focus “Awakening the Five Senses of Persons Living with Dementia.” Oct. 2, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 9, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 16, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 23, open house and workshop at Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office in Soldotna, Blazy Mall, Suite #209, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m....
Dear Savvy Senior: I have arthritis in my hands that affects my grip strength and dexterity and makes brushing my teeth difficult. I’ve read that electric powered toothbrushes help make the job easier. Can you make any recommendations on what to get? -- Still Smiling Dear Still: For seniors who suffer from arthritis or have other hand weaknesses, an electric toothbrush is a great solution to keep your teeth clean. At the push of a button, an electric toothbrush will do everything but shake, rattle and roll to do the cleaning for you, and m...
A new tool against the flu A single dose of a new influenza drug may significantly shorten the duration of the illness in adults, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers conducted two multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trials. Both trials found that the drug, baloxavir marboxil, shortened the duration of flu symptoms by about one day and more quickly cleared the influenza virus compared with placebo in otherwise healthy adults. A larger,...
A growing number of grandparents are taking care of grandchildren due to the opioid abuse crisis that has swept the nation, as well as other circumstances. Of the 65 million grandparents in the United States in 2012, 7 million, or 10 percent, lived with at least one grandchild, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And the numbers are growing. Assisting families Other factors— illness, death, loss of employment — also threatens the fabric of a family. “We actually supported a grandfather whose wife had to go to the hospital and who had a brother...
The Alaska Training Cooperative presents “Traditional Health Based Practices: Behavioral Health Continuing Education,” a foundational course on traditional lifestyles and health practices of people living in Alaska prior to western contact. Eight-hour class sessions are offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28, Nov. 9, Dec. 7, Feb. 8 and Mar. 8 in Fairbanks and other sites throughout the state via live, interactive, web-based delivery using Zoom. Trainees will be introduced to beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge of health promotion and mai...
Perhaps you have heard advertising that you can purchase back braces, knee braces, and other items with little or no cost to you and that Medicare will pay for them. Let’s get to the truth of these advertisements. First of all – what is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)? DME is defined as equipment that is durable, reusable and is needed to treat an illness or an injury, or to improve the functioning of a malformed body part. These are items that are designed to withstand repeated use. Med...
Daily fruit and vegetable intake matters Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day may make a bigger difference than previously recognized. A new study has found that women who eat a high amount of fruits and vegetables each day may have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, and yellow and orange vegetables, had a...
September is jam-packed with lots of great health fair choices in your local community. Alaska Health Fair events offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable, comprehensive and private blood tests (starting at $20). These tests can help you learn about your overall health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. Alaska Health Fairs will be held at the following locations and times during September. For more information, call 907-278-0234...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in August. This month’s focus is part two of “Designing a Supportive Dementia Care Environment,” with showings from a training DVD by dementia expert Teepa Snow. Sept. 4, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Sept. 11, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Sept. 18, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Sept. 25, open house and workshop at Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Suppo...
Although Medicare Part A and Part B cover a wide variety of services and products when you are in the hospital or being seen as an outpatient, there are still cost sharing “gaps”. These include deductibles, coinsurance costs, and copayments. These additional costs can wreak havoc with your finances. Medicare Supplemental Insurance Policies, also known as Medigap policies, are designed to follow behind Medicare Parts A and B to “fill in these gaps” that are left after Part A and Part B have pa...
Dear Savvy Senior: What can you tell me about clinical trials and how to go about finding one?—Old and Ill Dear Old: Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans participate in clinical trials in hopes of gaining access to the latest, and possibly greatest, but not-yet-on-the-market treatments for all types of illnesses. But, you need to be aware that clinical trials can vary greatly in what they’re designed to do, so be careful to choose one that can actually benefit you. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips for locating one....
