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I consider myself an expert in the areas of retirement and personal finance, but I admit that I’ve put review of my Medicare coverage on autopilot. I am the author of the Washington Post bestseller, “AARP Roadmap for the Rest of Your Life,” and have written many other books and articles on the subject. Yet health insurance can be challenging to understand for me too. There is a new survey that was recently released called The “Cost of Complacency,” that was conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. The survey fo...
Diabetes is one of the most common and costly chronic diseases in the U.S. Over 30 million adults (12 percent) have diabetes, and total medical costs and lost work and wages for people with diabetes totaled $245 billion in 2012. Another 84 million adults (34 percent) have prediabetes, putting them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is a serious health condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. Diabetes progresses over time and can lead to serious health...
I bet you feel like you used to be smarter and quicker at making decisions. I hear you, and at 52, I feel like my brain is still fairly sharp but not like it was at 30. Let me ask you some personal questions: • Do you forget things easily? • Do you get derailed from a task easily or distracted by sounds and noises? • What about your IQ? When my now 24-year-old son was just 9, a doctor thought he had ADHD, and I came this close to putting him on a stimulant. Even though I declined the medicine, I used natural fish oils high in DHA. He turned o...
Exercise as a Christmas present Taking up a new exercise program or joining a health club may be one of the best Christmas presents for older adults in 2017. That’s because the United States is now in the midst of an “inactivity epidemic.” This inactivity reportedly is the fourth leading cause of death nationwide and is responsible for 3.2 million deaths each year. No matter one’s age, when combined with a commitment to healthy eating, regular physical activity can provide a wealth of health ben...
CarFit is an educational program created by the American Society on Aging and developed in collaboration with AAA (American Automobile Association), AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association. The program is designed to help older drivers find out how well they currently fit their personal vehicle, to highlight actions they can take to improve their fit, and to promote conversations about driver safety and community mobility. A proper fit in one’s personal vehicle can greatly increase not only the driver’s safety but also the saf...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in December. This month’s meeting topic: “The Rock Movement.” Painting rocks has become a movement, including locally in Kenai and Soldotna. Attendees will paint and hide rocks in the community as an act of random kindness. Dec. 5, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Dec. 12, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Dec. 19, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Dec. 20, Caregiver suppo...
Dear Savvy Senior: For the last six months or so, I’ve been having problems with my hips and legs cramping when I walk, although they feel better once I stop. I thought it was just because I’m getting old, but my friend was telling me about a leg vein disease called PAD and thinks I may have it. What can you tell me about this condition? Limping at 60 Dear Limping: The health condition your friend is telling you about is known as “peripheral arterial disease” (or PAD), which is an under the radar disease that affects up to 12 million America...
There was a new study published last August (2017) in Journal of Clinical Oncology regarding B vitamins and it’s produced some uneasiness. B complex is thought to boost energy reserve, support metabolism and adrenal function and protect your nerves from fraying. The study suggests that two B vitamins from the whole “B complex” family are potentially harmful; it infers that taking B vitamins can increase the risk of lung cancer. But let’s take a closer look before we hang B6 and B12: 1. The study was conducted in men who smoke. These scary f...
Have you reviewed your prescription drug coverage for 2018? The Open Enrollment Period for Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans is in full swing. Beginning Oct. 15 and continuing until Dec. 7, Medicare beneficiaries have to opportunity to review their coverage, determine the most appropriate plan for 2018 and enroll. There are no public Medicare Advantage plans being offered in Alaska however, there will be 19 Medicare prescription drug plans offered. Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to reme...
We are nearing the end of Alaska Health Fair’s fall 2017 health fair season, so check out one of the November 2017 events. They offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable blood tests and other services. 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. For a complete roster of our affordable, comprehensive and private tests check out www.alaskahealthfair.org. For more information, call 907-278-0234 (...
Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska is pleased to announce the expansion of our Care Coordination Program to include individuals of any age with a disability. Moving forward, our program Care Coordination Resource of Alaska (CCRA) will continue to be the intermediary and a safety net for seniors across the state. We will continue to assist individuals with dementia and frail elders 60 and over to access services and get the right kind of assistance when they need it. As we age, it can be difficult knowing what services are available and how to a...
In recognition of how difficult it is for people to think about and discuss health care decisions, Hospice of Anchorage is distributing free copies of the nation’s most popular advance care planning resource, “Five Wishes”. Five Wishes allows individuals and families to make important decisions in terms that are meaningful and understandable to them, and helps patients and families to more effectively communicate their decisions to health care providers. In addition to important medical issues, Five Wishes addresses matters of the heart and s...
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was the most unrecognized disorder for returning Vietnam veterans as well as for the veterans of all previous wars. Not reacting to this disorder cost thousands of lives due to suicide, mental illness and chronic health issues aggregated by PTSD. The outlook started to change in the early 1980s when the VA finally recognized PTSD and started treating it. Gulf War Syndrome was another illness where the medical community was late to address its long-term...
Gene therapy may help reverse blindness Researchers are moving closer toward a novel gene therapy approach to restore vision to the blind. British researchers in a laboratory study have demonstrated how it might be possible to reverse blindness using gene therapy to reprogram cells at the back of the eye to become light sensitive. Most causes of untreatable blindness occur due to loss of the millions of light sensitive photoreceptor cells that line the retina. However, the remaining retinal...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in November. This month’s meeting topic: “The Art of Caregiving, Part Two,” with demonstrations on effective approaches to bathing, eating, dressing, transfers and how to respond to certain types of behaviors. Nov. 7, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 14, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 15, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. Nov....
Not very many years ago high-carbohydrate bars were the "go-to" for hikers and other athletes. Now, when I pick up snacks for the trail, the shelves are loaded with pemmican-like meat snacks or meat jerky. Marketing statistics show meat snack sales increases of more than 45 percent between 2011 and 2017, with jerky second in popularity to potato chips in the "salty foods" category. In the past year alone, beef jerky sales have risen 7 percent, according to the National Cattlemen's Beef...
Fall is in the air! Time for pumpkin spiced treats, watching football, getting out our winter gear, putting on our studded tires, and for Medicare beneficiaries, it is time to review our prescription drug coverage. Known by a number of titles such as the Fall Open Enrollment period, the Part D Open Enrollment, or Medicare’s Open Enrollment, each autumn between October 15 and December 7, Medicare offers the opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to make changes to their coverage. These changes c...
We are now in the middle of Alaska Health Fair’s fall 2017 health fair season, so check out one of our fast approaching October events. The health fairs offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable blood tests and other services. 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. For more information, call 907-278-0234 (Anchorage) or 907-374-6853 (Fairbanks); or just visit http://www...
Many people know Hospice of Anchorage as a place that serves patients with life limiting illness and provides people with grief support, but Hospice of Anchorage also provides event and educational programming for the community. For the month of October, Hospice of Anchorage is hosting a large annual community memorial event, a painting fundraiser and a community education program. It is a busy fall at Hospice of Anchorage and we hope that you will join us for at least one of the programs....
Dear Savvy Senior: I’m concerned that my 80-year-old mother is taking too many medications. She currently takes 10 different drugs prescribed by three different doctors, which I think is causing her some problems. She also struggles to keep up with all the drug costs. Any suggestions? - Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned: There’s no doubt that older Americans are taking more prescription medications than ever before. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, around 40 percent of seniors, age 65 and older, take five or mor...
Dear Savvy Senior: Do you know of any auto safety products that can help seniors with older cars? My 80-year-old father, who drives his beloved 2004 Toyota Avalon, is still a pretty good driver but he has limited range-of-motion, which makes looking over his shoulder to back-up or merge into traffic very difficult. Inquiring Son Dear Inquiring: To help keep your dad safe and extend his driving years, there are a number of auto aids and new safety technology products that can be added to his car to help with various needs. Here are several to...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in October. This month’s meeting topic: “Proper Body Mechanics and Back Safety and the Art of Caregiving, Part One.” Oct. 3, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 10, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 17, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 18, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. Oct. 31, Caregiver support meeti...
Laser zaps gum disease Dentistry is getting a little bit less invasive and less painful. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a minimally invasive laser, a tiny laser fiber about the thickness of three human hairs, to treat gum disease. The laser helps regenerate bone and tissue. It eliminates the traditional treatment of periodontal surgery, a highly invasive and often painful procedure. This less invasive technique means minimal post-operative discomfort requiring no opioid...
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. are hospitalized from flu. People age 65 years and older are at increased risk for serious flu-related complications and account for 60 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations. A CDC study published last summer found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-related hospitalization among people 65 to 74 years old by 61 percent. Vaccinated people age 75 and older were similarly protected, with a 57 percent reduction of flu-related hospitalization. Hospitalization and recovery...
Alaska Health Fair’s Fall 2017 health fair season is now in full swing, so check out September event dates by reviewing the Senior Voice monthly edition or the Alaska Health Fair website. Try to make it to one of the fall events in your local community; you’ll find a variety of resources to help meet your family’s health needs and some great community gatherings. We are in need of volunteers who can help us with our mission, vision and core purpose to serve all Alaskans. Non-medical, medical and individuals who can draw blood. We would also...
