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Hospice of Anchorage has several upcoming events that we would like to share with the community. In August, we hope you’ll join us for “A Walk to Remember,” which is a memorial walk, and in September, we host Camp Erin, a bereavement camp for kids and teens ages 6 to 17 years old. These events are at no charge to the community. In recognition of people who have experienced pregnancy loss, including miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, fetal deaths, and neonatal deaths, as well as those who have lost a child, we gather for “A Walk to Remembe...
A painless microneedle patch for the flu Researchers have now come up with a dissolvable vaccine patch for combating influenza. It has been tested in a large number of volunteers and it fared well. A team of investigators has found that delivering the flu vaccine via a dissolvable microneedle patch appears to be safe and preferred over conventional injection in a new phase 1 trial involving 100 people. The study is the first randomized trial to test a self-administered, dissolvable microneedle...
The Kenai Peninsula Famiy Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in August. This month’s meetings will highlight National Immunization Month, reviewing what shots are needed and when to get them since they can prevent serious diseases like the flu and pneumonia. Aug. 1, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Aug. 8, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Aug. 15, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center,1 p.m. Aug. 16, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Se...
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is presenting two “Alaskan Plants as Food as Medicine” events in September, one in Kotzebue and one in Kenai. The events promote traditional plant knowledge and ethical harvesting and last year featured a conference in August at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. That event will not take place this year, with efforts instead focused on supporting rural Alaska communities by holding smaller, regional symposiums, according to the organization’s website, www.alaskanplants.com. So far, two of these event...
The Trust Training Cooperate will offer an online class, “Traditional Health-Based Practices,” this fall on three different days. Course material will focus on traditional lifestyles and health practices of people living in Alaska prior to Western contact. Trainees will be introduced to beliefs, attitudes and knowledge of health promotion and maintenance that were practiced, and will examine major changes leading to the current health status of the Alaska Native community. A special emphasis will be placed on potential strategies for imp...
Alaska Health Fair’s fall 2017 health fair season is kicking off a month earlier than normal, so check out the August event dates and/or make it to one of the fall events in your local community by checking the Senior Voice monthly edition or the Alaska Health Fairs website. Alaska Health Fair, Inc. offers free health screenings and education, low cost blood tests and more. These tests can help you learn about your health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. So take time out o...
Medicare and Medicaid are two programs that can offer a strong combination health insurance for seniors. Many people get the two programs confused because of the similarity of their names. Medicare is health insurance offered by the federal government for people over the age of 65, people who have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months and for those of any age who have been diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Medicaid is a federal and state program offering...
The medical world can be a confusing place between insurance, medications, diagnosis, let alone understanding all of the medical jargon. Most people know about hospice care, but less people know about palliative care. Understanding the meaning of words can mean everything, especially around end-of-life, as it can be a sensitive topic. Not to confuse anyone, but we are Hospice of Anchorage and we are a palliative care agency. When it comes to treatment there are some differences in the timeframe and patient goals between hospice and palliative...
Nila Morgan, Master Certified Medicare Counselor and Fraud Education Coordinator, will walk you through how to read your Summary Notice and teach you to protect yourself from Medicare fraud at this workshop, July 13 at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Bring along any confusing bills or statements as well as all documentation in your red, white and blue Medicare card. Call 770-2070 with questions or to RSVP. Seating is limited....
Wearable patch may help detect sleep apnea New treatments for diagnosing and treating sleep apnea may soon make it much easier to combat this problem. Scientists have now come up with a disposable diagnostic patch that effectively detects obstructive sleep apnea across all severity levels. The device is called SomnaPatch and it weighs less than one ounce and records nasal pressure, blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiratory effort, sleep time and body position. The team developing this...
Alaska’s food-growing season is coming into its summertime peak and Alaska farmers grow some of the best produce in the country, so now’s the time to pick up your coupons for locally-grown fruits and vegetables. The coupons come from the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program and can be used at local farmer’s markets around the state through Oct. 31. Each eligible senior receives five $5 coupons for a total of $25. The program issues the coupons to senior centers and other agencies, which pass them on to seniors age 60 or older who meet th...
The Kenai Peninsula Famiy Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in July. This month’s meetings will feature presentations on and by the local Independent Living Center and Aging and Disability Resource Center. July 4, no meeting due to Independence Day holiday July 11, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. July 18, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center,1 p.m. July 19, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. July 25, Caregiver s...
Men over the age of 50 are being continually targeted with advertisements for testosterone replacement gels and patches. However, research is now questioning the real risks and benefits associated with getting tested and treated for low testosterone levels. Testosterone supplementation is touted to improve cardiovascular health, sexual function, physical function and mood in men who have low levels of testosterone. However, a review of more than 200 clinical trials questions those claims. Dr....
Many women know the importance of getting screened for vitamin D levels and raising them if they are too low. However, many men over age 50 in Alaska may have low levels and need to take action, according to dietitian Stephanie Figon, who is with Alaska Weight Management and Diabetes Counseling in Palmer, Alaska. Figon said Alaskans have a very high prevalence of low vitamin D levels compared to the lower 48, partly due to the lack of sunlight during most of the year. “If an Alaskan is not e...
Are you aware that Medicare works with the State of Alaska to provide assistance programs that can help with your Medicare costs? These costs can include your Medicare Part A & Part B premiums deductibles, coinsurance charges and copayments. These programs are available to all Medicare beneficiaries. There are three programs known as the Medicare Savings programs (MSPs), each having different income limits and resource parameters. The income and asset qualifications are different if you are...
Hospice of Anchorage was founded in 1980 and is a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) organization and a partner agency of the United Way of Anchorage. We typically provide all our services at no charge, except those patients that do not yet qualify for Medicare Hospice. We also offer one-on-one grief support and peer grief support groups for anyone in the community, infant to adult, who has experienced a death loss. Volunteers are a crucial function of Hospice of Anchorage’s services. Hospice of Anchorage has three full-time and six part-time staff m...
Alaska Health Fair wishes to thank each of our dedicated and wonderful volunteers, phlebotomists and exhibitors who have helped us to put on some great community and worksite events and provide important health services to Alaskans over the past 37 years. We also want to thank our participants who have regularly attended our health fairs, as you are the reason we exist. We try to reach all statewide residents and share our mission and values: • Mission: promote statewide health education and preventative screenings • Vision: Optimal health for...
Combating the common cold with zinc There is no significant difference between zinc acetate lozenges and zinc gluconate lozenges regarding their efficacy in shortening the duration of common colds, according to a new meta-analysis. Researchers analyzed data from 7 randomized trials with zinc acetate and zinc gluconate lozenges and found that the duration of colds was shortened on average by 33 percent. Zinc lozenges appear to influence the common cold through the release of free zinc ions into...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in June. This month’s focus is “Improving Emergency Services for Dementia Patients,” with presentations featuring a DVD by Teepa Snow on techniques to reduce stress and resistance during challenging situations. Join for a time of caring and sharing, followed by a walk outside. June 6, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. June 13, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. June 20, Caregiver support meeting a...
With the snow melting and the sun shining, we start thinking of being outside doing things like fishing, hiking, gardening, golfing and camping. If during the winter you have been inactive or recovering from an injury or illness, now would be the time to develop a specific exercise program for your recovery and long term health. To be safe, you should check with your doctor before starting on an exercise program. It is also a great help if you know what exercise your doctor recommended and what...
Alaska Health Fair’s Spring 2017 health fair season is coming to a close this month, so try and make it to one of the remaining events in your local community. These events offer free health screenings and education, low cost blood tests and more. The tests can help you learn about your health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. So take time out of your busy week and join AHF when they bring an event to your local area. A complete and comprehensive chemistry/hematology test i...
Are you aware that if you have Medicare Part B you are eligible to receive a large number of preventive services that will cost you nothing? Medicare’s goal in offering these preventive screenings is to find health problems early when treatment works best. Under Medicare Part B, preventive services are part of your benefits and you will pay no co-payment if you get the services from a provider who takes assignment. Taking assignment means that this provider has an agreement with Medicare to a...
Prediabetes is a surprisingly common condition among U.S. adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 86 million U.S. adults (more than one in three) have prediabetes, with only about 9 million even aware that they have it. Prediabetes not only increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but it can also have a significant impact on health care costs and overall well-being. Prediabetes is not just a condition of national concern, it is also a growing concern here in Alaska. According to the American D...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve recently read that all baby boomers should get tested for hepatitis C. Is this really necessary, and if so, what are the testing and treatment procedures? – Healthy Boomer Dear Healthy, It’s true. Both the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all baby boomers – people born from 1945 through 1965 – get a hepatitis C test. The reason is because baby boomers account for 75 percent of the 3 million or so hepatitis C cases in the U.S. Those that are infec...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in May. This month’s focus is on National Physical Fitness and Sport Month. Join for a time of caring and sharing, followed by a walk outside. May 2, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 9, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 16, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center,1 p.m. May 17, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. May 30, C...
