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  • Learn how assistive technology can help you

    Assistive Technology of Alaska|Dec 1, 2020

    Have lunch with Assistive Technology of Alaska (ATLA) and learn about assistive technology. Join each day at noon during the week of Dec. 7 for a variety of topics; see the schedule below. To learn more about ATLA, the webinars and how to register, visit www.tinyurl.com/ATLAwinterWebinars. Dec. 7: Navigating ATLA Programs Did you know that ATLA manages six programs and partners with other agencies on four additional programs? Learn about each one, what is provided, and how to qualify. Monday, Dec. 7 at noon. Dec. 8: Assistive technology for...

  • Apply now for assistance with heating costs

    Ken Stewart, Senior Voice|Dec 1, 2020

    Congress has released funding for the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), granting Alaska a total of $17.4 million to award assistance to low income households struggling with utility bills for the 2020-2021 season. LIHEAP is designed to safeguard the health and well-being of Alaskans by​ offsetting the cost of home heating for eligible Alaskan residents. LIHEAP assists households with income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. The benefit is a one-time payment to the household’s vendor, sen...

  • Same old story – new scams every day

    Karen Telleen-Lawton, Senior Wire|Dec 1, 2020

    I recall a joke from the last millennium where pranksters would call a senior on the phone, pretending to be from the phone company. “We’re working in your neighborhood and have some extra phone line. If you’ll yank hard on your phone cord you can have some extra line for free.” Supposedly the unsuspecting victim would yank on the cord and their line would go dead. Seniors can be the disproportionate butt of jokes. Some are funny and others are hurtful. Today’s scams are considerably more damaging than the jokes and pranks of old. Our best...

  • Social Security benefits increase in 2021

    Social Security Administration|Dec 1, 2020

    Nearly 70 million Americans will see a 1.3 percent increase in their Social Security benefits and SSI payments in 2021. Federal benefit rates increase when the cost-of-living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). The CPI-W rises when inflation increases, leading to a higher cost-of-living. This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more expensive, so the COLA helps to offset these costs. January 2021 marks other changes that will happen based on the increase in the n...

  • Make a difference as an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteer

    Allegra Hamer, AARP Alaska|Nov 1, 2020

    AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is now recruiting for volunteers for the 2021 season. Free tax preparation is an important boost for individuals and families in Alaska working to improve their financial stability. Sometimes a higher refund means keeping the heat on or helping with rent for our most vulnerable residents. Becoming a volunteer tax preparer is easier than you think No prior tax experience is necessary, and all the training materials are provided. Volunteers should enjoy talking to people and feel comfortable asking questions, have basic...

  • Join Alaska Commission on Aging for virtual meeting on COVID, Nov. 10

    Alaska Commission on Aging|Nov 1, 2020

    The Alaska Commission on Aging will be holding a Zoom and teleconference meeting on Tuesday, November 10 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. to discuss updates and lessons learned during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). This will be a free event. The featured speaker for this meeting will be Alaska's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, MD, FACEP. Other presenters will include senior providers, senior center providers, and John Lee, director of the Alaska Div. of Senior and Disabilities Services. To Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/991...

  • OPAG annual meeting Nov. 19; Senior Voice wins awards

    Senior Voice Staff|Nov 1, 2020

    Older Persons Action Group will hold its 2020 annual membership meeting virtually on Thursday, Nov. 19, at noon. The board business meeting starts at 11:15 a.m., followed immediately by the membership meeting. Due to COVID concerns, meetings will be conducted online via the Zoom web platform. Attendance will require a Zoom log-in link, provided by email to those who RSVP no later than Nov. 17. To RSVP, call 276-1059 or 1-800-478-1059, or email admin@opagak.com. Senior Voice wins awards Senior...

  • Forum topic: Relic or art – what will you be?

    Senior Voice Staff|Nov 1, 2020

    “Age Smart – Let’s Talk”, the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, returns virtually online Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This month’s focus is on the Anchorage Museum. Museums house collections of the histories of civilizations and culture. The study of our past gives us a look at what we have been and what we still can be. The Anchorage Museum has developed ways to stay connected to our community as we age. Join us to find out how art/creativity is beneficia...

  • Soaring drug prices provoke scathing hearings, Congressional report

    Alan M. Schlein, Senior Wire|Nov 1, 2020

    Enormous drug company profits are the primary driver of soaring prescription drug prices in America, according to an investigation that Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released recently. The report, based on an 18-month investigation which produced more than a million documents, was started by former committee chairperson Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.., who died last year. But it was largely overlooked, with the nation focused on COVID-19 and the presidential elections – despite a congressional hearing with verbal fireworks i...

  • Pandemic's effect on retirees' financial outlook

    Nov 1, 2020

    Some call a booming economy a “rising tide that lifts all boats.” We’re experiencing the flip side of that now: a sinking tide that is wreaking havoc unequally. Age, income and circumstance have affected all Americans in the tsunami of this pandemic. Seniors are bearing the brunt of the crisis as it relates to serious infection and death, but the financial picture for most “boomers and beyond” has been a mixed bag. Short term, our age group is faring better financially than others. Most seniors are beyond the tethers of salary needs and depen...

  • Networking for Anchorage, Mat-Su area providers

    Senior Voice Staff|Nov 1, 2020

    Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage and Mat-Su area? Want to get the word out about your own service? The monthly Service Providers Breakfast (formerly known as the Interagency Breakfast), sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, Inc., is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, the monthly event is being continued virtually online via Zoom. The November meeting is Nov. 18, hosted by Providence Hospice. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action...

  • Minor home modifications may produce huge benefits

    John C. Schieszer, For Senior Voice|Nov 1, 2020

    Never before have there been so many tools available to older adults in Alaska for improving the safety of their home. Alaska has one of the fastest aging populations per capita in the nation, and the majority of Alaskans want to age in place like the rest of the country. However, the challenges are different in Alaska and they can make growing old in a single-family home especially difficult, according to Karla Zervos, who is a volunteer coordinator for the North Star Council on Aging Fairbanks Senior Center’s Helping Hands Home Modifications...

  • Here's how to track down old friends online

    Jim Miller, Savvy Senior|Nov 1, 2020

    Dear Savvy Senior: I’m interested in tracking down some old friends I’ve lost touch with over the years but could use some help. What websites can you recommend that can help me find them? - Tracking Tom Dear Tom: Thanks to the internet, tracking down long-lost friends from many years ago is relatively easy to do and, in most cases, it won’t cost you a cent. Here are some tips and online tools to help you get started. Remembering the details Before you begin your search, a good first step is to jot down any information you can remember or fi...

  • Social Security information for veterans, spouses

    Social Security Administration|Nov 1, 2020

    Veterans and active duty military can count on Social Security Every year on Veterans Day, we honor the people who risk their lives to protect our country. Our disability program is an important part of our obligation to wounded warriors and their families. Social Security is an important resource for military members who return home with injuries. If you know a wounded veteran, please let them know about our Wounded Warriors webpage. You can find it at www.ssa.gov/woundedwarriors. The Wounded Warriors webpage answers many commonly asked...

  • Cares Act offers mortgage relief for homeowners

    Senior Voice Staff|Nov 1, 2020

    If you can’t make your mortgage payment, there is help. Due to the 2020 Cares Act you can get a forbearance on your loan if your loan investor (not the bank or loan service company) is one of the following: FMCC (Freddie Mac) FNMA (Fannie Mae) VA (Veterans Administration) FHA (Federal Housing Authority) If you experience financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic, you have a right to request and obtain a forbearance for up to 180 days. You also have the right to request and obtain an extension for up to another 180 days (for a total o...

  • Apply now for heating assistance

    Senior Voice Staff|Nov 1, 2020

    The Heating Assistance Program (HAP) is designed to promote the general welfare and safeguard the health and well-being of Alaska’s population by​ offsetting the cost of home heating for eligible Alaskan residents. The program assists households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines, who have a minimum of $200 in out-of-pocket heating costs per year, and meet all other eligibility criteria. The benefit is a one-time payment to the household’s vendor, sent to the vendor, and applied to the customer’s account...

  • How to cast your vote in Alaska's 2020 election

    Merry MacKinnon, AARP Bulletin|Oct 1, 2020

    Alaskans will be able to apply for no-excuse absentee ballots online this year, as election officials have made it easier to vote safely from home amid the coronavirus pandemic: Older voters should have already received absentee ballot applications in the mail. Election officials in July sent absentee ballot applications to all registered voters 65 and older for the Aug. 18 primary and the Nov. 3 general election. Early voting for the general election will begin Oct. 19, helping voters to avoid longer lines on Election Day. Here’s what else y...

  • Update from the Alaska Long Term Care Ombudsman

    Stephanie Wheeler, For Senior Voice|Oct 1, 2020

    We are still here for you! The Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (OLTCO) is mandated by the Older Americans Act and state law to provide resident-centered advocacy designed to protect the rights, health, safety and welfare of Alaskans living in Skilled Nursing Facilities and Assisted Living Homes. We work to resolve problems of individual residents and to bring about improvements to residents’ care and quality of life. While our work has shifted from in-person visitations to virtual visitations during COVID-19, we continue to respo...

  • You may be eligible for an Economic Impact Payment

    irs.gov|Oct 1, 2020

    Though most Americans − more than 160 million in all − have already received their Economic Impact Payments, the IRS reminds anyone with little or no income who is not required to file a tax return that they may be eligible to receive an Economic Impact Payment. Available in both English and Spanish, the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov is designed for people with incomes typically below $24,400 for married couples, and $12,200 for singles. This includes couples and individuals who are ex periencing homelessness. People must enter their inf...

  • Discussing the pros and cons of the upcoming ballot measures

    Senior Voice Staff|Oct 1, 2020

    Wondering how to vote on the two ballot measures appearing in the General Election this November? Join Alaska Common Ground on Oct. 6 and Oct. 14 for online discussions on each of the initiatives. Both events will begin with an overview, followed by a panel discussion weighing the pros and cons. There will be time for attendees to ask questions. To join these free, virtual events, register at https://akcommonground.org/events-3/ The website includes background information on the panelists. Sponsored by Alaska Common Ground, League of Women...

  • The 2020 census still needs your participation

    Senior Voice Staff|Sep 1, 2020

    Have you been counted? The more complete and accurate the 2020 U.S. census can be, the more it will ensure appropriate levels of funding for services and programs for Alaska’s seniors. Census sources report that, so far, Alaska census response has been among the lowest in the country. The census is conducted only once every 10 years, so results from the data collected this year will determine federal funding levels through 2030. Let’s be sure our population count is accurate and receives adequate funding for the next decade. Anyone can par...

  • Senior Voice recognized in national awards contest

    Senior Voice Staff|Sep 1, 2020

    Older Persons Action Group, Inc., earned honors for its monthly, statewide publication Senior Voice in the 29th annual National Mature Media Awards Program. The program, presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, recognizes the nation’s finest marketing, communications, educational materials and programs designed and produced for older adults. OPAG and Senior Voice won four awards: Merit Award to Erin Kirkland for her articles in the monthly travel column, “Going Places” Merit Award to Macken...

  • Time to celebrate: International Day of Older Persons

    Lawrence D. Weiss, For Senior Voice|Sep 1, 2020

    Every day Christy and I take a walk around our quiet Anchorage neighborhood. We regularly bump into other older folks out for a stroll, gardening, maybe playing with pets or grandkids on the front lawn. A sense of wellbeing infuses the air. It’s nice. It’s comfortable. It’s our world, but it is not the rest of the world. Well then, what is it like for older people in the rest of the world? Enter stage left...the United Nations. The United Nations is the largest intergovernmental organization in the world. It was founded in October 1945. Its o...

  • MASST program benefits both senior job hunters and agencies

    Laurie Cowgill, For Senior Voice|Sep 1, 2020

    Older workers play an increasingly important role in Alaska’s economy. The Alaska Department of Workforce Development in partnership with the Alaska Commission on Aging are launching “Strengthen Alaska Workforce by Employing the Older Worker” to raise awareness of the valuable resource older workers provide. Together with Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training (MASST), these agencies develop innovative strategies that assist seniors in obtaining employable skills and finding suitable work in today’s job market. Governor Dunleavy has proclai...

  • Downsizing, money, Craigslist and you

    Karen Telleen-Lawton, Senior Wire|Sep 1, 2020

    The uncertainty of the pandemic has brought to mind a name from my young adult years: Howard Ruff. Do you remember reading his 1978 sensation, “How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years”? It was a survival guide for personal and financial decisions. “How to Prosper…” advocated storing a year’s worth of food and water while eschewing stocks and bonds in favor of investments in precious commodities. My husband and I didn’t follow his advice to the letter, but the book greatly influenced our outlook as a young couple. Whenever we suffered roug...

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