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Nearly 40 agencies across Alaska are members of AgeNet. Members provide services for seniors in local communities and in seniors’ homes to help them maintain their independent living and improve their health and quality of life. Services include nutritious meals, adult day centers, transportation, exercise classes, in-home care, case management, and meaningful support for unpaid family caregivers. AgeNet members serve over 18,000 Older Alaskans every year. AgeNet members urge the following action during the 2021 Session of the Alaska L...
Keep track of senior-related bills, budget decisions and other issues by attending the Alaska Commission on Aging Legislative Teleconferences. Hosted by local agencies statewide, and available by toll-free call-in, the teleconferences provide a convenient forum for seniors and advocates across Alaska to share information about issues and specific bills of concern, including Medicaid, state budget and funding, senior assistance, retirement, Pioneer Homes and more. Zoom conferences are scheduled 9:30 to 11 a.m. every other Thursday and weekly...
“Even slight Trump erosions and/or Biden inroads with seniors will make the difference in the election.”- Salena Zito, CNN political analyst, in PJ Media “This year, retaining the support of seniors is obviously central to Trump’s reelection chances. But a number of polls released [the last week of June] show that he has slipped badly in this key demographic.” - John Cassidy, The New Yorker What is the source of the new-found senior power? Some of it can be attributed to the historic appreciation seniors have of the vote. Traditionally about 70...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk”, the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, returns Sept. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center. This month, learn how United States Senators and Representatives offer Constituent Services for the people they represent in Congress. Casework staff located at home district offices of Congress members provide services such as contacting federal agencies for problems with a wide range of issues including health care; consume...
A new initiative from AARP contends the American Health Care Act, better known as the AHCA, will be bad for seniors, and cites specific impacts to Alaskans. The Act is headed to the U.S. Senate after passage May 4 by the House of Representatives, as a replacement to the Affordable Care Act, known also as Obamacare. “Tens of thousands of Alaskans will be adversely affected if the AHCA passes,” headlines a May 22 AARP press statement, forwarded to Senior Voice by AARP’s Alaska office. The statement was attached to a letter from AARP Execu...
Editor’s note: This analysis piece was submitted while Tom Price was in Congressional hearings for HHS Secretary confirmation. All eyes on Capitol Hill are focused on the fight over the “repeal and replacement” of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, by the new Republican-controlled Congress and the Trump administration. But don’t get confused. That’s only the warmup card. The championship round could be the battles over the future of Medicare and Medicaid. While Donald J. Trump and his administration settle in to their new j...
Health care issues are certain to be at the top of president-elect Donald Trump’s agenda when he takes office January 20. But how he handles the controversies sure to erupt around repealing and replacing Obamacare, efforts to turn Medicare into a voucher program, and the nomination of conservative Rep. Tom Price to head the Health and Human Services Department are still to play out over the next few months. Trump and congressional Republicans have made no secret of their united desire to repeal and replace President Obama’s signature hea...
With the nation sharply focusing on the Nov. 8 presidential election, the choice between Republican candidate Donald J. Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has been all about personalities, not about policy differences. Facts have taken a back seat to flamboyance. To many, the election choice seems to be between an ethically-challenged, calculating lawyer/politician versus a drunk-uncle-style egomaniac. No surprise then, that both Trump and Clinton have unfavorable ratings above 50 percent in most polls, leaving many voters to hold...
As of July 1, about 2,100 Heating Assistance Program (HAP) participants across the state no longer qualify for assistance. Although HAP uses the same application and process for both of its programs, the Alaska Affordable Heating program (AKAHP) and Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) are not the same, says HAP Coordinator Susan Marshall. “LIHEAP covers the lower income residents with incomes 150 percent or less than the federal poverty income level, and AKAHP covers higher income residents that are between 151 percent and 225 p...
Dating was scary when we were young, and it’s still scary, but for different reasons. In some ways it’s easier now because we know what we want and we’re more confident. But the fact is, most of us 50 and up have baggage. The baggage might be a small duffle bag, or it might be a three-piece matched-set of luggage and a steamer trunk. It could be broken hearts, previous marriages, grown kids who don’t like the people you date, or worse, grown kids who still live at home, possibly with children of their own. Online dating adds an element of anon...
Put the president’s health care law aside, at least for now. Temporarily forget that the nation just went through the government shutdown ordeal. Get ready for the next crisis. It’s already on its way. Democratic and Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill have until December 13 to reach an agreement to fix the nation’s budget woes. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., are coordinating a 29-member panel to reach consensus by that time. In short, the outlines of the probl...
Sign-up for the Affordable Care Act starts in October with the bulk of the law, known as Obamacare, taking effect starting in January 2014. For most seniors, no action is necessary as Medicare will cover most of their needs. But for those between 50 and 65 years old, and for wealthy seniors, all the talk about the Affordable Care Act is extremely confusing. So let’s try and answer some of the important questions you and your family may have here. Some of the details will be different in each state – specifically the prices of the different hea...
Editor’s note: This Dept. of Health and Human Services press statement was received on May 9. On May 9, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced new funds to help more uninsured Americans enroll in affordable health insurance coverage made available by the Affordable Care Act. In Alaska an estimated $1.78 million is available to support 25 health centers’ enrollment efforts. Nationwide, funding of approximately $150 million will expand the efforts at community health centers to provide in-person assistance to help enr...
Alaska Community Services, Inc. disclosed that it discontinued its Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs as of April 30, 2013. According to Executive Director Brenda Bogowith, the agency voluntarily relinquished their federal grants to operate the programs prior to their end date due to a monitoring site visit conducted in February 2012. The findings of that site visit resulted in programmatic and compliance issues which are currently under discussion with federal funding agency officials at the Corporation for National and...
The 28th Alaska State Legislative session wrapped up on April 15 with many bills passing on to Governor Sean Parnell for signature and others that were stuck in the various committees or did not get a hearing. During the final Alaska Commission on Aging legislative teleconference, guest Speaker Rep. Cathy Munoz, R-Juneau, expressed to the group how grueling the session was. “It was physically taxing on the members,” she said. She explained that HB 4, an act relating to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation to continue progressing tow...
Kitty the dog is a bonafide home-meal delivery alarm. The 4-year-old black furball starts wriggling before the Palmer Senior Center van loaded with lunches even rumbles down the road. “Kitty knows when he turns that corner out there,” Susie Kammermeyer said, standing in the doorway with husband Leo as their little Shih-poo munched on a treat. “She gets excited.” The couple gets meals from the Palmer senior center’s food-delivery program that serves Mat-Su Valley residents from Sutton to Meadow...
May is Older Americans Month in Alaska, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions and achievements of older Alaskans. This tradition is based on the Older Americans Month celebration that began with President Kennedy in 1963 to honor older Americans. Alaska’s senior advisory commissions, senior centers and other senior community organizations will be hosting special activities during the month of May to honor the value that older Alaskans continue to contribute to their families and communities. The theme for the 2013 Older A...
President Barack Obama took a political gamble at the beginning of April by proposing to curb the growth of Medicare and Social Security. In upsetting his liberal political base, Obama hopes his concessions will draw rank and file Senate Republicans into a budget deal that, so far, has proven elusive. Obama released his proposed $3.778 trillion budget recently, for the fiscal year beginning in October – the first salvo in a long process full of political gamesmanship, partisan rhetoric and hopefully, ultimately, an agreement on a broad d...
In the past few weeks more than 170 house bills and 82 senate bills have been introduced to the Alaska State Legislature. Here are some bills that have been discussed on the floor recently. Medicaid payment for prescription management House Bill 134, sponsored by Mia Costello (R-Anchorage), deals with the large number of individuals in Alaska that have complex medical needs and are required to take a dozen or more medications daily. In a sponsor statement, Costello noted that these persons are often frail, elderly and experiencing a wide range...
The Anchorage Senior Citizens Advisory Commission (ASCAC) is pleased to announce the annual Kick-Off event in celebration of Older Americans Month. The Anchorage event will be held at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center on Thursday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be entertainment, a guest speaker, door prizes and a proclamation from Mayor Sullivan. Also on the agenda is the presentation of the Ron Hammett Award to recognize an individual whose exceptional and dedicated service have made a significant impact on the quality of life for...
