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Anchorage and Juneau will both host events in May to connect members of the community with resources about Parkinson's disease that are organized by the American Parkinson Disease Association. The event in Juneau is May 6 and it's an afternoon of information. The event in Anchorage is May 9 and it's all day. Both events are titled "Parkinson's today: A conversation on care, treatment and living well." There is also a Parkinson's Care Partner Education Day in Juneau on May 7. It's from 9:30 to...
Alaskans are being bombarded with a new impostor text scam that pretends to be from the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The message appears official, claims you missed a fine, lists a "ticket number," and warns that if you don't pay by midnight, your driver's license and registration could be put on hold. To make it even more convincing, there is a reference to an Alaska statute and a handy link to pay immediately to avoid enforcement actions. Pause! It's time for a quick scam reality...
This month, we have two photos either entirely generated by AI or modified using AI. We want to be transparent and forthcoming with you about this. The cover photo we modified so that there is a bit more foliage present than in the original image. It helps us fill in the space we need to run this photograph. The second one is clearly labeled, and it was generated using Gemini, a popular AI platform on the internet. It goes with Lawrence D. Weiss’ story about using AI to try to find out more abou...
For generations, the University of Alaska (UA) has helped shape the people and professions that keep Alaska going. Our graduates are working in nearly every part of our state, in hospitals and clinics, classrooms and businesses, nonprofits and public offices and the industries that drive Alaska's economy and way of life. As Alaska faces workforce shortages in health care, education, public service, engineering, skilled trades and other essential sectors, keeping UA strong and accessible will be...
Q. Some years ago I had a photo book printed, but I no longer see that option in my photos app. Where did it go? A. There are photo printing services online that print photo books. If you were using a Mac, you might be referring to its legacy photo service, which was discontinued years ago. Today, no matter what device you use, consider Photobooks Pro (link below). They are a high-quality photo printing service that offers dozens of book designs. And if my guess is correct that you were talking about Mac legacy software, Photobooks Pro has...
Editor's Note: National Centenarian's Day is Sept. 22. The day honors those who've celebrated 100 birthdays or more. We're publishing profiles of people who have hit this milestone. The Alaska Commission on Aging is working with the Governor's Office, Pioneer Homes and Long Term Care Ombudsman to celebrate Alaska's centenarians. If you know someone who is 100 or older and would like us to profile them, contact editor@seniorvoicealaska.comeditor@seniorvoicealaska.com. You can take the girl out...
Katie Chadwick got the idea last summer that she wanted to do the all-women Gold Nugget Triathlon, an event with origins in an early 1980s effort by moms to create sports opportunities for their daughters and other girls. Katie had been on what she describes as a “health journey,” and saw the Gold Nugget as an opportunity to demonstrate how she had become stronger and leaner. Her 60th birthday was coming up, and she wanted to set a goal to mark the moment. “I just had this idea that I wante...
I figure I have 10 to 20 years left on this planet and I want to make them productive and enjoyable. My husband and I now live in a senior complex 17 stories high with 200 people in different stages of dementia. After living in a cabin in the forest in Alaska, it's a real adjustment, but for my family it's reassuring. Being mortal I read the 2014 book "Being Mortal" by Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon, a professor at Harvard University and author. With wisdom gleaned from many geriatric patients,...
Q: Ongoing health issues and financial pressures weigh heavily on me. Many days it feels hard to find anything positive about getting older. How do I get through these struggles? A: I am truly sorry you are facing this. It is tough when the challenges of aging create obstacles that lead to feelings of hopelessness. What if you approached these hardships with a positive aging mindset that emphasizes adaptability and intention? This small perspective shift can change your focal point from what...
There's something about an Alaska summer that asks a lot of us. After a long winter, everything seems to come alive at once. The days stretch late into the evening. The fish are running. The gardens need tending. Family visits pick up. There are projects to finish, trails to hike, and every bit of sunshine feels too valuable to waste. It is a season of movement, energy, and catching up on all the things we could not do just a few months ago. But in the middle of all that fullness, it can also...
You never know when a medical emergency will arise, but you can be prepared, both for yourself and for a loved one. Emergency services and urgently needed care Emergency care is needed to evaluate or treat emergency medical conditions. An emergency medical condition is severe enough that someone with an average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect your health to be in danger if you don’t get medical attention right away. If you’re pregnant, this could also mean that the hea...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ll be 65 in a few months and could sure use some help sorting through all the confusing Medicare options that are available to me. Where can I get help with my Medicare decisions? - Baffled Bob Dear Bob, With around 11,400 Baby Boomers turning 65 every day in 2026, you’re asking a very timely question. Many people approaching Medicare are confused by all the choices available today. In addition to original Medicare (Part A and B) that has been around for more than 60 years, you also have the option of enrolling in a Part D...
Low vitamin D levels associated with higher risk of dementia A new study published in the journal Neurology is suggesting that vitamin D may be good for brain health and possibly lower the risk for dementia in older adults. Having higher levels of vitamin D in the blood in middle age was found to be associated with lower levels of tau protein in the brain, which is a sign of dementia. “These results suggests that higher vitamin D levels in midlife may offer protection against developing these t...
The Alaska Commission on Aging will hold a quarterly meeting in Juneau on May 27. The event will be online via Zoom, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In preparation for writing the next four-year State Plan for Senior Services, the focus of the meeting will be the Older Americans Act (OAA). The Commission will receive training on the OAA and hear from agencies managing OAA programs. There will be a public comment period at 1 p.m., allowing for feedback from individuals and organizations. To participate via Zoom, use the address http...
Choking is one of the scariest emergencies that can happen. It strikes without warning, and it can occur anywhere: the restaurant, a senior center, or alone at home. It can happen to anyone. Here in Alaska, where many of us live far from the nearest hospital, knowing what to do could mean the difference between life and death. When someone is choking, something is blocking their airway. This is usually food. The person cannot breathe, speak, or cough properly. You may notice them grabbing at...
I'd had a long day May 8, 2025, including a trip to Anchorage for a doctor appointment and a stop at Costco...getting home near Palmer about 8:30 p.m. I'd unloaded the car, put away the groceries, read my email, and was working on the puzzle on my dining room table, when my cell phone rang about 9:30 pm. Very few people have my cell phone number and no one calls me that late at night, but knowing it might be hospice calling about my husband, Gary, I answered. A male voice said, "The flower arran...
I was born in New Jersey in 1946 but I didn't stick around. For some reason my parents decided to move to Los Angeles when I was 3 months old. They packed what they could in suitcases, boarded the plane, and landed in LA the next day after a grueling journey. I know this because Dad told me when I was a kid. He sounded annoyed even then, years later, because he said I puked on his lap during the entire flight. Sorry Dad. Really. Why did they make that trip? I have pieced together bits of...
3 Rings Circus is coming to Anchorage and Fairbanks in May. This circus features the motorcycle high wire, aerial ballerinas, Argentinian gauchos and the dueling wheels of death. A portion of every ticket sold benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, a nonprofit that creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships for children facing adversity. The organization matches youth (Littles) with adult volunteers (Bigs) to provide a supportive relationship that helps children achieve their full potential. www.bbbsak.org Show Schedule Carls...
On a chilly May morning in 1906, as the snow lingered on the mountain peaks and icy winds swept down through Skagway, word spread through the bustling railroad camp: Congress had at last legitimized the tracks that would stitch together Alaska and the Yukon. The act granting the right of way for the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway was more than a dry legal document-it became a lifeline for a young land still finding its footing, and a testament to the grit of the men and women who called this...
"I've been poor my whole life, like a disease passing from generation to generation. But not my boys, not anymore." — Toby Howard The quote above is from a 2016 movie called “Hell or High Water,” and it provides an interesting lesson about reverse mortgages. But to explain this I need to summarize the plot of the film, so here’s your spoiler alert. At the center of the story are two brothers, both down on their luck. Their widowed mother has just died after a lengthy illness, and to provide...
This is the second in a series about people finding or rediscovering creative pursuits later in life. The reporting project is funded by a grant from the Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism. If you have a suggestion of a person who has explored their artistic or creative impulses upon retirement or when other life demands lessened, email editor@seniorvoicealaska.comeditor@seniorvoicealaska.com. Frank Entsminger came to sculpting the hard way-through fire. A taxidermist by trade for...
Last month, newsrooms around the country marked Local News Day, an opportunity to connect people with trusted local news organizations. The Senior Voice is a local news organization, with almost all of the content reported and produced here in Alaska. We strive to bring you news and information that is helpful to you as an older Alaskan or as someone who helps or lives with an older Alaskan. To do that, we ask that you complete our readership survey, which will help us improve the way we cover...
Arctic Marine Science: Sikuliaq to Shore opens May 15 at the Anchorage Museum, bringing visitors inside Alaska’s ice-capable research vessel and the science studying northern seas. Visitors to the can view the world of Arctic marine research through this immersive exhibition that reveals how scientists and coastal communities are working together to better understand environmental shifts in northern seas. The exhibit is presented in partnership with the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB), the exhibition transforms the Patricia B. Wolf F...
May 1-31 National Bike Month. Get your two-wheeler or three-wheeler out and enjoy the warm weather May 1- 31 National Garden Month May 11-17 National Women’s Health Week. An annual observance to highlight women's health issues and priorities, and to encourage women of all ages to seek preventive care and screenings. May 6-12 National Nurses Week. If you’ve ever been in the hospital, you know nurses are essential to your care. Tell the nurses in your life how much you value them. May 1 International May Day. Also known as International Wor...
Fares on the Alaska Marine Highway System will increase May 1, the first hike since 2019. See fares and routes on the ferry system’s website.…. May 2 is Military Appreciation Day at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. It’s from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Arctic Warrior Events Center, 9387 Kuter Ave. There will be a health fair and services such as information about retirement and food trucks. …. It’s graduation season. May 2 is the ceremony at the University of Alaska Fairbanks; May 3 is the date for graduations at the University of Alaska An...
