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Older Persons Action Group, Inc., publisher of Senior Voice and the Directory for Older Alaskans, will hold a fundraiser art auction May 8 at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 E. 19th Ave. The event will feature artwork and other items donated to OPAG over the years, including paintings, prints, fur coats, collectibles and some antiques, such as clocks. The format will be silent auction, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. For more information, call 1-800-478-1059 toll-free statewide, or...
Since the start of the new year, Better Business Bureau Northwest & Pacific has seen an uptick in customers searching for general contractors to help spruce up their homes. BBB has received more than 72,000 local inquiries to general contractors since January—that’s up nearly 4,000 from last year. Locally there were more than 3,000 searches in Anchorage. Unfortunately, scammers are hoping to capitalize on this interest by finding ways to con consumers and contractors out of money. In 2017, there were nearly 350 home improvement scams rep...
Prisons in the United States contain an ever growing number of aging men and women who cannot readily climb stairs, haul themselves to the top bunk, or walk long distances to meals or the pill line; whose old bones suffer from thin mattresses and winter’s cold; who need wheelchairs, walkers, canes, portable oxygen, and hearing aids; who cannot get dressed, go to the bathroom, or bathe without help; and who are incontinent, forgetful, suffering chronic illnesses, extremely ill, and dying. [Human Rights Watch, Old Behind Bars, 2012] Elderly i...
Recently I needed some medical records sent from my previous doctor to a new specialist. I was stunned when this thoroughly modern medical practice told me the only way they could send them quickly was with a fax machine. When was the last time you used a fax machine? 1990s technology in 2018? Efforts to develop a standardized electronic health record (EHR) system to make it easier for the sharing of your medical records between doctors have been planned since that fax machine was the latest technology invention, but only with limited success....
Approximately 1 in 10 Americans age 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Broadly defined, elder abuse is any form of mistreatment that results in harm or loss to an older person. More specifically, the World Health Organization defines elder abuse as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.” The legal definition of elder abuse varies from state-to-state. Elder abuse affects people fro...
Donated Dental Services (DDS), a Dental Lifeline program, provides free dental services for qualifying seniors and those with disabilities in the Fairbanks and North Pole area. In order to be eligible, the patient must have exhausted all other insurance resources and be able to provide documentation for lack of adequate funds, said Sue Lear, DDS Coordinator. “Dental insurance through Medicaid must be used first,” said Lear. “Although this is a last resort program, as the dentists are all working on a volunteer basis, our goal is to help as ma...
Your new Medicare ID card will be arriving the old-fashioned way, via the US Postal Service. If you barely glance at your mail before you throw it in the garbage because of a deluge of junk mail, be on the lookout for this one. Starting in April and continuing for a year, Medicare will be sending out new ID cards to its 55 million beneficiaries. This will be the first replacement of the cards since Medicare started in 1965. The cards have only one purpose – to help prevent identity fraud. The old cards will be valid for another year, but h...
Did you know 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 (doctor, other provider, or supplier) who takes assignment. Taking assignment means that this provider h...
We are now in our busiest month during spring health fair season, so check out our April fairs. Make it to one of the spring events in your local community before the end of the season and you’ll find a variety of resources to help meet your family’s health needs and take time to enjoy some great community gatherings. Alaska Health Fair events offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable blood tests (starting at $20) and other services. We are able to offer these high-quality tests at such low prices bec...
In addition to federal VA benefits, veterans shouldn’t overlook the State of Alaska benefits. Following is a partial list of Alaska Veteran benefits. Veteran license plates The State of Alaska Legislature has designated several special license plates for veterans: recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, veterans who have been a Prisoner of War (POW), veterans who are survivors of Pearl Harbor, and Gold Star Families. Plates are issued free of charge after proof of service or family loss is v...
Dear Savvy Senior: My brother and his wife, who are ages 60 and 56, were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes, and neither one had a clue. Could I have it too? - Concerned Sibling Dear Concerned: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nearly 115 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes today, but most of them don’t even know they have it. Here’s how to know if you’re at risk. The problem with diabetes is that most people don’t start thinking about it until they’re diagnosed, and that’s too late. Di...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in April. This month’s focus is on the basic spiritual needs throughout life, what may or may not change when someone is living with dementia, and how to best meet those needs. Resource materials include a DVD presentation by dementia expert Teepa Snow and the Rev. Linn Possell. April 3, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. April 10, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. April 17, Caregiver support meet...
Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska will offer free webinars in April and May. Participation is by either toll-free telephone call-in or online via GoToMeeting web conferencing. “Being the Decision Maker,” which discusses legal tools and processes to help with making decisions for loved ones, will be offered April 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. “When Does Memory Loss Become a Disease,” exploring what is normal aging and what is not, will be offered May 10, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Registration for both webinars is required. Handouts can be provided beforehan...
A pill to prevent hearing loss It may soon be possible to take a pill to prevent hearing loss. Researchers have discovered that inhibiting an enzyme called cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) may help protect against noise-induced or drug-induced hearing loss. In animal studies, investigators have found that CDK2 inhibitors prevent the death of inner ear cells. According to the World Health Organization, 360 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss caused by congenital defects or other...
The Anchorage Senior Activity Center has joined the National Council on Aging’s (NCOA) network dedicated to helping people with Medicare improve their financial outlook by enrolling in programs to help them afford health care, prescriptions, food and more. Nationally, half of all people with Medicare live on incomes less than $26,200 per year, and they often lack the resources needed to meet basic living expenses. Federal, state and local programs exist to help these individuals, but many people do not know how to apply for assistance. The Anch...
Want to secure your future? Start with AARP’s Medicare and retirement workshops around the state this spring. Free and open to the public. Attend any or all sessions offered within each workshop. April 13 and 14, Wasilla at Grand View Hotel, 2900 E. Parks Hwy. April 27 and 28, Juneau at Centennial Hall, 101 Egan Dr. May 11 and 12, Fairbanks at Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference Center, 813 Noble St. Two identical Medicare workshops, “Get Ready for Medicare,” will be offered on Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 to 11 a.m. at all l...
April 10: This story has been updated to reflect a change in the teleconference schedule. April 12 has been cancelled, and an additional Thursday added for April 26. Keep track of senior-related bills, budget decisions and other issues by listening in to 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...
Since our move back to Palmer from Slana in 2011, I try to ride my bike around our subdivision on a daily basis unless the roads have ice and snow or if it's very windy. One day while riding in early spring of 2013, reflecting sunlight in one of my neighbor's back yard caught my eye. The next day, I slowed down to discover the source - a very large pane of glass leaning against a shed. My bike rides serve several purposes. They are great exercise and I thoroughly enjoy being outdoors while...
Anchorage Genealogical Society’s (AGS) Annual Spring Seminar will be held at Changepoint Church in Anchorage on April 21, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Genealogy and DNA testing are hot topics right now,” said Barbara Burg, event coordinator for AGS. “We have access to over one million tests now. It’s important for older people to take these tests because the more tests you have in the family, the better data you have.” Sessions will be led by nationally-known speaker, Diahan Southard of “Your DNA Guide,” and will cover topics such as understanding a...
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times in April: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (April 10 and 24), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (April 4 and 18), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (April 5, 12, 19 and 26), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s Southeast communities can cal...
Imagine being deemed insane through a jury trial, and then sent to the Lower 48 for treatment in the dead of winter before planes and automobiles were available to transport you south. That's what happened to some Alaskans at the turn of the last century. The opening of the Alaska Psychiatric Institute in Anchorage in 1962 marked a dramatic change in the way Alaska handled those who suffered from mental illness. Construction of the facility meant Alaskans might find treatment for their mental...
As one of the best-known child actors from the 1960s, Hayley Mills starred in a half-dozen Disney films including box-office hits "Pollyanna" and "The Parent Trap." Now in her early 70's, Mills continues to perform with a preference for theater work. "In January, I opened at the New York City Center on Stage II in the lovely Irish play called 'Party Face' by Isobel Mahon," Mills explained recently while preparing for an evening performance. "It's a sweet, funny, touching play. I knew...
Over time, your valuables change, and so do your options to protect them. Here are a few choices, including safe deposit boxes and home safes, along with suggestions on how to assess each option for your specific needs. 1) Think about what should or should not be kept in a bank's safe deposit box. Good candidates for a safe deposit box include originals of key documents, such as birth certificates, property deeds, car titles and U.S. Savings Bonds that haven't been converted into electronic securities. Other possibilities for the box include...
When you last signed a will, you might have noticed that after the main part of it, there was a bunch of added legal stuff. This is about that all-important added legal stuff. (Wait, you have signed a will before, right? Right? Please tell me you have. If not, quit reading this and go call a lawyer.) At the end of a properly-drawn will, following the signatures of the testator and the witnesses, there is typically a page or so of additional legalities, and then another set of signatures, followe...
Q. I want an Amazon Echo, but my wife thinks it’s creepy to have a microphone listen to everything we say. What do you think? A. I think your spouse is very wise. New tech is always flawed, and smart speakers are very, very new. The privacy implications of installing an always-on microphone in your house should not be glossed over. The three main competitors in the smart speaker market are Amazon, Apple and Google. The “smarts” in smart speakers comes from an “intelligent personal assistant,” similar to phone-based assistants like Siri and...
