Articles from the May 1, 2016 edition
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 26
Love for animals extends from home to community
My husband, Elliott, and I were on an excursion. On a sunny, warm afternoon in early April, we were bumping along a curvy, gravel road, up and down hills, heading to the home of Joanna and Ken Walch...
Fewer retirees report having a great time
Recent data show that, across the board, fewer American retirees say they are “very satisfied” with their retirements, while a growing number of retirees report that they are “not at all satisfied” with their retirements. Based on a 15-year...
Senior property tax exemption survives session
The Alaska legislature is no longer pushing to remove the mandate for the Senior and Disabled Property Tax Exemption, which exempts Alaskan seniors and disabled veterans from having to pay property taxes on the first $150,000 of the assessed value...
Imposing a Pioneer home wait list fee would hurt low income Alaskan seniors
This letter, abbreviated here, was sent by the Alaska Commission on Aging to the Alaska Senate and House chairs on April 6, 2016, in regard to SB 139 and HB 256, which impose a $100 annual fee to be placed on the Pioneer Homes wait list. The letter...
Older Americans Act is finally reauthorized, but requires proper funding
Editor’s Note: This press statement was received on April 21, 2016. The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is congratulating both President Barack...
Analysis: Drug pricing options proposed, presupposed, opposed
Most Americans and leading presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle support the idea that the federal government should lower drug prices. But it's not likely to happen any time soon even though the Obama administration and Congress are...
Self-managing diabetes, chronic diseases
This is the second article in a multi-part series about diabetes self-management programs offered in Alaska. Type 2 Diabetes, a disease characterized by abnormally high blood sugar, is among the most common chronic diseases. People of all ages...
Understanding how aspirin stops nerve pain
We take for granted the comfort we feel in our hands and feet, but some people have lost that comfort, and they suffer all day long with strange nerve-related concerns. There is new research about aspirin which could help you, but first let’s talk...
Spring health fairs coming to a location near you
Alaska Health Fairs’ spring series of health fairs wrap up this month, featuring 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...
Get to know your benefits
Be cheerful in the merry month of May, a harbinger of Summer’s advent, and good times will soon be here. That is, if you all vote ... the right way. JOKE! Seriously, here are five reasons to vote:...
Mental Health training in Juneau, Anchorage
Similar to ‘First Aid’ and ‘CPR,’ ‘Mental Health First Aid’ is designed to arm the public with skills to help individuals who are developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Presented by the Alaska Training...
Service-related disability may be VA-covered
If you have just received your VA disability notice, you should take advantage of the VA’s disability insurance plan. Veterans who are granted a service-connected disability but are otherwise in goo...
Kidney patient events in Anchorage
The Alaska Kidney Patient Association is offering free kidney health screenings May 14 at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 9 a.m. to noon. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or an immediate family member with kidney disease, this...
Alaska's most and least healthy boroughs
Some Alaska Boroughs could improve health Juneau Borough ranks healthiest in Alaska and Wade Hampton Census Area is the least healthy place in the state, according to the seventh annual County Health...
Free training, support for family caregivers
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in May. This month’s focus: Home safety for people with dementia. May 3, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. May 10, Caregive...
Online classes in geriatrics offered
Online trainings on geriatric health care topics continue this month, sponsored by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the Alaska Training Cooperative and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. The series is a partnership with the Northwest...
Young dreams realized in Alaska
There was a generation of women who grew up without heroines, without much hope for fulfilling their wildest dreams, but then there were those women who changed all that by sheer will and...
Alaska Commission on Aging meets in Palmer, May 5
The Alaska Commission on Aging will conduct its quarterly meeting May 5 in Palmer at Mat-Su Senior Services, 1132 S. Chugach Street. The commission advocates for state policy, public and private partnerships, state/federal projects and citizen...
Baseball played in the arctic in 1894
As the days get longer and winter begins to wane, it's safe to assume that the boys of summer are preparing for another awesome season of baseball – a mainstay in Alaska for generations. Before Anch...
Peter Mark Richman: Pharmacist-turned-actor
Recognized for hundreds of television roles dating back to the 1950s, Peter Mark Richman broke into film alongside Gary Cooper in the 1956 civil war western, "Friendly Persuasion." "But I'm not only...
Kenai Peninsula senior task force nixed
Citing low public interest and little need, Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Mike Navarre vetoed a resolution to create a senior task force on Feb. 23. The resolution, brought forward by senior advocate Peter Zuyus and Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly...
What exactly does a will do?
“Avoid probate? I don’t have to worry about that; I have a will,” says the elder gent sitting across from me. “A will doesn’t avoid probate,” I tell him. A confused look comes over his...
Your Social Security questions answered by the experts
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (May 10 and 24), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai...
Some tech tips to ease your travels
Q. I have not flown in quite some time. When I flew last month, missing was the usual preflight announcement asking everyone to turn off all electronic devices. Now that we can use smartphones and tablets on airplanes from gate to gate, why do they...
A leisurely sail to the end of Alaska
Go south-way south, to Alaska's little visited Dutch Harbor on the Aleutian Chain. The Aleutian Chain, including Unalaska and Amaknak Islands, began about 40 million years ago when the volcanic...