Articles from the May 1, 2019 edition
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 26
State suspends payments to some Senior Benefits recipients
Update, May 3, 2019: Our print edition version of this story went to press as the legislature debated reversing the Senior Benefits cuts discussed in this story. After the paper was printed, the House and Senate both agreed to restore the funding,...
Elders' perspective on how to age successfully
This is the first in a series of articles by Jordan Lewis, PhD, with comments and reflections on “Alaska Native Successful Aging - What it means to be an Elder,” which are two studies completed in 2009 and 2019. Jordan is an Associate Professor with...
Five Alaska governors discuss the income tax
It was an extraordinary historical event in the history of Alaska. April 30, 1993, KUAC-TV in Fairbanks brought together five current and former Alaska governors to discuss Alaska’s future. Governors Keith Miller, Jay Hammond, Bill Sheffield, S...
Analysis: Old is the new young on Capitol Hill
The old baseball star Satchel Paige is supposed to have said: Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it does not matter. On Capitol Hill, old seems to be the new young. In the House of Representatives, the top three leaders are a...
Tribal elder abuse often goes unreported
The abuse and neglect of American Indian and Alaska Native Elders occurs with alarming frequency in tribal communities. Tribal leaders from across the country have identified three major challenges in addressing elder abuse and neglect issues on rese...
Mental health resources for Alaska veterans
A lot is asked of our men and women in the military, whether active duty or those who have achieved veteran status. Per their service, they are required to constantly relocate, every three to four years depending on military branch. They must deploy...
The long-term care benefit many veterans miss out on
Dear Savvy Senior: I have heard that the VA has a benefit that can help veterans and spouses with long-term care costs. We recently had to move my 86-year-old father – who served in the army nearly 60 years ago – into an assisted living fac...
Surprise! You may pay an IRMAA
When we talk about the costs of Medicare, the discussion can include premiums, deductibles, co-insurances and copays. Another cost to Medicare beneficiaries that may come as a surprise is the Income...
Spring health fair season winds down in May
Alaska Health Fairs will be held at the following locations and times during May. For more information, call 907-278-0234 (Anchorage) or 907-374-6853 (Fairbanks); or just visit www.alaskahealthfair.org for the remaining Spring 2019 community...
Networking for Anchorage, Mat-Su area providers
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...
Potential risks and rewards of new treatments for depression, Parkinson's, colorectal cancer
Concern over a potential misuse of new depression medication The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March approved Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray, in conjunction with an oral antidepressant, for...
Free training and support for family caregivers
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in May. This month’s topic is Caregiving and Depression. During Mental Health Month, discussion will focus on how caregiving puts people at risk for d...
These tricycle options are for grown-ups
Dear Savvy Senior: What can you tell me about three-wheeled bicycles? I'm 65 years old and would like to start cycling again but I have some occasional balance problems and don't trust myself on a...
Greenhouse job planted fond memories
"If you have room, would you like to take a petunia wave basket?" asked Evelyn Bush, a former employer of mine. "You can't just give away baskets for free," I replied. But when her granddaughter,...
Open house showcases Nike Site Summit activities
Friends of Nike Site Summit and the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation invite the public to their tenth annual open house Thursday, May 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Anchorage at the Atwood...
Houston senior center reopens for lunches
Thanks to an arrangement with Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. (WASI), the Mid-Valley Senior Center in Houston is open for lunch again. WASI started catering lunch to the Houston center in April, with lunch hours 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through...
Early alert: Alaska International Senior Games
Registration is open for this year’s Alaska International Senior Games, which take place Aug. 9-18 in Fairbanks. The annual event brings together people from all around the United States and several countries to compete – you must be age 50 or old...
Alaska Commission on Aging board will meet May 30
The Alaska Commission on Aging will hold its quarterly board meeting Thursday, May 30, 2019. The meeting will be held via videoconference and teleconference, available at sites listed below, or statewide via toll-free telephone. The meeting takes pla...
Scandal surrounds Alaska's first governor
After Alaska became part of the United States in 1867, the U.S. military ruled America's newest possession for about 17 years. Then on July 4, 1884, U.S. President Chester A. Arthur appointed...
Don Collier still living the western life
A staple on the old TV westerns, Don Collier got his first break as a lead actor in the short-lived series "Outlaws" in the early 1960s. "I interviewed for the role in December 1959 and they called me...
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 in May: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (May 14 and 28), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai S...
Another Alaskan myth bites the dust
I recently saw the movie "Bohemian Rhapsody", which tells the story of the rock band Queen and its lead singer, Freddie Mercury. Having come of age in the ‘70s, I found it interesting enough to l...
Refunds, photo backups, laptop DVD players
Q. Most retail stores accept merchandise returns, but what about software? Is it possible to get a refund from the App Store? A. Although the details are often buried in the fine print, both the Google and Apple stores provide a return policy for...
Tips for photography while traveling
I was reading a travel article recently and noticed a photograph the writer took of a local in the country he was covering. They were not smiling. In fact, they were scowling. It reminded me of the...