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Whose living are you paying for? Roughly 62 percent of people age 50 and up are providing financial support to family members, according to a study by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Some are helping out with the needs of their elderly relatives, but for many, their adult children have moved home — or never left. Whether the support is a one-time need or ongoing over many years, the baby boomers who are shelling out money do so without realizing they’re putting their own retirement security at risk. After all, even people who earn plenty hav...
Editor's note: This is the final story in a three-part series about Unalaska/Dutch harbor, based on Senior Voice contributing writer Dianne Barske's visit in May 2015. I was astonished. The Jesse Lee Home in Unalaska was there before me, fully intact – a modest, well-kept home standing on a broad, open lawn with mountains rising behind. I hadn't expected that. Knowing that I would be traveling to Unalaska and Dutch Harbor this past May, I'd been asked by staff at Alaska Child & Family in A...
With the recent floods in Texas, Oklahoma and other states, consumers looking to purchase a used car—even in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska—should be wary. Scammers and unscrupulous car dealers often ship these damaged vehicles to other states to sell to unsuspecting buyers after natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates up to 10,000 insured vehicles in Texas had water damage from the May 2015 floods. Flood-damaged vehicles that have been declared a total loss by an insurance com...
Editor’s note: This press release was received July 14. On the 50th Anniversary of the Older Americans Act (OAA), The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is calling on Congress to reauthorize this vital legislation, which supports programs and services for approximately 11 million individuals and their families. Through a national network of aging services and funding, the OAA offers a wide range of supports, including home-delivered and congregate meals,...
Millions of seniors are struggling to put food on the table, a dramatic spike in the problem, according to two new reports. Despite the recent uptick in the U.S. economy, an astonishingly large number of Americans – 9.6 million over the age of 60 – could not reliably buy or access food at least part of the year. That’s one in every six older men and women. And those numbers are much lower than the reality. Analysts say that large groups of seniors aren’t even being included in those numbers because it’s hard to reach them to find out they aren...
When families help each other out financially, who typically pays: Older family members supporting the younger ones, or vice-versa? Despite the growing wave of retiring Baby Boomers, it’s far more likely to be older Americans transferring cash to their adult children or grandchildren than the other way around, according to recent research by EBRI. EBRI’s analysis shows that a very small portion of older households receive transfers from their younger generations, while a much larger section of older households transfer money to their you...
9 fires have been identified around Alaska this season, with about 27 of the fires worked by firefighters. The degree of challenge and loss Alaskan seniors have experienced is as varied as our geography. Kenai Peninsula The Kenai Keys subdivision area near Sterling was heavily affected by fires, including many seniors being evacuated from their homes, according to Sandy Clark-Bailey at the Sterling Senior Center. The center offered a place to hang out, she said, and the Sterling Community...
We had been having a wonderful summer and I always expect a colorful autumn here in Anchorage. That is, the summer started out well, but I had an unexpected problem. I wasn’t feeling well and when a friend stopped in to see me, I must have looked very bad because he immediately called 911. The EMTs thought I needed to go to the hospital and that is where I ended up. I was standing next to a nurse, who for some reason was holding on to me. She let go and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor,...
Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage area? Want to get the word out about your own service? The monthly Interagency Breakfast, sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, is an opportunity for all of the above. Informal, early and free, with breakfast provided. The August meeting is Aug. 12, hosted by Mountain-Pacific Quality Health at an off-site location. Begins at 8 a.m. For location information, please RSVP by calling Older Persons Action Group at 276-1059....
Summer is the time when our skin is exposed. We need to keep it looking beautiful. Here are some common skin conditions, as well as solutions. Eczema Dry, cracked skin and blisters can become very painful. Eczema has been associated with sluggish detoxification, autoimmune conditions or reduced intestinal flora. A study just published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy found that the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is particularly protective against eczema, so make sure your probiotic contains this strain. Some people have eczema flare-ups...
Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson Alaska announced it would be losing the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division due to an Army wide 40,000 troop reduction. The loss of 2,600 troops and the accompanying civilian positions will be a blow to the local economy and the U.S. Arctic Defense Force. The Alaskan Congressional delegation promised to fight the move in the face of the growing threat from the People’s Republic of China, Russia and North Korea. “Alaska based ass...
As Americans, we have many rights not afforded to others in this world. Yet, we’d be foolish to think that every American has access to all the freedoms that many of us take for granted. Our elderly loved ones are no exception—and in fact, it’s possible that they may experience a loss of freedoms and certainly their sense of independence, as they age. How can we truly help them to maintain their rights and their feeling of control over their own lives? The first thing is to understand what kind of challenges our elderly might face: Discr...
Eating eggs may help prevent development of type-2 diabetes Researchers in Finland are reporting that eating eggs may benefit blood sugar metabolism. In the past, egg consumption has either been associated with an elevated risk of diabetes or no association has been found. The findings from this new study suggest that some compound or combination of compounds in eggs may help combat diabetes through an anti-inflammatory effect. The researchers looked at the dietary habits of 2,332 men between...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in August. This month’s topic is “Immunizations for Seniors.” Aug. 4, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Aug. 11, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Aug. 13, Caregiver support meeting at Caregiver Support Program in the Blazy Mall in Soldotna, 1 p.m. Aug. 18, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Aug. 25, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Aug. 27, Careg...
The Alaska Commission on aging will holding a quarterly meeting in the Kenai area September 15 – 17. The primary focus of the meeting will be to visit service providers in the Kenai area to see what is working and what additional needs may be needed. On Tuesday, Sept. 15,the commission will meet at the Soldotna Senior Center from 1 to 5 p.m. The commissioners will listen to reports from the Dept. of Health and Social Services, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, and Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, among others. There will be a p...
Prospectors searching for gold in the Wrangell Mountains during the early 1900s found a mountain of copper instead. Others had discovered coal and oil in the Prince William Sound and Bering River regions. Only transportation – a railroad – was needed to bring copper, coal and oil together to unlock the riches of Midas. Five separate railroads were started from three different points on the coast. Then the fight was on – gun battles, political battles, court battles, fantastic right...
Generally regarded as one of the classic beauties to grace the big screen throughout the '40s and '50s, Arlene Dahl's career extended beyond the reach of the camera. "I've had many different careers," said Ms. Dahl, who turns 87 in August, from her home in New York. "I was a writer for twenty years with a beauty column in the Chicago Tribune, which was syndicated in 180 newspapers around the world." As an author, Dahl has penned 14 books and is currently working on more, including an...
Dear Jonathan: My wife and I prepared wills several years ago. We thought by doing so that we were avoiding probate which was the main purpose why we prepared wills. However, a close friend of ours recently died and her estate is now being probated even though she prepared a will. This came as quite a shock to us as we thought we had everything covered. Could you please shed some light on this? Jonathan says: Yes. Unfortunately, many people share the same misconception that by preparing a last will and testament probate can be avoided. Whether...
Q. It seems like lots of “experts” have varying opinions about Net Neutrality. Can you explain it in layman’s terms? I am against the government sticking its nose into my business, but I don’t understand the issue. A. Net Neutrality 101. It’s a complex subject about which volumes have been written, but in its simplest form, Net Neutrality is a principle that states that all information flowing across the Internet should be treated equally. With more people streaming data-rich video, Skype (Internet telephone), playing online games, watching...
Located in the northwestern corner of the state, Shreveport-Bossier is the third-largest community in Louisiana. Home to a thriving nightlife and entertainment scene, a year-round calendar of festivals and cultural events, a burgeoning culinary scene and opportunities to explore the great outdoors, Shreveport-Bossier is a destination where there's always something new to experience. Culturally, Shreveport-Bossier serves as a crossroads where the Cajun and Creole traditions of Louisiana blend...
