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The misleading ads and distorted facts have not quite hit the level of the 2011 classic “granny off the cliff” political ad where an elderly woman was being foisted from her wheelchair over the edge of a cliff, which then-House Speaker Paul Ryan himself credited for sinking his budget proposal targeting Medicare. But the increasing confusion of information over the future of Social Security (SS) and Medicare has reached fever pitch in the current political environment. Both candidates for president are playing games with the facts. Dem...
Alaskans will be able to apply for no-excuse absentee ballots online this year, as election officials have made it easier to vote safely from home amid the coronavirus pandemic: Older voters should have already received absentee ballot applications in the mail. Election officials in July sent absentee ballot applications to all registered voters 65 and older for the Aug. 18 primary and the Nov. 3 general election. Early voting for the general election will begin Oct. 19, helping voters to avoid longer lines on Election Day. Here’s what else y...
We are still here for you! The Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (OLTCO) is mandated by the Older Americans Act and state law to provide resident-centered advocacy designed to protect the rights, health, safety and welfare of Alaskans living in Skilled Nursing Facilities and Assisted Living Homes. We work to resolve problems of individual residents and to bring about improvements to residents’ care and quality of life. While our work has shifted from in-person visitations to virtual visitations during COVID-19, we continue to respo...
As we approach flu season, it is important to know the difference and similarities between the flu and COVID-19. Although influenza and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, they affect the body and health and wellbeing of people differently. So how can we tell the difference between the two diseases? Influenza, or the flu, and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory diseases; however, they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by one virus, the novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The...
What a relief! An article about health that isn’t about the pandemic and COVID-19. That’s the good news. On the other hand, this is about seasonal influenza, “the flu.” The flu season is fall and winter, right now. Flu shots help prevent people from catching the flu in the first place, or at least make flu symptoms less severe if we do come down with it. Turns out there is good reason to want to avoid the flu because it can be nasty and dangerous, especially for older persons. People who are sick with flu often feel some or all of these symptom...
Alaska Health Fair is in the middle of a very active fall season. Though we aren’t holding traditional health fairs, we are continuing to provide appointment-based services to communities around the state. October events include multiple dates in Anchorage and Fairbanks, plus individual events in Delta Junction, Girdwood, Houston, North Pole, Palmer and Wasilla. Plus, we are holding many worksite events using the same appointment-based system. We continue to work through COVID and provide much-needed services to all Alaskans, as we have for 4...
The Hospice of Anchorage team has spent countless hours reimagining what we do and how to continue to provide services to Alaskans. In part, this pandemic has allowed us to spend focused attention on renewing a long dreamed of project - the Hospice of Anchorage Resource Center. The cornerstone of the Hospice of Anchorage Resource Center is our library. We have hundreds of books available to the community free of charge. Books are available in each of the following subjects: caregiving, child loss, children’s grief, chronic illness, dementia, e...
The summer has flown and autumn is upon us. The leaves on the trees are turning the vibrant colors of fall, and the air is cool and brisk. The captivating smell of fireplaces burning logs permeates the air. It is also the time of year to begin to think about our Medicare prescription drug coverage. From October 15 until December 7, each Medicare beneficiary who part A, Part B, or both has the opportunity to enroll, dis-enroll, or change their prescription drug plan choices. This period is...
With senior centers still closed, the Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold all October peer support meetings on Tuesdays, 1 p.m., at its office at 44539 Sterling Highway, Suite 202 in the Blazy Mall in Soldotna. Social distancing will be respected, and masks will be worn at the meetings, and virtual attendance via Zoom can be arranged for those who can’t make it in person. Different topics will be discussed at each meeting. Bring your questions and ideas. You may also schedule one-on-one appointments and if you have q...
What brings enjoyment and happiness to your day? Perhaps your idea of a fulfilling day is making something with your hands, going on an outing, helping others or spending time with friends and family. For our own well-being we need to have a sense of purpose and joy, to feel useful, to have a day of meaningful experiences. These needs don’t change with a dementia diagnosis, but are often challenged when a person experiences difficulty expressing themselves verbally, short-term memory loss, or trouble initiating and completing an activity. As a...
COVID testing using a smartphone Researchers are reporting they may be able to test for COVID-19 in just 30 minutes with the use of a smartphone. As COVID-19 continues to spread, bottlenecks in supplies and laboratory personnel have led to long waiting times for COVID testing results in some areas. In a new study, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign researchers have demonstrated a prototype of a rapid COVID-19 molecular test and a simple-to-use, portable instrument for reading the results...
Professional and community members interested in advancing palliative care throughout Alaska are invited to register for the 4th Annual Palliative Care Alaska Network (PCAN) Symposium, featuring innovative, influential and engaging speakers from across Alaska. The event takes place Saturday, October 24, 2020, virtually via ZOOM from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $45. Explore and learn with leading experts in the field -- traditional healers, chaplains, medical teams, behavioral health specialists, community members, ethicists, and wellness...
Every day, new steps are being taken to improve recycling programs throughout Alaska. Anchorage Solid Waste Services announced in August that it would start allowing recycled greasy pizza boxes as part of Anchorage cardboard recycling. That's because grease and small amounts of cheese in pizza boxes has no effect on the recyclability of the boxes. This rule change is just the beginning and currently different avenues are being explored to improve and expand Alaska's recycling programs. "We are...
"Where have you guys been all week?" our son, Patrick, demanded when I answered the phone one morning back in October 1999. He was calling from his home in Colorado. "We haven't gone anywhere. Why, what's up?" I asked. "I've called three different days, morning, afternoon and evening, and you're never home. I thought something happened to you," he scolded. After we discussed which days and what time of the day, I realized we'd been out of the house on each occasion. In the morning we had gone...
The Municipality of Anchorage has launched a new grocery delivery service for seniors, age 60 and older, and for people who have disabilities that prevent them from using People Mover buses. People can now arrange for AnchorRIDES buses to pick up their orders of groceries, essential household items, and pet supplies from participating stores that offer curbside pickup. AnchorRIDES buses will deliver these items to their homes. The service is free for customers age 60 and older through funding from an Alaska State Department of Health and Social...
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 Breakfast), sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, Inc., is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, the monthly event is being continued virtually online via Zoom. The October meeting is Oct. 14, hosted by SAGE. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action Group, Inc. for...
Alaska's governor from 1933 to 1939 believed that more people and more roads would help the territory achieve statehood. And John Weir Troy, who came to Alaska during the gold rush in 1897, thought a larger population and a better road system would help achieve that goal. "More people for Alaska is her greatest need," said the former pack-train worker. "But they won't come, and we could not take care of them if they did, until we have roads to take them to the valleys, hills and mountains where...
When Halloween returns each October, so do the 50-year-old memories for actress Judith O'Dea who starred as Barbra in the 1968 horror classic "Night of the Living Dead" as one of several characters taking refuge in an isolated farmhouse under attack from flesh-eating ghouls. O'Dea remembers watching the film on the big screen for the first time when it premiered in her hometown of Pittsburgh, where the film was also shot, although she recalls identifying more as an audience member than one of...
Though most Americans − more than 160 million in all − have already received their Economic Impact Payments, the IRS reminds anyone with little or no income who is not required to file a tax return that they may be eligible to receive an Economic Impact Payment. Available in both English and Spanish, the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov is designed for people with incomes typically below $24,400 for married couples, and $12,200 for singles. This includes couples and individuals who are ex periencing homelessness. People must enter their inf...
Wondering how to vote on the two ballot measures appearing in the General Election this November? Join Alaska Common Ground on Oct. 6 and Oct. 14 for online discussions on each of the initiatives. Both events will begin with an overview, followed by a panel discussion weighing the pros and cons. There will be time for attendees to ask questions. To join these free, virtual events, register at https://akcommonground.org/events-3/ The website includes background information on the panelists. Sponsored by Alaska Common Ground, League of Women...
Al Martinez was a longtime syndicated newspaper columnist. Toward the end of his career, he said that of all the controversial subjects he had written about (including a lot of articles about politics and social turmoil), the column that generated the most angry mail was when he suggested that it was perfectly okay to shave with cold water. I haven’t been writing for the Senior Voice for anywhere near the same length of time, but this is my fifth anniversary column (the Senior Voice staff n...
Q. I have several old computers in my garage that are just taking up space. Before I send them to the recycler, I wonder if there is anything useful I could do with them. A. Working from home and remote learning has increased the demand for computers everywhere. As I have noted before, the fate of old hardware is that it often stops being useful long before it stops operating. Fortunately, there is a whole cottage industry of developers who try to breathe new life into old hardware. Try converting that old computer into a ChromeBook (laptop)...
How would you like to spend a night or more at a hotel once frequented by Clark Gable, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and a long list of other Hollywood luminaries? Or snuggle down under the sheets at a former stagecoach stop along the famous Chisholm Trail which played host to George Custer, the cavalry commander in the Civil and American Indian Wars, and Jesse James, who needs no introduction. A hotel can be more, much more, than just a place to catch a good night's sleep. Properties...
“Even slight Trump erosions and/or Biden inroads with seniors will make the difference in the election.”- Salena Zito, CNN political analyst, in PJ Media “This year, retaining the support of seniors is obviously central to Trump’s reelection chances. But a number of polls released [the last week of June] show that he has slipped badly in this key demographic.” - John Cassidy, The New Yorker What is the source of the new-found senior power? Some of it can be attributed to the historic appreciation seniors have of the vote. Traditionally about 70...
