Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
After being put on the Oct. 4 ballot, the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s plan to phase out the additional $150,000 property tax exemption offered to Kenai Peninsula Borough seniors was voted down by the public. “Three-to-one turned it down, with 6,888 not in favor and 2,754 saying yes,” said Larry Persily, assistant to Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Mike Navarre. “The results were pretty resounding.” The Kenai Peninsula Borough is one of the few municipalities in Alaska to offer an additional $150,000 property tax exemption along with the state’s m...
It’s not a very holiday-like subject, but if you seldom see your older relatives except at Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s an important time to be alert for signs of elder abuse. Not that you should necessarily talk about it, but keep your eyes open for obvious and for subtle signs of problems. For example, does Uncle Edward have bruises on his arms he can’t explain? It’s often true that seniors bruise easily, but it doesn’t hurt to ask him about it. Does he seem nervous about answering? If so, do what you can to get to the bottom of it. Th...
Senior citizens are “super voters.” I like that moniker. I am proud of that moniker. And in the spirit of wanting to know how our state candidates (incumbents and challengers) would address issues of importance to seniors of all stripes I sent out a questionnaire to elicit answers. What you read in the following is a summary of the state candidates’ responses to three questions. If you would like to know the specifics of your candidate’s perspective, I urge you to call her or him directly. Fiscal approaches “What is your view of how the legisla...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received Oct. 19, 2016. Today’s announcement of a 0.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is another major disappointment to the 60 million people who depend on Social Security, says The Senior Citizens League (TSCL.) “The consumer price index (CPI) that the government uses to determine the annual COLA is simply not doing the job of protecting the buying power of older and disabled Americans,” says Mary Johnson, TSCL’s Social Security policy analyst. Johnson says that the federal governmen...
The federal government is trying to stop nursing homes from forcing people into using private arbitration instead of lawsuits when people bring cases of elder abuse, wrongful death and sexual harassment. The private arbitration issue is actually much larger than just a problem for seniors. Over the last 10 years, thousands of businesses across the country – from big corporations to storefront shops – have used arbitration to create an alternate system of justice. You probably haven’t noticed or paid attention to the notices buried in writt...
With the approach of the year’s end and a new one beginning, many of us frantically compile lists of things to finish up or initiate. Mine include holiday gift-buying, card-sending, planning a family dinner, household chores to complete before the arrival of guests, places to go and people to meet, not to mention activities related to my writing career. It’s enough to make me long to immediately take a nap. Or, if I actually try to accomplish everything, by Christmas Eve at 2 a.m., I’m cranky, exhausted and depleted of cheer. However, a secre...
This is the ideal time for all people on Medicare to consider whether they have the best prescription drug coverage available. Other times to enroll in Part D are when you are first eligible for Medicare and you join during your Initial Enrollment Period (the seven months around your birthday month) and during the Special Enrollment Period, such as if you’ve lost creditable prescription drug coverage from an employer or union, you’ve moved from your service area, you moved in or out or live in a long term care facility. Here is a chart of Ala...
I hope you are getting this before November 8, the date you must vote in order to exercise your privilege and duty as a citizen to choose a new president to govern our country for the next four or eight years. And I hope you have chosen wisely, especially seniors, who will be dependent on Social Security and Medicare for the rest of your lives. If all things were right in this world, we would not be depending on profit making insurance and pharmaceutical companies but we would all be safely...
Alaska Health Fair, Inc., closes out their Fall 2016 series of health fairs around the state this month, featuring free health screenings and education, low cost blood tests and more. These tests can help you learn about your health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. A complete and comprehensive chemistry/hematology test is available for only $45; with 27 different panels for conditions ranging from diabetes, kidney and liver function, to anemia and tissue health, thyroid, pr...
One of the worst scenarios for families caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease is a loved one wandering or getting lost. It causes immediate panic and concern, and unfortunately happens all too often. In fact, nearly 50 percent of some of these family members have experienced a loved one with Alzheimer’s wandering or getting lost, according to a new survey conducted by Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network. Of those, nearly one in five called the police for assistance. To help families keep the...
Older Persons Action Group and Senior Voice Alaska recognizes and honors veterans every day for their service to our nation. But on Veterans Day, November 11, special thanks are needed. A reprint from the VFW’s website on the origin of the well-known red poppy is appropriate for this edition. Buddy Poppy The VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the...
Annoyance, inconvenience, or worse? Hearing loss happens so slowly and so subtly that we may think that all we need to do is adjust to it over the years. We’ll learn to live with it. So we’ll turn up the volume on the TV and radio. In conversations, we’ll be sure to focus so that we hear what people have to say. For others, we could be secretly relieved that we won’t get their every word. All kidding aside, it no longer makes sense to learn to live with it. Hearing loss doesn’t slow down as we get older. For those of us who are 65 years old...
Anchorage area hospice organizations are teaming up to offer a grief workshop, “Navigating the Holidays,” Nov. 10 at First Congregational Church, on 2610 E. Northern Lights Blvd., just east of Lake Otis Pkwy., 7 to 9 p.m. Coping with grief during the holidays can be especially challenging. Relatives, friends, social gatherings, spiritual and family traditions, shopping, decorating—all can be overwhelming. Planning can help. This workshop, organized by Hospice of Anchorage and Providence Hospice, will offer suggestions for handling the holid...
Grab some ginger ale A new study is suggesting that oral perceptions of coldness and carbonation may help to reduce thirst. Because thirst and its cessation contribute to how much fluid a person drinks, the current findings could help guide sensory approaches to increase fluid intake in populations at risk for dehydration, such as older adults. Hopefully, this study will help lead to improved beverage choices for older adults. Drinking fluids helps protect against dehydration, which occurs when...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in October. This month’s focus is on hospice and palliative care, with presenters from Hospice of the Central Peninsula. Nov. 1, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 8, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 15, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 16, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. Nov. 29, Caregiver support meetin...
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has published "Menadelook: An Inupiat Teacher's Photographs of Alaska Village Life, 1907-1932," which showcases nearly 100 photographs by Inupiat Charles Menadelook that document life in Kingigin (Wales) in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. The book, which was compiled and written by Menadelook's granddaughter Eileen Norbert, gives both a pictorial and Native perspective on Inupiat traditions and historical events, said SHI President Rosita Worl,...
Alaska Railroad (ARRC) will release its 2017 annual poster/print at three public sale-and-signing events featuring the print's creator, Wasilla artist Taffina Katkus, who will sign prints and posters. Folks who drop by can enter a free drawing for rail tickets. Wasilla Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as part of the Mat-Su Holiday Marketplace event held at the Curtis Menard Memorial Sports Center (1001 S. Clapp Street) Anchorage Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Anchorage Historic Depot (411 W. 1st A...
“Celebrate Senior Veterans Week” returns this year to the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, featuring a week filled with information, recreation, companionship and remembrance. Here is the schedule, Nov. 7 through Nov. 10: Monday, Nov. 7: Information Fair, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8: Veteran Luncheon, sponsored by BP Alaska, Inc., noon to 1:30 P.M. Featuring special keynote speaker. Must have a ticket to attend. Wednesday, Nov. 9: Presentations, guest speakers and social hour Thursday, Nov. 10: Tournaments beginning at 10 a.m. Pool (10...
Anyone interested in the Klondike gold-rush era has heard of the infamous Klondike Kate, a dancehall gal who mesmerized miners with her moves. Kathleen Rockwell earned quite the reputation for her flirtatious dancing. But there was another girl named Kate who also traveled north and gained some notoriety as a cook, nurse and jailer. Ill-fated love led this Canadian girl to set out for the Klondike in 1898. When Katherine Ryan heard newspaper boys shouting out the headlines about gold found in...
American audiences were introduced to British actress Stephanie Cole when she portrayed grumpy, sharp-witted Diana Trent, a resident of the Bayview Retirement Village in the 90s sitcom "Waiting for God." A decade later, Cole was back on U.S. Public Television playing a more congenial matriarchal character in another popular British comedy import, "Doc Martin." Turning 75 last month, Cole's current work schedule might be the envy of many actors. "I'm in two popular series ('Man Down' and 'Still...
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 (Nov. 8 and 22), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (Nov. 2 and 16), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (Nov. 3, 10, 17), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s southeast communities can call the Juneau Soc...
Winston Churchill once said that democracy was a crappy system, until you consider the alternatives (I’m paraphrasing of course). When I hear that, it reminds me of the controversy over powers of attorney (POAs, for short). I mentioned in last month’s column that the legislature recently gave us a new statutory power of attorney. It cleans up a number of problems from the old version. One of the most maddening issues we had before was that you were not supposed to check the boxes for the pow...
Q. My Windows 7 PC is showing its age and will need to be replaced soon. But I’m not sure which direction to go. Should I stick with Windows? Switch to a Mac? I think I might like a laptop. Any recommendations? A. Upgrading your PC will require considerable effort. Even the move from Windows 7 to Windows 10 comes with a significant learning curve. A new computer will be easier to use and more secure. Laptops are extremely popular. Yet despite four decades of improvements, I think computers are still needlessly complex for most tasks. Too m...
Thanks to the inherent isolationism of Brits, Americans can benefit this winter from the country's vote to leave the European Union. The pound has fallen to levels not seen since the mid-1960s - now at $1.30 as of the last week of September. If you're an Alaska Airlines frequent flier, do go with British Airlines for a mere 65,000 miles for coach. The spaciousness of BA's seating will leave you to forever grumble. The play's the thing I was lucky enough to have spent 1997 to 1998 in London...
