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Update: Due to snow conditions, this event has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Dec. 20. “Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, Inc., returns Dec. 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appetizers and refreshments provided. This month’s program features Anchorage Senior Activity Center fitness instructor Brittney Mitchell and friends, presenting a workshop presentation on winter wellness. Doors open with...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received Nov. 23, 2022. Today, Alaska became the first state in the country to elect its state and federal officials using ranked choice voting, an election system that rewards candidates who build deep and broad voter coalitions. Alaskan voters have twice now used the open, non-partisan primary and ranked choice voting general election system they adopted by ballot measure in 2020. A near consensus of general election voters (79%) found the new election system simple to use, and most voters took advan...
One fine day in early November I grabbed Jim McCall, who manages the Senior Office of the Alaska Housing and Finance Corporation (AHFC), for a friendly Zoom chat. His subject: The just-released Anchorage Assisted Living Survey. The following includes Jim’s “big picture” responses to a few of the more important issues, with significance for all of Alaska in addition to Anchorage. Questions and responses have been edited for length and clarity. Weiss: Jim, you work in the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). What is that? McCall: AHFC...
On a chilly Tuesday evening, Nov. 1, the beautifully renovated Anchorage Senior Activity Center was abuzz with chatter and activity as residents of Anchorage shared input on Anchorage as an Age-Friendly Community. The Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC), an international initiative, began in 2006 to encourage cities to be ready for rapidly aging populations by helping people thrive in their homes and communities as they age. The recent listening session was the program for the November gathering for Age Smart, a monthly...
If you love visiting with seniors and want to speak up for them, join the dedicated volunteer advocates of the Alaska Long Term Care Ombudsman program. Volunteer ombudsmen are needed to advocate for seniors living in assisted living homes and skilled nursing facilities. Volunteers are needed statewide, including Anchorage, Bethel, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Galena, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Nome, North Pole, Palmer, Petersburg, Sitka, Soldotna, Tanana, Valdez, Seward, Wasilla and Wrangell. Training and supervision...
Q: It’s the time of year when many people take trips to see their loved ones. What could I do over the holidays if I can’t travel to visit family because of my health? A: Health prevents travel for many people. If unable to visit loved ones because of an illness, injury or other health-related issue, it may be difficult to be away from family. There are a few things you can do, though, to make the situation a little easier. Here are some ways to stay connected even when you can’t travel. 1. St...
"When you love someone with dementia, the goal is not perfection... it's okay to be good enough." Years ago, when I was just starting my career as an intern principal in the Anchorage School District, I met a wonderful teacher, Rebecca "Becky" Ann Clement. Becky, along with sister Beverly, were the founders of the Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska. She would often share her daily experiences caring for her mother with Alzheimer's with me. Little did I know that one day in the future, I would also...
Even though January first is just another day, many of us will invest some energy in reviewing our successes in the year flown by, and strategize for further personal gains in the precious time that remains ahead. This is an excellent exercise in self care, because really taking care of oneself requires strategy and commitment. There is no more valuable way to spend time, since taking care of yourself forms the basis of your authentic capacity to care for others, and all living beings including the air, water and soil. New Year’s resolutions ar...
As a military veteran, this month’s topic resonates with me. Medicare can work with military-related healthcare, whether you are a military veteran or a military retiree. As a reminder, Original Medicare (available to the majority of eligible Alaskans) consists of Part A (hospitalization insurance) and/or Part B (medical service providers insurance). Part D is Medicare’s prescription drug plan benefit offered through third-party insurers who are approved both by Medicare and the State of Ala...
Our fall season has come to a close. Health fairs will resume in January 2023. Please sign up to our newsletter at www.alaskahealthfair.org, and we will notify you when the new schedule is published. We thank all of you – our clients, volunteers, and partner agencies – for another successful season of health fairs as we celebrate our 42nd year of service. We wouldn’t be able to deliver important health education and screenings to thousands of Alaskans statewide without the strength of our amazing volunteer force. Your support keeps our organ...
There are many new clinical trials available to Alaskans that are conducted at home. Clinical trials are medical research studies designed to test the safety and effectiveness of new investigational drugs, devices or treatments in humans. These studies are conducted worldwide for a range of conditions and illnesses. Chronic pain study Boomers, if are you having chronic pain, this may be of interest to you. The home study with researchers from the University of Michigan gives you the opportunity to participate in a first of its kind study on...
A lot of hype about an alleged breakthrough drug for Alzheimer’s disease may leave some families disappointed yet again. On Sept. 27, 2022, pharmaceutical company Eisai in Tokyo and biotechnology firm Biogen in Cambridge, Massachusetts, issued a press release claiming a drug called lecanemab slowed the rate of cognitive decline for adults with Alzheimer’s disease by 27%. The new findings were hailed as a significant advance. However, it is far too early to know what its true benefits and risks may be. This agent is a monoclonal antibody des...
Almonds may pack important hidden health benefit Eating a handful of almonds a day can greatly benefit your tummy because almonds significantly increase the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that promotes gut health, according to a recent study. A team of researchers from King’s College London investigated the impact of whole and ground almonds on the composition of gut microbes. The gut microbiome consists of thousands of microorganisms living in the gut. These play a vital r...
Finding joy in small things, sharing our stories, and giving to others are powerful ways to connect with family and friends during the holiday season. The ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center) team would like to share a few suggestions that may be helpful as you navigate the holiday season, while remembering those whose holidays can be difficult and emotional. Here are some of our favorites: • Most of us are familiar with the technology that can be used on a phone or a computer such as Skype, Facetime and Zoom. Don’t forget – somet...
Consumers can now buy hearing aids without a prescription, possibly saving thousands of dollars per pair. The new devices - designed for those with mild to moderate hearing loss - are expected to transform the hearing aid market. They are being sold at stores and online without a medical exam, prescription or special fitting by an audiologist. This follows a ruling on Aug. 16, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed to allow over-the-counter hearing aids to be sold directly to...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in December. Support meetings allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. Call with suggestions and ideas for upcoming trainings or follow on Facebook, @KPFCSP. The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is...
Alaskan winters provide a great opportunity to contemplate our driving as we take our time navigating darkness and snow. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) observes Older Driver Safety Awareness Week on the first week of December. According to the Centers for Disease Control, older drivers are more likely to be injured in a crash. Fortunately, most injuries can be prevented through simple adjustments you can make to the driver's seat. For Older Driver Safety Awareness Week,...
This time of year, many of us like to sit back with a warm cup of tea and watch the birds that come to our feeders. Chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and occasionally redpolls and pine grosbeaks partake of the free food. But what about the other birds that stay in Alaska through our long, often cold winters? The ones that don't visit bird feeders, like golden-crowned kinglets, American dippers or northern goshawks? The diminutive golden-crowned kinglet stays in Alaska and can survive temperatu...
Anchorage’s Opportunities for Lifelong Education program, OLÉ!, begins its winter term registration Dec. 15. Class descriptions and schedules will be posted to the OLÉ! website around Dec. 5, and classes for the term begin the third week of January, according to OLÉ! staff. Some 35 new classes are expected to be offered. OLÉ! is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization that provides courses aimed to people 50+ years of age – classes for the curious, no tests or grades required. Become a member and you may take as many classes as you like fo...
** Update: This event was canceled. Our apologies for the error. A holiday tradition, Anchorage's historic Oscar Anderson House Museum will host its Swedish Christmas Open House two weekends in December - Dec. 3 and 4 and Dec. 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Experience how a Swedish family decorated and celebrated Christmas in the early 20th century while touring one of the oldest homes in Anchorage. The Oscar Anderson House was constructed in 1915 and remains relatively unaltered....
Some adventurous souls who came to Alaska didn't search the creek beds and mountains for golden riches. Instead they chose to make their fortunes through trapping furs. From early in the fall to the close of trapping season in April, many trappers traveled miles and miles of trap lines with no company but that of their dogs. It was no job for a "Chechako." Trappers like Ed Ueeck covered around 80 miles a week, checking to see if any animals had been caught in hidden traps. "About 14 miles a day...
Perhaps you remember her as TV mom Marsha Owens in ABC's popular 80s sitcom "Mr. Belvedere," starring alongside baseballer-turned-actor Bob Uecker and British actor Christopher Hewett in the title role. But Ilene Graff is also an established singer whose career began in musical theater. In recent years her live festive Christmas special, "The Ilene Graff Holiday Show," has delighted audiences at 54 Below, a supper club in the basement of New York's famed Studio 54 theater. "We couldn't do it...
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." - Diane Ackerman Looking for some fun games as gifts or to play when grandkids come to visit that also serve a purpose? Math is one of kids' least-loved subjects because it's often an unpleasant experience of boring lessons, memorization, and testing that isn't always conducive to learning authentic information and understanding important concepts. But it doesn't have to be that way. The following board games make learning math and money concepts...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received Nov. 28, 2022. On Nov. 13, 2022, the Alaska Office of Elder Fraud and Assistance won a $1.47 million judgment against defendants James Vernon and Carla Sigler, formerly of Yakutat, now living in Bosque County, Texas, for the financial exploitation of Yakutat resident Neva Ogle. The Siglers took $700,000 in funds from Mrs. Ogle over the course of two years. They used $380,000 of the funds to fund a cash purchase of a five-bedroom home with a swimming pool for themselves in Texas and spent the r...
Dear Savvy Senior: What are the most common scams today that target elderly seniors? My 75-year-old mother has been swindled several times over the past year, so I’m being extra cautious. –Paranoid Patty Dear Patty: Great question. While many scams today are universal, there are certain types of fraud that specifically target older adults or affects them disproportionately. And unfortunately, these senior targeted scams are on the rise. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in 2021 there were 92,371 older victims of fraud resu...
