Sorted by date Results 651 - 675 of 687
"Our objective is helping people to live as independently as they would like. Confidence is our goal." Lowell Zercher, Manual Skills Instructor for the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, chooses these words to explain the mission of the center. "We want our clients to be involved in life, to meet their life and work goals and contribute their talents to others, to the community." Lowell has worked at the center in Anchorage for 14 years. He is often found in the shop at the...
“It was hard to see him go, he could hardly speak. I was so glad to have him here at home. One night I watched the kitty jump up on the bed near his head and Dick said very clearly ‘Hi Zackie.’ I knew then Dick knew he was home”. – June Juelson, widow of Richard Juelson, Anchorage. At any age, we must all face the possibility of a serious illness that we or our family and friends will not survive. Hospice helps patients and families focus on living by offering a family-centered team of trained professionals who provide care in the home, hos...
Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, I've had several wake-up calls about safe food handling practices (actually these were calls to my Cooperative Extension Service office where I was not sleeping). Within a period of a couple days, I received calls requesting information about two separate types of food-borne illness or food poisoning. One was a fairly common culprit – salmonella from chicken. The other – a very rare case in Alaska though more common in the Lower 48 – toxop...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following meetings and trainings in November: Nov. 5, Caregiver training at Sterling Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m., “Guide to a Restful Sleep”. Nov. 12, Peer support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 14, Caregiver training at Homer Friendship Center, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Topic: Holiday stress Nov. 25, Caregiver training at Kenai Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m. “Sunset Story: Change the Way You Think About Aging.” Nov. 27, Peer support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center,...
In observance of Alzheimer’s Awareness month, Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska will be offering free, confidential memory screenings at the following locations: Anchorage Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska, 1750 Abbott Rd., November 19, 1 to 5 p.m. Anchorage Senior Center, 1300 E. 19th Ave., November 20, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fairbanks ADRAA Office (by appointment), Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Valdez Connecting Ties Office, 128 Chenega St., November 19, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Palmer ADRAA Office, November 19, 10 a.m. to noon and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Juneau Junea...
Flocks of geese, noisy in their southern-bound departure, an unmistakable scent in the morning air, a light snow covering the mountain tops - fall has definitely arrived. It can be a time of excitement with the rush of back-to-school, new indoor projects and plans for holidays. But for many, especially seniors, fall also brings the concern of facing another cold and flu season. Throughout the world, the colder months are labeled “cold and flu” season. Lower humidity and cooler air temperatures make it easier for cold and influenza viruses to...
Alaska Health Fairs, Inc. continues its fall series of health fair events 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. The test results give you and your health care provider important information about your physical condition and vital organ functions. A complete and comprehensive chemistry/hematology test is available for only...
The Medicare Information Office and its satellite offices around the state will be available for consultation during the annual enrollment period, October 15 through December 7. If your prescription insurance coverage is a Medicare Part D Plan, this is the ideal time to get out your red, white and blue Medicare card and a list of your prescriptions and have a counselor do a plan comparison to advise you of your choices for 2014. We’ll also check on whether you might qualify for the “extra help” program which greatly reduces your out of pocke...
A special all-day “Savvy Caregiver Workshop” will be offered by the Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska this month for caregivers in Soldotna and Homer. The dates and locations are: Oct. 17, Soldotna Senior Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 22, Homer Senior Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the workshops or to register, call 1-800-478-1080. Training and support meetings The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following meetings and trainings in October: Oct. 1, Caregiver training at Sterling Senior Center, 1 to 2...
Bunkering down for the winter does not have to mean closing down the mind. University of Alaska campuses in Fairbanks and Anchorage both host educational programs for older people who like learning in a fun environment with likeminded peers. In Fairbanks, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offers a full catalog of courses, lectures and educational travel and social activities for members age 50 and older and their companions. Most classes are held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Park Building – the old University Park S...
Alaska’s senior population is growing fast, and the number of complaints to the state agency tasked with protecting vulnerable adult Alaskans of all ages is growing too. Adult Protective Services is holding two free resource fairs to share information with vulnerable adults, families, caregivers and service providers in Fairbanks and Anchorage this month. Both events run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a Friday. Anchorage Resource Fair The Anchorage fair will be Sept. 20 in the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 E. 19th Ave. There will be a...
Deborah Blake had a dream to take care of herself and her husband by gaining good solid paying employment. And now that hope has become reality for her and more. She and her husband came to Alaska in 2006 to spend more time with the grandchildren. Dennis, her husband, had always provided for the family, but now he had a debilitating disease and could not do the work he was accustomed to. Deborah knew in her heart it was her turn to provide for the family. Unfortunately, Deborah hadn’t worked i...
Do you know someone who’s hungry? Or if not hungry every day, someone who skips meals at the end of a pay period or who sometimes has to choose between buying food and medicine? Often people assume that it’s mostly street people who are hungry. The reality of hunger in Alaska is that 40 percent of families seeking help at food pantries and other distribution agencies have at least one employed member. Almost 60 percent of people needing food help are facing unpaid medical bills. Given the num...
The Last Frontier Honor Flight, a newly formed hub of the Honor Flight Network, is now looking for World War II, Territorial Guard and Korean War Vets to sign up for a sponsored trip to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials that were built in their honor. We are concentrating on WWII vets and Territorial Guard first for obvious reasons – their advanced age is working against them and we feel the sense of urgency to get them back to D.C. For many, this may be their last mission. I heard about t...
Who knew there is so much going on around us – in the air, under foot, even under the ground or under the sea? OLÉ! seeks to explore, to help adult learners keep on discovering and learning about all that is going on around them. OLÉ! stands for “Opportunities for Lifelong Education.” Providing those opportunities is an expansive, wide-ranging goal, but I’ve found that OLE! does a super job of providing adventures for grabbing on to new knowledge. Take for example the weekend of July 19 - 21....
In late spring, I moved into a condominium, regretting that I wasn’t going to be able to do much gardening, with the condo’s practically nonexistent yard. My new kitchen window provided a close view of my neighbor’s neatly kept lawn, sidewalk area and beautiful flowering baskets. The neighbors seemed to be making the most of it and were frequently out tending the yard and even offered to water my flowers (very nice neighbors). As summer has progressed, the low green foliage next to their house...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following meetings and trainings in August: Aug. 6, Caregiver training at Sterling Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m., “How to Stay Safe and Independent in Your Home: Fall Prevention for Seniors.” Aug. 13, Caregiver peer support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 19, Caregiver training at Kenai Senior Center, 1 to 3 p.m., “Understanding Stroke.” Aug. 27, Peer support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. There is no charge for these services and everyon...
Andrea Gelvin serves up a game of Pickleball at the Fairbanks-North Star Borough Big Dipper Pickleball Courts. Combining aspects of tennis and ping pong, Pickleball is gaining popularity nationwide because it provides challenging, fast-moving action that can be enjoyed at many different fitness levels. For the first time, Pickleball will be offered as an event at this year’s Alaska International Senior Games, held August 9-18 in Fairbanks. This is the AISG’s eleventh year and organizers are expe...
Fair time means food, exhibits, contests, rides and entertainment all packed into one destination that you can enjoy with friends and family. In addition to traditional exhibits and contests showcasing agriculture, livestock, homemaking and crafts skills, along with headliner music and other entertainment acts, Alaska’s regional fairs each offer their own twist and are a great way to get out and enjoy the Alaskan summer as fall approaches. Check with your senior center about transportation and group trips. Here are some details on each fair: T...
When rescuers arrived on the scene of an airplane crash near Point Barrow on Aug. 15, 1935, they found humorist Will Rogers dead. A typewriter recovered in the wreckage had Rogers’ unfinished last “piece for the papers,” and the final word he’d typed was “death.” But Rogers didn’t seem to have had a premonition that his trip to Alaska would end in disaster. In an interview in Portland, Ore., a short time before the tragedy, he was asked, “When are you going to write a book on your life?” “I...
Gets rid of wrinkles, provides rapid weight loss, gives your digestive system a rest, detoxifies your body and even cures cancer – these are some of the benefit claims that proponents of “juicing” make. This popular part of the 60’s and 70’s health food movement seems to be back, with fresh juices standard fare in chic, health-focused eateries. With all the dietary emphasis on eating more fresh vegetables and fruits and the many tantalizing health claims, you may think that juicing could be...
In May, approximately 85 elders and seniors, providers and community members came together at the Millennium Alaskan Hotel to discuss the theme of the Second Annual Anchorage Elders Summit, “Connecting Elders, Strengthening the Community.” The format of the summit as envisioned by the sponsors, Alaska Rural Behavioral Health Training Academy (ARBHTA), and the Trust Training Cooperative, in partnership with the Anchorage Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, is to provide a place for our eld...
The sibling relationship is considered the longest-lasting of the human experience, providing the greatest opportunity for reciprocal support and care. Today in the United States, there are millions of people who assume a larger role as caregivers in the lives of their brother or sister with disabilities more so than in previous generations. When given the opportunity to meet other siblings of individuals with disabilities, they often note their sense of comfort and relief to know they are not alone. There is a new group called the Tanana...
(Taken from Action for Happiness) Gratitude is known to be good for us and those around us. Yet it isn’t always our automatic response and we often take the good things in our lives for granted. So we have to consciously learn to get into the habit of being grateful. Science is showing us that gratitude increases how much positive emotion we feel and decreases negative emotion. It raises our overall satisfaction with life and helps us have a positive outlook. It has also been shown to reduce health complaints and help us cope with d...
One of Alaska’s trailblazers made history 100 years ago this month. Robert E. “Bobby” Sheldon made the first automobile trip over the wagon trail from Fairbanks to Valdez in July 1913. Sheldon had another first before that feat. He built the first automobile in Alaska. Sheldon and his father arrived in Skagway from Snohomish, Wash., in 1883, on their way to the Klondike gold fields. However, Sheldon’s father died and left him to fend for himself at the age of 14. The boy survived by selling...
