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Senior Voice readers have lived long enough to see troubling headlines come and go. But the stories filling our news these past few weeks are especially painful for anyone who loves and looks after a child or grandchild. From the release of the Epstein files to, here at home, the painful revelations involving a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation on the Kenai Peninsula, these stories, and others that have surfaced over the years, follow a familiar and heartbreaking pattern. Too often, institutions and organizations across sectors default to i...
Start the new year off right with a run through the woods. The First Howl is in Palmer on Jan. 1. Runners will have four hours to complete three separate loops on the Crevasse Moraine trail system. There will be a 5-mile, 3-mile, and 1-mile loop. At bib pick up, each runner will spin the wheel to determine the order of their loops. At the halfway point of each loop, runners must find a hidden book and tear out the page that matches their bib number (Barkley style) and return their page to the race director at the completion of that loop. After...
On a cold Thursday morning in the Fairbanks Job Center, a small group of seniors gather to learn more about computers and how to work with them. Their guide is also a senior, also still learning about computers. The seniors are participants in the MASST program. MASST stands for Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training. It's a federal program of the Department of Labor, administered by the state of Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, within the Alaska Department of Labor. The MASST...
Four Chaplains Day will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Alaska Veterans Museum at 411 W. Fourth Ave. in Anchorage in the yellow Sunshine Building. The sinking of the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester on Feb. 3, 1943, was a tragic event during World War II, caused by a German torpedo. Of the 902 men aboard the USAT Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts...
Individuals impacted by the October 2025 West Coast storms have until Feb. 20 to apply for state and FEMA assistance. The State and FEMA IA programs are available for survivors in the declared areas who have experienced damages or emergency expenses from the severe storms, flooding, and remnants of Typhoon Halong that occurred Oct. 8–13, 2025. As of December 13, 1,920 survivors have applied for State IA and 1,558 FEMA IA applications have been received. Ongoing assessments and community assistance visits have indicated that many households in r...
Emily Morgan, a 47-year-old Red Cross public health nurse, played an instrumental role during the deadly diphtheria outbreak in Nome, 101 years ago this month. The crisis began when children with sore throats and tonsillitis symptoms rapidly succumbed to the illness. Morgan, drawing on her experience with diphtheria from her nursing work in Kansas, was among the first to recognize the telltale signs of the disease after being called to attend 7-year-old Bessie Stanley. Despite the family's...
Q. This is the year I get serious about improving my health. What tech should I consider to help? A. Here is what I use daily: iPhone and Apple Watch, along with a smart bathroom scale and a wireless blood pressure cuff, all of which feed data automatically to my phone. I weigh myself each morning on a Withings Body Smart scale, which is available from Amazon for about $100. On most days I check my resting blood pressure with a Withings BPM Connect cuff, which is also about $100. Now that I have been using these regularly for years, my doctor...
Alaska Behavioral Health has a mental health lunch-and-learn series beginning Jan. 5. It’s Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. through Feb. 23 via Zoom. The free online educational series is open to everyone. Weekly webinars are presented by therapists to explore topics related to mental health. Register to attend any or all of the sessions here. Call 907-762-8668 to email bsalvatore@akbh.orgbsalvatore@akbh.org. The first webinar on Jan. 5 is titled “In with the New, Out with the Old: Evaluate and Modify Automatic Thoughts, Beliefs and Behaviors to...
Q: How can I reassure my daughter that I am still capable of living alone, given that I am physically healthy, mentally sharp, and able to drive? A: In an era where traditional notions of aging and companionship are being challenged, many individuals over the age of 50 are embracing the joys of living alone. Changing societal structures and attitudes toward aging reveal both the challenges and remarkable benefits of single-person households later in life. The United States saw an increase in...
The Alaska Training Cooperative provides non-academic trainings for people who work in Alaska’s direct service professional and behavioral health workforce and who work with people who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as well as other mental health issues. Training and technical staff collaborate with communities and partners to offer trainings and training assistance to agencies, organizations, businesses, and associations. This enhances workforce development blending evidence-based practices with traditional wis...
Alaskans value resilience. We know what it means to work together in tough times, and we require solutions that meet the unique challenges of our vast and remote state. Few areas demonstrate this need more clearly than health care. Our mission at the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development is to promote a healthy economy, strong communities, and protect consumers in Alaska. Our ability to achieve this mission depends on factors across many sectors, but one key indicator is the stability of our health care system. Health care...
Q: As I have gotten older, I find myself experiencing more restless nights than restful ones. What can I do about it? A: Quality sleep is fundamental for our overall brain health and well-being, especially as we age. It plays an essential role in strengthening the immune system, repairing cells and tissues for physical recovery, and enhancing cognitive skills such as focus, problem-solving, and creativity. Eating nutritious foods, engaging in physical exercise, and social activities can further...
As the holidays approach, many of us find ourselves remembering how things used to be—bustle in the kitchen, children running through the house, traditions we kept year after year. With time, those traditions may change, and so do we. If you’re living with memory loss, or simply noticing that the holidays feel different now, it’s important to know that you are not alone. The season can still be filled with joy, warmth, and connection, even if it looks a little different than it once did. Maybe...
The October 2025 ADAC quarterly meeting was the first ever face-to-face meeting. The day included a review of A Call to Action: Alaska’s 10-year Map to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia with Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, a discussion on data and work with the Division of Public Health, a presentation by Aging at Home Fairbanks, a clinical presentation on the connection between hearing loss and dementia, ADAC workgroup updates, and more. Access links for the minutes here: https://bit.ly/4843rOb The slide deck is ava...
This August, AARP Alaska celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the Social Security Act being signed. Since being enacted on August 14, 1935, Social Security has supported a secure retirement for millions of Americans, helping them to retire and age with dignity. In its 90 years, Social Security has never missed a payment, which allows Americans to reap the benefits of their hard work with certainty. Honoring a milestone statewide To celebrate, AARP Alaska kicked off a series of Social Security...
I had a curious, I would say unpleasant, brush with the Canadian health care system on the way down the ALCAN to Seattle late last August. By the time I got to Whitehorse I was pretty sick. I knew I had been exposed to COVID-19 but I repeatedly tested negative on self-administered tests. Still, I felt terrible. The next day was Saturday, and I wanted to go to a walk-in clinic for more accurate testing and treatment. No dice. They were all closed on the weekend. So I decided to hold out until...
You can contribute $24,500 to 401(k) plans in 2026, up from $23,500, the IRS announced in November. The Internal Revenue Service also issued guidance regarding all cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2026, which you can see here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-67.pdf Now, the annual contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings plan is $24,500. You can also c...
The Alaska Department of Health’s Analytics and Vital Records Section has released three annual data reports that explain facts of interest to health care professionals, policymakers, and the public. Now you can see information on the HAVRS Data and Statistics page, such as Alaska Health Facilities Data Reporting (HFDR) program 2024 annual report. Alaska Vital Statistics 2024 annual report Cancer in Alaska 2022 annual report The reports help shed light on health trends and public health initiatives in the state. The reports are crucial for u...
A highlight of Alaska is that when it’s the holiday season, it looks like a Christmas card: snow falling, children playing, trees glistening. Get out and enjoy the many ways to celebrate the season … Nome has a Christmas Extravaganza at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Old Saint Joe’s on Anvil City Square. For details, email cityevents@nomealaska.orgcityevents@nomealaska.org https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1143779374595519&set=gm.1152069650376073 ... Each year, the Anchorage Concert Chorus sings Handel’s “Messiah.” Catch it at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at First...
The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation announced winners of the 18th annual historic preservation award honoring excellence throughout Alaska. The award honors excellence in historic preservation throughout Alaska. There are several categories, both for projects and for individuals. The Robert Mitchell Historic Preservation Architect Award was awarded to Anchorage architect Samuel Combs, Combs & Combs, for his expertise in historic architecture and the many historic preservation projects around Alaska and beyond that he has been...
Following the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the American retaliation strike on Tokyo by the Doolittle Raiders in April 1942, Japanese leadership began searching for ways to ext end their bombing range across the Pacific Ocean. Soon, Alaska found itself on the front lines of an unusual, silent, aerial assault. From late 1944 to 1945, Japanese fu-go balloon bombs found their way to the Last Frontier's shores. The fu-go ("fūsen" is the Japanese word for balloon and...
Since its debut as the Hallmark Channel in 2001, the network has become a beloved TV destination for millions of viewers, especially during the holiday season with its Christmas-themed features. While Hallmark has cultivated a recognizable roster of its own stars, their programs have also featured an impressive lineup of veteran film and television icons over the years, including Ed Asner, Christopher Lloyd, Shirley MacLaine, Roger Moore, Danny Glover, Burt Reynolds, and Carrie Fisher. And Maril...
Q. How do I get started listening to podcasts? A. The podcast world is built with apps that do two jobs: a podcast directory that indexes all the programs into a searchable list and a player that downloads and keeps track of your listening history. Podcasts can be played on any digital device because podcast apps exist on every major platform. Apple offers an app called "Podcasts" that works on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Because the data is synced to the cloud it is easy to start listening on one device and finish on another. The Apple "Podcasts"...
The Alaska Commission on Aging’s Grandparents Day kinship family support webinar is scheduled for noon Dec. 11. All are welcome to learn about supports in Alaska for relatives raising children, featuring Southeast Alaska's Kinship Navigator Program Haa Yatx’u Saani, Volunteers of America Alaska, and Generations United . This program is meant for grandparents or relatives raising children. Learn what supports exist for kinship families in Alaska. Zoom link to join is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85770530178. For questions or help accessing Zoo...
