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As people approach age 65, we hope they are thinking about retirement, Social Security benefits and how they want to spend the next chapter of life, not where they are going to lay their head. Yet in Anchorage, 361 of our neighbors age 65 and older experienced homelessness last year. And many others faced the scary prospect of being without a safe, stable place to live. The good news? The number dropped by more than 20% between 2023 and 2025. Our community also has been expanding resources for those 55 and older, such as the In Our Backyard...
Artificial intelligence is a rapidly growing technology with a wide variety of uses. An increasingly popular use of generative AI is as a form of mental health support. The temptation is real, as one college student, Violet, found out. "I try to avoid AI as much as possible. If I can use my own brain, I want to use my own brain. Except when it comes to venting. There have been periods of my life where I was in a very, very, very dark place with nobody to really talk to, who weren't going to...
Claude, you are an artificial intelligence (AI) product created by Anthropic, but what does that mean? Who or what would a user be communicating with? I'm a large language model, which is a fancy way of saying I'm a very elaborate pattern-matching system trained on an enormous amount of text: books, articles, websites, conversations. So, what are you actually talking to? Not a person. Not a database. Not a search engine, though I can search the web when I need current information. I don't have a...
Recently, I accompanied a 75-year-old woman from my building to the emergency room. On a Friday, I was alerted by another resident that she looked "bad." Certainly, her sheet-white face indicated something was not right. I went downstairs to the lobby where she always hung out and asked if I could take her oxygen level -it was 85, a level that indicated she was beginning to have insufficient oxygen for her organs to function. She refused to go to the hospital, but would on Monday if it was...
For those of us enrolled into Original Medicare (Parts A & B), most of us have also enrolled into one of Medicare’s Part D Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs). Each year, we may make changes to this prescription coverage during Medicare’s Open Enrollment period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, for changes which will then go into effect from Jan. 1 onward. Leading up to this open enrollment, you will start to receive notices with information relating to any changes in your plan for the coming...
Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled devices are significantly changing how older adults are receiving medical care. Doctors and nurses are finding that AI can save time, improve workflows, and support faster decisions. This may allow your health team to care for more patients on a daily basis. Adults 50 and older are part of this sea change in medicine. AI is reshaping how individuals prepare for and participate in their care. Researchers at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School have...
Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital was recently reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) International. This means its stroke specialty program and brain injury specialty program were recognized for their excellence in specialized rehabilitation services. Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital was also recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as Alaska’s top rehabilitation hospital and among the top 50 nationally among the 1,131 rehabilitation hospitals evaluated. Alaska has one of the h...
If you're looking for ways to improve your brain health, it's important to pay attention to your diet. But how do you know which diet is best? "The MIND diet is one that I focus on because it has been shown in research studies to lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Sandra Darling, a preventive medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. The MIND diet emphasizes plant-based foods like berries, leafy greens, whole grains, beans and nuts. The diet also favors fish and poultry...
Dear Savvy Senior, I turn 62 early next year and plan to retire soon after. Most advice says I should wait to claim Social Security because my monthly benefit will be higher. But with all the recent news about Social Security’s financial problems, I’m wondering if taking benefits early might be the safer choice. Is there ever a good reason to claim at 62? - Ready to Retire Dear Ready, You’re definitely not alone in asking this. The latest Social Security Trustees Report projects the retirement trust fund could be depleted around 2032 if Congr...
Independent living in Alaska brings beauty and adventure, but it also brings risks that can lead to injuries right in your own home. A simple fall or a cut in the kitchen can turn serious with a quickness. Knowing how to stop bleeding and when to call for help can save your life. First, let's talk about when bleeding needs emergency care. If blood is spurting or pouring out and does not slow down after a few minutes, call 911 right away. If you feel dizzy, weak, or confused while bleeding, that...
Established in 1968, OPAG is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to improving services, developing programs, educating, promoting and implementing changes to help Alaska seniors live healthy, productive lives. Current programs: - publish the monthly Senior Voice newspaper - publish and distribute the Directory for Older Alaskans senior resource directory - provide information and referral services for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Health Care Act and other senior issues - organize monthly Providers' Breakfast...
Dear Savvy Senior, I had a living will/advance directive prepared about 10 years ago documenting my end-of-life medical wishes, but I’ve read that these documents are often ignored. What can you tell me about this? - Troubled Tina Dear Tina, Yes, unfortunately, that can happen. Living wills aren’t always followed in practice, most often because the document isn’t available when it’s needed or never reaches the right people in time. They can also fall short because they aren’t medical orders, and the language may be too vague to guide doctors i...
First, I have to tell you a true story about maps. It may seem a bit far afield from the main event, turning 80, but I promise this story will wham! bang! collide with turning 80. In 1969 I was a wild and crazy guy in my early 20s careening around Europe to see what I could see. I was running out of money and decided to head to London from France thinking the job opportunities there would be better. I am compelled to note here that the border crossing was, uh, kind of rough. The English border...
Fall prevention is key to retaining independence for older adults. Falls are a significant contributor to premature morbidity (lack of wellness) and mortality (death) in seniors. Loss of mobility, self-confidence and independence due to falls creates an enormous financial and emotional burden on seniors. Sobering statistics One-third of adults aged 65 years and older experience a fall each year and the risk increases proportionally with age. Non-fatal falls continue to pose a significant social...
There are almost too many things to remember when you change residences. This month’s article will help with how to manage your Medicare coverage before, during and after a move. The Medicare Information Office provides a checklist of items to complete, helping your move be free from additional aggravation and frustration. Moving into or out of Alaska If you have Original Medicare (Parts A and B), you will not need to make changes to your Medicare when moving within the U.S. since Original M...
Domestic pets have gone through changes over the years from being a part of the family to actually being family. Now, ads on television and in print highlight dogs saying "Mom, I like this food best!" In a world in turmoil, especially dogs and cats, become our children who don't talk back or beg for expensive toys, and do provide companionship, love and exercise. Like human health insurance, pets now need insurance for routine visits and specialized treatment as they age-just like us. Common...
A new study has found that older adults entering skilled-nursing facilities may have a hidden health benefit from the shingles vaccine. Researchers found that those who received the recombinant shingles vaccine (RZV) had a lower risk of developing dementia over the following four years compared with those who were not vaccinated. Older adults admitted to skilled nursing facilities are at higher risk for both dementia and shingles. The findings, which were published in the Annals of Internal...
From icy walkways to long distances between towns, our state presents unique challenges. One of the most important tools for protecting yourself and your loved ones is a figurative jumper box for the heart. It is called an AED, which stands for automated external defibrillator. This small device can save a life during a heart emergency, and knowing how to use one could make you a hero in your community. An AED is a portable machine that helps a person whose heart has suddenly stopped beating cor...
August is National Make a Will Month, a reminder that one of the most meaningful gifts we can give our loved ones is not something wrapped in a box, but a plan. Many people put off creating a will because they believe they have plenty of time, don't have enough assets, or simply aren't sure where to begin. Yet having a will is about much more than deciding who receives your belongings: it is an act of care that can provide clarity, reduce stress, and ease difficult decisions for the people you...
The Alaska Native Policy Center, a part of First Alaskans Institute, has created an online, interactive statewide resource map that shows organizations and programs that support suicide prevention, wellness, and safety. The map includes five main layers: Alaska Native regional nonprofits Prevention and wellness programs and organizations Regional health organizations Community health organizations Safety resources The map was created because Alaska Native communities continue to face suicide rates more than triple the national average in the Un...
Q. What are five simple tasks that everyone can and probably should do on a loved one’s smartphone? A. First, ask if your loved one has all their bank accounts accessible from their smartphone. If not, work with them to set up access. Most banking apps provide a place to name a beneficiary for the account. That simple task—adding beneficiaries to the account—allows you to pass ownership on funds quickly, which can help with final expenses. It may also make it easier for you to print bank statements and get a clear picture of their finan...
A lifelong friend, who is my age, retired last year. A sibling, four years older, retired two years ago. Another friend, who is self-employed, has set up a way to bring in income with her stock picks, which pay regular dividends. These examples have made me think about my own future. So much of our financial security is riding on our good judgment. No future without a present I knew when I decided to be a journalist, I was entering a field with notoriously low pay except for a few in the...
The Anchorage Municipality put out audited financials in July. The Municipality’s bond rating reserve and emergency fund have been fully restored, replenishing savings that had been drained since 2018. Having an adequate “rainy day” fund stabilizes the Muni’s financial outlook and helps protect taxpayer dollars, according to a release put out by Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s office. Financial rating agencies expect the Municipality to maintain 10% of its annual “major fund” operating expenses in a reserve fund—about $52 million—with an...
Marjorie Kortkamp has a flower clipped to her soft gray curls, but she confessed it hasn't been the easiest morning, "I had a seizure!" she said matter-of-factly. But as she settled into her room at the Anchorage Pioneer Home, Marge (as most people call her), relaxed into a spirited retelling of her long life, from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to the Last Frontier. Her eldest daughter, Diana, was there to help her with her morning routine and to fill in any gaps in the narrative. A late-in-life...
Donna Gail Shaw trots across the street to give treats to a neighbor's dog as she heads out for a hike. She calls out to another one "Neptune! Neptunee!" on the way back. In between, she checks on the 10 wildlife cameras she has installed in an area of Anchorage known as Far North Bicentennial Park. In actuality, the wildlife she encounters can be anywhere near or even in the housing development where she lives, which abuts Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. It's something of a highway for urban...
