Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1952
Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are in our 50s and would like to know what resources you recommend for locating senior discounts, and what age do they kick in? - Frugal Fay Dear Fay, One of the great perks of growing older in America is the many discounts that are available. There are literally thousands of senior discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail, health, grocery stores, automotive services and much more....
Q: Have you heard about TikTok Shop? It is fascinating how my 72-year-old cousin has successfully sold her personally designed sweatshirts online through this platform. How does it work? A: TikTok Shop is part of the popular TikTok app, serving as an online marketplace where users can shop for various products and showcase their own creations. This platform enhances the shopping experience by making product discovery and transactions seamless and easy. TikTok is just one of the many pathways...
This advice is not just for kids-although contact with "cooties" will inevitably go up when kids (and teachers) return to school in the fall. If you or your grandchildren have a history of being vulnerable to commons colds or flus at the beginning of the school year, there are a few simple ways to help stave off the misery of being ill. Hand-washing is an obvious, but under-utilized, method to prevent disease. Avoid the triclosan-containing anti-bacterial soaps, which are contributing to the...
As you may know, original Medicare covers approximately 80% of the cost of most out-patient services. But what about the remaining 20%, or even the other out-of-pocket costs like deductibles or the costs of in-patient care? You may want to consider purchasing a Medicare Supplement Insurance (also known as a Medigap) policy as a companion to your Medicare coverage. But how to know which one? My first recommendation is to obtain a copy of the “Consumer Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance (...
A medication for treating diabetes may have hidden brain benefits. Researchers have found that semaglutide, a popular diabetes and weight-loss drug, may lower the risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Dementia, a condition that slowly makes it harder for people to remember things and think clearly, occurs when brain cells are damaged and their connections stop working properly. This damage, which worsens over time, can be caused by various modifiable factors, including obesity,...
Last April, I attended a lady's program at Lazy Mountain Bible Church on Clark Wolverine Road (going out toward the Butte), and since I was not in a hurry, on the way back to Palmer I decided to stop at Bushes Bunches Produce Stand. They've been open for several years and even stayed open all winter the past three years, but I rarely get to that part of the Valley. I expected to find a lot of empty spaces knowing it was too early in the season for local produce, but figured they'd at least have...
August is fair season in Alaska. The Tanana Valley State Fair is July 25-Aug. 3. It’s chock full of summer fun, from concerts to a beer pong tournament. It takes place at 1800 College Road in Fairbanks. https://www.tvsfa.org/... Next is the Kenai Peninsula Fair, Aug. 8-10. It draws about 7,000 people per year. https://www.kenaipeninsulafair.com/ … The biggest of them all is the Alaska State Fair, held at the fairgrounds in Palmer from Aug. 15-Sept. 1. It’s the place to see hard-working farm kids and the animals they raised, get delec...
Analysis of bowhead whale poop shows that more toxins from typically warm-water toxic algae species are entering Arctic food webs as northern oceans warm and lose sea ice. The findings are based on nearly 20 years of feces samples collected from bowhead whales harvested for subsistence purposes by Alaska Native people living on the Beaufort Sea coast. The study, conducted by an interdisciplinary team led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was published in July in the...
Technology might seem "extra" at first, but it can be your best friend during an emergency. Whether you're dealing with a winter storm, power outage, or medical crisis, the right apps and devices can help keep you safe and connected to help. Your smartphone is more than just a phone. It's a powerful emergency tool that fits in your pocket. Most phones come with built-in emergency features you might not know about. If you have an iPhone, you can press the side button five times quickly to call...
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, What kinds of legal documents do I need to help my family take care of me in my elder years? I would like to get my affairs in order but could use some help. - Approaching 80 Dear Approaching, All adults, especially an older adult like yourself, should have at least five legal documents to protect yourself and your family. These documents will make sure your wishes regarding your estate are legal and clear and will help minimize any conflicts and confusion with your family...
Q: Why do I feel like TV or online ads are trying to trick me into a certain way of thinking? A: Media has a significant and often subtle influence on our unconscious thoughts and actions, shaping our perceptions of reality, social norms and self-identity. Our unconscious mind holds a vast reservoir of thoughts, memories, emotions, and instincts that function outside our conscious awareness, continuously affecting our behavior. While the unconscious mind serves as the foundation, the conscious...
What is Alaska 211? Alaska 211 is United Way's statewide help line for information, referrals and assistance finding vital, available health and human services, community resources, government, and tribal assistance in the callers' communities. How did 211 come about? The first 211 in the United States launched in 1997, a joint effort of United Way Worldwide (formerly United Way of America) and the Alliance for Information and Referral Systems, or AIRS, in Atlanta. Three years later, the...
With the Seeing AI app, users can hold their phone up to an individual, and it will audibly describe what the person looks like, including their hair color, estimated age, and emotional state. By pointing the phone towards a product, users will receive a description of the product, its expiration date, and other relevant details. The app can also read documents and recognize various structural elements, including paragraphs, headings, and lists. The Ava app transcribes spoken words into text,...
When you have Medicare and another source of health care insurance coverage, you may at some point wonder, “Who pays first?” If you are like me, my first thought goes to the classic Abbott and Costello comedy routine, “Who’s on first?” and that is a much funnier topic. But with Medicare and other coverage, such as that offered by your employer, knowing which coverage is considered primary (and which then is secondary) can help to fully understand your covered insurance claims. Point 1: The di...
We are fortunate to live here among the mountains, forests and vast natural beauty of Alaska. For many of us, hiking isn't just a form of exercise-it's a return to joy, spirituality, solitude, and connection. Whether you're getting back on the trail after a long winter or rediscovering hiking later in life, moving your body in this landscape can be deeply healing and rewarding. As a physical therapist, I see firsthand how physical activity supports not just longevity but vitality. It's not only...
A large study is suggesting that women who consume caffeinated coffee in midlife are more likely to be healthy agers. However, tea and decaf coffee may not provide the same benefits. Additionally, researchers found that drinking colas was strongly associated with lesser likelihood of healthy aging. Researchers conducted a study with almost 48,000 women who were followed for 30 years. They found that a morning cup of coffee might do more than boost energy and could also help women stay sharp,...
Lamar McGrew is 74 years old and has been in Alaska since 2001. He went from being the stepson of a sharecropper to working hard at his own successful small business. Here's his story. Q. What brought you to Anchorage? A. My brother lives here, so I decided to come up and stay. I was going to stay a couple of weeks. I got to like it here, so I stayed. Where's home? I was in Albany, New York. I was born in Alabama, but I moved to New York as a teenager. Did you mention to me that in Alabama your...
The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) admitted three more harbor seal pups to the Wildlife Response Program in late May and early June, marking a busy start to the 2025 season. One of the pups was born prematurely, one was found severely malnourished, and another was rescued after it was found alone, likely due to maternal separation. These cases follow the recent admissions of another premature harbor seal pup and an orphaned northern sea otter pup, all requiring intensive rehabilitation and...
Snowbirds are Alaskans who leave the state in the wintertime for some warmth and sun elsewhere, or it might be a couple of weeks to Hawaii to thaw out, get a tan, and eat fresh fruit. You'll return refreshed to face the remaining winter. Still, you'll be abandoning the most expensive item you've ever bought - your home. It's a sobering thought to consider what disaster might happen if you don't take precautions. To-do list 1. Winterize your plumbing Turn off the water supply at the main valve...
Marijuana use among older adults in the United States has reached a new high, with 7% of adults aged 65 and over who report using it in the past month, according to an analysis led by researchers with the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at the NYU School of Global Public Health. https://www.cduhr.org/ Their findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine in June, also show that the profile of those who use cannabis has changed in recent years, with pronounced increases in use by older...
Amid the "No Kings" signs at the June 14 protests across the country were many seniors marching and holding signs about Social Security and Medicare. Bill Hall was one of them. "I worry they are going to reduce or destroy it," Hall said about Social Security. He lives in senior housing in Anchorage. "Everyone there is worried because everyone depends on Social Security." Others held up signs defending Medicaid, a program that supports adults with low incomes, older adults, people with...
As our beautiful Alaska spring turns to summer, many people sneeze and sniffle more than their normal. Pesky seasonal allergies can make enjoying our gorgeous outdoors difficult. Let's go over helpful information about recognizing allergic reactions, treating them, and minimizing seasonal allergies. First, let's talk about how to know if you're having an allergic reaction. Mild to moderate symptoms include sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, watery or itchy eyes, and itchy throat. You might also...
Wildland fire danger is growing across Alaska. A warm and dry winter has put fire officials on high alert and prompted residents in zones where wildland meets urban development to take precautions. "The wilderness surrounding us presents a significant fire risk," said Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance at a recent town hall about fire prevention efforts across the Municipality. "Our beautiful green spaces, while cherished, also mean that the risk of fire is ever present, even in our urban core. We...
-Sign up for text alerts by texting “Anchorage” to 67283. In Fairbanks, you can text FPDALERTS to 67283. -The Municipality recommends bookmarking trusted sources’ information outlets via website or social media. These organizations are committed to providing timely, accurate information to the public: Anchorage Police Department Anchorage Fire Department Municipality of Anchorage Office of Emergency Management Anchorage Health Department: https://www.muni.org/Departments/health/Pages/default.aspx State of Alaska: https://rea...
