Sorted by date Results 1390 - 1414 of 2084
FICA. Grrrrrr! Every time we get a paycheck most of us see the deduction for Social Security taken out of our earnings. It seems relentless and unfair, and to what end? It may be reasonable to think that because the one highly visible aspect of Social Security is the periodic deduction from the paycheck. But there is another story. Social Security pays benefits to nearly 92,000 Alaskans. That’s about 1 of every 8 residents in the state. These are not just a random selection of Alaskans. These are often Alaskans who would be in desperate f...
Forms can be helpful. And dangerous. Back in the days when I did a lot of trial work, I encouraged the court system to develop forms that people could use for simple matters. I saw a lot of folks who needed some form of relief, but couldn’t afford thousands of dollars to retain an attorney. Forms for simple things like filing a motion in a family law or probate case made a lot of sense. And I still believe in that. However, there is a downside to the use of forms. If you try to use a legal f...
Older Persons Action Group, Inc. will hold its annual membership meeting Nov. 30 in Anchorage, in the conference room at Access Alaska, 1217 E. 10th Ave. The board business meeting starts at 11 a.m., followed immediately by the membership meeting. Refreshments will be served, RSVP requested. Call 276-1059 or 1-800-478-1059 to RSVP or for more information. Senior Voice wins awards Senior Voice has been recognized again for excellence, winning five awards recently in the annual contest sponsored by the North American Mature Publishers...
The Trump administration is planning to end another Obama-era regulation involving nursing homes, which was designed to shield the elderly from unscrupulous, abusive or bad nursing home practices. At the end of the Obama administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed rules that would’ve made it easier for nursing home residents or their families to take facilities to court over alleged abuse, neglect or sexual assault. Now, Trump is proposing to replace that rule with one that could make it almost impossible for n...
In 1935 the National Association of Manufacturers testified before Congress that Social Security would represent “ultimate socialist control of life and industry.” Other opponents argued that the initial Social Security registration process was like social engineering used in Nazi Germany. These critics predicted that American workers would be forced to wear metal Social Security tags on chains around their necks. Earlier in the decade industrial production had fallen 46 percent, foreign trade had plummeted by 70 percent, and unemployment had...
Dear Savvy Senior: For the last six months or so, I’ve been having problems with my hips and legs cramping when I walk, although they feel better once I stop. I thought it was just because I’m getting old, but my friend was telling me about a leg vein disease called PAD and thinks I may have it. What can you tell me about this condition? Limping at 60 Dear Limping: The health condition your friend is telling you about is known as “peripheral arterial disease” (or PAD), which is an under the radar disease that affects up to 12 million America...
There was a new study published last August (2017) in Journal of Clinical Oncology regarding B vitamins and it’s produced some uneasiness. B complex is thought to boost energy reserve, support metabolism and adrenal function and protect your nerves from fraying. The study suggests that two B vitamins from the whole “B complex” family are potentially harmful; it infers that taking B vitamins can increase the risk of lung cancer. But let’s take a closer look before we hang B6 and B12: 1. The study was conducted in men who smoke. These scary f...
Have you reviewed your prescription drug coverage for 2018? The Open Enrollment Period for Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans is in full swing. Beginning Oct. 15 and continuing until Dec. 7, Medicare beneficiaries have to opportunity to review their coverage, determine the most appropriate plan for 2018 and enroll. There are no public Medicare Advantage plans being offered in Alaska however, there will be 19 Medicare prescription drug plans offered. Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to reme...
We are nearing the end of Alaska Health Fair’s fall 2017 health fair season, so check out one of the November 2017 events. They offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable blood tests and other services. These tests can help you learn about your overall health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. For a complete roster of our affordable, comprehensive and private tests check out www.alaskahealthfair.org. For more information, call 907-278-0234 (...
Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska is pleased to announce the expansion of our Care Coordination Program to include individuals of any age with a disability. Moving forward, our program Care Coordination Resource of Alaska (CCRA) will continue to be the intermediary and a safety net for seniors across the state. We will continue to assist individuals with dementia and frail elders 60 and over to access services and get the right kind of assistance when they need it. As we age, it can be difficult knowing what services are available and how to a...
In recognition of how difficult it is for people to think about and discuss health care decisions, Hospice of Anchorage is distributing free copies of the nation’s most popular advance care planning resource, “Five Wishes”. Five Wishes allows individuals and families to make important decisions in terms that are meaningful and understandable to them, and helps patients and families to more effectively communicate their decisions to health care providers. In addition to important medical issues, Five Wishes addresses matters of the heart and s...
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was the most unrecognized disorder for returning Vietnam veterans as well as for the veterans of all previous wars. Not reacting to this disorder cost thousands of lives due to suicide, mental illness and chronic health issues aggregated by PTSD. The outlook started to change in the early 1980s when the VA finally recognized PTSD and started treating it. Gulf War Syndrome was another illness where the medical community was late to address its long-term...
Gene therapy may help reverse blindness Researchers are moving closer toward a novel gene therapy approach to restore vision to the blind. British researchers in a laboratory study have demonstrated how it might be possible to reverse blindness using gene therapy to reprogram cells at the back of the eye to become light sensitive. Most causes of untreatable blindness occur due to loss of the millions of light sensitive photoreceptor cells that line the retina. However, the remaining retinal...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in November. This month’s meeting topic: “The Art of Caregiving, Part Two,” with demonstrations on effective approaches to bathing, eating, dressing, transfers and how to respond to certain types of behaviors. Nov. 7, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 14, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Nov. 15, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. Nov....
Honor Veterans Day at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center with “Celebrate Senior Veterans Week,” a week filled with information, recreation, companionship and remembrance. Here is the schedule, Monday, Nov. 6 through Friday, Nov. 9: Nov. 6 Information Fair, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Featuring booths from Last Frontier Honor Flight, Alaska Veterans Museums, Senior Care Providers, VA Health Care Systems and many more. Nov. 7 Presentations, 10 a.m. Featuring guest speakers and social hour. Nov. 8 Tournaments beginning at 10 a.m. Pool (10 a.m.) and pok...
It's here; the annual scramble to book the next year's adventures. Alaskans love to plan trips, especially trips to warmer weather, and November marks a milestone for many, whether they purchased a PFD airline sale ticket on a whim, or have been plotting a 2018 getaway for months. Is this you? Have you pored over the online advertising that beckons eager Alaskans to wander the globe, or checked out local specials at some of Alaska's hidden gems? Either way, November is the time to make some...
I moved to Alaska in 1982 to take a job in a fledgling nonprofit organization. By 1988 I had blundered into a teaching position at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Among other benefits included with the job was a traditional pension. At the time, I was a young man more interested in a paycheck. “Pension shmension” -- who cared? Now I am an older guy who has been retired several years. That reliable monthly pension check is by far the biggest part of my income, more than double my Social Security income. The life my wife and I lead as old...
More than 25 percent of possible sexual and physical abuse cases against nursing home patients were not reported to police, warns a new government audit. The Health and Human Services inspector general’s office issued an unusual “early alert” recently, based on preliminary findings from a large sampling of cases in 33 states. The IG’s report blamed Medicare for failing to enforce federal law, which requires that nursing homes immediately notify the police in abuse cases. Investigators issued the early warning because they found that the res...
Not very many years ago high-carbohydrate bars were the "go-to" for hikers and other athletes. Now, when I pick up snacks for the trail, the shelves are loaded with pemmican-like meat snacks or meat jerky. Marketing statistics show meat snack sales increases of more than 45 percent between 2011 and 2017, with jerky second in popularity to potato chips in the "salty foods" category. In the past year alone, beef jerky sales have risen 7 percent, according to the National Cattlemen's Beef...
Fall is in the air! Time for pumpkin spiced treats, watching football, getting out our winter gear, putting on our studded tires, and for Medicare beneficiaries, it is time to review our prescription drug coverage. Known by a number of titles such as the Fall Open Enrollment period, the Part D Open Enrollment, or Medicare’s Open Enrollment, each autumn between October 15 and December 7, Medicare offers the opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to make changes to their coverage. These changes c...
We are now in the middle of Alaska Health Fair’s fall 2017 health fair season, so check out one of our fast approaching October events. The health fairs offer free health screenings, health and safety education, plus 11 affordable blood tests and other services. These tests can help you learn about your overall health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. For more information, call 907-278-0234 (Anchorage) or 907-374-6853 (Fairbanks); or just visit http://www...
Many people know Hospice of Anchorage as a place that serves patients with life limiting illness and provides people with grief support, but Hospice of Anchorage also provides event and educational programming for the community. For the month of October, Hospice of Anchorage is hosting a large annual community memorial event, a painting fundraiser and a community education program. It is a busy fall at Hospice of Anchorage and we hope that you will join us for at least one of the programs....
Dear Savvy Senior: I’m concerned that my 80-year-old mother is taking too many medications. She currently takes 10 different drugs prescribed by three different doctors, which I think is causing her some problems. She also struggles to keep up with all the drug costs. Any suggestions? - Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned: There’s no doubt that older Americans are taking more prescription medications than ever before. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, around 40 percent of seniors, age 65 and older, take five or mor...
Dear Savvy Senior: Do you know of any auto safety products that can help seniors with older cars? My 80-year-old father, who drives his beloved 2004 Toyota Avalon, is still a pretty good driver but he has limited range-of-motion, which makes looking over his shoulder to back-up or merge into traffic very difficult. Inquiring Son Dear Inquiring: To help keep your dad safe and extend his driving years, there are a number of auto aids and new safety technology products that can be added to his car to help with various needs. Here are several to...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in October. This month’s meeting topic: “Proper Body Mechanics and Back Safety and the Art of Caregiving, Part One.” Oct. 3, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 10, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 17, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Oct. 18, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, hosted by Paula Koch, 3 p.m. Oct. 31, Caregiver support meeti...
