Sorted by date Results 353 - 377 of 1990
AARP Alaska is sponsoring a webinar series, “Brain Health Across the Lifespan,” which will explore how the brain changes as we age, plus aspects of lifelong brain health including diet, exercise and sleep. Webinars will also discuss how to work through situations where brain changes may be non-modifiable. The University of Alaska Southeast will livestream and post the talks on the UAS YouTube page. The series runs through January, with one webinar per month except for October, when there will be two: Oct. 13 and Oct. 20. Both will be pre...
Family Caregiver Support Programs offer free support meetings to allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska (ARA) organizes caregiver support meetings around the state, including Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau/Southeast, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su Valley, Seward, Sitka, S...
Jeanne Ashcraft started out as a school librarian, but for the last 10 years she has been operating Ashcraft Historical Transcription in Anchorage. She's 80 years of age now, and periodically thinks about stepping back from the work, but hasn't yet. She seems to be having too much fun. When and why did you come to Alaska? Oh, my. I came in 1998, about 25 years ago. My daughter and I drove up. I had three sons up here and a new grandchild, so I came up temporarily to see the grandchild, but then...
The AARP Alaska Anchorage Age-Friendly team hosted a booth at the 2023 Annual Fairview Block Party July 22 and enjoyed the opportunity to collect feedback about making Anchorage and Fairview more Age-Friendly. The event was lively, fun-filled and featured live music, good summer weather along with several other community service organizations, AARP partners and many engaging community members. The AARP booth centered around what it means to be an Age-Friendly community, shown by the “8 Domains of Livability”. The Domains are Outdoor Spaces and...
Q: My wife recently moved out, and I am unsure how to begin life over at age 77. She wants a divorce and I cannot imagine my life without her. A: While not knowing the details of your situation, I acknowledge your predicament. Life transitions pose difficulties for many reasons. First, the emotional havoc of that news is tough to digest. It creates pain, anxiety or possibly guilt, then drains a person’s vitality. And people often see change as a problem rather than an opportunity. Further, it w...
A first-of-its-kind robotic glove currently is lending a hand and providing hope to piano players who have suffered a disabling stroke. After suffering a stroke, everyday tasks can be extremely challenging due to decreased coordination and strength in one or both upper arms. These problems have spurred the development of robotic devices and now Florida investigators have come up with a new robotic hand that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve hand dexterity. The developers claim this...
My name is Pete McCall and I’m excited to introduce myself as the new Older Blind Coordinator at the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. I was born and raised in southwest Louisiana and worked over 20 years as an administrator and teacher in the New Orleans catholic school system. Six years ago, I came to Alaska to teach in one of Alaska’s villages, Kotlik. I met my wife in Anchorage and have been in Alaska ever since and now call it my home. It is my goal to help build a close-knit, vibrant blind and low vision community at the...
As you may know, Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers approximately 80 percent of the cost of most services. But what about the remaining 20 percent, or even the other out-of-pocket costs like deductibles or inpatient copayments? You may want to obtain a Medicare Supplement Insurance (also known as 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 (Medigap),...
Hi, my name is, Lee Coray-Ludden, I am a Certified Medicare Counselor serving Southeast Alaska and the rest of the state as needed through referrals by SHIP (State Health Insurnace Program). I am available Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. My office is in the Soldotna Senior Center. You can contact me directly by calling 907-262-2322. The phone will be answered ‘Soldotna Senior Center’— it’s a small staff, just ask for Lee or ‘the Medicare person’. Thanks and have a good day....
September is a bustling month for Alaska Health Fair, with numerous opportunities to participate in health education and affordable blood and health screenings. We invite you to join us at these events across various communities, whether you attend to receive services, volunteer to help serve the public or share a mission by exhibiting. Southcentral Sept. 9 Valdez Valdez Civic Center, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 9 Anchorage St. John Methodist Church, 1801 O’Malley Road, 8 a.m. to noon. Sept. 15-16 Palmer Palmer Depot, 610 S. Valley Way, 2 to 6 p...
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Alaska Health Fair, Inc. is dedicated to educating our community and supporting early detection and intervention. Here’s what you need to know. Understanding prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States. The cause is not entirely understood, but risk factors may include age, family history, and race. Early symptoms may include difficulty in urination, blood in the urine or semen, and pelvic discomfort. Early detection of prostate cancer g...
Olive oil packs powerful punch against dementia Switching your cooking oils to olive oil may have important hidden brain benefits. A new study is suggesting that incorporating olive oil into your diet may help reduce the risk of dying from dementia. As many countries face rising rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, the study offers hope that healthy lifestyle factors such as diet can help to prevent or slow the progression of brain deterioration. “Our study reinforces die...
Family Caregiver Support Programs offer free support meetings to allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska (ARA) organizes caregiver support meetings around the state, including Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau/Southeast, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su Valley, Seward, Sitka, S...
Assistive Technology of Alaska (ATLA) will host its second annual virtual expo Sept. 12 and 14, with speakers and presentations on topics related to accessibility such as increasing home safety; Microsoft Office accessibility features; reminders and other memory aid tools and technologies; low-tech technologies and tools for low vision; even a session on assistive technologies for agricultural work. Sessions are conducted online, from 9 a.m. to noon each day, and free for everyone. For schedule information and registration, visit...
As people age, it becomes more important for them to match their driving habits to their abilities. Safe driving habits ensure everyone’s well-being on the road, not just the driver. While aging does not necessarily mean a decline in driving abilities, certain changes in vision, reaction time and strength may require adjustments. By adopting specific habits, the more experienced drivers can enhance their driving skills and reduce the risk of accidents. Start with maintenance Schedule regular h...
After making the 140-mile drive from Palmer to Glennallen, I parked my car, gathered the coleslaw I'd made from cabbage from my garden, and I walked with anticipation to the picnic area of the Pinneo Ballpark. Fifty years ago in May, 22 other classmates and I had graduated from Glennallen High School, and I was curious as to who I might find to visit with at this class reunion. There had been no communication between me and any of my classmates about marking this milestone year, so I could only...
The Alaska Commission on Aging will conduct their quarterly meeting Sept. 19, in-person in Seward and online via Zoom. Held at Seward Senior Center, the meeting is open to the public and will start at 9 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. The commission includes a roster of advocates from around the state with the mission to ensure the dignity and independence of all older Alaskans, and to assist them to lead useful and meaningful lives through planning, advocacy, education and interagency cooperation. The meeting will be open for public comment at 1:15...
The Social Security Administration partners with locations throughout Alaska to offer a secure video service option. Video service is a convenient and no-cost way for people to talk directly to a Social Security employee through a secure computer link that includes two-way video and sound. The video service locations are available at: In Nome, Norton Sound Health Corporation, located at 1000 Greg Kruschek Ave. Video service is available for walk-ins on a first come, first served basis, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai...
This is the first in a series of interviews with Alaskans who have continued to work years beyond the usual age of retirement. In this article, Anchorage resident Ken Helander discusses why he worked into his 70s and why he was finally forced to retire. We chatted in a local Anchorage restaurant July 11, 2023. When and why did you come to Alaska? I came in 1981 from Colorado. I was married, had two boys, and I worked for a community mental health center in Fort Collins. The programs began to be...
In the 1960s, many Americans tuned into the game show “Password,” where contestants were paired with celebrities to guess words from verbal clues. While that word, “password,” might have once brought to mind giddy TV contestants playing for cash, we’re much more likely to think about passwords nowadays in the context of online security. And why wouldn’t we? Passwords are required across the internet to pay bills, log in to social media, subscribe to streaming services and more. We’ve become quite familiar with the need to create usernames and...
Alaska’s work creating “Age-Friendly Communities” is thriving, making the places we live better able to support people of all ages. The age-friendly program process began with Anchorage’s enrollment in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities as the 678th community nationwide, with Juneau following shortly thereafter as the 734th member. As AARP Alaska enters the second year of membership in the Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, efforts are focused on community needs assessments in both Anchorage and Juneau....
July marked National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health conditions currently prevailing among diverse groups, however we should take care of our mental health every month. The aim is not just to shed light on these issues' gravity, but also to break down the stigma walls surrounding mental health in these communities. In recognition of this, I want to share and discuss findings from a report released at the 2022 Alzheimer's...
The Mediterranean diet is ranked as one of the most healthful diets on the planet. The name derives from the geographical region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, which includes Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Tunisia, where this diet has been adopted for centuries. It incorporates different types of food that are mostly unprocessed plant food typically found in this area fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, legumes, extra virgin olive oil, lean proteins and fish. Large studies have con...
Like keeping your bones strong, maintaining or even building muscle as we age requires daily movement and good nutrition. Staying strong as we age will not only be useful for hauling groceries, keeping our home clean, enjoying recreational activities, but also serve to elevate our mood. When it comes to muscle mass, the old adage "use it or lose it" definitely applies. Establish a routine Lifting weights is a proven method for building and maintaining both muscle mass and bone density as we age....
Ambulances are a critical resource in transporting patients to and from medical facilities, like hospitals. Ambulances are medically equipped and staffed by professionals like paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Emergency transportation Medicare Part B covers emergency ambulance services. Medicare considers an emergency to be any situation when your health is in serious danger, and you cannot be transported safely in another way. There are certain requirements you must meet for...
