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New handheld technology is ushering a new approach to treating kidney stones Physicians may be able to maneuver small kidney stones to the ureter so they can be expelled naturally. Patients dealing with small kidney stones that persist after surgery may soon have options to “push” the stones from their body, rather than face another invasive procedure. A clinical trial at the Kidney Stone Center at the UW Medical Center in Seattle is testing the ability of ultrasound waves to dislodge and mov...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located at 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 205 (located in the 4D Professional Building). You can call them at 907-262-1280 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.comkpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. The program will hold caregiver support group meetings in January at the locations below. Training is from 1 to 2 p.m., with support group meetings following, 2 to 3 p.m. This month’s training features a presentation of “The Misunderstood Epidemic: Depression,” a PBS DVD exploring the diffi...
Dear Savvy Senior: When is it safe, or not safe, to split pills? I have a cousin who cuts almost all her pills in half in order to save money, but I’m wondering if she’s going overboard. What can you tell me about this? – Curious Cousin Dear Curious: Pill splitting – literally cutting them in half – has long been a popular way to save on medication costs, but your cousin, if she hasn’t already done so, needs to talk to her doctor or pharmacist because not all pills should be split. The reason pill splitting is such a money saver is because of...
The pandemic has created a nation of baking maniacs. To wit: According to Bookscan, 200,000 more bread cookbooks sold in the U.S. in 2020 than in 2019. by April, and continuing through July 2020, retail shelves were cleared of yeast products within hours of stock replenishments, as reported by Food Business News. Eater.com reports King Arthur sold a lot of flour in 2020, growing by over 50 percent compared to the previous year. Research firm Stackline found that bread machine sales were up an...
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is announcing plans to open a “Complex Behavioral Neighborhood” serving people age 60 and older who experience complex behaviors related to dementia. The addition, on the newly remodeled fourth floor of the Anchorage Pioneer Home’s Southside Building, will serve up to nine elders and is expected to accept its first residents in early 2022. The Anchorage Pioneer Home is one of six licensed assisted-living homes owned and operated by the State of Alaska Division of Alaska Pioneer Homes...
The recent COVID-19 variant Omicron is affecting travel as the pandemic shows no sign of waning. And for Alaskans, with winter coming on, the need for sun and fun as well as cultural stimulation poses the classic question: "Should I stay or should I go?" Hawaii, our kissing cousin on almost any map of the United States, is our main source of Vitamin D and fresh fruit in the dark time. We can still go there but there are rules. As you know, Hawaii defends its environment from invasive species and...
Vaccination is more than 90% effective at preventing deaths from the Delta variant of COVID-19, according to the first country-level data on mortality. Researchers found that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 90% effective and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine 91% effective in preventing deaths in individuals who have been double vaccinated, but who have tested positive for coronavirus. The study, using data from the Scotland-wide EAVE II COVID-19 surveillance platform, is the first to show across an entire country how effective vaccines are at...
The Biden administration recently rolled out several steps toward getting more Americans vaccinated with two different new rules covering more than 100 million workers and specific guidelines for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The first rule, issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) covers companies with 100 or more employees, applying to an estimated 84 million workers. It requires companies to ensure that their workers are either fully vaccinated...
As a primary care doctor, I believe Alaskans must understand that a critical portion of our Medicare dollars is bleeding away into privately held corporations, which inherently value profits over people. Recently, Direct Contracting Entities (DCEs) have been tapping into the Medicare trust. This is money held in trust by the federal government, which in 2020 was valued at $937 billion. During the Trump administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) vowed to pass all Medicare “risk” to “management” plans. “Risk” in this ca...
In May 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Twitter that its COVID-19 data tracker now displays U.S. vaccination progress by race and ethnicity. The tracker, "Percent of People Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine by Race/Ethnicity and Date Reported to CDC, United States," showed that as of July 6, American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest vaccination rate in the country, with 45.5 percent having received at least one dose and 39.1 percent fully vaccinated....
The Alaska Health Fair office in Fairbanks will hold blood test draws by appointment on Dec. 4, 7 and 8. Register early, as they are filling up fast. All our offices are closed from the third week of December until the start of 2022. We will reopen the first week of January and start preparing for an active Spring 2022 health fair season. We are extremely grateful and amazed at the dedication our volunteers have exhibited, as they have helped us to bring much needed services to their communities throughout the past two difficult years. Note to...
Preventive healthcare is care you receive to prevent illness, detect medical conditions, and keep you healthy. Medicare covers many preventive healthcare services, including vaccines. Today I will discuss how the different parts of Medicare cover vaccines, along with some important notes about a few common vaccines. Part D coverage If your provider recommends that you get a vaccine, in most cases this service will be covered by your Part D prescription drug plan. Part D plans must include most c...
Q: I have been watching the TV series “Dopesick” about opioid addiction. How do I talk to my mom‘s doctor about whether or not the medication she is on needs to be adjusted as she ages? A: This is a relevant question for any family. As adults age, social and physical changes occur which may increase vulnerability to substance misuse. As reported from 2018 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration data, 1 million adults age 65 and older live with a substance use disorder. While...
A breast cancer vaccine is becoming a step closer to reality. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic are studying a vaccine for preventing triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive and lethal form of the disease. Currently, the researchers are conducting a phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose of the vaccine in women with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved an investigational new drug application for the...
“Time and tide wait for no man,” is an ancient proverb that appears especially relevant to the aging process. However, time by itself it cannot affect living functions, behaviors or organic changes. This distinction is important. If time were the causal factor in aging there would be no need to examine the underlying genetic, biological, cognitive, cultural and environmental interactions that contribute to the aging process. If the passage of time is accepted as the causal factor in the aging process, our attitudes toward aging and the age...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located at 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 205 (located in the 4D Professional Building). You can call them at 907-262-1280 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. The program will hold caregiver support group meetings at the following locations in December. This month’s activity will feature a presentation from 1 to 2 p.m., with support group meetings following, 2 to 3 p.m. Dec. 1 Sterling Senior Center, “Mysteries of Sleep,” a PBS documentary on the powerful role that sleep – or...
During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, many caregivers can become overwhelmed physically and emotionally. Jane Felczak, RN, a family caregiving expert, offers these practical tips to help caregivers make it through the holidays without losing their twinkle: Keep it realistic. Pare down your expectations. Make a list of what you think you can accomplish and then cut it in half. Take shortcuts. Go to the bakery for cookies and breads. Give gift cards. Order pizzas. And say no. Just because you always did something in the past, doesn’t m...
Think life during the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard? Imagine what it’s been like for Alaskans who have been fighting cancer. Add the terrifying experience of chemotherapy, radiation and being immune-compromised during a pandemic to the list of other effects such as isolation, loneliness and lack of access to health care – yet many Alaskans have survived and thrived. Pandemic Portraits, an exhibit honoring Alaska women who have faced cancer during COVID is a new Affinityfilms, Inc. project, and can be experienced at a venue near you. “We...
Older Persons Action Group will hold its 2021 annual membership meeting virtually on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 12:15 p.m. The board business meeting starts at 11:30 a.m., followed immediately by the membership meeting. Due to COVID concerns, meetings will be conducted online via the Zoom web platform. Attendance will require a Zoom log-in link, provided by email to those who RSVP no later than Nov. 16. To RSVP, call 276-1059 or 1-800-478-1059, or email admin@opagak.com. Senior Voice wins awards Seni...
This year’s early snowfall was a reminder that winter is on its way. Alaskans are moving fast to put on snow tires and dig out ice scrapers. Time to winterize and immunize. Now is a great time to get your annual flu shot – and your COVID-19 vaccine – if you haven’t done so already. The goal is to protect Alaskans as quickly as possible, to help drive down our COVID-19 cases and prevent the flu before it begins circulating widely in our communities. Last year, Alaskans did a great job of getting their flu shots before the end of October as reco...
Fall is a wonderful time of year for celebrating family traditions and holidays, which definitely incorporate food. However, it is becoming more and more common to have a family member or friend with life-threatening food allergies, which need be avoided. What is a food allergy? A food allergy is a medical condition in which an exposure to a food can trigger a harmful immune response. These responses can range from mild (itchy mouth, a few hives) to severe (throat tightening, difficulty...
As you may know, Original Medicare Part B covers 80 percent of the cost of most health care needs. But what about the remaining 20 percent, or even the other out-of-pocket costs like deductibles or copayments? This is where supplemental insurance plans, also known as Medigaps, help to bridge the difference in costs. For some who already have other health insurance, such as for some company retirees, you are already adequately covered. For others, Medigaps can really help. Understanding Medigaps...
Alaska Health Fair is almost at the end of our fall event schedule – please consider attending one of our final events: Nov. 6 Upper Susitna Wellness Fair at Talkeetna Senior Center, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 13 St. Johns Community Fair in Anchorage, 8 a.m. to noon. This will be the last fall event in Anchorage. We’re finished with fall community and worksite health fairs in Fairbanks, but will continue with office draw services on a few November and December dates – please see our website event schedule for more information. Our offices will...
Sonic waves for clearing coronary arteries Some heart centers around the country now are using novel lithotripsy technology to treat coronary blockages. This new technology is known as intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) and it’s based on the lithotripsy technology used to break up kidney stones. Shockwave technology delivers sonic waves to break-up problematic calcium, allowing the blocked artery to safely expand while restoring blood flow through a stent implant. As coronary artery disease p...
We Alaskans are a hardy bunch. Many of us tackle tough situations on our own. Some of us navigate challenges with family or friends by our side. And sometimes a common condition arises that brings us all together as a community and a state. The impact of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) is, now more than ever, one of those unifying conditions. Alaska Native and leading dementia researcher Dr. Jordan Lewis (Unangax, Native Village of Naknek) offers a unique cross-cultural...
