Sorted by date Results 704 - 728 of 2047
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...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program has moved into a new office 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. Caregiver support group meetings will be held at the following locations in November. This month’s activity will be playing bingo, with caregiver appreciation gifts provided. Bingo is from 1 to 2 p.m., with support group meetings following, 2 to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 Sterling Senior Center, Nov.12 Soldotna S...
I am talking about the traditional pension, the kind of pension that allows you to retire with dignity. The kind of pension that pays a retirement income based on your salary and the number of years you’ve worked for the employer. This is known as a “defined benefit pension.” I am not talking about dodgy, relatively new-fangled retirement schemes such as 401(k)s, which are hardly more than savings accounts. On the one hand, a traditional pension is financially the most secure type of retirement. On the other hand, it is on its way to becoming t...
The transportation options this winter around Alaska are expanding and more user-friendly than ever before. Senior Voice will be looking at different transportation systems and schedules this winter. In Anchorage, People Mover is a division of the Municipality of Anchorage’s Public Transportation Department (PTD) and is the largest public transit provider in the State of Alaska. It connects the community with transportation options, emphasizing customer service while providing economic, social and environmental benefits. The first buses r...
Best known for her extensive television career that includes starring roles in shows such as "Falcon Crest," "Castle" and "Dharma and Greg," Susan Sullivan is always keen to offer advice to others and that includes sharing with seniors her family's experience with health issues. "Exercise!" she declared from her home in Los Angeles. "I'm 78, and about five years ago Connell (her longtime partner) was suffering from back issues and we began a program of high-intensity interval training. A lot of...
Q. What is the latest information on the Windows 11 upgrade? A. Since I wrote about it last month, the picture is much clearer. Windows 11 will be available on October 5. Moreover, thanks to Microsoft’s refreshed PC Health Check app, you should be better equipped to determine if your PC supports the upgrade. Unlike the confusion surrounding the early version of the tool, the version pre-released a few weeks ago will report reliably if your PC can handle Windows 11. Best of all, if your PC cannot run Windows 11, it will provide guidance for e...
Coleman Cutchins is a clinical pharmacist with Department of Health and Social Services. He has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is board certified in pharmacotherapy, the treatment of disease with drugs. He has a long history in research, and working with infectious diseases. I interviewed him September 6. These are some highlights. What have you been focused on recently? I've been on this [COVID] team since really right after the Wu Han flight landed. At least 80% of my time or so has been on...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk”, the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, returns Oct. 12, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Events are currently held virtually on the internet, using Zoom. This month’s topic: “Project Access: What it is and How They Can Help”. The project’s stated mission is to increase access to health care for low-income, uninsured individuals by coordinating a network of committed and compassionate volunteer providers. The “Age Smart – Let’s Talk” series is a mon...
=The Alaska Disability and Aging Coalition will host the 7th Annual Disability and Aging Summit, October 5-7, 2021. The summit will be held virtually and include presentations on Aging Well in Alaska. Topics include a keynote presentation on Positivity and Aging and workshops focused around mental health, aging and COVID effects, and building resiliency. There will also be an elder panel and a legislative panel addressing topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on the aging population, budget assurance and the future of the work force for aging...
