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This month’s article provides an overview of Medicare coverage in 2025. The 2025 edition of the “Medicare & You” handbook provides much greater detail than is provided in this article; if you do not have a copy, please contact the Medicare Information Office and we are happy to provide one. This handbook is available as an eBook, as well as in large print, audio version, and in Braille. The “Medicare & You” handbook has also been translated into Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish,...
Alaska Health Fair, Inc. Alaska Health Fair events offer a great opportunity to learn about important health topics in an informal setting. Attendees can receive free basic screenings, obtain information and resources, and have their questions answered by health, wellness and safety professionals. Health fairs are also a great way to connect with local health and wellness resources. Most importantly, events feature comprehensive, affordable blood tests. Obtaining blood screenings at health fairs is a great way to get quick, accurate results at...
Dear Savvy Senior: Can you offer me any tips on choosing and using a home blood pressure monitor? I just found out I have high blood pressure and my doctor recommended I get a home monitor so I can keep tabs on it. − Just Turned 63 Dear 63: Everyone with high blood pressure (130/80 or higher) should have a home blood pressure monitor. Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure in a comfortable setting. Plus, if you're taking medication it will make certain it's working, and a...
Health is the first wealth is a philosophy that has been around for centuries. However, health now refers to body, spirit and mind in a different way than it did before the age of technology. Mental health experts say we all have "joy resources" and we need to manage them properly. Valentina Ogaryan, clinical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, said it's best to eat whole foods and incorporate some type of physical activity on a routine basis. "It's also about...
Nestled in the heart of Kotzebue, Utuqqanaat Inaat, Maniilaq's Long-Term Care Facility, is more than just a care center for elders. It is a home, a family and a community where love, connection and cultural tradition thrive. A home-like environment At Maniilaq, the focus is on creating a true home for the residents. "We try to make it as comfortable and familiar as possible," a staff member shared. Each resident has a shadow box outside their room, filled with personal mementos, photos,and...
Along with annual health check-ups like eye exams, it’s equally important to assess your memory and cognitive function. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska can help. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska (ARA) is dedicated to supporting Alaskans affected by Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias and other disabilities by offering resources, classes and services to individuals, families, professionals and communities. Among these services are non-diagnostic Memory Screenings, which are available both live online via Zoom and in person. While these free an...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following caregiver support group meetings in February. Meeting format is open discussion unless otherwise noted. Feb. 5. Kenai Senior Center, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 6 Tyotkas Elder Center (in Kenai), 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 7. Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Feb. 12. Seward Senior Center, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 20 Sterling Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Feb. 25 Nikiski Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Support meetings allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support so...
Having a clear and easy-to-find emergency contact list can save important time in a crisis. Today, I’ll share the key information you should have ready to keep you and your family safe. Let’s make sure you’re prepared for whatever might happen. First, write your emergency contact list in big, easy-to-read letters. Keep it in a place that’s simple to find, like on your fridge or next to your phone. Make a few copies—one for your wallet or bag, one for your nightstand, and one to give to a trus...
Dear Savvy Senior: Is there a rule of thumb on how long someone should keep their old financial paperwork? I have file cabinets full of old receipts, bank and brokerage statements, tax returns and more that I would like to toss. - Recently Retired Dear Recently: It’s a great question. As we get older and our financial life gets more complicated, it’s difficult to know how long to keep old financial records and paperwork and when it’s safe to get rid of them. Some things you’ll need to hold on to for your whole life and others for just a month o...
Megan Edge is ACLU Prison Project Director. Earlier in her career she worked at the Alaska Dept. of Corrections. This is part of a longer interview with Edge conducted by Lawrence D. Weiss. What are some of the key issues regarding seniors in the Alaska prison system? There's more than 400 people over the age of 60 that are incarcerated in our jails and prisons on any given day. They are one of the most vulnerable prison populations and also one of the most expensive populations. It is a...
Q: People talk about improving their lives each year, but where do I begin? A: With a new year upon us, many individuals want to hit the reset button or find a new direction in their lives. But starting that journey can be tough, especially in a world that ties well-being to happiness and success. Many adults end up stuck in languishing—caught in a space where they aren't completely satisfied, but aren’t really unhappy either. The great news is that this feeling of stagnation can be tra...
Few could say that they do not have memories of meals and specific foods-flavors, aromas, textures, conversations, family recipes, comforting familiar rituals and celebrations. Food is a connection to the past, to our families, identity and culture. In the expression "as American as apple pie," most of us understand the reference to patriotic values and our identity and most of us have a memory of making and eating a perfect apple pie. Legumes may not have risen to this type of distinction with...
Amplified phones help those with hearing loss to understand phone conversations better. Each amplified phone will have its own level of amplification, tone control options, caller ID settings, and more. The Panasonic KX-TGM450S can increase up to 50dB amplification, has an amplified answering machine, an extra loud ringer, a talking caller ID, and six levels of tone control. This is a cordless landline phone and can connect with up to six handsets; however, there are also corded amplified...
When we think about eating disorders, the image that often comes to mind is of a teenager or young adult struggling with body image who looks extraordinarily thin. However, eating disorders don’t discriminate by age or body size. In fact, research shows that approximately 13% of women over age 50 are living with an eating disorder. Yet, the misconception that these conditions are exclusive to adolescents contributes to stigma—leaving many older adults suffering in silence. The risks can be especially high at this time of year when many peo...
Medicare coverage is good, but it is not all-inclusive. There are many things that Medicare does not cover. For example, Medicare does not cover most dental, vision and hearing care, including hearing aids. Nor does it cover most non-emergency transportation or care outside of our country. Even when Medicare covers your care, there may be costs left to you, like copays and coinsurances—these costs can add up. An example, for an outpatient visit to a physician who accepts the assigned billing r...
Alaska Health Fair, Inc. (AHF) is excited to announce the return of our health fairs and affordable blood tests. The schedule will be published on www.alaskahealthfair.org around the first week of January. You are welcome to make your appointment online or walk in at any of our events. Please consider signing up for our electronic newsletter to be notified of important updates, resources, and more. We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to prioritize your health in the new year. This season, we will add new blood tests to...
New approach to lower back pain Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a common cause of lower back pain in a large number of older adults. Now, a study out of the University of Florida is showing that a minimally invasive procedure, known as mild®, provides pain relief and improved physical function for at least a year in adults suffering from lower back pain. The study followed 136 men and women between the ages of 16 and 89 who underwent the mild® procedure. It is designed to reduce pressure on the...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following caregiver support group meetings in January. Meeting format is open discussion unless otherwise noted. Jan. 2 Tyotkas Elder Center (in Kenai) support meeting, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 3 Soldotna Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Jan. 16 Sterling Senior Center support meeting, 1 to 2 p.m. Jan. 28 Nikiski Senior Center support meeting, 1 to 2 p.m. Support meetings allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a...
When we think about having good balance, it's often in terms of body stability, of being able to stand on tip-toe or on one foot without falling over. In fact, you may have heard about a recent study that associates the ability to balance on one foot for at least 10 seconds with improved odds for a longer life span. But having good balance isn't just about being able to stand on one leg; it's about being able to move better and finding a balance of activities that helps us do that. Here are...
Ever wonder how to get help with daily living tasks or skills through the Alaska Medicaid Home and Community Based Waiver (HCBW) or Personal Care Services (PCS)? To get help from the Waiver program or Personal Care Services, first you need to have Medicaid. Medicaid is health insurance for people with low income. People get Medicaid by applying for it with the Division of Public Assistance. Medicaid pays for medical care. It can also pay for help with everyday living and activities, like a Personal Care Assistant (PCA). To get Medicaid, adults...
RurAL CAP's AmeriCorps Seniors Program includes the Elder Mentor and Senior Companion Programs, which provide volunteer opportunities for people age 55 and better. RurAL CAP, short for Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., partners with schools, Head Start, local governments, and health agencies to set up volunteer host sites. Volunteers get training, support and a small stipend as a thank-you for their time and dedication. This article features Evelyn, an Elder Mentor volunteer in...
This coming year, the Fairbanks Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) will offer “Take Charge Tuesdays,” free monthly workshops on a variety of topics, starting with “Power of Attorney Documents: Who Needs One, Why They Matter, and What They Mean,” on Jan. 14. They will be held at the Fairbanks Senior Center, 1424 Moore Street, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Other topics in coming months will discuss advance care directives, assisted living, estate planning, behavioral health, hospice, how to manage benefits applications, and more. Organiz...
This year the spirit of Christmas in Alaska may be overwhelmed by the politics of the times and a tsunami of electronic gifts and doodads. But looking through Alaska newspaper clippings from 100 years ago, Christmas had more to do with turkey shoots and a kindly police chief ... Turkey Shoot at Kennecott A very successful turkey shoot was held at Kennecott on Christmas day starting at 10 a.m. and lasting until 3:30 p.m. It was a decided financial success as well as being thoroughly enjoyed by bo...
The first snow has fallen across Alaska, transforming our landscape into a quiet wonderland. But December brings more than just crystalline beauty – it carries the profound warmth of human connection, wrapped in the age-old tradition of giving. Think back to the most meaningful gift you've ever received. Chances are, its value wasn't measured in dollars, but in the thought behind it. This season, we're reimagining gift-giving through a lens of wellness and intention. In a world increasingly dominated by screens, gifting items that encourage a...
Last year for the first time ever, the nation's top panel of preventive health experts, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF, recommended that doctors routinely screen all adult patients under 65 for anxiety disorder. Evidence shows that anxiety screening can help those patients find peace of mind, as the USPSTF said in recommendations that were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in June of 2023. The Task Force found for patients age 19 to 64 evidence is robust that screening leads to a reduction of...
