Sorted by date Results 878 - 902 of 2084
Friends of Seniors, Catholic Community Service (CCS) Juneau's latest volunteer program, addresses gaps in community care. The program matches senior participants age 60 and older with local volunteers to assist with non-medical, advocacy and daily support care. Friends of Seniors supports seniors with a variety of needs, and the only requirement is the age limit: anyone needing support can participate. Before the COVID-19 pandemic settled in last March, Jennifer Carson, Director of Home and...
Recently I came in from my afternoon snowshoe laps and quickly removed all my winter gear. While waiting for my tea water to heat, I pondered my enjoyment of my favorite winter exercise. I hadn't gone out the previous day because of a 6-degree temperature along with our famous Mat-Valley winds, which were blowing snow sideways. But, my recent session had been exhilarating. Fresh moose, snowshoe hare, and mouse tracks all showed that I wasn't the only one to venture out once the "blizzard" let up...
Before Alaska International Senior Games Athlete Carol Johnson even had a bicycle, her ten-year old adventurous self was drawn to biking, learning from her grade school friends on their bikes. Fast forward 60-plus years to an April spring day in 2020. Carol was on one of her regular outings riding around Fairbanks when she noticed her bike skipping gears, so she stopped by the local bike shop. While checking it in for service, she remembered a conversation she had in 2019 with another cyclist...
Some significant changes affecting seniors on health care issues may have gotten lost in the tumultuous whirlwind changes between the end of the Trump administration and the start of the Biden administration. Amid the increasing intensity of the pandemic, the violent turbulence at the U.S. Capitol, and the slower than expected rollout of the first vaccines, Congress actually got some important things done affecting seniors that went unnoticed, buried in the massive spending package. Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package and...
Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage and Mat-Su area? Want to get the word out about your own service? The monthly Service Providers Breakfast (formerly known as the Interagency Breakfast), sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, Inc., is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, the monthly event is being continued virtually online via Zoom. The February meeting is Feb. 10, hosted by Ancora Home Health & Hospice. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons...
COVID testing time reduced to less than five minutes A new COVID-19 test that reduces testing time from 30 minutes to less than five and delivers accurate results has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham in England. The researchers believe their method could deliver a test that is not only fast but also sufficiently sensitive. The test does not require samples to be treated at high temperatures, and it can be performed using standard laboratory equipment, making it readily deployable. Professor Tim Dafforn from the...
On Dec. 23, 2020, Congress passed a new provision called the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act of 2020, or “BENES Act” of 2020 as part of the $900 billion pandemic aid package. This bill had wide bipartisan support in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill also had strong support from more than 85 national and state organizations that support older adults and people with disabilities. The BENES Act is the first update to Original Medicare (Me...
Alaska Health Fair’s spring schedule is now online, with most events already posted at www.alaskahealthfair.org. Check back frequently, as the spring season is fluid. We continue to add new dates as they come available and/or remove some. During spring 2021, we are following our 2020 model of “by appointment only.” To make a blood test appointment, follow these easy steps: Find the program that serves your region; pick a date you’re interested in, select the “Make Appointment” button on that line. The system will walk you through a simple proce...
A good way to lose weight is to exercise more. It is by far the healthiest way to tone up and shrink your waistline. The problem is that some of you cannot work out, or your gym is closed, or you don’t feel well enough to due to some health issue, or injury. So if you’re more sedentary than you used to be, and the pounds are piling up, then the next best thing is to eat smaller portions at each meal. Try cutting back on your portions by 10% each meal until you’re eating a healthy amount, and no longer over-eating. Also, try closing your kitch...
Cancer drug repurposed may help protect against hearing loss According to the World Health Organization, around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, a number the organization projects will double by 2050 to affect 1 in 10 people. However, a new study out of Creighton University School of Medicine has identified a drug that has the potential to protect against or treat hearing loss. The findings are significant because no such FDA-approved drug currently exists, and the drug...
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." An insightful quote from artist Pablo Picasso, and a great reminder that each of us has the potential for artistic expression. There is no doubt that creativity is good for us at any age and especially as we age. Studies have shown that older adults who participate in creative activities have a better quality of life and maintain independence more easily. Renowned geriatric psychiatrist Gene Cohen conducted "The...
Sexual intimacy among “horny old broads and dirty old men” is a subject people don’t talk about much. Especially around the grandkids. There’s a widespread misconception that seniors lose interest. Oo-la-la, au contraire. Unclench please, we’re all adults. Don’t get uptight and mentally censor or deem sinful the urges that come naturally. A University of Michigan/AARP survey finds 40 percent of people ages 65 to 80 are sexually active. Nearly 72 percent of individuals in that age range have a romantic partner and of those, 54 percent are...
In March 2020, Alaska International Senior Games athlete Goldie Southwood made a decision that had a huge impact on her life. Goldie's big heart has led her to be an awesome volunteer in her North Pole community. However, she spent so much of her day helping others that she ignored herself and her health was declining. With COVID shutting her community down, Goldie was fighting depression. Using her time to think about herself for a change, she decided that her health was important to her. So sh...
AARP Alaska has appointed Madeline Holdorf, a lifetime community activist, to the top volunteer position in Alaska. As the new State President for Alaska, Holdorf will chair the AARP Alaska Executive Council, a volunteer leadership committee that helps set AARP's state agenda and programs for its 77,000 members and volunteers. "I am honored to accept this appointment and to advocate on behalf of Alaskans 50 and older," said Holdorf. "As a long-time AARP member and volunteer, I am committed to...
Dear Savvy Senior: I will turn 65 in a few months and plan to keep working for several more years. I have good health insurance from my employer now. Do I have to sign up for Medicare when I reach 65? — Looking Ahead Dear Looking: Whether you need to enroll in Medicare at 65 if you continue to work and have health insurance through your job depends on how large your employer is. The same rules apply if your health insurance comes from your spouse’s job. But first, let’s review the basics. Remember that original Medicare has two parts: Part...
Air travel requires spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people and frequently touched surfaces. Social distancing is difficult in busy airports and on crowded flights, and sitting within 6 feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of getting COVID-19. How you get to and from the airport, such as with public transportation and ridesharing, can also increase your chances of being exposed to the virus. Testing before and after travel can reduce the risk of spreadi...
President-elect Joe Biden will not get a traditional honeymoon from Congressional lawmakers to start off his new administration in January. It will severely limit what he can accomplish on his ambitious health care agenda. With sharp divides in both houses of Congress, where a few votes one way or the other could determine success or failure, Biden may even have trouble getting his Cabinet nominations through. Without a doubt, Biden's two-prong agenda – to solve the coronavirus pandemic and patc...
My name is Katie Dougherty, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Associate State Director for Communications at our AARP state office. I am a lifetime Alaskan with years of experience in local and federal policy. I look forward to working with Alaskans 50 and older to improve quality of life for elders across the state. While 2020 was a crazy ride, we at AARP are gearing up with another great year of events and resources – and we’re prepared to bring you the same great programming virtually until it’s safe to gather once more. This...
As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it is becoming increasingly clear that the virus disproportionately affects communities of color, American Indian, Alaska Native and LGBT communities. Of those affected, perhaps one of the most overlooked groups are diverse family caregivers who may be simultaneously caring for families, aging loved ones and themselves during the pandemic. Particularly for African American and Black communities, the caregiving role may lead to worse health outcomes due to the lack of formal supports and increased barriers...
Growing up in a large family and ten years of dabbling as a caterer makes cooking for a crowd my default. Even with many intervening years, I still tend to cook much larger quantities than truly needed - smaller amounts just don't look like enough and my go-to recipes don't help. Prior to COVID-19 limiting the social circle, extra quantities might have been shared with co-workers or friends. But without these extra eaters, and considerably more home cooking than usual for my small, safe "pod",...
As you may have known or suspected, Medicare is the largest medical insurance program in the U.S. As of October 2020, there are more than 62.9 million people enrolled in Medicare nationwide, according to the Medicare Enrollment Dashboard. Medicare program costs are evaluated each year and the premiums, deductibles and co-pays are adjusted. Here are some of the changes in Medicare for 2021. Medicare Part A hospital coverage The vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries do not pay a monthly premium...
We are so happy to ring in the New Year and all that it will bring to Alaska residents. We hope that 2021 brings wonderful things for those in your world. Our seasonal schedule is still in the development phase, with some events already posted on our website at www.alaskahealthfair.org. Please check back frequently, as we will continue to add new dates as they come available and we firm up the entire season. To make a blood test appointment using our website, just follow these easy steps: Pick a date you’re interested in, select the “Make App...
By LAWRENCE D. WEISS For Senior Voice “Help is on the way!” -- Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. I’ll amend that – not only is help on the way, but it is here now. Alaska’s initial allocations of vaccines are: Pfizer: 35,100 doses Moderna: 26,800 doses The Pfizer doses arrived the second week in December, and the Moderna doses should now be in Alaska. All together these are intended to be the first of two doses for approximately 62,000 Alaskans. After that, regular shipments of vaccines...
A better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease Some very good news to report when it comes to battling Alzheimer’s disease: A novel form of an Alzheimer’s protein found in the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord indicates what stage of the disease a person is in, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Tau tangles are thought to be toxic to neurons, and their spread through the brain foretells the death of brain tissue and cogni...
Lockdowns, job losses and social isolation have been the hallmarks of COVID-19 here in Alaska. However, this pandemic also is denying humans the most basic sense – touch. This is triggering a boom for the pet industry. In the absence of human-to-human contact in millions of households worldwide, animals have stepped into the breach for many people. They now are providing much needed comfort via cuddles, pats and a constant physical presence. A new study published by University of South A...
