Sorted by date Results 853 - 877 of 2084
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) coronavirus stimulus package, which President Joe Biden signed into law in March, was designed to defeat the virus, get vaccines in the arms of Americans, checks in the pockets of those who need it, and jump-start the U.S. economy back to health, including safely re-opening schools. This bill is so large in scale – $1.9 trillion – that Republicans in both chambers opposed the legislation unanimously, characterizing it as bloated, crammed with what House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy called a “liberal wish list....
As a retired Alaskan, I depend on quality health care from knowledgeable professionals. The health care workers I see regularly are people I know and have come to trust with my care. Alaska has a stringent set of standards when it comes to nurse licensing and robust continuing education requirements. It makes sense; we have a diverse population, both ethnically and geographically, and our aging population is growing as more and more people decide to make Alaska their retirement destination. Alaska depends on these highly trained professionals t...
No point being a member of the “Nice Club.” We seniors are important, and there are a lot of us. There are 139,000 seniors (age 60+) in the state. We represent 19% of the total Alaska population. According to the June 2019 issue of Alaska Economic Trends, Alaska seniors are growing faster than in any other state. We are one heck of a voting bloc, and we contribute billions of dollars to the state’s economy every year. Nevertheless, I resist beating my chest yelling, “We are invincible!” Because we are not. The pandemic hit us pretty hard and...
Smart watch detects COVID infection A new kind of smart watch may be able to tell if you become infected with COVID-19. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine researchers are testing whether a wristwatch can capture real-time data and alert wearers of subtle physiological changes that may indicate they have become infected with COVID-19. The goal of the research is to prevent COVID-19 transmission in healthcare settings by letting wearers know that they may have been infected before clinical signs or symptoms of the virus start, accordin...
Hospice of Anchorage is pleased to announce an exciting expansion of our Resource Center. All resources will be available to the Anchorage community at no cost. This expansion helps fulfill our mission: to help individuals and families prepare for and live well with serious life-limiting illness, dying and grief. We work toward this mission through running the Resource Center for our community, and through our Lifeways Program that provides free nursing, social work, and volunteer support to anyone with a life-limiting illness. Equipment and...
What is home health care? What services are included in home health care? Who is eligible for these services? These are some common questions that people have about their Medicare benefits. Home health care includes a wide range of health and social services delivered in your home to treat illness or injury. Medicare covers skilled nursing services, such as injections and catheter changes. It covers home health aides, such as to help with bathing and dressing, and medical social services, such as counseling. It also covers skilled therapy servi...
April is a busy month for all Alaskans and the wonderful prospect of seeing more friends and family is right around the corner. Alaska Health Fair’s busy office and community draw schedule is updated occasionally, so check our website for the most recent event listings. We continue to follow our appointment model, which works extremely well, and our clients are pleased with the services. All dates are posted on our website, under specific Alaska regions, at www.alaskahealthfair.org Our Anchorage and Fairbanks offices hold blood draws in t...
As the old saying goes, “It’s not a matter of if, but when.” Unfortunately, for older adults and people living with dementia, a hospitalization is more often a matter of when. Do you have an emergency hospital plan in place? Being prepared can make the experience less overwhelming. Being in the hospital is stressful for most but especially for people living with dementia, who may exhibit anxiety, agitation, aggression and resistance to care. Medical tests, procedures and treatments can be overwhelming and frightening. A person with demen...
Boosting veggie intake may benefit the brain What you eat on a daily basis may be very important in terms of preventing dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a condition that often precedes full-blown dementia. A new study shows that there may be hidden brain benefits from eating more vegetables. Postmenopausal women who ate high levels of plant protein had lower risks of premature death, cardiovascular disease and dementia-related death compared with women who ate less plant proteins,...
Question: My mom received both dosages of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and I recently traveled home to visit her. While there I noticed she was having trouble doing tasks she used to do with ease. Living so far away, how can I support her growing needs, yet be respectful of still wanting her independence? Answer: Seeing a parent getting older can be a new and emotional experience and understanding that our population is generally living longer puts into sharp focus the emerging needs of older...
The Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP), through a grant provided by the Municipality of Anchorage, is pleased to announce our expanded 2021 Weatherization, Accessibility, Repair and Modifications (WARM) Home Program. The WARM Home program consists of three categories that emphasize health, safety and indoor air quality: Weatherization, mobile home repair and accessibility upgrades. Each service is available to eligible homes in Anchorage, Girdwood, Chugiak and Eagle River. WARM Home Program staff assess each eligible home...
The Mat-Su Health Foundation is working to develop a vibrant, mixed-use Community Health Campus on land it owns surrounding Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and is seeking input from the public about the project. Mat-Su residents are encouraged to complete the Mat-Su Community Health Campus Project Survey now through April 4, 2021, at www.matsucommunityhealthcampus.org. Surveys will be accepted after that date as well. Mat-Su Health Foundation contracted with HDR, Inc. to create a master plan that will help provide a long-range vision for how...
Q. What is Clubhouse? A. Clubhouse is a new social network that connects people in audio chat rooms. It has become quite popular in the last couple of months and is by invitation only. If it continues to accelerate, it will only be a matter of time before someone invites you to join. But my advice is to tread cautiously. The Clubhouse app does a few things that old-time internet folks such as myself find distasteful. When you first sign on you are asked for permission to access your contact list. Say no and you are stopped cold. Say yes and Clu...
As is now well-known, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color. For American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, the virus has proven to be extremely deadly for people living in both rural and urban settings. Additionally, COVID-19 rates may be higher in this group due to persistent health disparities such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease among AI/AN populations. Perhaps counterintuitively, cultural traditions, beliefs and practices among...
I got vaccinated at the Alaska Airlines Center, a large sports stadium on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. I said to Christy, my wife, “Now I know what salmon on a cannery conveyer belt feel like.” OK, not a perfect analogy because the salmon is being disassembled while I was just getting a COVID-19 shot. Nevertheless, the whole process was tightly organized and moved right along at a brisk pace. In fact, it lived up quite well to the (possibly informal) Alaska COVID Taskforce motto, “Shots in arms – fast and fair.” Here’s th...
Many older adults are becoming fully immunized against COVID-19. Being immunized is an important way to keep yourself safe but vaccines do not allow you to drop all other public health precautions to prevent COVID-19. While full immunization should help prevent a person from developing severe illness or being hospitalized, transmitting the virus to others is still a concern. Handwashing and mask-wearing are still required. “This is not only for your own health, but even more for the health of others. I would caution folks not to abandon good hy...
Did you know that Medicare can help cover costs associated with behavioral health care? Behavioral health care includes mental illness and addiction-related issues. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “a mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling or mood.” Substance use disorders and addiction do not fall under this definition of mental health illness, but they are considered behavioral health conditions. Examples of mental health illnesses include depression and anxiety. Examples of addic...
Alaska Health Fair’s spring schedule is busy providing services to Alaskans. Find current dates at www.alaskahealthfair.org and check back frequently, as the schedule is fluid. We continue to add new dates as they come available and make changes as needed. We are following our approved essential services plan and all COVID-19 preventative measures; and helping Alaskans to stay healthy. We are also looking for volunteers that can provide registration, phlebotomy and supportive services; so let us know if you’re interested. Anchorage and Fai...
Dear Savvy Senior: What can you tell me about balance exercises? I’ve fallen a few times over the past year and have read that balance exercises can help me regain my steadiness, but I’m not exactly sure what to do. — Unsteady at 70 Dear Unsteady: Most people don’t think much about practicing their balance, but they need to. As we age, our balance declines if it isn’t practiced, which can lead to falls that often result in a broken bone. Every year more than one in four people age 65 and older fall, and the risk increases with age. Here’s what...
With senior centers still closed for most activities, the Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold all March peer support meetings on Tuesdays, 1 to 2:30 p.m., at its office at 44539 Sterling Highway, Suite 202 in the Blazy Mall in Soldotna. Social distancing will be respected, masks worn and hand sanitizer provided at the meetings, and virtual attendance via Zoom can be arranged for those who can’t make it in person. Different topics will be discussed at each meeting. Bring your questions and ideas. You may also schedule o...
"Move today and you'll love moving tomorrow." - Ruthy Alon, Feldenkrais Method© Practitioner and movement trainer. We have endless options to move, to go place to place, up and down, side to side, but can you feel the pleasure, the efficiency in your movement? As children we're curious. Reaching for a toy, we roll over for our first time, we crawl to fetch, walk to explore a new place. Yet, as the years go by, many folks find it challenging to get enough exercise. Health benefits of...
Are you caring for someone who is seriously ill? We can help. Hospice of Anchorage understands that being a caregiver is an important job. You shoulder many responsibilities caring for a friend or relative who is seriously ill. You may also have strong feelings arise as you watch your loved one coping with the difficulties of poor health. We are here to help with: Educational articles Caregiving tips Connections to local services Links to national resources A family blog tool A monthly newsletter You don’t have to do this alone. We are happy t...
Newly discovered benefits of tea and coffee Adding more tea and coffee drinking to your daily routine may reap some important hidden health benefits. Stroke and heart attack survivors can reduce multiple causes of death and prevent further cardiovascular events by drinking green tea, according to a new Japanese study. Researchers also found daily coffee consumption benefited heart attack survivors by lowering their risk of death after a heart attack and can prevent heart attacks or strokes in...
Having an autoimmune condition, or a thyroid condition can make you more susceptible to coronavirus complications. Think of autoimmune conditions in the same manner you would other immunosuppressive disorders (cancer, organ transplantation, history of radiation treatment or chemotherapy). As it pertains to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves disease or hypothyroidism, you need to be extra vigilant while you’re out in public because your immunity is compromised. The right dose of thyroid medication, and the right kind are critical because you may...
Every five years since 1980, the U.S. government has released a new version of the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”. These reports are thorough reviews of up-to-date diet and health research, focused on population-wide health promotion and chronic disease prevention. If one looks at the earliest guidelines through to the present, in some ways they don’t appear terribly different. But, the small and subtle changes in each version are the result of exhaustive consideration of the evidence and expert scientific thought. The earliest versi...
