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Fall prevention is key to retaining independence for older adults. Falls are a significant contributor to premature morbidity (lack of wellness) and mortality (death) in seniors. Loss of mobility, self-confidence and independence due to falls creates an enormous financial and emotional burden on seniors. Sobering statistics One-third of adults aged 65 years and older experience a fall each year and the risk increases proportionally with age. Non-fatal falls continue to pose a significant social...
There are almost too many things to remember when you change residences. This month’s article will help with how to manage your Medicare coverage before, during and after a move. The Medicare Information Office provides a checklist of items to complete, helping your move be free from additional aggravation and frustration. Moving into or out of Alaska If you have Original Medicare (Parts A and B), you will not need to make changes to your Medicare when moving within the U.S. since Original M...
Domestic pets have gone through changes over the years from being a part of the family to actually being family. Now, ads on television and in print highlight dogs saying "Mom, I like this food best!" In a world in turmoil, especially dogs and cats, become our children who don't talk back or beg for expensive toys, and do provide companionship, love and exercise. Like human health insurance, pets now need insurance for routine visits and specialized treatment as they age-just like us. Common...
A new study has found that older adults entering skilled-nursing facilities may have a hidden health benefit from the shingles vaccine. Researchers found that those who received the recombinant shingles vaccine (RZV) had a lower risk of developing dementia over the following four years compared with those who were not vaccinated. Older adults admitted to skilled nursing facilities are at higher risk for both dementia and shingles. The findings, which were published in the Annals of Internal...
From icy walkways to long distances between towns, our state presents unique challenges. One of the most important tools for protecting yourself and your loved ones is a figurative jumper box for the heart. It is called an AED, which stands for automated external defibrillator. This small device can save a life during a heart emergency, and knowing how to use one could make you a hero in your community. An AED is a portable machine that helps a person whose heart has suddenly stopped beating cor...
Medicare and Medicaid are sometimes hard to understand, especially if you are eligible for both insurance programs. This month’s article will discuss how the two programs work together and how to apply for both. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the agency which provides regulatory oversight over both programs. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older. People younger than age 65 with certain disabilities, permanent kidney failure, or a...
Sitting in a circle holding hands and praying may have some hidden health benefits, even for non-believers. A randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has found that a five-minute session of proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) significantly reduced pain and anxiety in primary care patients compared to a music control group. The PIP approach involves an in-person prayer offered by a trained volunteer. The findings, published in The Annals of Family...
A major component of both physical and psychological well-being is to have a happy, functioning digestive system. This means your appetite is good and you stop eating when about 80% full, to not over-eat, which prematurely ages our bodies over time. Also, you have a bowel movement every day (nothing better than pooping before having to get out the door!), and nothing hurts after eating. One component of having a happy belly (thus setting yourself up for living your best life) is to eat...
The average Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace deductible saw the steepest increase in history-growing by 37% or more than $1,000, from $2,759 in 2025 to $3,786 in 2026 as enhanced premium tax credits expired, according to an analysis by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy organization which also runs a health-related news service. The full analysis is available here. Between 2021 and 2025, Americans searching for healthcare coverage in the ACA Marketplace 2010 benefited from premium tax...
Medicare’s telehealth coverage has been expanded across Alaska to allow more people to access care at home. Let’s learn about what you can expect now and into the future with Medicare’s telehealth coverage. What is telehealth? Telehealth includes certain services that you receive from a healthcare provider outside of an in-person office visit. A telehealth service is a full visit with a provider using telephone or video technology that allows for both audio and video communication. It is diffe...
If you're like me and walk more than drive, consider solidly built walking shoes to be your best to avoiding any injury or sores and blisters. You've seen the ads all over touting slip-on sneakers and shoes, but this seems counter-intuitive. If sustaining flexibility is a goal for later years, what does lifting your foot onto a chair to lace them do to you instead of bending over and lacing them? Makes you less flexible. Also, walking shoes or sneakers that must be laced add an additional solid...
New tools for combatting breast cancer Immunotherapy has become a standard of care in treating high-risk, early-stage breast cancers, yet it has had limited success in shrinking tumors, so new biomarkers that can improve outcomes for patients are urgently needed. Now, researchers at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, have found that repeated blood sampling (liquid biopsy) can assess and predict the evolving antitumor immune response to therapy. This minimally invasive...
Living in Alaska means sharing our beautiful state with wildlife and the pets we love at home. Dogs and cats bring comfort and joy, but even gentle animals can cause accidental injuries. Knowing how to respond can prevent serious problems, especially when medical help may be far away. Animal bites and scratches happen more often than people think. A dog might nip during play. A cat might scratch while jumping off a lap. These injuries can lead to infection if they are not treated quickly and...
You never know when a medical emergency will arise, but you can be prepared, both for yourself and for a loved one. Emergency services and urgently needed care Emergency care is needed to evaluate or treat emergency medical conditions. An emergency medical condition is severe enough that someone with an average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect your health to be in danger if you don’t get medical attention right away. If you’re pregnant, this could also mean that the hea...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ll be 65 in a few months and could sure use some help sorting through all the confusing Medicare options that are available to me. Where can I get help with my Medicare decisions? - Baffled Bob Dear Bob, With around 11,400 Baby Boomers turning 65 every day in 2026, you’re asking a very timely question. Many people approaching Medicare are confused by all the choices available today. In addition to original Medicare (Part A and B) that has been around for more than 60 years, you also have the option of enrolling in a Part D...
Low vitamin D levels associated with higher risk of dementia A new study published in the journal Neurology is suggesting that vitamin D may be good for brain health and possibly lower the risk for dementia in older adults. Having higher levels of vitamin D in the blood in middle age was found to be associated with lower levels of tau protein in the brain, which is a sign of dementia. “These results suggests that higher vitamin D levels in midlife may offer protection against developing these t...
Anchorage and Juneau will both host events in May to connect members of the community with resources about Parkinson's disease that are organized by the American Parkinson Disease Association. The event in Juneau is May 6 and it's an afternoon of information. The event in Anchorage is May 9 and it's all day. Both events are titled "Parkinson's today: A conversation on care, treatment and living well." There is also a Parkinson's Care Partner Education Day in Juneau on May 7. It's from 9:30 to...
With everything it takes to stay healthy-primarily making good choices about food and attitude every day-contemplating the molecules that facilitate our mind-body connection may seem academic. Hopefully, some readers will derive pleasure and awe thinking about how human cognition and physiology evolved over the millennia. This column will feature an essential triad of sophisticated chemical structures generated within our bodies, without which we would not be able to live the lives we enjoy (and...
Receiving home health care can be available for some Medicare recipients. To be eligible for Medicare coverage of home health services, you must be homebound. In other words, it must be difficult for you to leave your home and doing so requires significant effort. The help you need can be from another person or from medical equipment such as crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair. You are also considered homebound if your doctor believes that your health or illness could get worse if you leave...
In 1994, when I reported for the Arctic Sounder in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), I was catapulted off a freight sled on the way out to a whaling camp. My left knee swelled and was strained by insulated overalls. Because I was a cyclist, I manage for decades to avoid surgery, save for a meniscus repair (a C-shaped piece of tough, rubbery cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the shinbone and the thighbone). I got to watch the surgery on a video screen as I requested a spinal. Hardly any...
New research is showing that adults who engage in lifelong learning such as reading, writing and learning languages have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and slower cognitive decline. The study does not prove that lifelong learning decreases the risk of Alzheimer's. It only shows an association. The study looked at 1,939 adults and examined cognitive enrichment including access to newspapers as children and having library cards in middle age. People in the top 10% of lifetime cognitive...
Alaska Health Fairs, a nonprofit that provides education, has several health fairs coming up in April and May. You can see the full schedule and make an appointment at this link Wasilla - April 4, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Fyzical Therapy, 650 N Shoreline Dr., Wasilla, 99654 Kodiak - April 10, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Kodiak Senior Center, 302 Erskine Ave, Kodiak, 99615 Anchorage - April 15, 8 a.m.-noon, Hope Community Resources, 570 W 53rd Ave., Anchorage, 99518 Houston - April 18, 8 a.m.-noon, Houston Mid-Valley Senior Center, 1975 W. Midvalley Way,...
Minor accidents happen frequently, but sometimes what didn't bother us before is a real nuisance now. A slip on an icy walkway, a cut while preparing dinner, or a bruise from bumping into furniture are common experiences for many people. Knowing how to handle these minor injuries properly can help you heal faster and prevent bigger problems down the road. Let's start with sprains, which happen when we twist or stretch a ligament too far. If you roll your ankle or hurt your wrist, remember the...
According to the latest report on health care quality across America, Alaska ranks as the second worst in terms of several factors. A study by the stem cell treatment center called Auragens examined health care systems in all 50 states, comparing safety, response time, and medical bills. New York ranked the worst state to get sick in America. In New York, medical expenses reach $14,000 per person and emergency rooms taking three hours to see patients. Alaska ranks second-worst, charging $13,600...
