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When Palmer Senior Center, a facility under the Mat-Su Senior Services, announced on Feb. 17 that its on-site lunch program would end Feb. 21, seniors expressed anger, sorrow and understanding on its Facebook page. The center’s page disabled comments, so they weren’t visible, but people sharing the announcement posted plenty of their own reactions: “For most Alaska-bound seniors like myself, it’s about the only socially significant thing to do to get out of the house in winter,” wrote one. “I don’t qualify for Medicaid but that doesn’t mean...
Assistive technology can increase an individual’s independence, enhance their quality of life, and give them control over their well-being. While that may seem like a big promise, it is easily achievable. Almost everyone uses assistive technology, but often it’s seen as a gadget, tool, device or piece of software that makes things easier for the user. However, for someone that experiences a barrier because of an impairment or disability, it can be life-changing. Examples of assistive technology include: personal listening devices for amp...
AGEnet stands for Alaska Geriatric Exchange Network, primarily made up of private non-profit organizations founded in Alaska. AGEnet’s goal is to help older Alaskans age in place, supporting them to live safely in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and avoid costly institutional care, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Community grants help Alaska’s seniors to age in place. Not only do older Alaskans prefer to stay in their own homes, it is also the least costly type of care. Last year, 19,000 older Alaskans ben...
We want it to be spring, but Alaska will continue experiencing icy sidewalks and slick roads for weeks. However, you can still get excellent exercise by walking safely and making yourself more visible to drivers. Wearing items that make you more visible, such as reflective tape, helps drivers see you in the dark. Center for Safe Alaskans is giving out free reflective tape by mail. To request reflective tape, call 907-929-3939 or visit the center's website at https://safealaskans.org/reflectivetape/. A grant from the Alaska Highway Safety Office...
We feature here selections from two interviews. The first is with Deborah Bear, Anchorage senior activist, who presents her experiences and views regarding access to primary health care as a senior with Medicare. The second is with Tamara Brown, chief executive for Providence Clinical Network, who explains how Providence is responding to the need. These interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Weiss: Deborah Bear, how did you get started as an activist about the issue of access to pri...
Prior to the close of 2022, AARP Alaska received great news when Juneau, Alaska, became the 734th city to be enrolled in the AARP Network of Age Friendly States and Communities. Juneau joins Anchorage (the 678th city enrolled) to promote neighborhood unity and maximize opportunities for residents to be active and engaged with their neighbors, family and friends to develop a community that invites and supports the participation of older people. Age-friendly communities improve the health and well-being of everyone, from newborns to...
If you're a senior, family member of a senior or social worker, you know the frustration of trying to find availability in long term care. With long waitlists for senior housing across the state, Timber Creek Senior Living is welcome news not just for Fairbanks, but for the state as a whole. As the aging population continues to grow across the state, seniors and families sometimes feel left behind as senior services and care communities are not keeping up with the growing demand. Timber Creek...
Many Alaskans age 65 and older who are eligible to receive Senior Benefits from the state, do not. In part, it is because they have never heard of this benefit and, in part, some are under the impression that this benefit has long been eliminated. There is also another group of seniors who know about the benefit, have been receiving it for years, but since the reapplication process, have not received it. This article is to address seniors in all of these categories. What is Senior Benefits and how to apply The State of Alaska Senior Benefits...
Alaska is getting older every day. We expect by 2030 that 30% of us will be 55 and older and still in the workforce, so Alaska has a different issue. We are trying to bring retirees back into the workforce. – Rita Gray, MASST I had a most interesting conversation in mid-January with Rita Gray, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training (MASST). I wanted to discuss ageism against seniors in the Alaskan workplace. Her response was not what I expected. Selections from the interview follow and have been edited f...
Tax scams are among the most stubborn cons out there. They reappear often, each time with a slightly different spin. Better Business Bureau advises taxpayers to watch out for these four tax scams: IRS impersonation scam According to the 2022 BBB Online Scams Report, impersonating an authority figure or organization accounted for 54% of online purchase scams. IRS impersonation scams most often start with a phone call from a fake IRS agent. The “agent” says you owe back taxes and pressures you into paying by prepaid debit card or wire tra...
Dear Savvy Senior: Can you recommend some good reacher-grabber tools for seniors with back or hip problems who need help picking things up off the ground? I bought a cheap one a few months ago that doesn’t work very well but would like to find one that does. – Bad Back Betty Dear Betty: A good “reacher-grabber” is a very practical and popular tool for anyone who struggles with injuries, arthritis or loss of mobility. It works like an extension of your arm allowing you to reach down and pick things up off the ground without bending or stooping o...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, Inc., returns Jan. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appetizers and refreshments provided. This month’s program features Anchorage audiologist and author Dr. Thomas McCarty, who will talk about how treating hearing loss and tinnitus can contribute to a healthy brain, promote independence as we age and may reduce the risk of dementia. Doors open with a li...
Puppy scams remain consistently profitable for scammers because their multi-tiered setup allows them to convincingly go back to a consumer several times to ask for money, according to a Better Business Bureau study update. So far this year, while pet scams in North America appear to be on the decline, consumer losses are expected to exceed $2 million. That total is down by a third since the peak of more than $3 million during the pandemic in 2020-2021, according to BBB Scam Tracker. Average monetary losses in puppy scams are climbing, however,...
AARP Foundation Tax Aide Program in Alaska is happy to announce we will be open to prepare taxes this season beginning February 1 through April 18, 2023. We have many sites in Anchorage and other Alaska communities, with the most current information on the site locator at www.aarp.org/taxaide or by calling Alaska 2-1-1 information and referral line by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221. This season Tax-Aide will have multiple service delivery models. It will be important for tax clients to review the service delivery models for each site before...
Many of us are not fans of New Year’s resolutions, so I prefer to look at it as setting goals for the new year. Some of those goals end up being accomplished – some not, for a variety of reasons that reveal themselves during the new year. Bonus is that sometimes writing down our goals can make a big difference in our outlook on life. Here are a few ideas to get started thinking about what you may want to accomplish in 2023: Make new friends (or stay in better touch with current friends). Plan more activities with others. Maybe in the pro...
Update: Due to snow conditions, this event has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Dec. 20. “Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, Inc., returns Dec. 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appetizers and refreshments provided. This month’s program features Anchorage Senior Activity Center fitness instructor Brittney Mitchell and friends, presenting a workshop presentation on winter wellness. Doors open with...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received Nov. 23, 2022. Today, Alaska became the first state in the country to elect its state and federal officials using ranked choice voting, an election system that rewards candidates who build deep and broad voter coalitions. Alaskan voters have twice now used the open, non-partisan primary and ranked choice voting general election system they adopted by ballot measure in 2020. A near consensus of general election voters (79%) found the new election system simple to use, and most voters took advan...
One fine day in early November I grabbed Jim McCall, who manages the Senior Office of the Alaska Housing and Finance Corporation (AHFC), for a friendly Zoom chat. His subject: The just-released Anchorage Assisted Living Survey. The following includes Jim’s “big picture” responses to a few of the more important issues, with significance for all of Alaska in addition to Anchorage. Questions and responses have been edited for length and clarity. Weiss: Jim, you work in the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). What is that? McCall: AHFC...
On a chilly Tuesday evening, Nov. 1, the beautifully renovated Anchorage Senior Activity Center was abuzz with chatter and activity as residents of Anchorage shared input on Anchorage as an Age-Friendly Community. The Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC), an international initiative, began in 2006 to encourage cities to be ready for rapidly aging populations by helping people thrive in their homes and communities as they age. The recent listening session was the program for the November gathering for Age Smart, a monthly...
If you love visiting with seniors and want to speak up for them, join the dedicated volunteer advocates of the Alaska Long Term Care Ombudsman program. Volunteer ombudsmen are needed to advocate for seniors living in assisted living homes and skilled nursing facilities. Volunteers are needed statewide, including Anchorage, Bethel, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Galena, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Nome, North Pole, Palmer, Petersburg, Sitka, Soldotna, Tanana, Valdez, Seward, Wasilla and Wrangell. Training and supervision...
Alaskan winters provide a great opportunity to contemplate our driving as we take our time navigating darkness and snow. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) observes Older Driver Safety Awareness Week on the first week of December. According to the Centers for Disease Control, older drivers are more likely to be injured in a crash. Fortunately, most injuries can be prevented through simple adjustments you can make to the driver's seat. For Older Driver Safety Awareness Week,...
Anchorage’s Opportunities for Lifelong Education program, OLÉ!, begins its winter term registration Dec. 15. Class descriptions and schedules will be posted to the OLÉ! website around Dec. 5, and classes for the term begin the third week of January, according to OLÉ! staff. Some 35 new classes are expected to be offered. OLÉ! is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization that provides courses aimed to people 50+ years of age – classes for the curious, no tests or grades required. Become a member and you may take as many classes as you like fo...
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." - Diane Ackerman Looking for some fun games as gifts or to play when grandkids come to visit that also serve a purpose? Math is one of kids' least-loved subjects because it's often an unpleasant experience of boring lessons, memorization, and testing that isn't always conducive to learning authentic information and understanding important concepts. But it doesn't have to be that way. The following board games make learning math and money concepts...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received Nov. 28, 2022. On Nov. 13, 2022, the Alaska Office of Elder Fraud and Assistance won a $1.47 million judgment against defendants James Vernon and Carla Sigler, formerly of Yakutat, now living in Bosque County, Texas, for the financial exploitation of Yakutat resident Neva Ogle. The Siglers took $700,000 in funds from Mrs. Ogle over the course of two years. They used $380,000 of the funds to fund a cash purchase of a five-bedroom home with a swimming pool for themselves in Texas and spent the r...
Dear Savvy Senior: What are the most common scams today that target elderly seniors? My 75-year-old mother has been swindled several times over the past year, so I’m being extra cautious. –Paranoid Patty Dear Patty: Great question. While many scams today are universal, there are certain types of fraud that specifically target older adults or affects them disproportionately. And unfortunately, these senior targeted scams are on the rise. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in 2021 there were 92,371 older victims of fraud resu...
