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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...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, returns Nov. 1, from 6:30 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 is a listening session with AARP Alaska on the Age Friendly Livable Communities initiative. Share your thoughts on what makes Anchorage inclusive for seniors and community members of all ages and abilities. Prior to the forum, there will be a presentati...
The Division of Banking and Securities’ mission is to protect consumers of financial services and promote safe and sound financial systems. We have seen multiple instances of elder fraud and scams involving different approaches: Purchasing investments – gold and silver; online shopping; business impostors; tech support; government impersonation; romance scams. Most recently, the financial circumstances of some older Alaskans have been negatively impacted by a scam involving precious metal trading. The Division of Banking and Securities adv...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, returns Oct. 11, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appetizers and refreshments provided, and also streamed live via Zoom. This month’s program is a gubernatorial forum, with candidates answering questions, including those from attendees. Prior to the forum, there will be a presentation about ranked choice voting at 5 p.m., followed by a light dinner at 6 p.m....
Senior Voice has been recognized for excellence, winning four awards in the annual contest sponsored by the North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA), a nationwide network of publishers focusing on boomer and senior readers. Awards were announced Sept. 12, 2022, at the annual NAMPA conference, held this year in Las Vegas. Entries were independently judged by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri, who gave awards in categories based on the circulation size of the publication. Senior Voice entries...
Fairbanks Senior Center’s “Helping Hands Home Modifications” program is looking for veterans in need of home modifications. Improvements, even small ones, can make a substantial difference in household safety and quality of life: bathroom grab bars removable shower head enhanced lighting handrails for stairs and steps smoke and carbon detector installation If you know a veteran who could benefit from assistance like this, or other projects, contact Shawna Chastain with the Helping Hands program, 907-452-2562 or nscoa.admin@a...
For a variety of reasons, many older Americans won’t retire. According to a May 29, 2019 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30.2% of Americans ages 65 to 74 are projected to be in the workforce in 2026. While financial necessity is one big reason many people won’t retire, others are choosing to stay employed for as long as they can. According to Maurie Backman, in “3 Reasons to Work During Retirement,” generating extra income, saving on leisure costs, and warding off depression top the reasons many seniors choose to remain in the wo...
Update: The print edition lists Scott McMurren as one of the panelists, however he had to cancel and Jack Bonney from Visit Anchorage will join. “Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, returns Sept. 13, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appretizers and refreshments provided, and also streamed via Zoom. This month’s presentation topic is “Travel: Here, Near and Beyond,” with guest speakers Gret...
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, sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, Inc., is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, the monthly event has been meeting virtually online via Zoom, but is resuming in-person meetings on site for some months. The September meeting is Sept. 14, hosted by Baxter Senior Living. Begins at 8 a.m. Call Older Persons Action...
Gayle Slentz has lived in Alaska for more than 30 years. Now, she is moving from Craig, Alaska to Tucson, Arizona, to live with her sister Kris and brother-in-law Ken Howell. Slentz, age 67, cannot manage her home on her own and the rental market in Craig is virtually nonexistent and has been steadily declining over the past 30 years, she said. “Craig is smaller than it used to be. It now lists 1,036 people, a drop from 1,200 just two years ago,” Slentz said. “When I was looking for a rental, there was nothing. The availability isn’t here. I...
