Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 901
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...
Romance Scams are big business for criminals as millions of people are using online dating sites. In 2019 alone, the Federal Trade Commission estimates $201 million was lost to romance scams, up almost 40% from 2018. In fact, over the past two years, the total reported losses for this type of fraud was higher than any other scam. And really, that's probably the tip of the iceberg as many people who fall victim to this scam are too embarrassed to tell anyone and may be unaware where to report...
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...
Do you plan to pay a cleaning person, cook, gardener, babysitter or other household worker at least $2,300 in 2021? This amount includes any cash you pay for your household employee’s transportation, meals and housing. If you will pay at least $2,300 to one person, you have some additional financial responsibilities and you must: Deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes from those wages; pay these taxes to the Internal Revenue Servicep report the wages to Social Security. For every $2,300 in wages, most household employees earn credits t...
Keep track of senior-related bills, budget decisions and other issues by attending the Alaska Commission on Aging Legislative Teleconferences. Hosted by local agencies statewide, and available by toll-free call-in, the teleconferences provide a convenient forum for seniors and advocates across Alaska to share information about issues and specific bills of concern, including Medicaid, state budget and funding, senior assistance, retirement, Pioneer Homes and more. Zoom conferences are scheduled 9:30 to 11 a.m. every other Thursday and weekly...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of monthly forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, returns Jan. 12, 2021, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Events are currently held virtually on the internet, using Zoom. This month’s presentation focuses on fitness and exercise: Finding and keeping a good exercise routine can be challenging in the best of times and made more confusing now when much of our activity is virtual. Join Anchorage Senior Activity Center fitness instructors Patrick Curtis an...
Identity theft occurs when someone obtains someone else’s personal information, such as a Social Security number, home address, date of birth or bank account data, and uses it for fraud or other illicit purposes. It’s widespread: Digital-finance consulting firm Javelin Strategy & Research estimates that identity fraud has victimized more than a quarter of Americans and caused nearly $17 billion in losses in 2019. And it comes in many forms: Credit-reporting agency Experian lists 16 distinct types. (Some, such as tax ID theft and Social Security...
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...
Sixty-six percent of retirees report spending more than $375 a month on healthcare costs, according to a recent survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). “That figure is almost one quarter of the average $1,523 per month Social Security benefit in 2020 and more than the Medicare Trustees estimate for 2020,” says Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. Even worse, of that group, 31 percent of survey participants said they spend more than $1,000 a month on total healthcare costs — rough...
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 January meeting is Jan. 13, hosted by YMCA of Alaska. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action Group,...
Dear Savvy Senior: I understand that a portion of my Social Security benefits may be taxable when I retire. Can you tell me how to calculate this ? – Ready to Retire Dear Ready: Whether or not you’ll be required to pay federal income tax on your Social Security benefits will depend on your income and filing status. About 35 percent of Social Security recipients have total incomes high enough to trigger federal income tax on their benefits. To figure out if your benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to add up all of your “provisional income,...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk”, the series of monthly forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, returns Dec. 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Events are currently held virtually on the internet, using Zoom. This month’s presentation is “Avoiding Holiday Scams,” by Michelle Tabler, AARP Alaska volunteer. The holiday season shopping season is here, and so are the scammers, ready to entice unsuspecting shoppers online by email and by phone to part with their money. Michelle is the former head o...
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 December meeting is Dec. 9, hosted by Bfit and Well fitness. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action...
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is now recruiting for volunteers for the 2021 season. Free tax preparation is an important boost for individuals and families in Alaska working to improve their financial stability. Sometimes a higher refund means keeping the heat on or helping with rent for our most vulnerable residents. Becoming a volunteer tax preparer is easier than you think. No prior tax experience is necessary, and all the training materials are provided. Volunteers should enjoy talking to people and feel comfortable asking questions, have basic...
Have lunch with Assistive Technology of Alaska (ATLA) and learn about assistive technology. Join each day at noon during the week of Dec. 7 for a variety of topics; see the schedule below. To learn more about ATLA, the webinars and how to register, visit www.tinyurl.com/ATLAwinterWebinars. Dec. 7: Navigating ATLA Programs Did you know that ATLA manages six programs and partners with other agencies on four additional programs? Learn about each one, what is provided, and how to qualify. Monday, Dec. 7 at noon. Dec. 8: Assistive technology for...
Congress has released funding for the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), granting Alaska a total of $17.4 million to award assistance to low income households struggling with utility bills for the 2020-2021 season. LIHEAP is designed to safeguard the health and well-being of Alaskans by offsetting the cost of home heating for eligible Alaskan residents. LIHEAP assists households with income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. The benefit is a one-time payment to the household’s vendor, sen...
I recall a joke from the last millennium where pranksters would call a senior on the phone, pretending to be from the phone company. “We’re working in your neighborhood and have some extra phone line. If you’ll yank hard on your phone cord you can have some extra line for free.” Supposedly the unsuspecting victim would yank on the cord and their line would go dead. Seniors can be the disproportionate butt of jokes. Some are funny and others are hurtful. Today’s scams are considerably more damaging than the jokes and pranks of old. Our best...
Nearly 70 million Americans will see a 1.3 percent increase in their Social Security benefits and SSI payments in 2021. Federal benefit rates increase when the cost-of-living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). The CPI-W rises when inflation increases, leading to a higher cost-of-living. This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more expensive, so the COLA helps to offset these costs. January 2021 marks other changes that will happen based on the increase in the n...
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is now recruiting for volunteers for the 2021 season. Free tax preparation is an important boost for individuals and families in Alaska working to improve their financial stability. Sometimes a higher refund means keeping the heat on or helping with rent for our most vulnerable residents. Becoming a volunteer tax preparer is easier than you think No prior tax experience is necessary, and all the training materials are provided. Volunteers should enjoy talking to people and feel comfortable asking questions, have basic...
The Alaska Commission on Aging will be holding a Zoom and teleconference meeting on Tuesday, November 10 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. to discuss updates and lessons learned during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). This will be a free event. The featured speaker for this meeting will be Alaska's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, MD, FACEP. Other presenters will include senior providers, senior center providers, and John Lee, director of the Alaska Div. of Senior and Disabilities Services. To Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/991...
Older Persons Action Group will hold its 2020 annual membership meeting virtually on Thursday, Nov. 19, at noon. The board business meeting starts at 11:15 a.m., followed immediately by the membership meeting. Due to COVID concerns, meetings will be conducted online via the Zoom web platform. Attendance will require a Zoom log-in link, provided by email to those who RSVP no later than Nov. 17. To RSVP, call 276-1059 or 1-800-478-1059, or email admin@opagak.com. Senior Voice wins awards Senior...
“Age Smart – Let’s Talk”, the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, returns virtually online Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This month’s focus is on the Anchorage Museum. Museums house collections of the histories of civilizations and culture. The study of our past gives us a look at what we have been and what we still can be. The Anchorage Museum has developed ways to stay connected to our community as we age. Join us to find out how art/creativity is beneficia...
Enormous drug company profits are the primary driver of soaring prescription drug prices in America, according to an investigation that Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released recently. The report, based on an 18-month investigation which produced more than a million documents, was started by former committee chairperson Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.., who died last year. But it was largely overlooked, with the nation focused on COVID-19 and the presidential elections – despite a congressional hearing with verbal fireworks i...
Some call a booming economy a “rising tide that lifts all boats.” We’re experiencing the flip side of that now: a sinking tide that is wreaking havoc unequally. Age, income and circumstance have affected all Americans in the tsunami of this pandemic. Seniors are bearing the brunt of the crisis as it relates to serious infection and death, but the financial picture for most “boomers and beyond” has been a mixed bag. Short term, our age group is faring better financially than others. Most seniors are beyond the tethers of salary needs and depen...
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 November meeting is Nov. 18, hosted by Providence Hospice. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action...
