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In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, we’ve seen this time and again in communities throughout Alaska as friends, neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other. In our state, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, they have built resilience that helps them to face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger too. Each May, the Administration for Com...
Celebrate Older Americans Month with the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation. This year's theme is "Communities of Strength". Due to lingering COVID safety concerns, the Senior Recognition Day event has been scaled back. Participants can visit the parking lot of the Big Dipper Arena during scheduled times and receive a goody-bag filled with a senior services resource guide, swag and treats. Pick-up will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following days: - Last Name A-L:...
The Alaska Commission on Aging will hold its spring meeting at the Soldotna Senior Center, May 4 through May 6. The agenda and site visit schedule will be distributed through the Alaska Commission on Aging Listserv once it is confirmed. Day one of the meeting will be held at the Soldotna Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with an opportunity for public testimony from 4 to 4:30 p.m. On day two, commissioners will divide into groups and partner with local senior centers, tribal health centers and other groups to hold senior listening...
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...
In the fall of 2019, representative payees in Alaska were involved in a controversy with the Social Security Administration over the legality of charging a certain fee for representative payee services. A representative payee is a person or organization appointed by the Social Security Administration to receive the Social Security or Social Security Income (SSI) benefits for beneficiaries who can’t manage or direct the management of their benefits. Millions of Americans who receive monthly Social Security or SSI benefits need help managing t...
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 currently meets virtually online via Zoom. The May meeting is May 12, hosted by the Anchorage Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by...
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...
AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center continues its series of “Age Smart – Let’s Talk” forums on April 13, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Events are currently held virtually on the internet, using Zoom. The April topic is “Let’s Talk Theater: Bringing Positive Impacts,” with guest panelists David Block, Midnight Sun Theatre owner; Teresa Pond, Cyrano’s Theatre Company Producing Artistic Director, and Schatzie Schaefers, Cyrano’s General Manager. The “Age Smart – Let’s Talk” series is a monthly forum that focu...
The Alaska State Legislature is still working on the next steps for the Department of Administration’s (DOA) proposed closing of six rural DMV locations around the state of Alaska, including Delta Junction, Eagle River, Haines, Valdez, Tok and Homer for the FY2022 budget. On Mar. 18, Rep. Sara Vance, R-Homer, proposed HB 140 with the support of several constituents, including Rep. Mike Cronk, R-Tok, a representative from one of the impacted DMV locations. HB 140 repeals the requirement for Alaskans – specifically for seniors age 69 and old...
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...
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...
AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center continues its series of “Age Smart – Let’s Talk” forums on March 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Events are currently held virtually on the internet, using Zoom. The March topic is chess. Learn how the game of chess can build community by teaching social and life-skills across diverse populations, with presenters from Alaska Chess -- President Colleen Evanco, VP Andrew Haas and Secretary Jonathon Singler. Alaska Chess’ goal is to create an all-encompassing, friendly,...
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...
The other day I had a most interesting interview via Zoom with several sterling denizens of Alaska civil service, discussing several employment programs that have tons of money, no waiting lists and just might make a huge difference in your life. In attendance were Duane Mayes, division director for the Alaska Department of Labor; Lisa Morley, executive director of the Alaska Commission on Aging; and Jim Swanson, southeast regional manager with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. They have...
AARP Alaska invites community organizations and local governments across the state to apply for the 2021 Community Challenge grant program, now through April 14. Grants fund quick-action projects that can range from several hundred dollars for small, short-term activities to several thousand or tens of thousands for larger projects. Now in its fifth year, the grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for p...
Dear Savvy Senior: Can you recommend any good devices that help seniors with tracking down misplaced items? My wife misplaces everything including her car keys, eyeglasses, cell phone, purse and more. - Always Searching Dear Always: There's actually a wide variety of tracking devices that can help you and your wife find items that are commonly misplaced. Here are some top options to consider depending on how tech savvy you are. Bluetooth trackers If you or your wife use a smartphone or tablet,...
Annuities are popular among insurance salespeople but earn mixed reviews from consumers. They have a long-standing reputation for being costly and complex. In the past few years, financial watchdogs have proposed tighter fiduciary standards for annuities; some changes have emerged. Are these changes just window dressing or are annuities becoming a better value? Anyone planning their retirement should have a basic understanding of annuities. Like Social Security, you pay in money now for a guaranteed flow of funds later. In the case of Social...
In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month. Social Security has served a vital role in the lives of women for more than 80 years. Women have longer life expectancies than men, which means they live more years in retirement and have a greater chance of exhausting other sources of income. It’s important for women to plan early and wisely for retirement. Our benefits portal at www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement provides detailed information about how life events can affect your Social Security retirement benefits. These events may include mar...
AARP Alaska, Older Persons Action Group and the Anchorage Senior Activity Center continues its series of “Age Smart – Let’s Talk” forums on Feb. 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Events are currently held virtually on the internet, using Zoom. The February topic is “How Does Intimacy Change with Age?” Intimacy isn’t something we talk much about, yet it is something that we need throughout our lives. This session will examine the ways the need and the capacity for intimacy changes as we age. Is it sex? Is it a very close friend or soul mate? Is it p...
Gov. Dunleavy's FY2022 budget includes the same fiscal agenda he has long promised: budget cuts. Released on Dec. 11, 2020, the FY2022 proposal calls for the closure of six Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations around the state - Haines, Valdez, Tok, Delta Junction, Homer and Eagle River. Budget proposals are always debated and altered by the state legislature, meaning the proposed DMV closures - mostly located in rural communities - could be nixed in the final FY2022 budget. Nevertheless,...
AARP Foundation Tax Aide volunteer tax preparers will provide free tax preparation assistance for seniors and low-to-moderate income households this tax season. Service delivery is being adjusted due to COVID to make tax prep safe for volunteers and the public. The traditional model of taxpayers sitting down face-to-face with a tax preparer will not be available. Many of the previously-used free tax prep sites, including the Anchorage Senior Center, AARP State Office, Northeast Community Center, and Spenard Recreation Center are closed in...
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...
