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Want to secure your future? Start with AARP’s Medicare and retirement workshops around the state this spring. Free and open to the public. Attend any or all sessions offered within each workshop. April 13 and 14, Wasilla at Grand View Hotel, 2900 E. Parks Hwy. April 27 and 28, Juneau at Centennial Hall, 101 Egan Dr. May 11 and 12, Fairbanks at Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference Center, 813 Noble St. Two identical Medicare workshops, “Get Ready for Medicare,” will be offered on Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 to 11 a.m. at all l...
April 10: This story has been updated to reflect a change in the teleconference schedule. April 12 has been cancelled, and an additional Thursday added for April 26. Keep track of senior-related bills, budget decisions and other issues by listening in to 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...
Anchorage Genealogical Society’s (AGS) Annual Spring Seminar will be held at Changepoint Church in Anchorage on April 21, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Genealogy and DNA testing are hot topics right now,” said Barbara Burg, event coordinator for AGS. “We have access to over one million tests now. It’s important for older people to take these tests because the more tests you have in the family, the better data you have.” Sessions will be led by nationally-known speaker, Diahan Southard of “Your DNA Guide,” and will cover topics such as understanding a...
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times in April: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (April 10 and 24), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (April 4 and 18), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (April 5, 12, 19 and 26), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s Southeast communities can cal...
HB 236, the House bill seeking to extend the sunset date for the Alaska Senior Benefits Program, was approved by the House of Representatives 35-1 on Feb. 7 and is currently waiting to be reviewed by the Senate Finance Committee. The program supports nearly 11,400 seniors statewide, according to a figure from the Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA), but without an extension of the sunset clause will end on July 1, 2018. In the January 2018 issue of Senior Voice, Denise Daniello, Executive Director of the ACoA, stated the importance of advocacy...
Keep track of senior-related bills, budget decisions and other issues by listening in to 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, Senior Benefits program, state budget and funding, senior assistance, retirement, Pioneer Homes and more. Teleconferences are scheduled 9:30 to 11 a.m....
The frenetic pandemonium of Donald Trump’s first year as president has overshadowed his administration’s efforts through executive orders and regulation changes to reshape American life. Stymied by his failure to win congressional approval for most of his big-ticket campaign promises like a border wall with Mexico or the total repeal of President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare reform, Trump has turned to administrative action for his successes. As he learned with the tax cuts, working with Congress on legislation often takes time. But a...
The Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA) will meet February 5-9 in Juneau for a face to-face board meeting that will include meetings with legislators and their staff as well as visits to rural communities in Southeast Alaska. In addition, the commission is hosting the “Partnering in Advocacy for Alaska Seniors” as a special joint advocacy meeting bringing in representatives from various senior advocacy organizations including AgeNet, the Pioneer Home Advisory Board, and AARP Alaska. This unique event, scheduled for the morning of Feb. 6, will off...
Keep track of senior-related bills, budget decisions and other issues by listening in to 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. Teleconferences are scheduled 9:30 to 11 a.m. every other Thursday and...
Imagine you are driving down an empty two-lane highway somewhere in Alaska. It is cold and very windy. You see something ahead. It is a car nosed over into the ditch, flashers on. A person in obvious distress is standing beside the car waving you down. Do you stop to help? You do because this is the unwritten code of the Alaskan traveler. We stop to help people who need assistance. This sentiment is so strong among Alaskan residents that it is enshrined in the State Constitution as a fundamental duty of our elected representatives. Section 4...
Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage 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, is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, with breakfast provided. The February meeting is Feb. 14, hosted by Elder Law attorney Ilona Bessenyey. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action Group, Inc. for more information on these...
There’s little doubt that one of the toughest things about growing older is a loss of independence. The relinquishment of responsibility for one’s own actions can be the source of disagreement and angst among families, especially when driving comes up. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 40 million licensed drivers in the United States are over age 65, and while seniors in many respects are very safe drivers, wearing seat belts, following traffic rules and the like, there is no denying that aging does affect ability. Be it thr...
Dear Savvy Senior: What can you tell me about online dating for baby boomers? I’m 57 and recently divorced, and would like to find a new friend to spend time with. Lonely Linda Dear Linda: Whether you’re interested in dating again or just looking for a friend to spend time with, online dating sites have become a very popular and effective way for baby boomers to meet new single people. Making new friends can be challenging as we get older, which is why online dating sites are an excellent option for baby boomers. They provide an easy and con...
The Alaska VA has been selected to host the 2019 National Veterans Golden Age Games in Anchorage. “I look forward to rooting on all of our nation’s veterans competing in the Games next year,” said Senator Murkowski in an announcement via Facebook on Jan. 12. One of the premiere senior adaptive rehabilitation programs in the U.S., the National Veterans Golden Age Games is the only national multi-event sports and recreational seniors’ competition program designed to improve the quality of life for all older veterans, including those with a wide...
February marks the opening of Tax-Aide sites around Alaska. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program is designed to prepare basic tax returns and anyone can use the service regardless of age or income. Sites are staffed by volunteers who are trained and certified by Internal Revenue Service and AARP Foundation instructors to prepare basic tax returns. By using AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, these taxpayers also avoid tax preparation fees and pitches for high-interest tax credit or refund loans. And the service is free. Below are the dates and hours for...
This tax season, Better Business Bureau Northwest & Pacific warns the public about the dangers of tax identity theft. The public is urged to be vigilant with their personal information so they don’t fall victim of tax identity theft. Here’s how the scam works Tax identity theft occurs when someone gets access to your Social Security number and uses it to get a tax refund or job. You’ll discover it occurred when you receive a letter from the IRS stating more than one tax return was filed in your name, or IRS records show you have wages from...
Anchorage and Fairbanks area-seniors can now sign up for winter session classes offered by Opportunities for Lifelong Education (OLÉ) in Anchorage, and the Osher for Lifelong Learning (OLLI) in Fairbanks. For 2018, OLÉ offers a fascinating roster of interesting courses for the winter term. Beginning Jan. 8, classes run four or eight weeks, with additional four-week courses beginning Feb. 6. Whether it’s “Learn to Read Music,” “Crafting a Mystery,” or “The Sociology of Food,” there’s something for everyone. Learning “Social Media Basics” or “Ala...
The Senior Environmental Employment Program, also known as SEE, assists the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal, state and local agencies in meeting their environmental mandates by using the talents and experience of workers 55 years of age and older. In the 1970s, farsighted EPA staff recognized that experienced workers age 55 and older were extremely underrated. As a result, the EPA created the concept of what was to become a national showcase for the skills of mid-career and older professionals who are now acknowledged...
Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage area? Want to get the word out about your own service? The monthly Interagency Breakfast, sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, with breakfast provided. The January meeting is Jan. 10, hosted by Maxim Healthcare Services. Begins at 8 a.m. RSVP by calling Older Persons Action Group, Inc. for more information on these events or to be added to our e-mail reminder list,...
SStaff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (Jan. 9 and 23), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (Jan. 3 and 17), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s Southeast communities can call the Jun...
Delving into our family history has become a big pastime for many Americans. TV is full of ads about finding long lost relatives, discovering connections you didn’t know about, and even testing your DNA. So of course, this trend caught the attention of thieves who tap into any interest they can weasel into. A few years ago, scammers were busted, using well-known genealogy sites as a way to glean details they could use to steal identities – of the living and the dead. Now, they’re working on a newer (but not new) set of schemes. Who’s your gr...
Editor’s note: This press release was received Nov. 9, 2017. Since the tax brackets and the standard deduction wouldn’t grow as fast as in the past, more people will get pushed into higher tax brackets more quickly when their income rises, under proposed legislation on Congress. The legislation would use a more slowly growing measure of inflation, the Chained Consumer Price Index, to make adjustments. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act being pushed in Congress would eliminate many important tax deductions that older Americans rely on to reduce their tax...
My name is Mike Coons and I am the President of the Alaska Chapter to the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). I write to inform those Alaskan Mature Citizens that AMAC is alive and well in Alaska and we have had our first meeting in November. We will be meeting the second Saturday of each month. We are in the process of finding a regular venue, thus I will be announcing those meeting in the near future. AMAC is a conservative organization so that mature Americans, in our case specifically Alaska citizens, can have a conservative...
The Remembrance Tree is an annual memorial ritual provided by Hospice of Anchorage that has been a part of the Anchorage community since the 1980s. It initially began as one tree at 5th Avenue Mall for many years until the last few years a second location was added at the Dimond Center. The Remembrance Trees allow individuals an opportunity around the holidays to honor the memory of a loved one or memorialize a friend, while supporting the work of Hospice of Anchorage. It begins on Black Friday...
The Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA) will hold its quarterly meeting Dec. 12 via videoconference and teleconference from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The videoconference sites for the quarterly meeting are: Anchorage: Senior and Disabilities Services, 550 West 8th Ave., Room 143 (907-269-3666) Fairbanks: Senior and Disabilities Services, 751 Old Richardson Hwy., Suite 100A (907-451-5045) Juneau: Senior and Disabilities Services, 240 Main Street, 6th Floor Conference Room (907-465-3372) Kodiak: Kodiak Public Library, 612 Egan Way (907-486-8688) Group...
