Senior Voice -

After a long and varied career in Juneau, I retired in 2006. By 2009 I was back at work, and this time I had found my niche. I went to work for Southeast Senior Services, a division of Catholic Community Service and began work as a care coordinator for seniors on the Medicaid Waiver, then transitioned to case manager. I intended to work for at least two years and have actually just begun my 15th year in this field.

I've done hundreds of home visits and helped people put together a plan to help them stay independent and I'm continually amazed at the tenacity, strength and wit of seniors. From the start I was intrigued, impressed, and committed to help seniors, elders, their families and friends, as they navigated the often choppy waters of retirement, aging issues and personal situations.

Over the years, certain challenges stand out as important: Availability of in-home services to assist a senior stay in their own home; specialized medical services to address the unique needs of seniors; a surprisingly significant amount of food insecurity, and loneliness and isolation. How can we as a society reach out to provide what would make things easier and safer?

I'm one of the lucky seniors because my three adult children and their families also reside in Juneau. So I can make a call and have someone come over to help, and I understand the enormous value of this. My hope is to advocate for Alaska's seniors, let everyone know of the many valuable contributions they have made, and continue to make to our communities and state a welcoming and positive place for all of us to live.

If you are interested in serving on the Older Persons Action Group, Inc. board of directors, send a query and resume to executivedirector@opagak.com.