Care Coordination Resource Alaska (CCRA), a program of ARA, exists to help Alaskans living with Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and other qualifying disabilities access services and support with clarity, compassion, and dignity.
There are moments in life when wellness does not look like green smoothies, exercise classes, or perfectly balanced schedules. Sometimes wellness looks like sitting at the kitchen table late at night, wondering how you are going to keep up with appointments, paperwork, caregiving responsibilities, and the emotional weight of watching someone you love change before your eyes.
For many Alaskans affected by Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, or other disabilities, that feeling of being overwhelmed can arrive quietly. One day you are helping with reminders or transportation, and before long you are navigating medical systems, trying to understand insurance plans, Medicaid waivers, coordinating services, and making difficult decisions about safety and care. It can feel isolating, confusing, and exhausting.
And in Alaska, summer has a way of intensifying that exhaustion.
The midnight sun keeps our days stretching later and later. Calendars quickly fill with fishing trips, family visitors, graduation celebrations, festivals, markets, and community events. Roads are busy with tourists exploring Alaska, while many families try to make the most of the short summer season by packing every moment with activity. It becomes easy to fall into a rhythm of going, doing, and pushing through fatigue because there is always one more thing to prepare for or one more obligation waiting.
For caregivers, that pressure can feel even heavier.
While everyone else seems to be enjoying the energy of summer, caregivers are often quietly balancing medication schedules, appointments, safety concerns, disrupted routines, and the emotional toll of supporting someone living with dementia or another disability. The season that looks joyful from the outside can still feel deeply lonely behind closed doors.
That is why wellness is not just about staying active or keeping busy. True wellness also means recognizing when you need support. It means giving yourself permission to pause, ask questions, lean on resources, and accept help without guilt.
At Alzheimer's Resource Alaska (ARA), we believe wellness includes emotional support, connection, stability, and having trusted people to walk beside you when life feels uncertain. That is why Care Coordination Resource Alaska (CCRA), a program of ARA, exists. CCRA helps Alaskans living with Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and other qualifying disabilities access services and support with clarity, compassion, and dignity.
Navigating care systems can be incredibly complex, especially when families are already under stress. CCRA works with individuals and caregivers to create personalized care plans that reflect each person's unique needs, goals, and living situation. The program supports eligible Alaskans in Anchorage and Mat Su through one-on-one guidance, ongoing coordination with service providers, advocacy, and culturally responsive care rooted in decades of experience serving Alaskans.
Care Coordination services may help eligible individuals:
Access Home and Community Based Waiver Services (HCBW)
Coordinate Medicaid Waiver and Community First Choice Personal Care services
Monitor and adjust support services as needs change
Advocate for personal goals, safety, comfort, and quality of life
CCRA serves Alaskans of all ages who qualify for a Medicaid waiver due to a physical, developmental, or intellectual disability, including adults living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. The process begins with an intake completed by one of our Care Coordinators (CCs) to determine whether you may meet waiver level of care requirements. From there, our team gathers medical records and submits the necessary application paperwork to request an assessment. This assessment helps determine whether you meet the required level of care for waiver services. For some waiver programs, this includes meeting Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC) criteria. If you do not meet NFLOC requirements, we may still be able to connect you with other helpful resources and supports.
Our talented team of Care Coordinators walks alongside individuals and families every step of the way, helping reduce confusion, connect people to services, and support individuals in living as safely and independently as possible.
Sometimes the most meaningful step toward wellness is simply hearing someone say, "You do not have to do this alone."
As we move through Alaska's busy summer season, this is your reminder to check in with yourself and the people around you. Rest matters. Support matters. Asking for help matters. Wellness is not about carrying every responsibility on your own. It is about building the support systems that allow individuals and families to continue forward with dignity, balance, and hope.
If you or someone you love could benefit from Care Coordination services, Alzheimer's Resource Alaska is here to help.
Learn more at AlzAlaska.org/care-coordination or contact Care Coordination Resource Alaska directly at 907-746-3445 or Connect@AlzAlaska.org.
Lisa Sauder is the CEO, Alzheimer's Resource Alaska.
