This Week's Updates

Alaska Department of Health sent this bulletin at 10/03/2025 12:07 PM AKDT

Alaska Commission on Aging logo

Heating Assistance Applications Open

Alaska Wisdom & Wellness Podcast Launch: Watch Now 

Have you listened yet? Last week we officially announced the launch of ACoA's NEW Podcast: Alaska Wisdom & Wellness! You can learn more and listen to the first three episodes here: wisdom.alaska.gov 

Tune in and learn about the wonderful resources available to protect you from scams, how to report fraud, what the Medicare Information Office provides to Alaskans, and the services of the Aging and Disability Resource Centers! The next episode is coming soon!

Celebrating Alaska's Centenarians: Watch the Video! 

We had the great pleasure of speaking with more than twenty Alaskan Centenarians, Alaskans who are age 100 or older, in honor of National Centenarians Day, September 22nd. Thank you to our partners Alaska Long Term Care Ombudsman Office and Alaska Pioneer Homes for supporting this endeavor! 
A special thanks to Senior Voice. Stay tuned as they publish more life-story interviews with Alaskan Centenarians every month. You can read about two Alaskan Centenarians in last month's Senior Voice issue: John F. Strong here and Esteline Moe here. And this month's issue: Norma Alderfer here.
Listen to Alaska Public Media's coverage of our project here. 
Watch our video celebrating Alaska's Centenarians on our Facebook page here! We are so grateful to every Centenarian, and their families, who made this project possible. And thank you to Governor Dunleavy and the Governor's Office for distributing Commendations recognizing Alaskan Centenarians. 

ACoA Free Educational Webinar: Overcoming Ageism on Ageism Awareness Day October 9 

Please join us for a special webinar on Ageism Awareness Day, October 9th from 12pm - 1:30pm featuring Kimberly Van Orden, Director of The HOPE Lab, Erin E. Emery-Tiburcio, Co-Director of the E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging and the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging, and Alex Roider, Special Projects Attorney at the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights. Learn what ageism is, how to overcome it internally and in society, and how to report age discrimination in Alaska. The webinar will also address the intersection of ageism and older adult suicide. Zoom link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84388866103

ACoA Free Community Webinar: Social Security 101 with Regional SSA October 28 

Social Security Administration Regional Public Affairs Specialist Nathan Cole (who covers Alaska) will be joining us for an exclusive conversation on Social Security 101 with Q&A to follow. Join ACoA on October 28th from 12pm - 1:30pm to learn all things Social Security and get your questions answered. Looking for help on a particular topic of SSA? Please email us your requests so we can share with the presenter: doh.acoa.info@alaska.gov. 

State of Alaska Applications for Heating Assistance Open Now 

The State of Alaska Department of Health is now accepting Applications for Heating Assistance!
The Heating Assistance Program helps low-income Alaskans stay warm by covering a portion of their home heating costs. It's open to homeowners and renters who meet the guidelines and provides a one-time benefit from October 1 to April 30.

To qualify, your household must:

  • Have at least $200 in out-of-pocket heating costs per year
  • Not exceed the maximum monthly income limits for that year 

FY 2026 Income Guidelines, by number of people in your household:

  • 1 person = $2,443
  • 2 people = $3,303
  • 3 people = $4,162
  • 4 people = $5,023
  • 5 people = $5,883
  • 6 people = $6,742
  • Additional household members = Add $860 per person
Click here to learn more and apply. 

Alaska Home Modifications & Upgrades Funding 

AGEnet & the Alaska Independent Living Network are working to restore funding to the Home Modification and Upgrades Program.
This program is one of Alaska’s most important strategies to allow seniors and people with disabilities to avoid falls, age in place, and delay or avoid moving to a more restrictive and expensive setting, such as a nursing home or assisted living facility.
The deadline to support is October 24.

Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska Upcoming Events 

Forget Me Not Chorus 2025 Fall Program: ARA's Forget Me Not Chorus welcomes people living with Alzheimer's, related dementias, or memory loss and their caregivers through the power of song, designed for joyful connection and creative expression in a supportive environment. Members this year reflect many cultures including Persian, Caribbean, Korean, German, Russian, Japanese, and Polish. That mix of stories and songs is part of the magic. There is still time to join! 
• Practices on Fridays from October 3 to November 14
• Final performance on November 21
• Located at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center
If you are interested in observing or signing up for this year's chorus, please reach out to ARA's Resource Specialist Ann at FMNChorus@alzalaska.org and/or join the Facebook Group Forget-Me-Not Chorus, a program of Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska.
Caregiver 101: Lewy Body Dementia — a free online Zoom class for caregivers, family, and friends.
Lewy Body Dementia is the 2nd most common form of progressive dementia, bringing changes in thinking, emotions, and physical abilities. This class will help you understand the disease, learn caregiving strategies, and find ways to care for yourself, too. 
What you’ll learn:
Signs, symptoms, and challenges of LBD
How it affects memory, behavior, and movement
Strategies and resources for caregivers & families
With any questions, contact: Janice Downing at downing@alzalaska.org or 907-746-3413.
Protect Your Brain Health with the 10 Keys Program:
Your brain health matters — and there are proven steps you can take to protect it. Join ARA for this 10-session interactive program designed to:
  • Reduce dementia risk with simple lifestyle changes
  • Strengthen memory and mental sharpness
  • Build long-term resilience and wellness
Wednesdays | Oct 8 – Dec 17 (No class Nov 26) from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at Mat-Su Health Foundation, Wasilla.
$240 (financial assistance available). Registration required! Contact Jane at JThomas@AlzAlaska.org to sign up.
Take charge of your brain health today — your future self will thank you.
Sharpen Your Mind, Strengthen Your Skills:
Join Mind Sharpener, a 12-session online program that gives your brain a full workout. Over six weeks, you’ll boost memory, focus, processing speed, language, problem solving, and more — plus enjoy a bonus session on keeping your brain strong long-term.
Tuesdays & Thursdays | Oct 14 – Nov 25 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm, Online via Zoom. $140 (financial assistance available). Registration required: Email JThomas@AlzAlaska.org to sign up!
Keep your mind active. Stay sharp. Stay connected.

Senior Voice October Issue is Live

Check out the new Senior Voice at seniorvoicealaska.com! Check out this article on the launch of our new podcast series. And this article from our partner Alaska Bar Association who is supporting the Elder Appreciation & Wills Clinic (Facebook post linked) at AFN Convention this year, Friday Oct 17th. There are several spots still open for free estate planning help on the 17th, so please spread the word! Visit: https://alaskabar.org/eawc/ or call 907-272-7469.

Alaska Economic Trends October: Alaska's Older Workers 

Check out this month's Alaska's Economic Trends Magazine, including a look at Alaska workers over 65 and working teens aged 14-17. These two groups have changed considerably over the last two decades.

Denakkanaaga Fairbanks Elder Art Sale

Mark your calendars! The October Denakkanaaga Native Artwork Pop-Up Sale will take place Oct. 10th from 10 am to 4 pm inside the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center in Fairbanks. Come see the beautiful and unique Native artwork that will be available!

UAA College of Health Announcement

University of Alaska, Anchorage recently announced the ribbon-cutting of the newly renovated Sally Monserud Hall (SMH), a state-of-the-art facility designed to strengthen Alaska’s health care workforce!
Thanks to the upgrades, the building now features high-tech labs and simulation spaces designed to elevate hands-on learning for students in the UAA School of Allied Health and Alaska's Medical School - WWAMI.
With these modern facilities, we are creating opportunities for students to gain the sophisticated skills needed to serve communities across the state,” said UAA: University of Alaska Anchorage College of Health Interim Dean Kathryn Craft.
This project was made possible thanks to collaboration across public and private sectors, including support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Providence Alaska, Mat-Su Health Foundation, and state partners. 

National Rural Health Association Updates

Introduction of legislation to improve healthcare workforce shortage:
This week, Senators Sanders (I-VT) and Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Health Care Workforce Expansion Act, which seeks to address the massive shortage of doctors, dentists and nurses in the U.S, with a focus on recruiting and retaining in rural areas. The Health Care Workforce Expansion Act would address this by:

  • Making nonprofit medical school tuition free for students who commit to practicing primary care for at least 10 years;
  • Making nonprofit nursing school tuition free for any student who wants to become a nurse;
  • Making nonprofit dental school tuition free for students who commit to becoming general dentists in rural communities;
  • Investing over $5 billion in medical, nursing and dental schools to increase enrollment, recruit and retain faculty, modernize clinical and classroom spaces and more;
  • Adding more than 50,000 new slots for the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program, dedicating 30% to primary care and 15% to psychiatry residencies;
  • Expanding the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, adding 15,000 new community-based primary care residency positions; and
  • Providing $20,000 relocation grants to doctors, dentists and nurses who agree to practice in rural communities.

Please find a summary of the bill here and NRHA’s rural workforce legislative priorities here.

Government shutdown begins:
Congress failed to pass a fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget or stopgap funding bill, leading to a government shut down on October 1, 2025. Currently, there is no bipartisan progress towards a funding deal that would reopen the government. About half of the workforce at CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services will be furloughed during this time. Activities that will continue include Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP mandatory activities like payments. Survey and certification, oversight of Medicare contractors, and policymaking functions at CMS will cease during the shutdown. 

Learn more here.

Alaska's News Source: Orange Shirt Day 

Tuesday was Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day honors indigenous children forced into boarding schools and the generations still healing. 

"If you were out and about on Tuesday, you might’ve seen an influx of people wearing orange shirts. There is a symbolic reason for the increase; every Sept. 30 is known as “Orange Shirt Day,” and the orange shirt is a way to help bring awareness to the inter-generational trauma caused by the U.S. Indian Boarding School system."

Learn more here.

Share your thoughts on the importance of Alaska Native Languages 

Council of Alaska Native Languages Listening Session (the week of AFN): Join CANL for an interactive discussion on Alaska Native Languages, which will be held in person and via Zoom. CANL invites you to share your thoughts on the importance of languages in your community. This open forum is an opportunity for youth, Elders, and community members to express what matters most about your languages and identify the support needed to preserve them.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Robert B. Atwood Building, 550 W 7th Avenue, 12th Floor, Anchorage, Alaska. This is an in-person or Zoom meeting: https://education-alaska-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/67qrIN2aQIqgUco03DORAQ

Council of Alaska Native Languages (CANL) invites all to a public board meeting to discuss the status, goals, accomplishments, challenges, and other topics related to Alaska Native Languages.

Thursday, October 16, 2025, 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Robert B. Atwood Building, 550 W 7th Avenue,12th floor, Anchorage, Alaska. This is an in-person or Zoom online meeting: https://education-alaska-gov.zoom.us/j/81620514928?pwd=rmz0QQdX528HSdUCH55tKKa7psUNPY.1#success

Alaska Native Language Community of Practice

The next Alaska Native Language Community of Practice (ANLCP) meeting via Zoom is changing the date from October 15, 2025 to October 22, 2025 at 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Hosted by: Office of Tribal Affairs Department of Education and Early Development (DEED). Mission: Strengthening Alaska Native Languages (ANL).

The mission of the Alaska Native Language Community of Practice is to support and strengthen Alaska Native Languages within our communities. Our vision is to enhance the visibility and use of these languages while fostering collaboration and mutual support to preserve and promote language vitality. This initiative builds on the efforts launched during the Alaska Native Language Summit held in April 2023.

Zoom Registration link: https://education-alaska-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/jSEGYt7LRcGvXtIp-GCxFw#/registration

Justice in Aging: Resource Round Up for Tribal Elders Webinar Oct 28 

Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 10am AKT via Zoom. 

This webinar, Justice for Tribal Elders: A Resource Roundup, provides a high-level overview of major issues tribal elders face. This webinar includes a basic primer on who tribal elders are, a summary of key programs that can support tribal elders, and a review of resources focused on tribal elders from Justice in Aging and our partners. This webinar will discuss the role of the Older Americans Act, Social Security, Medicaid, Indian Health Services (IHS), and other services available to Native communities in supporting tribal elders as they age.

Justice in Aging’s new issue brief, Supporting Tribal Elders Through Home and Community-Based Services, outlines the sources of HCBS and other community-based long-term care in tribal communities and the investments necessary to make them sustainable. It also provides an overview of health and other inequities that tribal elders experience, why those inequities make the availability of robust HCBS critically important, as well as the need for solutions to uplift tribes’ right to sovereignty in developing and administering HCBS programs.

Generations United: Recruiting Young Intergenerational Leaders 

Generations United is excited to launch the Intergenerational Leadership Accelerator Program, a new fellowship designed for young leaders ages 18–30 who are creating, leading, or supporting intergenerational initiatives. As part of the inaugural class, fellows will gain essential leadership tools, mentorship, and networking opportunities to strengthen their impact and champion collaboration across generations in their communities, programs, and professional fields.

Apply by October 31 to join this groundbreaking program and help shape its vision from the very start!

National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Update 

Rural Health Clinical Congress - Free CME/CE Virtual Conference on November 15

Join RME Collaborative online on Saturday, November 15, for Rural Health Clinical Congress Fall 2025 – a free multi-topic, interactive CME/CE conference for clinicians who serve patients from rural and at-risk areas! By participating, clinicians can earn complimentary CME/CE credits (including pharmacology credits for nurses). The live broadcast starts at 5am AKT. 

Why Attend:

  • Learn evidence-based recommendations from expert faculty,
  • Gain insights to meet the unique needs of patients in rural and at-risk areas and
  • Participate in live polls and ask questions in real time

Agenda to be announced soon. Questions? Contact RME Collaborative at cme@ruralhealthcme.com.

"Before the pandemic, he led a middle-class life. In Anchorage, he became homeless — and an artist."

Noel Perez Delgado trained as an architect in Cuba and worked office jobs in America until he lost work and developed a chronic illness, careening into homelessness. Then at Brother Francis Shelter, he met a nun who encouraged him to turn his sketchbook drawings into paintings. Read more here.

Caregiver Action Network's New Tool 

Have you ever noticed your loved one making repeated facial movements, such as lip-smacking or tongue-rolling?

These may be signs of Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) — a movement disorder linked to long-term use of certain medications.

CAN's new caregiver tool, Seeing the Signs: A Caregiver’s Guide to Involuntary Movements and Tardive Dyskinesia (TD), is a powerful resource that equips you to understand TD, recognize the symptoms, and learn how to advocate for care.

Inside the tool you’ll find:

  • Early signs and symptoms to watch for
  • Tips for working with doctors and navigating insurance
  • Insights on cultural and socioeconomic barriers to care
  • TD caregivers who share their caregiving experiences

Aging News

House bill to speed Medicare coverage for breakthrough devices

What the shutdown means for Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs

How the Government Shutdown Impacts Veterans and the VA

GLP-1 Scripts for Seniors? Expect Prior Authorizations

No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk

Notorious Alzheimer’s protein also supercharges cells against cancer

Disclaimer: The information and announcements included in this email are being redistributed for informational purposes only. Our agency does not necessarily endorse or support the views, opinions, or activities of these organizations, and inclusion in this email does not imply any affiliation or recommendation.