Serving Older Adults Who Are Blind in Alaska: Realities, Relationships, and Regional Solutions

OIB-TAC Webinar- April

Jennifer Ottowitz: Welcome to OIB-TAC’s monthly webinars, where our presenters share valuable information and helpful resources to support professionals working with older adults who are blind or vision impaired. Let's check out this month's webinar. 

[00:00:00] Jennifer Ottowitz: And welcome to our webinar. I'm Jennifer Ottowitz with OIB TAC, and it is my great pleasure to welcome our panelists who are service providers from the state of Alaska. And I'm going to open it up to, um, have each of you give a quick introduction of yourself. So if you could share your name, where you work, and the coverage area, uh, for where you provide services. So Angie, I'm gonna start with you.

[00:00:37] Angie Santa Ana: Morning from Alaska or AANG as the, um, would say for their greeting. Um, my name is Angie Santa Ana, and I work for the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association. That provides services to individuals on the Aleutian chain and the Pribilof Islands, and to the Unangan, um, tribal members who live here in Anchorage.

[00:01:09] Jennifer Ottowitz: Thank you. Thank you. Nate, how about you?

[00:01:14] Nate Kyle: Mm. Yes. My name is Nate Kyle. I'm the executive director for the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. And our catchment areas is really the entire state. So we, we have one form of funding or another that allows us to, to get to any part of Alaska.

[00:01:34] Jennifer Ottowitz: Thank you. And Sarah, how about you?

[00:01:38] Sierra Jimenez: Hello. Um, my name is Sierra Jimenez. I'm the Deputy Director of Southeast Alaska Independent Living. Um, and as the name says, we are the southeast region of Alaska, which I think a lot of people are surprised to find out is, um, about a bigger than the state of Maine. And we are not connected by any road systems.

[00:01:59] It's a series of islands and rugged mountains and, yeah.

[00:02:04] Jennifer Ottowitz: Well, thank you so much. And I don't know that Theresa is with us yet, but we do have one more panelist that, um, got called into a meeting. And so, we'll be having her join us as soon as she can and we'll introduce her at that time. But I'm gonna go ahead and ask Angie our first question to get us started and then Nate and.

[00:02:25] Sierra, if you have more to, to chime in afterward, that'd be great. But Angie, can you tell us a little bit about the varied older adult population in Alaska?

[00:02:38] Angie Santa Ana: Sure, I'll do my best. So, the older adult population, I have some rough numbers, but like in either 2021, I think the Alaska population might have been about 550,000 with about 97 thousand seniors that are like 65 and older.

[00:03:06] Alaska Tribal regional areas consist of 12. So speaking of a, uh, tribal perspective, working in tribal vocational rehabilitation. We are one of 12 tribal vocational rehabilitation programs throughout the state. And, um, we are grant funded to help individuals who experience disabilities to obtain and maintain employment.

[00:03:39] And that's the main focus of a tribal vocational rehabilitation. And I'll in ask others to share also.

[00:03:51] Jennifer Ottowitz: And I'll just jump in to say I was so excited that Angie and, and, um, folks from the tribal vocational, uh, rehab sector were, were interested in being a part of this webinar because certainly older adults. Often want and sometimes need to work. And so in the state of Alaska it, it's very obvious that is evident and that, um, organizations are working together to try to help make that happen.

[00:04:19] So any other insights about the population in general? I know in our planning sessions we talked about veterans. Right? And maybe just maybe if you can describe, are most of the population located in the southeast region or other regions of the state?

[00:04:37] Sierra Jimenez: And actually I, only thing I know is this 'cause of all the grant writing right, is often, um, Southeast Alaska is one of the it fastest aging regions in the, in the state. Um, and it is a large population. That comes with all sorts of different complications with our really kind of rugged terrain and not necessarily connectedness by road systems, and lacking of service providers in each community. There's a lot of challenges, but we've figured out ways to provide services for folks that need it.

[00:05:18] Jennifer Ottowitz: We've also talked in our planning meetings about the cost of living in Alaska and just access to resources in general, uh, let alone to older adults specifically. Right. That can be a challenge as well.

[00:05:31] Nate Kyle: Mm-hmm. I would say that's, that's a significant challenge. You know, we will work with some of the older population.

[00:05:38] And we'll have a low vision clinic and we may have a device that's, that would cost $10 out of pocket and they will sit there for five or 10 minutes discussing with a spouse or someone who they're with, if they have that within their budget to be able to afford, because maybe their large portion of their money is going to heating fuel or to food.

[00:05:59] So something as low cost as what we call low barrier technology, $10 handheld magnifier. That could be challenging.

[00:06:08] Jennifer Ottowitz: And another thought that popped into my head with the population too, is even just access. We always think about, oh, well we could just offer online resources, right? But, but is stable, reliable internet connection, is that an issue in some areas of the state?

[00:06:28] Nate Kyle: It is. I will, and I'll touch on that more when we get to just the geography as well. But Yes, that is, and, but, and to go into another part where we have se, where we're discussing seniors, what we see here is like a lot of small towns anywhere, we have the younger population. So you're a senior and now your kids or grandkids may be coming to the hub area and you may be out in the village alone.

[00:06:52] So you, you have family dynamics definitely shifting as more people gravitate towards, uh, the cities like Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juno, or either even hub areas like, like Bethel or Nome. And so there, there's the isolation component as well.

[00:07:09] Jennifer Ottowitz: Great. Thanks for that insight and I think that's probably a good segue into the next question that I'll start with you, Nate, and that is about the geography, because certainly the geography there is unlike any other in the country and I'm curious about how the physical landscape, the distances, the climate, the remote locations, you know,

[00:07:32] how does all of that shape how you plan for and deliver services to older adults who are living with vision loss?

[00:07:40] Nate Kyle: I think that creates a lot of adventures. So Victoria's on here in another coworker, Victoria's here in the office, in another office, and then Jackie, she's out in the place we call the Matsu Valley, which has it's, it's a large area, but it's drivable.

[00:07:58] But any given week, she may drive over a hundred miles easily to, and it's not just driving on highways. You may be on back roads and where people are isolated and you pull up there and your car and their driveway or their porch has not been shoveled, and so that's easily 18 inches to two feet of snow and maybe you have a senior in there.

[00:08:22] And so do you tromp through the snow, like you know, you're negotiating those types of things. And then Victoria, just last year, she and her husband were up north from here and we were trying to get, believe it or not, a wood splitter. To an older senior client, 'cause that's something that's not just recreational, but part of this older blindness to help people age independently in their home, even through vision loss.

[00:08:45] And so we were able to provide a wood splitter for their fuel, but the trick was to get it to his village on a boat. Uh, on a river and then things got hectic with winds and, and dangerous conditions. But again, it's negotiating things like that. So we have a spectrum of challenges. Cell phone reception or internet reception.

[00:09:08] We've had a client where. He, he has to go out somewhere outside and maybe walk for, you know, a hundred yards or more to find a place where he could have a phone call to meet with us or to meet with VR services. Because that's how isolated it can be. And so some of the, the practical approaches that we take to help resolve these, um.

[00:09:33] We will often cluster our trips together. We won't make one trip for one day to any given place, so we will make sure that we're in a location for two or three days to offer. To be able to offer clinics. We will also make sure that we have our travel kits ready to go. And so making sure that we streamline what does a good kit look like?

[00:09:55] What's efficient, what's durable? Because it's just so unpredictable being out there. You're on these very small planes. Um, so we have to have backup plans. We also wanna make sure that we take advantage of remote things. So making sure you have, you're comfortable with remote and that may take connecting with a family member of somebody who's low vision, visually impaired somewhere.

[00:10:18] 'cause maybe they don't even know what Zoom is. So you're connecting with a family member or a partner agency. So keeping those connections strong. Um, and that's through trained community partners is what we would call that. Um. And we want repeatable curriculum. We want things that we can do over and over, like our low vision clinic, which is pretty standardized.

[00:10:38] Um, our home visits, we know what we're gonna do when we go in there. We're gonna look for lighting issues. We're gonna see if we can label things with bump dots. We're gonna see if we can get them connected with talking books, because that deals with the geography part of being isolated. So having something like talking books, having things labeled in their home.

[00:10:57] Those take on much more of a higher value when you're isolated and you can't just get outta your house and go, someone takes you to a movie, someone takes you out to eat. Um, you're, the isolation is, is more expensive out there.

[00:11:12] Jennifer Ottowitz: And Nate, real quick, I just wanted to jump in. We did have a question if you could share a little bit about what's in the kits that you all take with you.

[00:11:20] Nate Kyle: Ooh. I don't know if, um, if it, it can, Victoria is my kit master here. If she could be un unmuted and maybe share a little bit about what goes in our kit. Sure. But if that's okay.

[00:11:35] Jennifer Ottowitz: Yeah. Victoria, if you wanna just take a moment to unmute yourself and share, that would be wonderful.

[00:11:40] Victoria: Yes. Uh, I'm unmuted. Uh, I was getting ready to actually put it in a chat.

[00:11:45] I have various magnifiers from handheld stand and video magnifiers, so they don't work well out in remote because it depends on the energy or, you know, you gotta plug 'em in. You can charge 'em, but they have to be recharged. I have things like bump dots, calendars, simple things is I show people how to take painters tape to create contrast around light switches, stuff like that.

[00:12:16] I take canes. Well, the white cane, uh, let me check. There is cooking devices, cutting boards that have contrast, large print timers. Um, I usually come out with a list of resources so that when they do have the internet connection they can access these, this information or get further information and

[00:12:41] Nate Kyle: you might show them some apps that they can use too.

[00:12:44] Victoria: Oh yes. Oh yes. We are always showing apps. But the problem that I'm finding, like when I was in Tanana or in Huslia, the internet connection was pretty sparse. And um, so yeah, you can use Be My Eyes where a real person comes online.

[00:13:00] And you take the camera and you're trying to maybe read a medicine bottle or you're trying to find the earring you dropped on the floor or some important pill you dropped on the floor, and that real person helps you locate it with the camera. There is also seeing ai. We get a document in the mail.

[00:13:20] Finally it comes through. You can take that. Take a picture of it, processes it, it reads it to you. We teach things like that as much as we can. I like to go through the environment of the home when I'm in the home and look at ways to help 'em.

[00:13:36] Jennifer Ottowitz: Great.

[00:13:36] Nate Kyle: And for time sake. And one, one really quick thing. You use what, one or two bags?

[00:13:42] That's your, what you're consist of, Victoria?

[00:13:44] Victoria: Yes. I have two of, I always make em Sure. They're 40, uh, seven pounds each.

[00:13:49] Nate Kyle: Wow. Okay. So they, they are a little. But she's out there and she goes to the gym so she can handle it.

[00:13:56] Jennifer Ottowitz: Yeah.

[00:13:57] Nate Kyle: Thank you, victoria.

[00:13:58] Jennifer Ottowitz: Thank you so much, Victoria. Thank you. All right. Anyone else?

[00:14:03] Anything or, or Nate, any more to share about just that? I thank you for sharing too, uh, Sierra, that, you know, you're in an area where there are no roadways and when we talk about traveling by plane, there are no airports in some places it's a field, right? Where planes are landing and people have to get to.

[00:14:22] So there are some definitely definite geographical challenges, but anyone else wanna share? Any solutions?

[00:14:29] Angie Santa Ana: Yeah, this is Angie. So on the Aleutian chain, there's inclement weather that can delay services. You can only get there by plane or boat in the summer. So how we try to help out is, um, using internet, but sometimes that is also down because of the high winds.

[00:14:54] So using, um, like phone call or snail mail or even having to reschedule outreach events to a better time that will work with the tribe.

[00:15:08] Jennifer Ottowitz: It sounds like a lot of flexibility is required, right.

[00:15:13] Angie Santa Ana: Yes.

[00:15:16] Sierra Jimenez: Flexibility and people that live here are used to it. I mean, that's the other thing is that you just have to be able to change your mind or reschedule.

[00:15:26] One thing, we use a lot of float planes that the, a lot of villages are just on like a boardwalk. Um, and so the only way in and out of the village, if the ferry system isn't running which is often— it's old and it breaks down. So in the winter they can't land when it's, uh, 20 degrees or colder, which is most of the winter.

[00:15:46] I mean, that's what the other part of the planning is when most likely to be able to access a community. Lots of pieces. Flexibility is the key.

[00:15:55] Jennifer Ottowitz: And creativity too, right? Just to figure out how to overcome some of the things and figure out what works. All right. My next question, I'm gonna start with you, Angie.

[00:16:05] And then others can chime in. But this is relating to building trust. We know that when anytime we're working with clients, building trust is essential. But especially in, uh, some of the tribes, some of the small communities or tight-knit communities. And just wondering what approaches do you find helps establish that rapport, build that trust with older adults, their family members and the local partners across the state.

[00:16:35] Angie Santa Ana: So for AANG program, helping individuals to understand that this is a confidential program. That what they're entering into is, um, going to be based on respect and, you know, honoring their their cultural identity and having clear communication in a way that they can understand the process.

[00:17:05] It may take two or three, um, visits to, you know, build that relationship and maintaining ongoing communication by email or phone call or when there is an outreach event, just to maintain contact so that our partnership can begin to form and we can make progress toward, like a plan for employment, for instance.

[00:17:37] So I would just say, um, continuing to uphold honor and confidentiality and being there for them, meeting them where they're at is going to help build trust.

[00:17:53] Jennifer Ottowitz: Thank you.

[00:17:57] Nate or Sierra, any more to share?

[00:18:02] Nate Kyle: I have a few thoughts. You go ahead, Sierra. Go ahead first.

[00:18:05] Sierra Jimenez: This is one I think we all have few thoughts on. Um. I think showing up is the most important and being reliable in those strong community partnerships. Like they're the experts in their community and real and like, uh, the just cultural responsiveness and really understanding that you're a guest in these communities.

[00:18:25] And one thing I do, I basketball. Really, really big. It's a whole mm-hmm. Community affair. That's the first thing you find out if there's a basketball game going on and you show up, and that's where business happens and that's where trust is. You know? Or if you're ever invited to a community event or a person's home, you show up.

[00:18:46] Um, I think, and then it's just the consistency that we are, we keep coming back, you know, we're, we're there. And it does, it takes. Visits, it takes being a known entity. And again, it is also those like, uh, agreements and collaboration within each community, like with the senior centers and the clinics that exist there, and just developing those relationships.

[00:19:13] Nate Kyle: Mm-hmm.

[00:19:15] Jennifer Ottowitz: They. Nate, any more to add?

[00:19:18] Nate Kyle: Those? I think those are great points, and as both of them said, it's, it's showing up consistently. That's a huge thing. And, and I know that some of the people through, through the Older Blind Grant, they may be in a situation where they only get to touch a person and meet with them two or three times a year.

[00:19:36] And so that, that can make it very, very tricky to, um. At least meet face to face two or three times a year. So that can be tricky to build a rapport. So it's a lot of listening, you know, even just doing the intake. It's not just like a form we have to fill out, but it's, it's giving them time to talk a little bit.

[00:19:52] It's delivering early wins, um, you know, a little practical improvements with that first visit. So it might be like we. Lighting, labeling, helping them with their iPhone. Um, in plain language. That's the other thing. It's like we can't go out there and speak a bunch of technical jargon because that can definitely make people feel small and a little bit confused.

[00:20:13] Um, so res in respecting their autonomy, like maybe they do want to do something differently and we don't go in there and say, well, no, you have to do it a B or C way. Um, and, and then local facing where you're respecting. Um, their, their tribal reps, their clinic staff, and kind of getting on the same page where you're creating a supportive community, uh, for them.

[00:20:37] So it doesn't look like you're just an outsider coming in, trying to change their world. 'cause that that can create the, the opposite of trust.

[00:20:46] Jennifer Ottowitz: Sure. And I think that kinda leads us to the next question a little bit and maybe already addressed it in some ways. But, um, we also know that stigma around vision loss or asking for help.

[00:21:01] Can prevent some folks, especially older adults from seeking services. I'm just curious to know like what forms of stigma do you all encounter in your work and how do you address them? And Angie, I'll start with you again.

[00:21:18] Angie Santa Ana: So, um, even the word disability has its own like stigma and the word rehabilitation, because I believe some folks think of it as like, oh, it's a drug rehabilitation program.

[00:21:33] So what the program here has done is change their name to an acronym or AANG. It's a word for hello and yes, but it's also Aleuts— Achieving, Nurturing and Growing, which is their title for their tribal vocational rehabilitation program. So in a way, we are saying hello. When um, Unangan people greet each other, they say aang aang, um, also working toward like normalizing whatever situation an individual might be going through.

[00:22:12] And that giving them understanding and providing services to help minimize the barriers to employment can help an individual understand, you know, this is a process and we have a plan and we're working toward it so that they can become successful and become self-sufficient.

[00:22:35] Jennifer Ottowitz: Wonderful. Nate, how about you?

[00:22:38] Any more to add.

[00:22:40] Nate Kyle: Couple things. One is like, and Jackie's on, and she's out in the Matsu Valley, like, and they're kind of the stereotype is there just like a lot of strong men out there that, that know how to get things done. And so when we get somebody with vision loss and they're, you know, they're just a guy who's been a blue collar worker their whole lives, so now they're in their forties.

[00:22:59] There's a lot of feelings of inadequacy, and so pairing them up with say, one, you know, a couple of our guys, one, we have a blind instructor who was a former cement worker, and then we have someone else who like hunts, you know, with bow still and fishes. So we recently started a, a coffee group. I think once a month we've, we've gone out fishing with the guys.

[00:23:22] And so some, some cultural things that still allow them to be what, you know, these strong guys, these capable guys. And then I would say for some of them. The women, the stigma may be well, or the husband it is like, I'm gonna take care of my wife. She doesn't have to do anything now that she has vision loss.

[00:23:39] And so we want anyone and her to feel empowered to be able to still get out of the house, to still think about groceries or think about going back to work. Whatever she wants to do, we want to overcome that stigma by reminding them that they still have this wonderful identity and there's all kinds of possibilities.

[00:24:02] Jennifer Ottowitz: Wonderful. These are great things that y'all are doing.

[00:24:05] I love the idea of even just the thought of your name and what that means, uh, Angie, and how that can have a big impact too. Before I get to our last question, I did just wanna share that putting this panel together and working, in our planning sessions, uh, for me it was just a true joy and a true testament to the collaborative spirit in the state of Alaska.

[00:24:26] And so our final questions, I'm gonna start with you, Sierra. Um, because in Alaska you all do rely on such a strong partnerships across all sectors, right? VR, tribal VR, independent Living Center, the older blind program community organizations. And I'm just curious, if you could share what you've learned from your community and cross agency collaborations that other states might apply to their partnerships?

[00:25:00] Sierra Jimenez: That's a great question, and I think those of us that have worked and lived in Alaska for years and years don't only even realize that it's pretty unique that how truly collaborative we have to be because there aren't the resources, right?

[00:25:14] So for example, I mean, Nate and I are. Over a thousand miles away. But our staff are on the phone with the Alaska Center for the Blind and visually impaired every single day. And as soon as we do an intake and somebody is older, blind or low vision, that's the first thing we do because we, we don't have low vision specialists on staff.

[00:25:35] We know how to recognize it, we know how to ask the right questions and all that sort of stuff, but we don't deliver those services. Um, and we have a list. We partner really closely. When Alaska Center for the Blind is coming to Southeast Alaska, we are like, okay, how do we do this together? 'cause it's gonna benefit our clients together.

[00:25:55] Uh, there was an earlier question, Nate, I think it was before your time, but it's one of my favorite stories of partnering, uh, with Alaska Center for the Blind is we had a very, very stubborn older woman who was blind living alone in a remote cabin in that you could only access in the winter by snow machine.

[00:26:18] And really it took the community. I put a PSA out saying, Hey, anybody have snow machines? Like, can anybody get us out to this valley to meet with this woman? And it was a full day adventure and the staff from Alaska Center for the Blind were game and like we, it was a whole community affair to get a low vision specialist to this woman stuck in a cabin.

[00:26:38] Um, and that is just, that just happens. That's how we do it. Um, we have formalized agreements with the Latin vocational rehabilitation, with tribal vocational rehabilitation, also with, um, many, many of the tribes there are in Southeast Alaska 25 recognized, um, tribal organizations and. Uh, which is, you know, that's just kind of mind blowing to people in one thing that was.

[00:27:08] A huge benefit is in Southeast Alaska. I know it's all over the state, but that's just what I'm familiar with, is our health consortium. It's the, the Native Health Consortium. So there are, there are clinics in villages of 200 people, um, 300 people. And so that is like, that is our connection and just, um, having a formalized, we use the clinic spaces when we go into communities.

[00:27:30] We know the providers, they know us. Um. Then also when we're planning an outreach trip, the first people we contact are all the people that we might meet partners, um, tribal voc rehab, and DVR. And we just all put our heads together and figure out how to best serve everybody there. But it is, it is, we are all in it together.

[00:27:51] And there is no, this is my territory and this is your territory. Because we know we have to, we have to work together and we have to combine our resources. Um. Not one organization could possibly afford to do this, to serve this region, um, alone. So we are really good about putting our funding sources together to, to serve, to serve a, a tough region.

[00:28:17] Um, trying to think what I mean. You know, one example, like, I think people would be shocked to find out. Um, does, it has to show up in our budget. Our tr our travel budget is outrageous. We've, people wouldn't believe the amount of money that we spend that, that the forward cost to providing services. Um, yeah, there's, there's so much, but yeah, I mean it's like, it's almost second nature collaboration, but it is interesting when I go to other.

[00:28:46] Places in the country and they're like, yeah, we just don't have that relationship. And I think it's just 'cause it's a must, but it really works. It ends up being a win-win for everyone. Senior centers. Senior centers, and oh, that's the other. As we also have shared, like I really like talk about showing up.

[00:29:05] Like sure we can come into a community, a rural area, but then. What we really found is we need trusted locals in communities and we have partnered with many tribes, different tribes, and we have shared staff. Um, and even if like one day a week, they are on sales time, but we cross train and so that everybody's like aware of what resources are available.

[00:29:30] Um, that is, we found really effective. Um, and then we have leaned into that model over the last decade of hiring locals in the community and really training them in an independent living philosophy and just mostly so they know how to recognize and where to turn and what the resources are.

[00:29:47] Jennifer Ottowitz: That's excellent.

[00:29:48] So definitely things like cross training, getting to know the many players, I guess right of the game in your area, and then just to work together rather than being kind of territorial, but to really work, to combine resources. Those are all great, great strategies. I, I don't know, Nate or um, Angie, any more to add?

[00:30:11] Nate Kyle: Go ahead, Angie. If you have something, I'll follow up behind you. Sure.

[00:30:15] Angie Santa Ana: Well, um, like I said earlier, there are 12 tribal vocational rehabilitation programs throughout the state that are grant funded from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. And we, work closely with Alaska DVR. I noticed that Megan is a participant in this webinar, but we, so the 12 TVR programs have revised the memorandum of understanding or the cooperative agreement and contingency plan should a TVR program not become funded or refunded. So, um, that's in the works. Also, speaking of comparable benefits, it is very important to utilize comparable benefits when we help individuals in a plan for employment.

[00:31:14] So that could either be like Alaska DVR, it could even be like one of the programs here at APIA, like behavioral health. We refer folks there. We also work with the tribe also, and the way our travel is set up is by invitation from the tribe. So when a tribe invites us to their community.

[00:31:42] We're honoring that tribe and giving, um, allowing us to provide outreach services to their community members. And also just utilizing community resources. Like recently our program visited the Alaska Center for the Blind and learned of their varied services. We are so appreciative of all the information.

[00:32:08] Thank you.

[00:32:10] Nate Kyle: Hmm. You're so welcome for that. It was exciting. You, we had fun here. That's great. Oh, and that building trust, laughter. Like when plane flights are getting canceled for days when it's 20 below 10, below when there's snow, when clients don't show, when all things are going sideways, laughter levity is really good for trust and keeping us all connected.

[00:32:36] Jennifer Ottowitz: A good sense of humor goes a long way, right?

[00:32:38] Nate Kyle: It does. In touching on DVR. You know, they, I wanna say they just played such an integral role for what we do, and Megan, who's here, she and I go way back now, and we've, we've been able to work through a lot of different challenges, come up with a lot of creative solutions.

[00:32:56] And Megan has been able to kind of play a huge role in modeling and helping to lead community building with other DVR counselors to see what we, you know, for the results that we have in the blind community now. Because with DVR, we're really able to take a client from zero knowing nothing all the way through.

[00:33:19] And that could mean college, it could mean a trade school, it could mean, uh, job shadowing. And so we can do everything through that support with DVR. And as Sarah said, one thing is like no competition. That's the thing. Like we have grants, like all of us may have similar grants. But we all really work together closely to support one another.

[00:33:41] There's always shout outs like we're doing here. Whenever we come across any Zoom meetings, we catch up with one another. Quick updates. That goes a long way in the trust building and in everything that we do to create and strengthen these partnerships and, and also mentioned was travel expenses.

[00:33:59] You know, going to Fairbanks, we, we went through half of our travel, no, all of our travel budget in half of a year. 'cause that's how great the need was. And then, so the lions up there that having that relationship as partner agency, they said, we'll, we'll provide you $2,500, uh, a quarter to do your work in Fairbanks.

[00:34:19] And so keeping and maintaining those partnerships helps the bottom line as well.

[00:34:26] Jennifer Ottowitz: I did just wanna give a special thanks to those attending the webinar today who are providing services in Alaska. Thank you for joining us and I think it's so wonderful that you all have recognized on the panel, have recognized them, and, um, not just for.

[00:34:42] Attending, but literally recognizing who they are, that you actually have relationships with each other. Mm-hmm. And that's one of the things that's most impressed me, uh, again, about, uh, the services that you all provide and how you do work together without that competition. So great. I wanna just open it up for another couple of minutes to allow you all to share any final thoughts, any things you'd like to share about your program.

[00:35:09] We can take about five minutes total. But, yeah, if anyone would like to add anything else to, any other questions or just share some final thoughts.

[00:35:22] Victoria: This is Victoria Ackerman. Uh, I work at Alaska Center for the Blind. I also wanted to mention our youth programs that we have, that DVR because they reach out to all people, the state, not just Anchorage, so and in Wasilla, and we're trying to get that more information out and try to try in with camp wherever.

[00:35:44] I'm sure Nate can speak more to that.

[00:35:48] Nate Kyle: Yeah. Well, yeah. Our, our goal is to have more youth coming from this entire state and so building the trust within the communities to where they will grant us the opportunity to have their young people come, hang out with us and, and have a good time.

[00:36:03] Jennifer Ottowitz: Great. Thank you.

[00:36:06] Angie Santa Ana: I'll say, yeah. Um, thank you so much for the opportunity to share here. Alaska is home to many people who love Alaska. And, for elders, it's their way of life. It is a way of life for elders to practice subsistence. I wanna recognize Ms. Frida, who does subsistence at her fish camp and all the people in rural Alaska. Some people may be working a regular job but relying on subsistence to help put food in the freezer for the winter. That's a reality, because the cost of living is so high and, I wanna also recognize that Michael Christian from the statewide Independent Living Council is online also.

[00:36:58] Um, but I, um, I just wanna thank you for this opportunity.

[00:37:06] Jennifer Ottowitz: Well, and thank you so much for reaching out and for all of everyone who was involved in the planning for the three of you, for just your willingness to share, to give us insights not only about the challenges that you all face, but about the opportunities that you create as well. And, and I think, um, for me what I've learned about folks in Alaska, definitely flexible, creative, resilient, rugged, and resourceful all come to mind.

[00:37:37] And for all of you, too, just embody that collaborative spirit. So thank you all for sharing that with us.

This has been OIB TAC’s monthly webinar. Thanks for tuning in. Find recordings of our past webinars on our YouTube channel, and discover all of our many resources at OIB-TAC.org. That's O I B T A C .org, like us on social media, and share our resources with your colleagues and friends. Until next time.