Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 9, 2013

12

THE GOOD LIFE

 Mountain Views News Saturday, March 9, 2013 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HOW TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT SLEEP APNEA

 
By Pat Birdsall

FYI - COMING SOON: “Bird’s Eye View”. Pat Birdsall’s weekly 
commentary on everything under the sun will be back! 

 .....................................................................................................................

HELPFUL HINT: Recycling at its best: Cut open the cardboard toilet paper rolls and 
make a cuff to put around your wrapping paper to keep it from unrolling.

......................................................................................

FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

 A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent 
treatment. The next week the man realized that he would need his wife to wake him at 5:30 am for an 
early morning business flight to Chicago. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence, he finally 
wrote on a piece of paper, “Pease wake me at 5:00 am.” The next morning the man woke up only to 
discover that it was 9:00 am and that he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see 
why his wife hadn’t woken him when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed…it said…“It’s 5:00 am; 
wake up.” 

 ~ ~ ~

 While my friend Cheryl was working as a receptionist for an eye surgeon, a very angry woman 
stormed up to her desk. “Someone stole my wig while I was having surgery yesterday,” she complained. 
The doctor came out and tried to calm her down. “I assure you no one on my staff would have done 
such a thing,” he said. “Why do you think it was taken here?” “After the operation, I noticed the 
wig I had on was ugly and cheap looking.” “I think,” explained the surgeon gently, “that means your 
cataract operation was a success.”

 ....................................................................

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … March Birthdays…

 

 Sally Contreras, Karen Blachly, Carla Duplex, Ella Guttman, Viky Tchatlian, Mary 
Cooper, Georgina “Snooky” Greger, Sun Liu, Helen Wallis, Joan Crow, Nancy Fox, Nan 
Carlton, Martha Cassara, Carol Cerrina and Amy Putnam. *To add your name to this 
distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required.

..................................................................

Quote of the Week: Patience: A minor form of despair disguised as a virtue ~ Ambrose Bierce

..................................................................

ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart Park 
House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

YMCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale Senior Café: Monday-Friday at 12:00 Noon

(Participants are urged to arrive no later than 11:45 A.M.) 

All seniors 60 and up can take part in the lunch program. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 
for those 60 and over and $3.75 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary as space is 
limited. Please call 24 hours in advance...626.355.0256

 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: On the 2nd Tuesday of the month 11:00 am-12:00 pm: A nurse from 
Methodist Hospital, Arcadia volunteers to do the readings. No appointment necessary.

 

Bingo: Every Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm Cards are only .25c each! 

Free Chair Yoga: Every Wednesday morning from 11:00 am-11:45 am Volunteer Teryl Willis offers 
this class that focuses on senior yoga techniques. It is geared toward gentle movements, breathing 
techniques and balance improvement. No reservations are necessary.

Free Legal Consultation: Pasadena attorney Geoffrey Chin volunteers on the 2nd Wednesday of 
the

month. He focuses on estate planning, trusts, wills, probate, conservatorships and business law. 
*Appointments are a must! Please call: 626.355.7394 to make yours* Conflicting court schedules 
can 

 occasionally cause cancellations.

Free Income Tax Assistance: Wednesdays through April 10th from 1pm to 2pm Don Brunner will 
provide is available to all seniors for income tax consultation. Appointments are required, call 626-
355-7394.

Birthday Celebrations: The 2nd Thursday of the month the Senior Center celebrates the birthdays 
of our patrons at 12:30 pm. Please join us for free cake and ice cream and “celebration.” (The cakes 
are provided due to a generous donation from the Sierra Madre Civic Club.)

Game Day: Every Thursday at 1:00pm. Poker is usually the game of choice, or should I say chance? 
Board games and other card games are also available. Outside, on the patio, a beautiful, one-of-a-
kind chess table is anxious for players.

 

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 1:00 pm -1:45 pm. Conducted by long-time 
volunteer, Lisa Brandley. The class utilizes light weights for low-impact resistance training. Weights 
are provided by the Sierra Madre Senior Center. It’s a great way to stay in shape and to socialize with 
your peers. (Gossip included)

Senior Citizens Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House (Senior Center). Brown bag lunch at 
11:30am; Club meeting at Noon; Bingo 12:30- 3:30 pm. Only .25c per card… For more information 
call Pat at 626.355.7290.

NEW CLASS - Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance: Starting Feb 25th, this six week introductory course will 
teach hand, hip, and feet movements for one full dance. Classes will be held on Mondays from 1:00pm 
to 2:00pm for six weeks. Sarongs and leis will be provided. Class taught by Sierra Madre resident Cheryl 
Mason.

AARP DRIVER SAFETY COURSE This class focuses on learning current rules of the road,

defensive driving techniques, and how to operate your vehicle more safely in today’s increasingly 
challenging driving environment. You’ll also learn how you can manage and accommodate common 
age-related changes in vision, hearing and reaction time. Manystates including California offer 
discounts on auto insurance rates for those who complete this course..

EXCURSIONS:

COMING UP: 

Jeopardy Taping at the Sony Lot Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Description: Attend a taping of America’s favorite quiz show. Test your knowledge while host Alex 
Trebek challenges the contestants.

 .....................................................................................................................

SENIOR MOVIE PROGRAM: FREE movies are shown on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays 
of the month. The films, one contemporary and one vintage, are chosen by the seniors themselves. 

All movies are shown in Sierra Madre’s City Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 

Dear Savvy Senior:

What can you tell me about sleep apnea? My husband, 
who’s 60, has become such a terrible snorer he 
wakes himself up at night, and he keeps me up too. 

Sleepy Shelly

Dear Shelly:

If your husband is a loud snorer who wakes himself 
up during sleep, he probably needs to be tested 
for sleep apnea, a dangerous disorder that affects 
around 22 million Americans – and most don’t 
even know it. 

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a person to 
stop breathing during sleep, dozens and even hundreds 
of times during the night for up to 30 seconds 
at a time. Left untreated, it can cause extreme 
daytime sleepiness, as well as a host of serious 
health conditions like high blood pressure, heart 
attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, diabetes, 
depression and gastroesophageal reflux disease. In 
fact, it’s estimated that every year, around 38,000 
Americans die in their sleep from a heart attack or 
stroke because of sleep apnea.

But the good news is that sleep apnea is very treatable 
and most insurance companies, including 
Medicare, cover it. 

Who Has It? 

There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, 
central and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep 
apnea is by far the most common, and occurs 
when the throat muscles relax during sleep blocking 
the airway. 

While anyone can have it, sleep apnea is most 
common in people who are overweight, male, 
middle-aged and older. For women, the risk rises 
after menopause. 

The symptoms include loud snoring (however not 
everyone who snores has apnea), long pauses of 
breathing, gasping or choking during sleep and 
daytime drowsiness. But because most of these 
symptoms happen during sleep, most people don’t 
recognize them. It’s usually the person they’re 
sleeping with who notices it. 

Get Help

To help you get a handle on your husband’s problem, 
the American Sleep Apnea Association has 
several quick diagnostic tests he can take at sleepapnea.
org – click on “diagnosis and treatment.” 
If you suspect a problem after taking these tests, 
he should try some self-help measures, including: 

• Sleeping on his side or stomach: This will 
help keep his airways open. To promote side sleeping, 
there are products available that can help like 
the Rematee Bumper Belt (antisnoreshirt.com) 
and Sona Pillow (sonapillow.com).

• Losing weight: Excess body weight, especially 
around the neck, puts pressure on the airway, 
causing it to partially collapse. Even a slight 
weight loss may help. 

• Avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills: These 
can relax the muscles in the back of his throat, interfering 
with breathing. 

If his problem persists, make an appointment with 
his primary care doctor or a sleep specialist who 
will probably recommend an overnight diagnostic 
sleep test, which can take place at a sleep center 
(see sleepeducation.com), or at home using a portable 
device. 

Treatment Options

If he is diagnosed with apnea, the most commonly 
prescribed treatment is a continuous positive airway 
pressure (CPAP) device. This involves sleeping 
with a snorkel-like mask that’s hooked up to a 
machine that gently blows air up your nose to keep 
the passages open. 

Another less invasive treatment option is Provent 
therapy (proventtherapy.com). This is a small, disposable 
patch that fits over each nostril to improve 
airflow. A 30-day supply of these prescription-only 
patches cost $65 to $90, but unfortunately, it’s not 
currently covered by insurance or Medicare.

If the CPAP or nasal patches aren’t an option, an 
oral appliance that fits into the mouth like a removable 
mouth guard or retainer may be the solution. 
Oral appliances work by positioning the 
lower jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open 
during sleep.

If these don’t work, there are also a variety of surgical 
options available to help keep the throat open 
and prevent blockages. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. 
Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC 
Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” 
book.


PRECONCEPTIONS

 I often listen to KWVE, a Christian radio station with programs including 
“Through the Bible” with Chuck Smith, and “Pastors’ Perspective,” also with pastors 
Chuck Smith and Don Stewart. The content is always stimulating, but sometimes 
they throw in a funny story to illustrate a point. The following is from Chuck Smith; 
I’m not sure who he got it from, but enjoy!

 At the airport, a lady bought a package of Oreo cookies to eat while waiting for her flight. Before 
long, she heard the sound of cellophane rustling. A man next to her was opening her package of Oreos! 
The lady stayed composed and watched incredulously as he popped one into his mouth and munched 
on it contentedly. She snatched a cookie from the box and chewed, keeping her eye on this forward 
stranger.

 A few minutes later, she heard, again, the sound of rustling plastic. The man had the gall to take 
a second cookie, and relished it slowly. The lady 
grabbed another Oreo, shoving it into her mouth as 
fast as she could.

 Her flight was set to take off in half an hour. 
Within that time, the cookie thief got away with 
another Oreo, while the lady kept pace in this bizarre 
snacking contest.

 At last, her plane was ready to board. There was 
one cookie left. The lady pretended not to notice. 
The man took it, broke it, and offered half to her. 
Indignantly, she grabbed it and hurriedly swallowed 
it down. Fifteen minutes later, she was seated and 
listening to the in-flight instructions. If these red 
lights flash, she must secure this oxygen mask to her 
face. Stay seated and keep your seatbelts buckled 
until you are given permission to move about freely. 
It had been an irritating afternoon, and the lady felt a headache coming on. She opened her carry-on 
bag in search of some aspirin, but instead found her unopened box of Oreos.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com