Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 13, 2013

11

THE GOOD LIFE

 Mountain Views News Saturday, April 13, 2013 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HOW TO SHOP FOR A HEARING AID

Dear Savvy Senior: What tips can you offer people 
who are shopping for hearing aids? 

Overwhelmed Senior

Dear Overwhelmed:

With so many choices and options available today, 
shopping for a hearing aid that meets your needs, 
lifestyle and budget can be challenging. Here are 
some tips that can help you locate a good hearing aid provider and choose an appropriate aid.

Choose a Provider

The first step in buying a hearing aid is to choose a good provider. The best option – as recommended by 
Consumer Reports – is an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose and throat doctor) who employs an audiologist 
that fits and dispenses hearing aids. 

An otolaryngologist will first examine your ears and rule out any medical conditions such as a tumor, 
bacterial infection or ear wax that can affect your hearing. Medicare will cover the medical exam and an 
audiologist’s test if ordered by a physician.

If you can’t find a conveniently located doctor’s office that dispenses aids, an independent audiologist 
or hearing instrument specialist is a good alternative. To search for these professionals in your area, see 
howsyourhearing.org and ihsinfo.org. Big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Costco also sell hearing aids. 

Or, if you’re a veteran, be sure to check with your nearest VA health facility. Eligible veterans may be able 
to get hearing aids for free. 

During Your Visit

After you locate a provider, when you go in for your first visit you need to be prepared to discuss your 
lifestyle and hearing needs. For example: Do you just want to hear the TV, or other people speaking? 
Do you talk on the phone a lot? Do you need to hear in a lot of noisy places, like restaurants? Knowing 
your priorities will help your provider determine what style and hearing aid technology is best for you.

You’ll also be given a hearing test in a soundproof booth to determine what type of hearing loss you 
have. After the test, your provider should give you a choice of hearing aid brands, features and styles to 
consider. 

To help you decide, ask for a demonstration. Many providers are able to put a disposable plug on the 
tip of a behind-the-ear hearing aid and program the device to your hearing loss so you can experience 
how it works. 

Also ask about popular add-on features like “telecoils” that helps with phone conversations, “directional 
microphones” that can help you hear in noisy places, and “feedback cancellation” that prevents the aid 
from squealing when you get too close to other audio equipment. But, keep in mind that the extra features 
will drive up the price. 

At the Fitting

After you buy your hearing aid, don’t leave the office without making sure it physically fits your ear and 
that it does what you want it to do. To help with this, ask to have a “real-ear” test which measures the 
match between your hearing loss and the response of your hearing aid.

Also get a signed copy of a contract that outlines the hearing aid you’re buying, along with the price, 
trial period, any nonrefundable fees and the warranty. Most manufacturers allow a 30 to 60-day trial 
period to be sure you’re satisfied, and provide follow-up visits to help you with needed adjustments or 
questions. 

Resources

You also need to know that digital hearing aids are expensive, typically costing between $1,000 and 
$3,500 per ear, and they’re not covered by traditional Medicare or most private insurance companies. To 
look for help, call the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at 800-241-
1044 and ask them to mail you their list of financial resources for hearing aids. 

For more hearing aid information, get a copy of the “Consumer’s Guide to Hearing Aids” for $5.50 plus 
shipping at hearingloss.org, or call 301-657-2248.

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.

 
By Pat Birdsall

FYI - Volunteering: 

 Seniors who volunteer not only help society, but themselves as well. Seniors have a great deal of 
knowledge and experience, and sharing that with younger people is traditional role for seniors in 
society. By volunteering, seniors become more engaged in their world and reap health benefits to 
boot. Until recently, those health benefits have been hard to define or list. Researchers with AARP’s 
Experience Corps, an organization that trains people over 55 to tutor children, learned that seniors 
who volunteered were found to have better mental and physical functioning, along with better self-
esteem and connectivity with other people. Add to those; a lower risk of depression, less decline in 
health due to aging, improvement in memory, and a feeling that overall, life is improving. To find 
out more about the Experience Corps go to: www.experience.com Experience Corps is an excellent 
program, but is by no means the only way to get those benefits. The key ingredients are engaging 
with other people, meeting new people, doing meaningful work and challenging yourself! 

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HELPFUL HINT: Can you reuse pickle juice? Absolutely! Slice some onions thinly, 
throw them in the jar and you’ll love them on salads, sandwiches or hamburgers.

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FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

An elderly woman was arrested for shoplifting at a grocery store. When she appeared before the 
judge, the judge asked what she had taken. The lady replied, “A can of peaches.” The judge then 
asked why she had done it. She replied, “I was hungry and forgot to bring any cash to the store.” The 
judge asked how many peaches were in the can. She replied, “Nine.” The judge said, “Well then, I’m 
going to give you nine days in jail--one day for each peach.” As the judge was about to drop his gavel, 
the lady’s husband raised his hand and asked if he might speak. The judge said, “Yes, what do you 
have to add?” The husband said, “Your honor, she also stole a can of peas.”

You’re getting old when there’s no question in your mind that there’s no question in your mind.

 ~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … April Birthdays 


 Howard Ruben, Mary Harley, Bette White, Dorothy White, Doris Behrens, Freda Bernard,

Beth Copti, Terri Cummings, Marilyn Diaz, Virginia Elliott, Elma Flores, Julia Gottesman, 
Betty Jo Gregg, Barbara Lampman, Betty Mackie, Elizabeth Rassmusen, Maria Reyes, Anne 
Schryver, Chrisine Bachwansky, Colleen McKernan, Sandy Swanson, Hank Landsberg and to my 
friend, Ken Anhalt, a very special 90th birthday wish to you!

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth 
not required.

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Quote of the Week: 

Never lose a chance of saying a kind word. - William Thackeray, 1811-1863

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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 1:00 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 1:00 pm-2:00 pm. Don 
Brunner is available to all seniors for income tax consultation. Appointments are a must- Call 
(626) 355-7394 to make yours.

 

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 Birdsall at 626.355.7290.

Lunch & Learn: Wednesday, April 24, 2013- 12:15 – 1:15

Topic: Collecting, Cluttering, Hoarding. The items that gather, as we age, often mean more than 
just the objects alone could to anyone else. These objects represent memories, travels, friends, love 
and more. Join the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) as they provide 
an informative presentation on hoarding. LACDMH staff will distinguish between collecting, 
cluttering and hoarding, and emphasize the need for treatment for those who have a significant 
problem.

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:

Palm Springs Follies Palm Springs, California

Date: Thursday, April 25, 2013 Time: 8:30 am-6:00 pm

 Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center

 Cost: $63.00 (does not include lunch)

Upon arrival in Palm Springs participants can shop and lunch at nearby stores and restaurants all 
within walking distance of the theater. The Palm Springs Follies is a Broadway-caliber celebration 
of the music, dance and comedy of the 40s, 50s, and 60s with a cast old enough to have lived it! The 
performance begins at 1:30 pm and is approximately 2 1/2 hours in length. Excursion price includes 
transportation, driver’s tip and a ticket to the Follies. Participants are asked to bring additional 
money for shopping and lunch. Some walking is involved.

Save the Dates!

Friday, May 17, 2013. California Science Center Los Angeles, Ca. 

Friday, June 28, 2013- Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

Friday, July 12, 2013- Pageant of the Masters (evening excursion)

*Registering for Excursions can be done in person at the Hart Park House Senior Center and the 
Community Recreation Center or online at www.cityofsierramadre.com Cash, checks, and credit 
cards are accepted. Make checks payable “City of Sierra Madre”. Payment must be made at the time 
of reservation.

 ………………..

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. 

April’s selections are:

April 3- Splash (1985) Directed by Ron Howard

A man is reunited with a mermaid who saves him from drowning as a boy and falls in love not 
knowing who or what she is. Starring Tom Hanks & Daryl Hannah- Rated PG Start time: 1:00pm, 
run time: 111 minutes.

April 17- Mildred Pierce (1945)

After her cheating husband leaves her, Mildred Pierce proves she can become independent and 
successful, but can’t win the approval of her spoiled daughter. Starring-Joan Crawford. Not rated. 
Run time is 111minutes.

Start time: 1:00 PM in Sierra Madre’s City Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., SM


CRUEL IRONY

 Things are rough all over, but you already knew that. It used to be lucky to have a 
lawyer or a doctor in your family. Now graduating law students are lucky if they find 
a job! One of my co-workers was telling me about her son’s recent experiences in his 
quest to secure his place in the world of law.

 After a long, diligent search and numerous interviews, Ryan finally found a job at 
a law firm in Merced. Nothing against Merced, but compared to Chino Hills, where Ryan grew up, it’s 
no exciting metropolis. However, Merced does have some benefits, from a legal point of view, in that it 
maintains a steady rate of blue-collar crime. While far from the glamorous courtroom dramas, such as 
“Damages,” Ryan was ecstatic to have a job! At last his first “real” case landed on his desk. He was to be 
the prosecutor for the DA’s office against some individual who had been caught with an ounce or two of 
an illegal substance. The usual punishment for such crimes is a hefty fine and several months in prison.

 Being the supportive parents they are, Ryan’s mom and dad made a special trip to witness their 
son’s first case. For them, traveling is no small feat. His father 
battles chronic lung infections, often resulting in hospitalizations. 
At the time of the trial, he was wheeling an oxygen tank with tubes 
running into his nostrils. Ryan’s mother also suffers from health 
problems. A cancer survivor, she wears a medical sleeve to keep 
the circulation in her arm moving.

 On the day of the trial, the defendant was clean-shaven and dressed 
in a crisp suit that hid his tattoos. He had also removed about a 
brick’s weight of metal from his many piercings. Ryan presented 
a sound, rational argument for the suspect’s incarceration. The 
defending attorney rebutted with some unimaginative statements 
about his client’s sad background that sought to rationalize his 
descent into a life of crime.

 The judge adjourned to his chamber for consideration and then, 
to Ryan’s dismay, pronounced the defendant innocent! The ruling 
was a blow to Ryan’s confidence, and his parents did their best 
to assure him that the judge must’ve had some partiality toward 
the defendant. The next week back at the office, Ryan asked one 
of his bosses what had been wrong with his performance in the 
courtroom.

 “Don’t worry about it,” his boss said nonchalantly. “The cards were stacked against you from the 
moment the kid’s folks walked in the room.”

 “What are you talking about?” Ryan asked.

 His boss patted him on the shoulder. “Didn’t you see the guy’s mom and dad sitting behind him? That 
man with his oxygen tank almost had me in tears!”

 Moral of the story: If you bring visitors to court, make sure they know which side belongs to the 
prosecutor and which to the defendant.