Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 26, 2014

Mountain Views News Saturday, April 26, 2014 
11THE GOOD LIFE Mountain Views News Saturday, April 26, 2014 
11THE GOOD LIFE 
AIR TRAVEL TIPS FOR SENIORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 

Dear Savvy Senior:
I would like to fly my elderly parents across the country next month for my daughter’s wedding but have 
some concerns about the flight. My mom has trouble walking long distances and my dad has COPD and 
needs an oxygen tank. What airport or airline services are available to help old passengers?
Concerned Daughter 

Dear Concerned: 
Flying can be physically exhausting for anyone, 
but for seniors with health issues or physical limitations 
it can be extremely challenging. Here are a 
few tips that can help. 


Booking the Flight

When you go to book your parent’s flight, this is 
the time to make special requests that can help make the trip easier for them. You’ll need to make 
these requests over the phone. 


For example, you may want to inquire about seats in the front of the plane for easier access or bulkhead 
seats that provides extra leg room, and you should probably request a wheelchair or two with 
attendant(s) to maneuver your parents through the airports they will be departing from and arriving 
to, and if there’s a connecting flight in between. 

If your parents don’t want a wheelchair, but want some help, ask about electric carts. 

You also need to check with the airline regarding their policy for portable oxygen concentrators for 
your dad. Some airlines require specific medical forms that will need to be signed by his doctor. 

Airport Assistance

If your parents are flying on their own, you should know that airlines allow elderly fliers to be escorted 
to and from the gate by a non-traveling companion, as long as the escort provides his or her full name, 
birth date and government-issued ID. 

If no one is available to help your parents, find out how the airline can assist them. Delta Airlines, for 
example, can have an employee help your parents through check-in with 48 hours notice, and American 
Airlines provides special assistance to passengers with disabilities. 

Or, consider hiring an independent company like Royal Airport Concierge Services (isroyalusa.com), 
who will meet your parents at the curb to help them check their bags and escort them to security. 
They typically charge $150 to $250 and serve dozens of airports across the U.S. 

There are also a number of traveling companion services like FlyingCompanions.com and PreferredTravelHelpers.
com that will do everything, including making the travel arrangements, accompanying 
your parents on the trip, and facilitating their needs along the way. Fees vary, depending on 
what’s needed and travel costs. 

Going Through Security 

All U.S. airports offer expedited screening to passengers 75 and older that allows them to move 
through security without removing their shoes or jacket, and many airports have lanes specifically 
for use by passengers with disabilities and medical conditions so they don’t have to wait in line. They 
should ask about these when they check-in. 

If your parents are packing medications in a carry-on bag, they should know that their pills and/or 
liquid medications do not have to be packed in their prescription containers to get through airport 
security, but they will need to separate them from their other belongings so they can be screened. 
Liquid medications in excess of 3.4 ounces will require separate screening. 

For more information on other airport security screening policies and procedures visit tsa.gov/traveler-
information, or call TSA Cares at 855-787-2227 where you can ask specific questions. 

Boarding and Deboarding

When it’s time to board, your parents can take advantage of the airlines pre-boarding option for elderly 
passengers who need some extra time to get on the plane and get settled. And for getting off the 
plane, they can wait for the other passengers to debark so attendants can assist them with carry-ons 
and escort them from the plane. 

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. 


THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE CRAZY

 It’s that time of year again! The weather’s getting warmer, flowers are blooming, 
and school children are itching with spring fever! And it’s only the end of April! 
But you must remember that many schools started way back in the middle of 
August. That leaves only about 30 school days left, and both students and teachers 
are running on fumes.

 Most “naughty” kids push the envelope of their teacher’s patience at the beginning of the school 
year. But there are always a few who students snap and revert to their old ways in this last leg of the 
race. This is what happened near the end of one of my mom’s last years of teaching third grade in a 
public school.

 The student in question (let’s call him Ned) came to third grade with a reputation for chronic 
sassy-ness, noncompliance, and general misconduct. Ned’s previous teachers had exhausted all 
the usual disciplinary methods: e.g., behavior contracts, punishment, rewards, screaming --all to 
no avail. Since my mom had 30 plus years of 
experience in the trenches dealing with every 
variety of students, she had a full arsenal of 
strategies at her disposal. 

 You see, some kids just get so callused and 
jaded over the years that traditional approaches 
at behavior modification fall short. These kids 
have grown accustomed to having teachers 
negotiate with them, cajole them, punish 
them, and yell to the point of developing vocal 
nodules. What they’re not used to is teachers 
who are just as crazy as they are!


 My mom and Ned maintained a working 
relationship for most of the year, but near the 
end Ned started to slip back into his whinny, 
argumentative habits. Specifically, he claimed 
that my mom had confiscated a ring of his at the beginning of the year, and now he wanted it back.

 
Of course there was no such ring, but that didn’t matter to Ned. He just wanted a fight. Their 
conversation went something like this: 

Ned: “Hey, Mrs. Hopkins, you never gave back my ring that you took away.” 
Mom: “I never took a ring from you. What are you talking about?”
Ned: (whining) “NO! You took it! I remember!” 
Mom: (walking to her desk, she cut a small rectangle of paper, connected the ends with tape, 
and handed it to Ned.) “Ok, here’s a ring for you.” 
Ned: (surprised, but still angry) “No! It was a real ring! My dad gave it to me!”
Mom: “That is a real ring. Look, you can put it on your finger.” 
Ned: “No! It had a diamond on it!” 
Mom: (she takes the paper ring back and draws a diamond shape in the middle) “Okay, here’s 
a diamond.” 
Ned: (walking away with his new ring) “I’m telling my dad!”
Mom: “That’s fine. While you’re at it, remind him to sign and return your report card.”


 Ned had a big, strong male teacher for fourth grade. Around the end of the year, Ned’s 
mom came back to thank my mom for working with him. “You’re the only one who was able 
to manage him!”

 Teaching, for the most part, is a thankless job of civil servants. But occasionally there’s something 
to brag about! 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


FYI - SENIORS - DON’T BE A TARGET 

THE F.B.I. Common Fraud Schemes webpage provides tips on how you can protect you and your 
family from fraud. Senior Citizens especially should be aware of fraud schemes for the following 
reasons: 

Senior citizens are most likely to have a “nest egg,” to own their home, and/or to have excellent 
credit—all of which make them attractive to con artists. 
People who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. 
Con artists exploit these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say 
“no” or just hang up the telephone.
Older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are 
too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may 
not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no 
longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs.
When an elderly victim does report the crime, they often make poor witnesses. Con artists know 
the effects of age on memory, and they are counting on elderly victims not being able to supply 
enough detailed information to investigators. In addition, the victims’ realization that they have 
been swindled may take weeks—or more likely, months—after contact with the fraudster. This 
extended time frame makes it even more difficult to remember details from the events. 
Senior citizens are more interested in and susceptible to products promising increased cognitive 
function, virility, physical conditioning, anti-cancer properties, and so on. In a country where new 
cures and vaccinations for old diseases have given every American hope for a long and fruitful life, 
it is not so unbelievable that the con artists’ products can do what they claim.

 For more information go to: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/seniors 
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HELPFUL HINT: Burned a pot of rice? Just place a piece of white bread 
on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. Be careful not to 
scrape the burned pieces off of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice 

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


FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

“Now, Ms. Lyons,” said the doctor, “you say you have shooting pains in your neck, dizziness, and 
constant nausea. Just for the record, how old are you?” “Why, I’m going to be 39 on my next birthday,” 
the woman replied indignantly. “Hmmm,” muttered the doctor, “Got a slight loss of memory, too.”

 ~ ~ ~ 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … April Birthdays… 

Howard Rubin, 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, Marian 
DeMars, Anne Schryver, Chrisine Bachwansky, Colleen McKernan, Sandy Swanson, 

Hank Landsberg, Ken Anhalt, Shannon Vandevelde 

. *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: “You can have anything you want - if you want it badly enough. You 
can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with 
singleness of purpose.” Abraham Lincoln 

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



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 Balance Class: Monday, January 27th 11:00 to 11:45 with Shannon Vandevelde. A variety of 
balance exercises are practiced; all ability levels are encouraged and welcomed. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: Held Second Tuesday of the month from 11:00 am-12:00 pm: No 
appointment necessary. 

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

Chair Yoga Update: This class has become so popular that Instructor Paul Hagen has agreed tooffer another class. Starting Monday, April 7th chair yoga will meet twice a week on Mondays and 
Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45 am, except on the third Monday of the month when the balance 
class is held. Due to the demand for this class and Paul Hagen’s time a suggested donation of $5 at 
one of the classes is requested, but is not required. If you have any questions please feel free to stop 
by or give us a call 626.355.7394 

Free Legal Consultation: Pasadena attorney Lem Makupson 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 

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. 

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. 

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. 

LUNCH & LEARN: DMV Senior Ombudsman Program

Wednesday, April 23rd • 12:00 to 1:00 pmThe DMV has established the Senior Driver Ombudsman program for the expressed purposes of 
helping all drivers maintain their driving independence for as long as they can safely do so.
A representative from the program will be present to (1) address the specific concerns of senior 
drivers and provide DMV resources (2) assist as a liaison to ensure senior drivers are treated fairly 
and consistently when faced with changes in physical, visual, and/or mental abilities; and (3) provide 
information and support to seniors and loved ones when safety becomes a concern.
Mark your calendars and don’t miss this great presentation with valuable information. If you would 
like to have lunch during the talk please call the Senior Lunch Café at 626.355.0256 or bring your 
own. 

SEASONAL FUN AT THE SENIOR CENTER 

On Thursday, April 17th join us for fun spring activities including dyeing and decorating hard 
boiled eggs and creating tissue paper flower bouquets. All materials provided. The activity will take 
place from 10:30am to Noon. If you have any questions please feel free to stop by or give us a call 
at 626.355.7394. 

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS: 

Palm Springs Follies (Palm Springs, CA) Date: Friday, April 11, 2014 

Time: 8:30am to 6:00pm Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center

 Cost: $60.00 (does not include lunch)
Spend the day in Palm Springs shopping, having lunch and visiting the famous Palm Springs Follies, 
a worldfamous, Broadway-caliber celebration of the music, dance, and comedy of the 40s, 50s, and 
60s with a cast old enough to have lived it! Upon arrival in Palm Springs participants can shop and 
lunch at nearby stores and restaurants all within walking distance of the theater. The performance 
begins at 1:30 pm and is approximately 2 ½ hours. Participants are asked to bring additional money 
for shopping and lunch. This will be the LAST Palm Springs Follies ever so sign up soon! Sold Out, 
but feel free to call to be on the waiting list. Level of Walking: Low to Moderate 

Senior Cinema: 1st & 3rd Wednesday *Change in Venue*
Shown at the Hart Park House Senior Center 


April 16th: Iron Lady (2013)

An elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles 
to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, 
intervene. Rated PG-13, Start time: 1:00 pm (run time 105 minutes) Featuring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, 
and Richard E. Grant 


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