Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 19, 2014

10

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 19. 2014 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

WHEN TO SEE A GERIATRICIAN

Dear Savvy Senior:

What kinds of health problems do geriatricians 
treat? My mother, who’s 80, takes several different 
medications for various health problems, but she 
hasn’t been feeling herself lately. I’m wondering if 
she would benefit by seeing a geriatrician in place 
of her regular family doctor. 

Inquiring Daughter

 Dear Inquiring:

If your mom is dealing with a variety of health 
problems and is taking multiple medications, a 
visit to a geriatrician may be just the antidote to 
help get her back on track. Here’s a breakdown 
of the different types of health conditions 
geriatricians treat and some tips to help you 
locate one in your area.

Geriatric Doctors

For starters, it’s important to know that 
geriatricians are family practice or internal 
medicine physicians that have had additional 
specialized training to manage the unique and, 
oftentimes, multiple health concerns of older 
adults. Just as a pediatrician specializes in caring 
for children, a geriatrician is trained to provide 
care for seniors, usually over age 65.

 While most doctors, and even general 
practitioners, are trained to focus on a person’s 
particular illness or disease, geriatricians are 
trained to look at all aspects that can affect 
elderly patients – not just the physical symptoms. 
They also often work with a team of other health 
care professionals like geriatric-trained nurses, 
rehabilitation therapists, nutritionists, social 
workers and psychiatrists to provide care. And, 
they will coordinate treatments among a patient’s 
specialists.

 Patients who can benefit from seeing a 
geriatrician are elderly seniors with multiple 
health and age-related problems such as 
cardiovascular disease, stroke, confusion and 
memory problems, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s 
disease, diabetes, hypertension, depression, 
respiratory problems, osteoporosis, arthritis, 
chronic pain, mobility issues, incontinence, 
vision and hearing impairment, and trouble with 
balance and falls.

 Geriatricians are also particularly adept at 
tackling medication problems. Because many 
seniors, like your mom, take multiple medications 
at the same time for various health conditions, 
and because aging bodies often absorb and 
metabolize drugs differently than younger 
adults, unique side effects and drug interactions 
are not uncommon. A geriatrician will evaluate 
and monitor you mom’s medications to be sure 
they are not affecting her in a harmful way.

 Geriatricians can also help their patients and 
families determine their long-term care needs, 
like how long they can remain in their own 
homes safely without assistance, and what type 
of services may be necessary when they do need 
some extra help.

 But not all seniors need to see a geriatrician. 
Seniors who have few health problems are just 
fine seeing their primary care physician.

Find a Geriatrician

 Unfortunately, there’s a shortage of geriatricians 
in the U.S., so depending on where you live, 
finding one may be challenging. To locate one 
in your area, visit the American Board of Family 
Medicine website at theabfm.org where you can 
do a search online. Or use Medicare’s online 
Physician Compare tool. Just go to medicare.gov/
physiciancompare and type in your zip code, or 
city and state, then type in “Geriatric Medicine” 
in the “What are you searching for?” box. You 
can also get this information by calling Medicare 
at 800-633-4227.

 Keep in mind, though, that locating a geriatrician 
doesn’t guarantee your mom will be accepted as a 
patient. Many doctors already have a full patient 
roster and don’t accept any new patients. You’ll 
need to call the individual doctor’s office to find 
out. 

 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.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … July Birthdays*

Nina Bartolai, Mary Lou Caldwell, Louise Neiby, Eunice Banis, Betty Hansen, Christine 
Durfort, Shahrzad Azrani, Jeanne Borgedahl, Janet Cox, Dorothy Montgomery, Bess 
Pancoska, Janet Swanson, Linda Thunes, Barbara Watson, Pat Alcorn, Karma Bell, Alice 
Clark, Dorothy Jerneycic, and Betty DosRemedios.

 *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: “Let freedom never perish in your hands.” ~ Joseph Addison

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

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: Every 3rd Monday, from 11:00 to 11:45 am with Shannon. All ability levels are

encouraged and welcomed. Canceled for the month of July.

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10:00am to 11:00am. Join 
instructor Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula.

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to 
join. May be canceled if less than 5 people.

Free Blood Pressure Testing: Held 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11:00am to 12:00pm. No 
appointment is necessary.

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, July 23rd from 10:00am to Noon. Attorney Lem Makupson

is available for legal consultation. He specializes in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, and Injury. 
For an appointment call 626-355-7394.

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45 am, except on the third Monday of the 
month when the balance class is held. A suggested donation of $5 at one of the classes is requested, 
but is not required.

Birthday Celebrations: Every second Thursday of the month the Hart Park House Senior Center 
celebrates birthdays of our patrons. The free birthday cake is provided by the Sierra Madre Civic 
Club.

Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 1:00pm. A regular group of seniors play poker. Other games

available for use. Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45pm to 1:30pm with Lisa 
Brandley. The class utilizes light weights for low impact resistance training. All materials for the 
class are provided.

Senior Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown bag lunch at 11:30 am. 
Club meeting at noon. Bingo 12:30-3:30 pm. Annual membership is only $10.00.

 

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS

California Science Center (Los Angeles, CA)

Date: Friday, July 18, 2014 • Time: 9:15am to 3:30 pm

Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center

Cost: $25.00 (does not include lunch)

Experience the California Science Center’s feature exhibition, “Pompeii,” which offers a glimpse 
into the opulent lifestyle and tragic end of this ancient Roman society. Relive the volcano’s 
catastrophic eruption through an immersive multimedia experience. The trip also includes 
the National Geographic film “Forces of Nature” and which showcases the power of volcanoes, 
earthquakes, and severe storms on the 7-story IMAX screen. Participants are asked to bring 
additional money for souvenirs and lunch; two restaurants are available onsite. Last day to register 
is Thursday, July 10. Level of Walking: Moderate

1st & 3rd Wednesday

Shown at the Hart Park House Senior Center

July 2nd: Nine (2009)

Famous film director Guido Contini struggles to find harmony in his 
professional and personal lives as he engages in dramatic relationships with 
his wife, his mistress, his muse, his agent, and his mother. Rated PG-13, Start 
time: 1:00 pm (run time 118 minutes)

Featuring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, 
Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, and Penelope Cruz

July 16th: Blue Jasmine (2013)

After everything in her life falls to pieces, including her marriage to wealthy businessman Hal, 
elegant New York socialite Jasmine moves into her sister Ginger’s modest apartment in San 
Francisco to try to pull herself back together again. Rated PG-13, Start time: 1:00 pm (run time 98 
minutes) Featuring: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, and Peter Sarsgaard


KATIE Tse..........This and That

DROP KICK

 Working at a public school, 
I’m blessed and thankful to 
have the summers off! While 
I do relish summer vacation, 
the lack of interaction with 
the kids and my coworkers 
sometimes makes it more difficult to find things 
to write about. I’ve never been one to stay on 
the cutting edge of current events, and in the 
summer I’m doubly out of the loop. So it’s times 
like this that I can always 
fall back on my mom’s 
friend, Florence, for a 
good story or two!

 I’ve chronicled 
Florence’s stories in the 
paper before, but forgot 
which alias I gave her. 
So if her character seems 
familiar, that’s why. In 
a word --Florence is a 
riot! It’s not just that she 
can make stories sound 
funny; she, herself, 
attracts humorous 
situations. When my 
mom relays her friends’ 
stories to me, by the 
middle of it I can usually 
tell if Florence is the source. After their most 
recent get together, my mom thanked Florence 
for the laughs and said that now I’d have material 
for my articles. So, you may be reading about 
Florence for a couple of weeks unless I become 
otherwise inspired. I can’t promise to make the 
stories as funny as if Florence were telling them, 
but I’ll try. This week, it’s about a rabbit --a 
subject dear to my heart.

 Florence comes from a big family and has 
several siblings. She grew up rural Montebello 
(yes, Montebello was fairly rural at one time). 
Living close to nature gave her family a greater 
connection with native animals. One time her 
sister got a baby rabbit, a tiny thing about the size 
of chicken nugget. I assumed, as is the case in 
many of Florence’s stories, that they had rescued 
it in the wild. But my mom corrected me that it 
was, in fact, from a local fair. Fairs being what 
they are, the man who sold it to them didn’t 
provide a detailed lineage of the rabbit. You can 
imagine their surprise when their nugget-sized 
bunny grew into a big, honking Flemish Giant!

 No, I’m not talking about Norse mythology 
(although judging by its appearance, this breed’s 
name was probably inspired by Thor or the 
Valkeries). Check out photos of these beasts if 
you haven’t already. Their heads are larger than 
those of the men holding them. They’re in the 
same league as other abnormally sized things 
you’d find at a county fair. “Here’s a cabbage as 
big as a wrecking ball, a five yard long radish, and 
Farmer Sven’s 18 pound rabbit.” The pictures in 
which people are hoisting them up seem to have 
been taken quickly. They look strained, with 
flushed faces. “Take the picture already, Carl! I 
can’t hold her up much longer!”

 Needless to say, the 
rabbit (we’ll call him 
Zeus) was an instant 
family favorite. His 
notoriety was rivaled 
only by the infamy of 
one of the cousins’ yappy 
Chihahas (we’ll call him 
Styx). Styx was one 
of those dogs who, no 
matter how often you 
visit or give treats, never 
remembers you, and 
therefore barks its head 
off whenever it sees you. 
After a few years of trying 
to form a friendship with 
Styx, the family gave up 
and resigned themselves 
to his incessant yapping whenever his owner 
came over.

 It was one of these family gatherings at 
Florence’s house that Styx met his match. Zeus 
didn’t move around a lot due to his massive size, 
but he was very observant, and waited until Styx 
was close enough to come in contact with Zeus’s 
powerful hind legs. “When an irresistible force 
meets and old immovable object... something’s 
gotta give!” We all know about flying pigs, but I 
bet you hadn’t heard of air borne Chiwawas!

 The flight only temporarily jolted Styx, and he 
sustained no injuries. However, being the slow 
learner that Styx was, the Zeus-and-Styx-flying 
routine played out many more times at holidays 
and other get-togethers. I can imagine Florence 
telling her childhood friends to come and see 
the giant rabbit and the flying dog --and their 
surprise when they did see it!

* Using spell check sometimes “blocks the flow” 
when I’m writing, therefore I save it until the final 
draft. This time my proofreaders (a.k.a parents) 
laughed so hard at my horrible mispellings I 
decided to leave them in! 


SENIOR 

CINEMA

SEASONAL FUN AT THE SENIOR CENTER

Word Puzzle Competition • July 14-18, 2014

Come to the Senior Center during the week of July 14 to exercise your brain and enjoy the company 
of other puzzle enthusiasts! Try a different word puzzle everyday and enter for a chance to win a 
$20 gift card. Featured puzzles include word searches, crosswords, kriss kross, sudoku, and rebus 
puzzles. For each puzzle you complete, you will receive one raffle ticket. Puzzles may

be completed at home, but they must be returned to the Senior Center by Monday, July 21 at 11:00 
am to be considered for the drawing. Tickets will be drawn and winners announced on Monday, 
July 21 at 12:15 pm. Prizes include a $20 Domino’s gift card and two $20 Trader Joe’s gift cards.

 

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTATION - SALT THERAPY

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 • 12:00 to 1:00 pm

This presentation was rescheduled from October 2013. Listen to Reiki Master Kristen as she 
explains the benefits of Salt Therapy. Discover the all-natural, drug-free treatments that are offered 
at The Salt Studio such as salt therapy, massage therapy, and Reiki. These forms of treatment are 
helpful with many conditions that affect the body including: Arthritis, Chronic Obstructive

Pulmonary Disease (COPD), muscle tension, stress, Sinusitis, sore throat, colds, cough and 
congestion. If you would like to have lunch during the talk, please make a lunch reservation with 
the Senior Lunch Cafe at 626-355-0256 or bring your own.

 

LET THE BRAIN GAMES BEGIN

Tuesday, July 22, 2014 • 11:00 am to Noon

Improve your memory and strengthen your brain with fun, hands-on activities. Each month brings 
new games and contests to facilitate brain stimulation. Be sure to bring your friends as you engage 
in friendly competition for prizes. Activities facilitated by Swati Puri, Community Liaison for 
ComForcare Senior Services in Pasadena. Questions? Contact the Senior Center at 626-355-7394.

Tech Talk: Technology Assistance

Mondays, July 14 and 28 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM

Tech-savvy youth from Sierra Madre Middle School will provide assistance with the operation 
of cell phones, tablets, and computers. Participants should bring the device with which they 
need assistance; computers are available at the Senior Center for general instruction. The class 
is free of charge, but registration is required. To register, or for questions regarding the program 
call 626.355.7394.


We’d like to hear from you! 

What’s on YOUR Mind?

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