Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 6, 2014

10

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 6, 2014 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

Generic Drugs Offer Seniors Big Savings


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! É September Birthdays*

Clem Bartolai, Pat Hall, Donna Anderson, Teresa Chaure, Cathy Gunther, Esther Macias, 
Sheila Pierce, Nancy Sue Shollenberger, Yvonne Osti, Patti OÕMeara, Judie Cimino, Mary 
Steinberg, Geri Wright, Parvin Dabiri, Denise Reistetter and Nehama Warner.

 *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: ÒGrandchildren are GodÕs way of compensating for growing old.Ó

 ~ Mary H. Waldrip

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

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 CafŽ: 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.

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. Canceled on August 5th and 12th.

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

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, August 27th 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 12:45pm. 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.

 

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS

Gondola Getaway (Long Beach, CA) - Friday, September 19, 2014 

Time: 9:15am to 3:15pm Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center Cost: 
$30.00 (does not include lunch) The Gondola Getaway brings old world charm and a 
thousand year old tradition to Long Beach. Authentic Venetian gondolas gently cruise the enchanting 
canals and waterways of Naples Island near the resort area of Belmont Shores in Long Beach. Join 
us for an hourlong cruise followed by lunch at one of the charming restaurants in Belmont Shores. 
Participants are asked to bring $20 for lunch. Level of Walking: Low

Oasis Camel Dairy & Julian (Julian, CA) Date: Friday, October 17, 2014

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

Cost: $20.00 (does not include lunch)

Join us as we visit the Oasis Camel Dairy and Julian, California. The adventure begins with an 
ÒAll About the Oasis Camel DairyÓ tour led by Camel Dairy OwnerÕs Gil and Nancy Riegler. This 
intimate, candid tour includes a seated ÒshowÓ presentation where camels come to you followed by a 
leisurely, short stroll to the camel enclosures for some camel cuddling. There is also an opportunity 
for a camel ride, please see below for information about camel rides. 

 Following the dairy we visit the historic town of Julian to eat lunch, shop, experience the fall 
foliage, and enjoy the tastes of homemade apple pie, cider & much more. Lunch will be on your own 
and there are a few restaurants to choose from in Julian; participants should bring money for lunch

and souvenirs. Last day to register is Thursday, October 9th. Level of Walking: Medium to Low.

Camel Rides

Camel rides are available after the group tour. The camel rides are the county fair, around in a big 
circle, handled kind of ride. The price is $10.00 per person and we need a minimum of 15 people to 
sign up for the camel rides to occur. If you are interested in the ride please let staff know when you 
register for the excursion. If the minimum number is met, staff will follow up with you regarding 
payment. Please note that there is a 200lb weight limit to ride the camels.

Excursion Refund Policy: Notification of the cancellation must be made at least 3 business days 
before the excursion. A refund will only be issued 1) for a medical excuse or 2) if the Department 
is able to fill the patrons spot from a waiting list. This refund will be issued in the form of a credit 
which will be applied to the patronÕs account with the City, less a $10 cancellation fee. The credit 
will remain on your account for one year from the date issued and the credit may be used for any 
program or service offered by the Community Services Department.

1ST & 3RD WEDNESDAY 

Shown at the Hart Park House Senior Center 

SEPTEMBER 3RD: THE BOOK THIEF (2013)

To escape the horrors of World War II Germany, a young girl steals books 
to read and visits with the Jewish refugee hiding in her house. Rated PG-
13, Start time: 1:00 pm (run time 131 minutes) Featuring: Sophie NŽlisse, 
Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson

SEPTEMBER 17TH: MANDELA-LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (2013) 

A chronicle of Nelson MandelaÕs life journey from his childhood in a rural village through

to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Rated PG-13, 
Start time: 1:00 pm (run time 141 minutes) Featuring: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Terry Pheto 

Dear Savvy Senior,

Are brand-name medications better than generic, and 
if not, why is there such a price difference? Also, how 
can I find out which medicines are available in generic 
form.

Leery Senior

Dear Leery,

 No. Brand-name medications are not better, safer or 
more effective than their generic alternative because 
theyÕre virtually the same. 

 To gain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA), generic drugs are required 
to the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form 
and route of administration as their brand-name 
counterpart. The generic manufacturer must also 
demonstrate that people absorb the drug at the same 
rate. 

 The only difference between a brand-name drug 
and its generic is the name (generics are usually called 
by their chemical name), shape and color of the drug 
(U.S. trademark laws donÕt allow generics to look 
exactly like the their brand-name counterparts) and 
price. Generic drugs are often 10 to 30 percent cheaper 
when they first become available, but by the end of the 
first year the price can drop in half. And by the second 
and third year it can drop 70 to 90 percent.

Cost Difference

 The reason generic drugs are so much cheaper is 
because their manufacturers donÕt have the hefty 
start-up costs that the original creators of the drug 
do. When a pharmaceutical company creates a new 
drug, it spends millions of dollars on the research, 
development and clinical testing phase. Then, if it gets 
FDA approval, it has to turn around and spend even 
more money to market the drug to the health care 
industry and the public.

 The total cost can rise into the hundreds of millions 
by the time the drug is in the hands of consumers.

 In an effort to recoup their investment, the brand-
name drug makers charge a premium price, and are 
given a 20-year patent protection, which means that 
no other company can make or sell the drug during 
that period of time. 

 After those 20 years are up, however, other 
companies can apply to the FDA to sell generic 
versions. But because generic manufacturers donÕt 
have the same research, development and marketing 
costs, they can sell their product much cheaper. 

 Also, once generic drugs are approved, thereÕs 
greater competition, which drives the price down. 
Today, nearly 8 in 10 prescriptions filled in the United 
States are for generic, which saves U.S. consumers 
around $3 billion every week.

New Generics 

 You should also know that in 2014 and 2015, patents 
on a wide variety of popular brand-name drugs will 
expire and become available in generic, including 
Celebrex, Copaxone, Actonel, Nexium, Exforge, 
Cymbalta, Lunesta, Avodart, Abilify, Evista, Maxalt, 
Maxalt MPT, Micardis, Micardis HCT, Reneagel, 
Twynata and Xeloda. 

 For a more information, Community Catalyst, a 
national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization 
provides a list on their website of the top 50 brand-
name drugs and the dates they should become 
available as generics. Go to communitycatalyst.org, 
and type ÒDrugs Going Generic 2014 Ð 2015Ó in their 
search bar to find it.

 You can also find out if a brand-name drug has a 
generic alternative by simply asking your doctor 
or pharmacist. Or, visit GoodRX.com, a Web tool 
that provides prices on brand-name drugs and their 
generic alternatives (if available) at virtually every 
pharmacy in the U.S. so you can find the best deals in 
your area.

 

 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 ÒThe Savvy SeniorÓ book.


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


Back at the Farm...


Labor Day has passed, and 
with it, the last vestiges of 
summer --except for the 
heat. This holiday used to 
mark the start of the school year, but for some 
of us, weÕve already been back for three weeks! 
(Hey, that means we get out at the end of May, so 
you wonÕt hear me complaining!) Working at a 
public school, itÕs so easy to get caught up in the 
daily rush that I overlook things I would usually 
notice. For instance, it only recently occurred 
to me that, although we boast about advances in 
technology and other cutting edge innovations, 
certain aspects of education havenÕt changed in a 
hundred years. 

 There are many charming examples of 
antiquated, yet popular, nursery themes 
decorating classrooms around the country. ÒJack 
and Jill,Ó ÒHey Diddle Diddle,Ó and ÒLittle Miss 
MuffetÓ will always be with us, despite the fact 
that no one calls a bucket a ÒpailÓ or a violin a 
Òfiddle.Ó And I donÕt even know what a tuffet is! 
But letÕs get more basic than that. Not every kid 
knows these classic rhymes, but they all know 
about farms.

 Ah, the farm! What would kindergarten be 
without it? When was the last time you were on a 
farm? And, no, the farmerÕs market doesnÕt count. 
How many of us know farmers? When you were 
little, did you want to be a singer, movie star, or 
farmer? Perhaps a policeman, fireman, or farmer? 
Or maybe a lawyer, doctor, or farmer? IÕm not 
down on farmers, IÕm just trying to illustrate how 
far removed the farm is from our daily lives.

 And yet even the most hard core, no-nonsense 
kindergarten classes are sure to have a farm 
lurking around somewhere, either as a toy or in 
books or rhymes. (The current educational terms 
for toys, books, and rhymes are Òmanipulatives,Ó 
Òtexts,Ó and Òphonological awareness activities.Ó) 
I have a bingo set less than 15 years old that 
includes a farmer among other occupations 
such as disc jockey, day care worker, and office 
manager.

 On the same note, I find it interesting that often 
kids know certain facts, such as wool coming 
from sheep, but they rarely have any idea of what 
happens to it after that. However, the extent of 
farm knowledge varies from child to child. I was 
playing ÒanimalÓ bingo with a kindergartener 
and a seasoned first grader the other day. WeÕll 
call the kindergartener Ollie and the first grader 
Sven. Ollie is somewhat shy, and Sven was trying 
to help him break out of his shell. Part of the 
game involves taking a card with an animal on 
it and giving the other players hints until they 
guess the animal correctly. But feeding Ollie 
endless clues was starting to become tedious for 
Sven. Exasperated at OllieÕs shrugs in response 
to his clever hints about a cow, Sven finally said, 
ÒCome on, you know it! It pees milk!Ó You gottaÕ 
love first graders! 

SENIOR 

CINEMA

TECH TALK: TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE

Mondays, September 8th and 22nd

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; two 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.


SENIOR HEALTH SCREENINGS 

(Previously Wellness in the Park)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH ¥ 9:00AM-12:00PM ¥ 

HART PARK HOUSE

Hosted by the Senior Community Commission and City of Sierra Madre Community 
Services Department, this event provides a variety of free to low cost health screenings and 
services for seniors age 55 and older. 

The event takes place on Saturday, September 20th from 9am to 12pm at the Hart Park

House Senior Center located in Memorial Park, 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

The following health screenings or services will be provided:

¥ Blood Pressure - Methodist Hospital

¥ Body Mass Index - Methodist Hospital

¥ Hearing - Hear Center

¥ Memory - Family Peace Inc.

¥ Balance - On the Move Physical Therapy

¥ Acupuncture - Yoon Min Acupuncture & Herbs

¥ Chair Massage - The Salt Studio

¥ Flu shots - Walgreens Pharmacy

*Primary insurance needs to be Medicare, otherwise $25.00

DonÕt miss the opportunity to receive these free or low cost services. Screenings

are drop in and appointments do not need to be made. 

Held in conjunction with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast in Memorial park. For more 
information about this event please contact the Senior Center at 626.355.7394.


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