Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 27, 2014

10

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 27, 2014 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

VACCINATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE 

TO SENIORS THIS FLU SEASON

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! � September Birthdays*

Clem Bartolai, Pat Hall, Donna Anderson, Teresa Chaure, Cathy Gunther, Esther Macias, 
Sheila Pierce, Nancy Sue Shollenberger, Yvonne Osti, Patti O�Meara, 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: �Grandchildren are God�s way of compensating for growing old.�

 ~ 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 Caf�: 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

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 
�All About the Oasis Camel Dairy� tour led by Camel Dairy Owner�s Gil and Nancy Riegler. This 
intimate, candid tour includes a seated �show� 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 patron�s 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.


Dear Savvy Senior,

I understand that there are several types of flu 
vaccines being offered to seniors this flu season. What 
can you tell me about them?

Cautious Senior

Dear Cautious,

 Depending on your health, age and personal 
preference, there�s a buffet of flu shots available to 
seniors this flu season, along with two vaccinations 
for pneumonia that you should consider getting too.

Flu Shots Options

 Just as they do every year, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 
a seasonal flu shot to almost everyone, but it�s 
especially important for seniors who are at higher 
risk of developing serious flu-related complications. 

 The flu puts more than 200,000 people in the 
hospital each year and kills around 24,000 � 90 
percent of whom are seniors. Here�s the rundown of 
the different options:

 Standard (trivalent) flu shot: This tried-and-
true shot that�s been around for more than 30 years 
protects against three strains of influenza. This 
year�s version protects against the two common 
A strains (H1N1 and H3N2), and one influenza B 
virus.

 Quadrivalent flu shot: This vaccine, which was 
introduced last year, protects against four types of 
influenza � the same three strains as the standard 
flu shot, plus an additional B-strain virus.

 High-dose flu shot: Designed specifically for 
seniors, age 65 and older, this vaccine, called the 
Fluzone High-Dose, has four times the amount of 
antigen as a regular flu shot does, which creates a 
stronger immune response for better protection. 
But, be aware that the high-dose option may also be 
more likely to cause side effects, including headache, 
muscle aches and fever.

 Intradermal flu shot: If you don�t like needles, 
the intradermal shot is a nice option because it uses 
a tiny 1/16-inch long micro-needle to inject the 
vaccine just under the skin, rather than deeper in 
the muscle like standard flu shots. This trivalent 
vaccine is recommended only to those ages 18 to 64.

To locate a vaccination site that offers these flu shots, 
visit vaccines.gov and type in your ZIP code. You�ll 
also be happy to know that if you�re a Medicare 
beneficiary, Part B will cover 100 percent of the 
costs of any flu shot, as long as your doctor, health 
clinic or pharmacy agrees not to charge you more 
than Medicare pays. Private health insurers are also 
required to cover standard flu shots, however, you�ll 
need to check with your provider to see if they cover 
the other vaccination options.

Pneumonia Vaccines

 The other important vaccinations the CDC 
recommends to seniors, especially this time of year, 
are the pneumococcal vaccines for pneumonia. 
An estimated 900,000 people in the U.S. get 
pneumococcal pneumonia each year, and it kills 
around 5,000. 

 This year, the CDC is recommending that all 
seniors 65 or older get two separate vaccines, which 
is a change of decades-old advice. The vaccines are 
Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23. Previously, only 
Pneumovax 23 was recommended for seniors.

 Both vaccines, which are administered just 
once, work in different ways to provide maximum 
protection.

 If you haven�t yet received any pneumococcal 
vaccine you should get the Prevnar 13 first, followed 
by Pneumovax 23 six to 12 months later. But, if 
you�ve already been vaccinated with Pneumovax 23 
you should get Prevnar 13 at least one year later.

 Medicare currently covers only one 
pneumococcal vaccine per older adult. If you�re 
paying out of pocket, you can expect to pay around 
$50 to $85 for Pneumovax 23, and around $120 to 
$150 for the Prevnar 13.

 

 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.


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

EDUCATION, SUCH AS IT IS...

I try to keep my articles 
light and inoffensive. So, I 
figured the hot-topic button 
of education might be better 
suited for the political 
columnists. Right after religion and politics, 
voicing your views on education is the most 
unlikely way to win friends and influence people. 
And few issues in education are as controversial 
as common core.

 Although I�m happily not responsible for 
teaching common core, it still manages to 
seep into my job at a public school. My run-
ins with common core typically occur during 
staff meetings. Like 
communism, common 
core sounds good in 
theory. And when you 
read the standards, they 
don�t seem that evil. What 
causes eyes to roll are the 
various applications of 
common core. A collective 
groan erupted when one of 
my coworkers explained 
that �addition� is out, 
and �number bonding� 
is in. Kindergarteners 
are now busy learning to 
�decompose� numbers. 
Meanwhile half of them 
are strangling each other. 
But when we�re racing to 
match other developing 
nations in math and 
language, training in 
civility must take the back 
seat. 

 The term �omphalo-
skepsis� comes to mind. 
Toss that one around at your next party! It refers 
to the practice of intently gazing into one�s navel, 
and I�m reminded of it at every common core 
professional development day. We sit in groups 
and ponder questions like, �Why do we use 10 
as a base for counting?� and �What does 3 X 5 
really mean?� Deep stuff... And that�s just 1st 
grade! I shudder to think of what the junior high 
teachers have to do! I�m waiting for a meeting 
at which the presenter will be wearing his shirt 
backwards and ask why our society expects the 
buttons to be in front. But these are depressing 
observations, and who wants to read about that 
on a lovely Saturday morning?

 While common core continues to rile teachers, 
students, and parents, some things in education 
actually have gotten better! I�m talking about 
our new Xerox machine! Ah, the Xerox machine. 
It used to be an incomprehensible monster that 
randomly consumed the papers of unsuspecting 
teachers and aides. The worst thing was to 
be the person responsible for jamming it in 
morning. Jamming the copier anytime was bad, 
but the morning is a particularly frantic time 
of the school day. People are printing out tests, 
worksheets, homework, and other vital papers. 
The foreboding sound of a page ripping deep 
in the bowels of the machine is sure to drain 
the blood from the bravest teacher�s face. And 
attempts at repairs usually just made the problem 
worse. Finally someone 
tapes the sign �Copier 
Broken!� on it, and your 
name would be mud until 
the maintenance guy came 
later in the week to fix it. 
Yes, I�m sure fear of Xerox 
machines caused some 
people to choose another 
line of work instead of 
teaching.

 But it�s not like that 
anymore! Now the graphic 
display on our copy 
machine shows us exactly 
where the problem is, and 
what knobs and levers 
we need to pull to get the 
mangled paper out. We 
even have little buttons 
on our ID badges to scan 
instead of punching in our 
code each time. And we 
can print from home if we 
have a burning desire to do 
so! All we need is to sign 
into our work email, click �print,� and BAM! 
Our papers will be neatly stacked and waiting 
for us in the copy room when we arrive in the 
morning.

 So, if you�re reading this humble article and 
considering a career in teaching, I can�t promise 
that common core will be gone by the time 
you get your first job. I can�t even be certain 
the common core police won�t put me away for 
suggesting that it might eventually be (gasp!) 
obsolete. But, you can rest assured that the old 
tales you�ve heard of copier machines breaking 
down when people looked crooked at them are 
simply that, old tales from the past. Now is the 
dawn of the future in education --the obedient 
Xerox machine! It truly is a brave new world


TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION � GET A SENIOR TAP CARD

Thursday, October 9th from 9:00am-10:00am

Learn the ins and outs of public transportation while enjoying each other�s company over coffee, tea, 
and pastries. On Thursday, October 9th at 9:00 am, a representative from Metro will be presenting 
information on MTA buses and the Metro Rail. Attendees will learn trip planning strategies, gain 
a better understanding of their transportation options, and become master TAP card users. Also, 
attendees who are 62 years of age and older will be given the opportunity to apply for a Senior TAP 
card on site.

CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMING SOON

Beginning on Thursday, October 9th, Case Management services from the YWCA San Gabriel 
Valley will be provided every 2nd Thursday of the month from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm to assist in 
linking and helping seniors apply for supportive services. Schedule an appointment to learn more 
about the supportive services available to seniors living in the San Gabriel Valley and those that 
specifically cater to your own individual needs. Appointments last approximately 30 minutes and 
reservations need to be made in advance. To schedule an appointment, contact the Senior Center 
at 355-7394. Please call the YWCA Case Management Intake line at (626) 214-9465 if service is 
required at any time other than the 2nd Thursday of the month. The case manager can schedule an 
appointment to meet with you either at the Senior Center or at your home.

Furthermore, all individuals interested in utilizing the service are encouraged to come into the 
Senior Center on September 18th at 11:45am to learn more about the YWCA Case Management 
Program and meet the case manager who has been assigned to our location.

AARP SMART DRIVER COURSE

Tues. October 21 and Wed. October 22 from 9am to 1pm 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. Many states 
including California offer discounts on auto insurance rates for those who complete this course. 
Class held at the Community Recreation Center located in Sierra Vista Park, 611 E. Sierra Madre 
Blvd. Must attend both dates in order to complete course.

Cost: $15.00 AARP members, $20.00 non-members (Payment due to instructor on the first day of 
class) Registration is required, for more info or to register call 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