Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 11, 2014

10

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 11, 2014 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HOW TO CHECK UP ON YOUR HOSPITAL


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … October Birthdays*

Janda Ferris, Darlene Traxler, Margit Johnson, Sole Krieg, Ann Tyler, Pat Birdsall,

George Maurer, Dick Anderson, Barbara Cline, Eva Poet, Mary Jane Baker, Dixie Coutant, 
Cathleen Cremins, Lillias Eubanks, Alma Mays, Adie Marshall, Darlene Crook, Susan 
Gallagher, Maggie Ellis, Gloria Giersbach, Elva Johnson, Ellen O’Leary, Jenny Piangenti, Gail 
Ann Skiles, Anita Thompson, Linda Boehm and Angela Stella. 

 *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: “Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least 
of him.” ~ Hal Borlund

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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 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,

What resources can you recommend for researching 
hospitals? I need to get a knee replacement next 
year, and want to find a good, safe hospital to have 
it done in.

Shopping Around

 

Dear Shopping,

Most people don’t give much thought when it 
comes to choosing a hospital, but selecting the 
right one can be as important as the doctor you 
choose. Here are some tips and resources to help 
you research and check up on your area hospitals.

 

Hospital Shopping

While you may not always have the opportunity 
to choose your hospital, especially in the case of 
an emergency, having a planned procedure can 
offer you a variety of choices.

 When shopping for a hospital, the most 
important criterion is to find one that has a 
strong department in your area of need. A 
facility that excels in coronary bypass surgery, 
for example, may not be the best choice for a 
knee replacement. Research shows that patients 
tend to have better results when they’re treated 
in hospitals that have extensive experience with 
their specific condition.

 In order to choose a hospital that’s best for 
you, it is important to discuss your concerns 
and alternatives with the doctor who is treating 
you. Some doctors may be affiliated with several 
hospitals from which you can choose. Or, if you’ve 
yet to select a doctor, finding a top hospital that 
has expertise with your condition can help you 
determine which physician to actually choose.

 Another important reason to do some research 
is the all too frequent occurrence of hospital 
infections, which kill around 75,000 people in 
the U.S. each year. So checking your hospital’s 
infection rates and cleanliness procedures is also 
a wise move.

 

Researching Tools

Today, there are a number of online resources 
that provide hospital safety and performance 
data to help you research and compare facilities. 
Because hospitals are such complex places, it’s 
wise to get information from a variety of sources. 
Here is a summary of some top guides.

 Hospital Compare (medicare.gov/
hospitalcompare): Operated by the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services, this free tool 
lets you compare general quality of care, as well 
as care for many medical conditions and surgical 
procedures in more than 4,000 U.S. hospitals.

 Consumer Reports Hospital Rankings 
(consumerreports.org/hospitalratings): If you 
don’t mind spending a few dollars ($7 for one 
month or $30 per year), Consumer Reports ranks 
4,500 hospitals in all 50 states plus Washington 
D.C. and Puerto Rico. The reliable resource 
provides information on up to 34 performance 
and safety measures.

 U.S. News & World Report (usnews.com/
best-hospitals): This online publishing resource 
identifies the best hospitals for 16 specialties, and 
provides rankings by metro area and by specialty 
for free.

 Healthgrades (healthgrades.com): A private, 
for-profit organization, they provide free hospital 
ratings on patient safety and medical procedures, 
and scores hospitals using a 5-star scale. 

 The Commonwealth Fund (whynotthebest.
org): This is a private foundation that provides 
free performance data on all U.S. hospitals.

 The Joint Commission (qualitycheck.org): This 
is a not-for-profit organization that accredits 
and certifies more than 20,500 health care 
organizations and programs in the U.S. Hospitals 
receive a checkmark for each set of measures they 
have met. But there’s no way to tell whether a 
hospital is stronger in one area over another.

 Hospital Inspections (hospitalinspections.
org): Established by the Association of Health 
Care Journalist, this focuses on violations and 
inspection reports.

 The Leapfrog Group (hospitalsafetyscore.org): 
This national, not-for-profit organization grades 
hospitals on their overall performance in keeping 
patients safe. Use your city, state or ZIP code to 
search more than 2,500 hospitals.

 VA Hospital Compare (www.hospitalcompare.
va.gov): If you’re a veteran, you can research and 
compare VA medical centers here.

 

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

ATTRACTIVE NUISANCES

 It’s strange some of the 
things people feel passionate 
about. Politics and religion 
are up there, but there’s a 
host of unusual topics that really concern some 
folks. I recall one of my friends saying that she 
knew her boyfriend was “the one” in part because 
he had numerous spools of dental floss in his 
bathroom. She probably doesn’t realize that the 
rest of us might not consider 
dental hygiene a “make or 
break” issue. But I suppose we 
all have our own priorities.

 Many of our opinions were 
developed during the formative 
years of childhood. My mom 
always warns me of the dangers 
of “wedge” shoes that were 
popular when she was young. 
These high heels originated 
during the 70’s, and have been 
experiencing a vibrant rebirth 
in modern fashion. Since I 
am as far from fashion consciousness as Kim 
Kardashian is from a pair of size 3 pants, my 
mom’s admonition didn’t register with me. That 
is, until one of my professors broke both ankles at 
once by tripping on the two inch sidewalk incline 
outside our classroom. She was wearing wedge 
shoes at the time, and ended up in a wheelchair 
for months. If I had any latent interest in sporting 
wedges, that incident put me off them for good!

 Other opinions come from personal experience 
and aren’t necessarily common among the 
general public. My opinion about the dangers of 
carpeted stairs is an example of this. I was having 
lunch with a friend when the topic of stairs came 
up. If you have no strong feelings about carpeted 
stairs, please let me try to dissuade you from 
ever, EVER having them. Stairs on their own are 
dangerous enough. Thank goodness for building 
codes regulating the ratio 
of rises to treads! If you’ve 
ever walked on stairs not 
built to code, you know what 
I’m talking about. It takes 
complete concentration to not 
trip down the whole flight. 

 Adding carpeting just makes 
stairs all the more slippery. 
And if you’re wearing socks 
and walking on carpeted stairs, 
Watch out! My aunt knocked 
herself unconscious one night 
when she fell down her friends’ 
carpeted stairs. There’s still a dent in the plaster 
where her head hit the wall. One of my friends 
tripped when walking (in socks) down their 
flight of carpeted stairs while carrying his infant 
son. The child made it out unharmed, but my 
friend bruised a vertebrae or two. 

 The take away message is clear. So for all you 
wedge-wearing, carpeted stairs-owning people 
--you’ve been warned!


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.

HALLOWEEN BRUNCH AND DANCE OCT. 25 

AT PASADENA SENIOR CENTER

 Calling all ghosts and goblins: Don your favorite 
Halloween costume and have a spooktacularly 
good time Saturday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. at 
the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. Holly St.

 The Scott Pavilion will be decorated as a 
pumpkin patch as guests enjoy a brunch that will 
include cheddar baked eggs, cinnamon apple and 
potato pancakes, pumpkin bread, a variety of 
meats, jack-o-lantern bars and a special witch’s 
brew. The Great American Swing Band will 
provide music for listening and dancing.

 The cost is only $8 for members and $10 for 
non-members of all ages. Prepaid reservations 
will be accepted at the Welcome Desk through 
Wednesday, Oct. 22.

 For more information visit www.
pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call 626-795-4331.

 Founded in 1959, the Pasadena Senior Center 
is an independent, nonprofit organization that 
offers recreational, educational, wellness and 
social services to people ages 50 and over in a 
friendly environment. Services are also provided 
for frail, low-income and homebound seniors. 


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