Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 29, 2014

8

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 29, 2014 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

CONVENIENT WAYS TO GET HELP WITH YOUR 
SOCIAL SECURITY QUESTIONS


Dear Savvy Senior,

 Can you recommend some easier ways that I 
can get help with my Social Security questions? 
When I call their toll-free help line I get put on 
hold forever, and the wait time at my local Social 
Security office is over twro hours.

Approaching 62

Dear Approaching,

 ItÕs unfortunate, but the past few years the 
Social Security Administration has made some 
major budget and staff cuts that have greatly 
increased their phone service and field office 
wait times for their customers. With that said, 
hereÕs an alternative option and some tips that 
can help make your access to Social Security a 
little faster and easier.

Online Services

 With the evolution of the Social Security 
website, the quickest and most convenient way 
to work with Social Security these days is to 
do it yourself online. Depending on what you 
need, most tasks can be done at SocialSecurity.
gov like getting your Social Security statement, 
estimating your future benefits, applying for 
retirement or disability benefits, signing up for 
direct deposit, replacing a Medicare card and 
much more. See a complete list of what you can 
do online at ssa.gov/onlineservices. 

 You can also get information and answers to 
most of your Social Security questions at faq.ssa.
gov if youÕre patient enough to read through the 
information yourself.

 But, if you need more help than their website 
offers, you can always call Social SecurityÕs 
toll-free service line at 800-772-1213 Monday 
through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and 
ask your question over the phone, or make a 
scheduled appointment with your local field 
office. To reduce your wait time, avoid calling 
during their rush hour times, which are the first 
week of the month, and daily from about 10 a.m. 
and 3 p.m.

Need Advice?

 If youÕre seeking advice on when you should 
start taking your Social Security benefits, 
you need to know that while Social Security 
employees do provide information on how the 
system works under different circumstances, 
they arenÕt allowed to give case-specific advice 
on when you should start drawing your benefits.

 If you want help with this, youÕll need to turn 
to some of the free or fee-based Social Security 
tools that are available online through private 
financial service companies or AARP.

 Depending on the service, these tools take 
into account the different rules and claiming 
strategies that can affect your benefits, and some 
of them can crunch hundreds of calculations to 
compare your benefits under various scenarios 
and different ages to help you figure out the best 
time to start claiming.

 Some of the best free tools are AARPÕs 
Social Security Calculator (aarp.org/
socialsecuritybenefits); SSAnalyze which 
is offered by Bedrock Capital Management 
(bedrockcapital.com/ssanalyze); and Analyze 
Now (analyzenow.com Ð click on ÒComputer 
ProgramsÓ) which offers a ÒFree Strategic Social 
Security PlannerÓ but requires Microsoft Excel 
to use it.

 Or, if you donÕt mind spending a little 
money, there are higher-level services you 
can use like Maximize My Social Security 
(maximizemysocialsecurity.com), which charges 
$40 for their report, and takes into account the 
thousands of different factors and combinations 
to help you maximize your benefits.

 And Social Security Solutions 
(socialsecuritysolutions.com, 866-762-7526), 
which offers several levels of service (ranging 
between $20 and $250) including their $125 
ÒAdvisedÓ plan that runs multiple calculations 
and comparisons, recommends a best course of 
action in a detailed report, and gives you a one-
on-one session with a Social Security specialist 
over the phone to discuss the report and ask 
questions.

 Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, 
P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.
savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to 
the NBC Today show and author of ÒThe Savvy 
SeniorÓ book.

HELPFUL HINT: Get a picture of all of your prescription bottles and keep it in your phoneÕs 
photo album. 

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

FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE - A 45 year old woman had a heart attack and was 
taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God, she 
asked, ÒIs my time up?Ó God said, ÒNo, you have another 43 years 2 months and 8 days to live.Ó Upon 
recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants 
and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in and change her hair color and brighten her teeth! 
Since she had so much time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it. After her last 
operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was 
killed by an ambulance. Arriving in front of God, she demanded, ÒI thought you said I had another 
43 years? Why didnÕt you pull me out of the path of the ambulance?Ó God replied, ÒI didnÕt recognize 
you.Ó

 ~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! É November Birthdays

Flo Mankin, Alberta Curran, Carmela Frontino, Kathy Wood, Lena Zate, Joe Pergola, Janice 
Kacer, Valerie Howard, ÒMikeÓ Ruggles, Joan Ruggles, Lois Stueck, Jean Wood, Shirley 
Yergeau, Kathi Jefferson, Pat Krok, Irene Nakagawa, Anna Ross, Mary Steinberg and Sue Quinn.

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not 
required

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

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

December 2014 Ð The Mission Inn and Festival of Lights 

On Wednesday, December 3, 2014 join us for a 75-minute late afternoon guided tour of the Mission 
Inn in Riverside. The Mission Inn is a national historic landmark and the Festival of Lights is an 
annual gift to the community from the present owners, who saved the Inn from destruction in 
1992. This is your opportunity to see parts of the Inn that are inaccessible to the general public. 
Following the tour, at approximately 5:15 pm, participants will have three hours to eat dinner, shop, 
and enjoy the annual Festival of Lights Ð which features more than 4 million dazzling lights, the 
worldÕs largest manmade mistletoe, freshly fallen snow, and an elaborately decorated Christmas 
tree in the hotel lobby. Dinner will be on your own and there are many dining options along Main 
Street or at The Mission Inn Hotel which offers an array of award-winning restaurants, each with 
their own unique ambiance. Participants should bring money for dinner and souvenirs. The cost 
of this trip is $20 and does not include dinner; the bus departs from the Hart Park House Senior 
Center at 1:30 pm and will return at 9:30 pm. Last day to register is Monday, November 24. Level 
of Walking: Medium to High.


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

FROM EGYPT WITH LOVE

My parents and I have an 
Egyptian missionary friend, 
(letÕs call her Maggie), who 
immigrated to the U.S.A. 
in the 1980Õs with her two young sons. Maggie 
came to America expecting the U.S.A. to be the 
wholesome land 
of boy scouts, Billy 
Graham, and ÒMy 
Three Sons.Ó Needless 
to say, it didnÕt take 
long for her to realize 
our society had 
become more about 
druggies, Madonna, 
and ÒMTV.Ó 

 30-some years 
later, MaggieÕs done 
very well learning 
the language and 
understanding our 
culture. Mom and I 
are often embarrassed 
discussing AmericaÕs 
current state of decline 
with Maggie. The 
U.S. may be slightly 
ahead of Egypt as far 
as personal freedoms 
and economic mobility are concerned, but our 
humanistic, existentialistic views have watered 
down any moral fiber we mightÕve had as a nation. 

 The other day, Maggie used a story in order to 
illustrate the personality differences between her 
younger son (letÕs call him Roy) and her older son 
(weÕll call Steve). According to Maggie, she and 
Steve are more introverted, while her late husband 
and Roy are more social. This particular story 
involved a pizza party at Lake Avenue Church. 
The American pastor, who Maggie described 
as being at least 6Õ1Ó, knelt down to RoyÕs height 
and asked him, ÒSo, do you have pizza in Egypt?Ó 
Putting myself in RoyÕs 
shoes, IÕd probably 
be tired of adults 
constantly asking 
about the customs of 
my home country; 
sort of like how kids 
get tired of the same 
two questions, ÒWhatÕs 
your name?Ó and ÒHow 
old are you?Ó 

 In response to the 
pastor, Roy asked him, 
ÒHave you ever been 
to Egypt?Ó ÒNo,Ó he 
replied. Roy smiled, 
ÒThen donÕt talk!Ó

 Leaving the church, 
Steve waited until the 
three of them were 
outside of earshot 
before exclaiming, 
ÒThis impolite son 
of yours spoke back to the pastor!Ó Maggie told 
Steve, ÒI raised you in the right way. Let Roy be. 
He may be a good lawyer for us some day.Ó

 Roy isnÕt a lawyer, but heÕs still an honorable 
son who continues to bring welcomed levity to 
everyone he knows. My parents and I are all the 
richer for knowing Maggie and her family! 


CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, TOXIC POLITICS 

WILL BE EXPLORED DURING THE MASTERS SERIES 
AT PASADENA SENIOR CENTER

The winter term of The Masters Series is scheduled 
from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from Jan. 
13 to March 5 at the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. 
Holly St. Formerly called Senior Curriculum, The 
Masters Series embraces lifelong learning. 

 Understanding Constitutional Issues will be 
explored Tuesdays with discussions led by Dr. 
Alison Dundes Renteln, professor of political 
science and anthropology at the University of 
Southern CaliforniaÕs School of Policy, Planning 
and Development.

 What Happens After the Election: Worse 
Gridlock and More Hard Work? Or Will the Needs 
of the Country Overcome Toxic Politics? will be 
the topic Thursdays with discussions led by Bill 
Boyarsky, former political writer and city editor of 
the Los Angeles Times.

 The Masters Series is open to members and 
non-members of the Pasadena Senior Center. Sign 
up for individual talks at $10 each, a Tuesday or 
Thursday series for $55 or the complete series for 
$100.

 For more information or to be placed on The 
Masters Series mailing list, contact Cynthia 
Rosedale at (626) 685-6724 or CynthiaR@
pasadenaseniorcenter.org. 

 The Master Series is sponsored by the Pasadena 
Festival of Women Authors.

 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