Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 11, 2015

13

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 11, 2015

DRIVING SAFELY WITH DEMENTIA 

AND KNOWING WHEN TO QUIT

FYI - SENIORS - DON’T BE A TARGET

THE F.B.I. Common Fraud Schemes webpage provides tips on how you can protect you and your 
family from fraud. Senior Citizens especially should be aware of fraud schemes for the following 
reasons:

 Senior citizens are most likely to have a “nest egg,” to own their home, and/or to have excellent 
credit—all of which make them attractive to con artists.

People who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. 
Con artists exploit these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say 
“no” or just hang up the telephone.

 Older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are 
too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may 
not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no 
longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs.

When an elderly victim does report the crime, they often make poor witnesses. Con artists know the 
effects of age on memory, and they are counting on elderly victims not being able to supply enough 
detailed information to investigators. In addition, the victims’ realization that they have been 
swindled may take weeks—or more likely, months—after contact with the fraudster. This extended 
time frame makes it even more difficult to remember details from the events.

Senior citizens are more interested in and susceptible to products promising increased cognitive 
function, virility, physical conditioning, anti-cancer properties, and so on. In a country where new 
cures and vaccinations for old diseases have given every American hope for a long and fruitful life, 
it is not so unbelievable that the con artists’ products can do what they claim.

 For more information go to: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/seniors

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HELPFUL HINT: Burned a pot of rice? Just place a piece of white bread on top of the 
rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. Be careful not to scrape the burned pieces off 
of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice

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FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

“Now, Ms. Lyons,” said the doctor, “you say you have shooting pains in your neck, dizziness, and 
constant nausea. Just for the record, how old are you?” “Why, I’m going to be 39 on my next birthday,” 
the woman replied indignantly. “Hmmm,” muttered the doctor, “Got a slight loss of memory, too.”

 ~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … April Birthdays…

Howard Rubin, Mary Harley, Bette White, Dorothy White, Doris Behrens, Freda Bernard,

Beth Copti, Terri Cummings, Marilyn Diaz, Virginia Elliott, Elma Flores, Julia Gottesman, 
Betty Jo Gregg, Barbara Lampman, Betty Mackie, Elizabeth Rassmusen, Maria Reyes, 
Marian DeMars, Anne Schryver, Chrisine Bachwansky, Colleen McKernan, Sandy Swanson, 
Hattie Harris, Hank Landsberg, Ken Anhalt, Shannon Vandevelde

 . *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 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

HAWAIIAN AND POLYNESIAN DANCE CLASS: Every Tuesday morning from 10am to 11am. 
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: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11am to 12pm. No appt. 
is necessary.

BRAIN GAMES: Tuesday, March 17th, 11am -12pm, improve your memory and strengthen your 
brain. Activities facilitated by Swati Puri, Community Liaison for ComForcare Senior Services in 
Pasadena.

FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: Wednesday, March 18 from 10:30am to Noon. Attorney Lem 
Makupson is available for legal consultation. He specializes in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, 
and Injury. Appointment are required by calling 626-355-7394.

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

CASE MANAGEMENT: Meets the 2nd Thursday of the month. Case Management services are 
provided by the YWCA and provide assistance in a variety of areas. Appointments are required and 
can be scheduled by calling the HPH Office at 626-355-7394.

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.

TAX ASSISTANCE: Every Thursday February 5th through April 9th from 1:00pm-2:00pm. Don 
Brunner is available for income tax consultation. Appointments are required, call 626-355-7394.

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 11:30am. 
Club meeting at noon. Bingo 12:30-3:30pm. Annual Membership is only $10.00.

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTATION - Thursday, April 16th, 2015 beginning at 12:00pm

Tanya Mazzolini from The Kensington will give a talk about French artist Henri Matisee while 
demonstrating a project in his style of art. Matisee, known for his use of color and his fluid and 
original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily 
as a painter. Matisse is commonly regarded along with Pablo Picasso and Marcel Dunchamp, as one 
of the three artists who helped to define the revolutionary developments in the plastic arts in the 
opening decades of the twentieth century. 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


Dear Savvy Senior:

Is it safe for seniors with dementia to drive, and if so, when 
should they stop? My dad has early Alzheimer’s disease 
but still drives himself around town just fine.

Looking Ahead

Dear Looking:

 While most doctors agree that people with moderate 
to severe dementia should not take the wheel, in the 
early stages, the medical consensus is that driving 
performance should be the determining factor of when 
to stop driving, not the disease itself.

 With that said, it’s also important to realize that as 
your dad’s driving skills deteriorate over time from the 
disease, he might not recognize it. So it’s very important 
that you work closely with him and his doctor to monitor 
his driving. Here are some tips that can help.

Warning Signs

The best way to keep tabs on your dad’s driving is to take 
frequent rides with him watching out for key warning 
signs. For example: Does he have trouble remembering 
routes to familiar places? Does he drive at inappropriate 
speeds, tailgate or drift between lanes? Does he react 
slowly or make poor driving decisions? Also, has your 
dad had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you 
noticed any dents or scrapes on his vehicle? These, too, 
are red flags.

 If you need some assessment help, hire a driver 
rehabilitation specialist who’s trained to evaluate older 
drivers. To locate a specialist see driver-ed.org or aota.
org/older-driver. 

Transition Tips

 Through your assessments, if you believe it’s still 
safe for your dad to drive, you may want to start 
recommending some simple adjustments to ensure 
his safety, like driving only in daylight and on familiar 
routes, and avoiding busy roads and bad weather. Also, 
see if he will sign an Alzheimer’s “driving contract” (see 
alz.org/driving to print one) that designates someone to 
tell him when it’s no longer safe to drive.

 In addition, you should also consider getting a GPS 
vehicle tracking system for his car (like motosafety.
com or mobicopilot.com) to help you keep an eye on 
him. These devices will let you track exactly where he’s 
driving, and allow you to set up zones and speed limits 
that will notify you via email or text message when he 
exits an area or arrives at a designated location, and if 
he’s driving too fast. 

Time to Quit

 When your dad’s driving gets to the point that he 
can no longer drive safely, you’ll need to talk to him. 
It’s actually best to start having these conversations in 
the early stages of the disease, before he needs to quit 
driving, so he can prepare himself. 

 You also need to have a plan for alternative 
transportation (including a list of family, friends and 
local transportation services) that will help your dad get 
around after he stops driving.

 For tips on how to talk to your dad, the Hartford 
Financial Services Group and MIT AgeLab offers a 
variety of resources at safedrivingforalifetime.com – 
click on “Dementia and Driving.”

Refuses To Quit

 If your dad refuses to quit you have several options. 
First, suggest a visit to his doctor who can give them a 
medical evaluation, and “prescribe” that he stops driving. 
Older people will often listen to their doctor before they 
will listen to their own family. 

 If he still refuses, contact your local Department of 
Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if they can help. Some 
states require doctors to report new dementia cases to 
the DMV, who can revoke the person’s license. 

 If all these fail, consider hiding his keys or just take 
them away. You could also disable his vehicle, park it in 
another location so he can’t see it or have access to it, or 
sell it. 

 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

MUSICAL RECITALS --

AND OTHER EMBARRASSMENTS

One of my all time favorite 
authors is James Herriot, 
author of All Things Bright and 
Beautiful, The Lord God Made 
Them All, and other tales of life 
as a country vet in rural England from the 1930’s 
to the 1970’s. It didn’t really matter that James was 
a vet, he could have been a mechanic, dentist, or 
shopkeeper. What made his writing memorable 
was his ability to relate to the reader on a personal 
level. To read Herriot 
is to share in the 
common struggles and 
joys of life.

 A particularly 
funny story involved 
Herriot’s young son 
performing in his first 
piano recital. The 
assembled parents were 
all silently suffering as 
their children skipped 
through the songs 
with carefree abandon, 
oblivious to the many 
mistakes they made. 
But with each sour 
note, parents tightened their grips on the armrests.

 I was reminded of this as I attended my school’s 
spring music performance. I’d never been able to 
attend this annual event before, so I didn’t know 
what to expect. The students, all fifth graders or 
older, were huddled together at the base of the 
auditorium stage. At other occasions, such as the 
kindergarten promotion or the Christmas concert, 
parents casually look around and chat with each 
other between numbers. But not that day. All eyes 
were trained ahead, and the typical laughter was 
replaced by an eerie silence. 

 Someone must’ve forgotten to tell the junior high 
crowd that it’s rude to laugh during performances. 
I couldn’t really blame them though. I winced 
every time the performers raked their bows across 
the strings of their violins. Sitting so close to each 
other, I was sure one of them was going to poke out 
another’s eyes. Thankfully, no blood was shed, nor 
eyes impaled. 

 Besides the majority of violinists, there were 
a few novice trumpeters. Some of the seasoned 
eighth graders blew through their numbers with 
ease. But less experienced players either hadn’t 
achieved the tight lip seal over the mouthpiece or 
perhaps they hadn’t mastered proper pressurized 
breath control. Whatever their problem was, it 
caused their songs to 
be punctuated with 
occasional flatulent-
sounding toots. 

 Sitting in 
the back row, I was 
glad to be able to slip 
out unnoticed before 
the show ended. I 
was glad I wasn’t a 
nerve-wracked parent, 
twitching with every 
sour note and stray 
trumpet squeak. I was 
glad I wasn’t down 
there in the orchestra 
pit, in danger of having 
my eye gouged out by a violin bow. I was glad to 
not be a student in the audience, trying to suppress 
laughter. I was really glad I wasn’t a teacher, 
having to monitor the many rows of students and 
to discipline those who were disruptive. 

 But there was one person whose accomplishments 
really shined that day. One brave soul led a motley 
crew of unrefined musicians to a level no other 
person could have achieved. That person was the 
music teacher. Despite the discordant moments 
and near-miss eye injuries, that lady achieved 
something none of the rest of us could’ve done. 
And the fact that she did it in over ten different 
schools in our district alone makes my head swim! 
Classroom teachers have a tough job, but I think 
we can all agree that junior high music teachers are 
real troopers! 


UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:

THE MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE (LOS ANGELES)

 Thursday, April 30, 2015 8:45am to 3:30pm

 Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center

 Cost: $15 (Does not include lunch)

Opened in 1993, built at a cost of $50 million by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, named after Simon 
Wiesenthal, Holocaust Survivor. We’ll have a 3 hour docent-led tour of the Museum of Tolerance, a 
multimedia museum in Los Angeles designed to examine racism and prejudice around the world with 
a strong focus on the history of the Holocaust. Lunch will be on your own at Factor’s Deli, a landmark 
location for over 65 years. It’s a booth-lined Jewish delicatessen known for its matzo ball soup and 
corned beef on rye. Participants should bring money for lunch and souvenirs. Last day to register is 
April 22nd. Level of walking: Medium to high. For more information, please call the Hart Park House 
at 626-355-7394.

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SENIOR CINEMA • 1st and 3rd Wednesday

Shown at the Hart Park House Senior Center 

April 15th – Maleficent (2014)

As a beautiful young woman of pure heart, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) has an idyllic 
life in a forest kingdom. When an invading army threatens the land, Maleficent rises 
up to become its fiercest protector. However, a terrible betrayal hardens her heart 
and twists her into a creature bent on revenge. She engages in an epic battle with the 
invading king’s successor, then curses his newborn daughter, Aurora, realizing only 
later that the child holds the keep to peace in the kingdom. Start time: 1:00pm (run 
time 98 minutes)


626-355-5700245 West Sierra Madre BlvdSierra Madre, CA 91024www.TheKensingtonSierraMadre.comRCFE License198601953How to Control Your LegacyNow and Later:
Essential Steps You Must Takewith Marc Garlett, Family Trust Attorney,
CaliLaw Professional CorporationThursday, April 23, 2015 from 5:30pm-7:00pmat The Kensington, 245 West Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre, CAHors d’oeuvres and refreshments servedRSVP to SSciurba@KensingtonSL.com or 626-355-5700YOUR INVITATION TO AN EVENTAT THE KENSINGTON