Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 9, 2015

13

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 9, 2015

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

FYI - STC (SENIOR TEXTING CODES) from Jonathon McKee

Since more and more seniors citizens are texting and tweeting, there appears to be a need for a STC 
(Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for senior discounts, these are the codes for you:

ATD: At The Doctor’s

 BFF: Best Friend Farted

 BTW: Bring The Wheelchair

 BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth

 CBM: Covered By Medicare

 CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center

 DWI: Driving While Incontinent

 FWB: Friend With Beta Blockers

 FWIW: Forgot Where I Was

 FYI: Found Your Insulin

 GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!

 GHA: Got Heartburn Again

 IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?

 LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out

 LOL: Living On Lipitor

 LWO: Lawrence Welk’s On

 OMMR: On My Massage Recliner

 OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.

 ROFL… CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing…Can’t Get Up

 TTYL: Talk To You Louder

 WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?

 WTP: Where’s The Prunes?

 WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil

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HELPFUL HINT: Got Ants? To banish ants from the kitchen, find out where they are 
coming in and cover the hole with petroleum jelly. Ants won’t trek through the jelly. If they are 
coming under a door, draw a line on the floor with chalk. The little bugs also won’t cross a line of 
chalk.

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FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male 
pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service, she wrote, 
“They wouldn’t take me out while I was alive, I don’t want them to take me out when 
I’m dead! 

 ~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … May Birthdays*

Joann Serrato-Chi, Harriett Lyle, Jean Coleman, Birgitta Gerlinger, Donna Mathieson, 
Dorothy Murphy, Linda Wochnik, Marian Woodford, Debbie Sheridan, Joanne Anthony, 
Carole Axline, Kika Downey, Shirley Hall, Annie Scalzo, Janet Ten Eyck, Jane Thomas, 
Ray Burley. . *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: “Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.” 

 Henry David Thoreau

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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

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. 

HOW TO RECOGNIZE STROKE SYMPTOMS 

AND WHAT TO DO


Dear Savvy Senior:

What are the symptoms of a stroke? My 66-year-old 
aunt had a stroke a few months ago and neither she 
nor my uncle had a clue it was happening. 

Concerned Relative

Dear Concerned:

Unfortunately, most Americans don’t know the 
signs of a stroke, but they need to. Stroke is the fifth 
leading cause of death in the United States and the 
No. 1 cause of disability. Being able to recognize a 
stroke and getting to the hospital quickly can make a 
huge difference in reducing its potentially devastating 
effects. Here are some tips that help you recognize a 
stroke, and what you should do if it happens to you or 
your loved one. 

Types of Stroke

According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, every year more than 795,000 people 
in the United States have a stroke – three-quarters 
of which are over the age of 65. A stroke occurs 
when a blood vessel that carries blood to the brain 
is suddenly blocked by a clot (ischemic stroke), or 
burst (hemorrhagic stroke), causing parts of the brain 
to become damaged or die. About 87 percent of all 
strokes are ischemic. 

 Depending on the severity of the brain damage, 
strokes can cause mild to severe disabilities including 
paralysis, loss of speech, vision and memory, along 
with other health and emotional issues, and death. 

Stroke Signs

Because stroke injures the brain, the person having 
a stroke may not realize it. Stroke victims have the 
best chance if someone around them recognizes the 
symptoms and acts quickly. The five most common 
symptoms include:

 Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or 
leg, especially on one side of the body.

 Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or 
understanding.

 Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. 

 Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance 
or coordination.

 Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

The easiest way to identify a stroke is to use the 
F.A.S.T. test to identify the symptoms. 

F (Face): Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the 
face droop?

A (Arm): Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one 
arm drift downward?

S (Speech): Ask the person to say a simple sentence. Is 
their speech slurred?

T (Time): If you observe any of these signs of stroke, 
call 911.

 To help you remember the signs, the American 
Stroke Association has a free “Spot a Stroke FAST” 
app (see strokeassociation.org) that you can download 
on your smartphone or mobile device. Or, visit the 
National Stroke Association at stroke.org and print 
their “Act FAST” wallet card to keep as a reminder.

Act Quickly

Remember that stroke is a medical emergency and 
every minute counts. Even if you’re not sure a stroke 
is happening, call 911 anyway. The longer blood 
flow is cut off to the brain, the greater the damage. 
Immediate treatment can save a person’s life and 
improve their chances for a successful recovery.

 Ischemic strokes are treated with a drug called 
t-PA that dissolves the blood clots that block the 
blood flow to the brain. The window of opportunity 
to start treating a stroke is three hours. But to be 
evaluated and receive treatment, patients need to get 
to the hospital within 60 minutes. 

 If you have a choice, wait for the paramedics 
rather than driving the patient yourself. Patients who 
are transported by EMS are evaluated and treated 
much quicker than people who are driven in. And, of 
course, don’t drive if you are the one having a stroke.

 It’s also very important that you call 911 even 
if symptoms go away. When symptoms of stroke 
disappear on their own after a few minutes, a “mini-
stroke” or transient ischemic attack (TIA) may have 
occurred which is a warning that a major stroke 
may be coming. That’s why mini-strokes need to be 
treated like emergences too. 

 

 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


COUNT DOWN!

 “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” That song is typically played at 
Christmas, but if you have school-age children or know people who work at 
elementary schools, you’ve probably heard them humming it lately. I have several 
friends and relatives in education, but I draw most of my information from my 
mom’s 30 plus years of teaching third grade in a public school. 

 Some years, the count down to the last day began the first week of school! My 
mom’s district printed the calendar of the entire school year on a single sheet of paper, with each week 
represented by a small box containing five dots. Holidays or “student free days” (a.k.a. professional 
development) were represented by a minus or pound sign. My mom highlighted all the non-dot days, 
and every Friday she’d shear another week off the page. My grandma used to tell her that she was 
clipping her life away. But, as my mom put it, “The time’s going to pass either way. Why not celebrate 
it?”

 That’s how a lot of people in education 
see the countdown to summer. I’ve heard of 
many creative ways teachers make the arrival 
of the last day more exciting. Nearly every 
school has a white board in the lounge, and 
the office staff start numbering the remaining 
days starting from 20 if it’s been a decent year, 
and maybe 30 if the year’s been rough. Some 
people write the numbers on squares of toilet 
paper and rip one off each day.

 Other imaginative methods include 
attaching small balloons, each with the 
number of remaining days, to a corkboard and popping them with darts. I like that idea, but with the 
heightened security at schools, I somehow doubt that darts are allowed on campus.

 With all the excitement surrounding summer, we can forget those people who start counting the 
days until school starts again --parents! One of my favorite television ads was for Staples and first 
aired in the 90’s. The ad came out around September, and featured an exuberant father sailing down 
the aisle at Staples on a shopping cart with two sullen school-aged children in tow. They scowled 
at him as he flung notebooks, pencils, and other school supplies into the cart. People in education 
can identify with the children, facing the year ahead of them. But for the parents, it is “The Most 
Wonderful Time of the Year!” 


626-355-5700245 West Sierra Madre BlvdSierra Madre, CA 91024www.TheKensingtonSierraMadre.comRCFE License198601953Expert Panel DiscussionManaging Challenging BehaviorsAssociated with Alzheimer’s Disease& Memory ImpairmentThursday, May 21, 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 EVENT AT THE KENSINGTONPleaseRSVP