Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 7, 2015

13

THE GOOD LIFE

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 7, 2015 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD NURSING HOME


Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you give me some tips on picking a good nursing 
home for my mother who has Alzheimer’s disease? I’ve 
been taking care of her at home, but she’s gotten to the 
point where she’s too much for me to handle. 

Overwhelmed Daughter

Dear Overwhelmed,

Choosing a good nursing home for a loved one with 
Alzheimer’s disease is a very important decision that 
requires careful evaluation and some homework. 
Here are some steps that can help you find a good 
facility and avoid a bad one. 

 Make a list: There are several sources you can turn 
to for referrals to nursing homes in your area: Your 
Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 for contact 
information); your mom’s doctor or nearby hospital 
discharge planner; or friends, family or neighbors 
who may have had a loved one in a nursing home. 
Ideally, the nursing homes should be close to family 
members and friends who can visit often, because 
residents with frequent visitors usually get better care.

 Compare nursing homes: To research and compare 
the nursing homes on your list, use Medicare’s 
nursing home compare tool at medicare.gov/
nursinghomecompare. This tool provides a 5-star 
rating system on recent health inspections, staffing, 
quality of care, and overall rating. 

 You should also contact your local long-term 
care ombudsman. This is a government official who 
investigates nursing home complaints and can tell 
you which ones have had problems in the past. To 
find your local ombudsman, call your Area Agency 
on Aging or see ltcombudsman.org.

 Contact the facilities: Once you’ve narrowed your 
search, call the nursing homes you’re interested 
in to verify that they have a dementia unit that can 
facilitate your mom’s needs. Also, find out if they have 
any vacancies, what they charge, and if they accept 
Medicaid. 

 Tour your top choices: During your nursing home 
visit, notice the cleanness and smell of the facility. Is 
it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive 
and kind to its residents? Also be sure to taste the food, 
and talk to the residents and their family members, 
if available. It’s also a good idea to visit several times 
at different times of the day and different days of the 
week to get a broader perspective.

 Also, find out about their staff screening (do they 
do background checks) and training procedures, 
staff-to-patient ratio, and the staff turnover rate. 

 To help you rate your visit, Medicare offers a 
helpful checklist of questions to ask at medicare.
gov/nursinghomecompare/checklist.pdf, as 
does the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org/
visitinganursinghome.pdf. Print these lists from 
your computer and take them with you on your visit.

 Paying for care: With nursing home costs now 
averaging $250 per day nationally for a private 
room, paying for care is another area you may have 
questions about or need assistance with. Medicare 
only helps pay up to 100 days of rehabilitative nursing 
home care, which must occur after a hospital stay. 

 Most nursing home residents pay for care from 
either personal savings, a long-term care insurance 
policy, or through Medicaid once their savings are 
depleted. 

 The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care 
Information website (longtermcare.gov) is a good 
resource that can help you understand and research 
your financial options. You can also get help from your 
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), 
which provides free counseling on all Medicare and 
Medicaid issues. To find a local SHIP counselor visit 
shiptacenter.org, or call 800-677-1116. 

 For more information, see Medicare’s online 
booklet “Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home” 
at medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02174.pdf. 

 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.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …November Birthdays*

Flo Mankin, Alberta Curran, Carmela Frontino, Kathy Wood, Lena Zate, Joe 
Pergola, Janice Kacer, Valerie Howard, “Mike” 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

 

 Activities at the Senior Center

 YWCA San Gabriel Valley - Intervale Senior Cafe 

Seniors 60 years of age and up can participate in the YWCA Intervale 
daily lunch program held at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Meals are served Monday through 
Friday at 12:00 pm and participants are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 am. Meals are a suggested 
donation of $3.00 for seniors 60 and over or $5.00 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are 
necessary, space is limited. Please reserve your lunch by calling 626-355-0256.

Tech Talk: Held on Monday, October 19th and 26th from 1:30-2:30pm. Learn how to use your new 
technology devises. Please reserve your space with the Hart Park House by calling 626-355-7394. 

 

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: Thursday, October 15th, 10:30am - 11:30am, improve your memory and strengthen 
your brain. Activities facilitated by Swati Puri, Community Liaison for New Wave Home care of 
Pasadena. 

 

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, October 21st 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. 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 at the Hart Park House. The free 
birthday cake is provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club. 

 

Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00pm. (Please note the time change.) 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. 

 

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. 

CANDLELIGHT PAVILION (CLAREMONT) 

 HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

DATE: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 

TIME: 10:30AM - 4:00PM 

MEETING LOCATION: HART PARK HOUSE SENIOR CENTER 

COST: $75.00 (LUNCH IS INCLUDED) 

 

Description: Ben D. Bollinger’s Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre in Claremont provides 
patrons with a dinner theatre and musicals for a theatrical experience the caliber of the 
Broadway shows in downtown LA. The gourmet food prepared by the executive chef and served 
by his formal wait staff ranks the Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre as a fine food restaurant 
that rivals any fine dining establishment in Los Angeles and San Bernardino. For 30 years, the 
Candlelight Pavilion has written and produced each of its Christmas shows with a focus on 
the spirit of Christmas and bringing family and friends together. Appropriate dress requested: 
Jackets for gentleman, tie optional, dress or dressy pant suits for ladies, no jeans, t-shirts or 
tennis shoes. Price includes lunch, show and gratuity. Level of Walking: Low. Last day to register 
is November 2nd. Please call the Hart Park House at (626)-355-7394. 

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 $11 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 Dept. 


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

I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO... 
AND MY KID IN KANSAS

If you visit my column often 
you know I’ve been guilty of 
recycling old articles lately. And 
just when I feared that I’d miss 
yet another week to submit a 
new piece, my Mom’s friend, Florence, came to 
the rescue! Aside from being an all-around lovely 
person, Florence is an endless source of anecdotes 
that are either hilarious, stranger than fiction, or, 
more often, both. Needless 
to say, I shamelessly pilfer 
her stories whenever I get 
the chance. And this latest 
one does not disappoint, at 
least in the “stranger than 
fiction” category.

 During the Great 
Depression, two of 
Florence’s spinster aunts 
ran a bed and breakfast 
on some of the family’s 
sprawling property in 
Kansas. On one occasion, a 
couple with twelve children 
stayed for several nights 
and then skipped out of 
town without paying their 
bill. But that’s not the only 
thing they skipped out on --they also left behind 
one of their children!

 “What do you mean they left one of their kids 
there?” I asked Mom incredulously after she 
returned from her dinner with Florence. I’ve 
heard of people depositing unwanted newborns 
at fire stations. But how exactly do you leave your 
flesh and blood in the uncertain custody of total 
strangers. Strangers to whom, I might add, you are 
already indebted.

 Since this all took place during the Depression, 
I assume that the parents’ decision was purely 
financial. However, how did they choose which 
child they would leave behind? Apparently he 
or she wasn’t the oldest or the youngest of the 
twelve. I can imagine a line of reasoning that 
would either say the oldest should go because they 
are the most independent or the youngest should 
be left because they are the most dependent. But 
how do you randomly pick one from the middle? 
Child psychology says that 
middle children are more 
well adjusted, so maybe 
this couple were ahead of 
their time in that regard. 
Or maybe they just chose 
the kid who annoyed them 
the most. That’s what I 
would’ve done anyway. 

 Luckily for the child, 
Florence’s aunts welcomed 
him or her into the family 
and possibly even went 
through the legalities of 
formal adoption. This 
brings up all sorts of 
fascinating hypothetical 
situations. If this child 
became the legal heir to 
Florence’s family’s estate, did the biological family 
try to horn in on the inheritance? I can totally 
imagine a group of greedy relatives pounding 
on the door for handouts. Wait, I think I did see 
this story before. Yes, it was “Secondhand Lions” 
with Robert Duvall and Michael Caine. However, 
I’m sure if we really analyzed the story against 
Florence’s account, Florence’s version would be 
even more outrageous. Like I said, with Florence 
you know the real story will be stranger than 
fiction! 


UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:


SENIOR CINEMA - 1st and 3rd Wednesday Shown at the Hart Park House Senior Center

November 18 - Seven Days in Utopia (2011) 

 

Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) is a young golfer who’s about to take a 
swing at the big time. Luke, however, has a big blow up that makes 
national news, drives away his father/coach, and seemingly scuttles 
his once-promising career. While driving along a Texas backroad, 
Luke crashes through the fence of eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford 
(Robert Duvall). Johnny makes Luke an irresistible offer: spend a week 
with him in the tiny town of Utopia and see if Luke can change his life. 
Rated G. Start time 1:00PM (run time 1h 40m). 


COCONUT DEMONSTRATION 

by Jonathan Kelley 

Thursday, November 12th, 2015, 

10:30AM - 11:30PM 

Back by popular demand, Jonathan Kelley will be 
giving an expanded talk about coconuts at the Hart 
Park House Senior Center, Thursday, November 12, 
2015, from 10:30AM – 11:30AM. An anesthesiologist by 
training, Jonathan will be explaining many ways we can 
incorporate the miraculous coconut into our lives, from 
our culinary repertoire to the useful products we can 
create from coconut palm fronds. You’ll hear it all seasoned by Jonathan’s medical background, 
and you’ll be sampling two delicious coconut recipes: A coconut lime soup and a Puerto Rican 
dessert called “tembleque.” A bit of history. A taste of philosophy. The meaning of life. But watch 
out! This could change your life! You could go coco-loco-nuts! 


LIFESAVERS PARAMEDIC SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM

The Sierra Madre Lifesavers Paramedic Subscription Program is an official program offered by 
the City of Sierra Madre which offsets the cost of emergency medical responses. The membership 
program is available to residents of Sierra Madre. Your subscription to the program will perform 
similar to a secondary insurance plan, with no out-of-pocket cost to you. Subscriptions are 
$60.00 per individual (July 1 – June 30). For additional information contact The Sierra Madre Fire 
Department 626-355-3611. 

LUNCH AND HOME DELIVERED MEALS PROGRAM

Seniors 60 years of age and up can participate in the YWCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale daily lunch 
program held at the Hart Park House. Meals are served Monday through Friday at 12:00pm (participants 
are encouraged to arrive by 11:45am). Meals are suggested donation of $3.00 for seniors 60 and over 
or $5.00 for non-senior guests. Reservations for lunch must be made at least 24 hours in advance by 
calling 626-355-0256. The Meals-On-Wheels program offers hot meals to homebound seniors within 
the community. Meals are delivered at the door, Monday through Friday. For more information on 
this program, contact the YWCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale program at 626-214-9467.

626-355-5700245 West Sierra Madre BlvdSierra Madre, CA 91024www.TheKensingtonSierraMadre.comRCFE License198601953Join us for “A Night on the Town”
A musical tour of cities of the world,
featuring talented studentsof the Connie Washburn StudioThursday, November 19, 2015 from 6:00pm-7:30pmat 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 BE ENTERTAINED AT THE KENSINGTONPleaseRSVP
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