Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 14, 2016

THE GOOD LIFE

9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 14, 2016 

SIMPLIFIED TABLETS DESIGNED FOR 

TECH-CHALLENGED SENIORS

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


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 but you must be over 60.

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

ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the 
Hart Park House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 

 

 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, January 25th 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, January 21st, 10:30am - 11:30am, improve your memory and strengthen 
your brain. Activities facilitated by Hugo, Community Liaison for New Wave Home care of 
Pasadena. 

 

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, January 27th 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. 

Balance Class: No Balance Class due to Martin Luther King Holiday. 

 

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. 

Dear Savvy Senior,

I’m interested in getting my 78-year-old mother a tablet 
for video calls and email but want to get one that’s super 
simple to use. What can you recommend?

Shopping Around

Dear Shopping,

 There are several different ways you can go about 
getting your mom a simplified tablet that’s easy for 
her to use. Depending on how much help she needs 
and how much you’re willing to spend, here are some 
different options to consider.

Simplify a Tablet

 If you or your mom already has a tablet, but it’s too 
difficult for her to use, you can install a free senior-
friendly software application on it like Oscar Senior 
(OscarSenior.com), which works on Apple iPads and 
Android tablets.

 This app will change the appearance and 
performance of your tablet into a simplified device 
with big understandable icons to only commonly 
used features (video calls, photos, instant messages, 
Internet, news, weather, reminders, contacts, etc.) for 
easy navigation, with no clutter. It even offers remote 
access capabilities so you can gain access to your 
mom’s tablet from your smartphone, so you can see 
what she sees, and help her if she gets stuck.

Limited Tech Skills

 If you’re interested in purchasing your mom a new 
tablet that’s specifically designed for seniors, you have 
options here too, depending on how simple it needs to 
be.

 For seniors with some, but limited computer/
tablet skills, there’s AARP’s RealPad, which is an 
Android Intel tablet with a 7.85-inch touchscreen 
that provides a simplified home page with large text 
icons to frequently used functions. It also comes 
with 24/7 phone support, and a “Real QuickFix” tool 
that connects users to technology support agents 
over the Internet who can access the tablet and fix 
problems. Available at AARPrealpad.org for only 
$60, AARP recently announced that the RealPad will 
be discontinued when inventory sells out in a few 
months, but they will continue offering customer/
technical support throughout the life of the product.

No Tech Skills

 If your mother is completely unfamiliar with 
technology, two simpler options are the grandPad and 
Claris Companion.

 GrandPad is a 7-inch touchscreen Android tablet 
that is designed for seniors, ages 75 and older. It 
comes with a stylus, charging stand and Verizon 4G 
LTE built-in so it works anywhere within the Verizon 
network – home Wi-Fi is not necessary. 

 This tablet provides a simplified menu of big 
colorful icons and large text, to only essential features, 
giving your mom clutter-free, one-touch access to 
make phone calls and video calls, send voice emails, 
view photos and videos, listen to personalized music, 
check the weather, play games and more. But, to 
simplify usage and avoid confusion, it does not offer 
Web browsing.

 GrandPad also has a “Help” button that offers 24/7 
phone/tablet remote assistance to help your mom 
with any facet of her tablet, and it provides damage 
and theft insurance so if your mom breaks or loses 
her tablet it will be replaced at no additional cost. 
Available at grandPad.net or call 800-704-9412, a 
grandPad leases for $60 per month, or $53/month if 
you pay one year in advance.

Another good option to check out is the Claris 
Companion (ClarisCompanion.com, 866-284-4939), 
which offers Wi-Fi and 4G tablets that costs $549 
and $649 respectively, plus a $29 and $49 monthly 
subscription fee.

 These tablets are designed specifically for elderly 
seniors living at home so their family can connect with 
them socially via video calls, email, text messages and 
photos. It also gives caregivers the ability to receive 
alerts and monitor compliance with medications, 
treatments, and important appointments.

 Claris Companions are 10-inch Android tablets that 
have big buttons and text to only essential functions. 
They come in a thick bamboo frame, with a charging 
stand that prop them up, and can be customized to 
fit your mom’s needs and abilities. Claris also offers a 
lower cost tablet option for $349 and an Android app 
for $29.

 

 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

NOTHING GOOD IS TOO 

SMALL TO CELEBRATE

May is more than half over. That means two 
things: 1) you’ve survived Mother’s Day and 
won’t have to brave the busiest restaurant day 
for another year, and 2) school is almost out 
for those who started the year way back in 
August! A couple of weeks ago I wrote about 
some fun ways teachers count down to the last 
day of school. As with many of my articles, 
I took some creative 
license when first hand 
information was lacking. 
For example, I wrote (and 
illustrated) throwing 
darts at balloons with 
the number of school 
days left. Not too many 
people know about my 
column, therefore, you 
can imagine my surprise 
when one of my teacher 
friends told me about 
a fun new idea she’s 
started this year. For the 
last 15 days of school, 
her second graders are 
popping a new balloon 
each day!

 Her idea is way better 
than mine. She put a 
little slip of paper in each 
balloon with a different 
fun activity the kids 
could do the next day. 
So far they’ve had “Listen 
to music all day,” “Wear 
jeans day,” “Twin day,” 
and “80’s day.” (The 
last two are examples of 
creative license.) I’m not 
exactly sure how the kids 
are popping the balloons. 
They’re probably not 
using darts, like my 
idea of teachers taping 
the balloons to a cork 
board in the lounge, but 
however they’re doing it, 
it sounds like a lot of fun!

 As usually happens 
when teachers start a 
new class tradition, last 
year’s second graders are complaining to my 
friend that they didn’t get to do that when 
they were in her class. (“Yeah, and you didn’t 
have to take the grueling Common Core pilot 
test, either!” Although my friend wouldn’t 
say that.) She jokingly asked the kindergarten 
and first grade teachers to not steal her idea, 
so that it would remain a special second grade 
tradition. (I suppose that also implies that 
anyone reading this shouldn’t use my friend’s 
idea without giving her credit --or at least, 
not claiming to have come up with the idea 
themselves.)

 It’s little things like this that help make 
mundane tasks more enjoyable. And it doesn’t 
have to be big or flashy. 
My friend didn’t spend 
a fortune on balloons 
or burn the midnight 
oil agonizing over what 
activities to write on the 
slips of paper. Not only 
has it helped her students 
look forward to coming 
to school these last 
few weeks, but it’s also 
given my friend a much 
needed shot in the arm. 
This is a teacher who, 
weeks before, sounded 
practically anemic when 
she bemoaned the final 
slog toward the finish 
line. Now she laughs as 
she describes her students 
excitement during the 
activity of the day, and 
their anticipation of what 
the remaining balloons 
hold!

 I imagine that many of 
my friend’s students will 
remember her lessons 
and use the skills she 
taught them. Some of 
them will probably need 
a few refresher courses 
in order for those skills 
to sink in. But they’ll 
all remember how 
they looked forward to 
popping the balloon for 
the next day closer to 
summer!

 So, for parents 
of school children, I 
wish you a wonderful 
summer! For those of us 
not involved in the academic calendar, I wish 
you a wonderful summer as well! And for all 
you primary teachers out there, I wish you a 
good end of the school year and, of course, a 
wonderful summer! But remember, if you use 
my friend’s idea and then receive complements 
for it, please give her the credit!


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