Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 1, 2016

THE GOOD LIFE

9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 1, 2016 

HOW AND WHEN TO APPLY FOR SOCIAL 
SECURITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….October Birthdays

Janda Ferris, Darlene Traxler, Margit Johnson, Sole Krieg, Ann Tyler, 

George Maurer, Dick Anderson, Barbara Cline, Eva Poet, Mary Jane Baker, Dixie 
Coutant, Cathleen Cremins, Lillias Eubanks, Alma Mays, Adie Marshall, Darlene 
Crook, Susan Gallagher, Maggie Ellis, Gloria Giersbach, Elva Johnson, Ellen O’Leary, 
Jenny Piangenti, Gail Ann Skiles, Anita Thompson, Linda Boehm and Angela Stella. 

* 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: Will resume in the fall. 

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10:00 - 11:00am. Join instructor 
Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula. 

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00 pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to join. 
May be cancelled if less than 5 people. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11:00am - 12:00 pm. No appt. necessary. 

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 - 11:45am. A suggested donation of $5 at one of the 
classes is requested, but is not required. 

Case Management: Meets the second 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 12:00 pm. (Please note the time change.) A regular group of 
seniors play poker. Other games available for use. 

 Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45 - 1:30 pm 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. 

SENIOR EXCURSION - 

OKTOBERFEST

 (Huntington Beach)

Date: Thursday, October 6th, 2016

Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm

Meeting Location: Hart Park House

Cost: $17.00 (Does include lunch)

Description: Old World Oktoberfest 
celebration includes live bands playing 
the most popular German Oom Pa Pah Music. The crowd is entertained with a variety of dancing, 
singing, music and Heidi, the contortionist act. Oktoberfest menu includes potato salad or coleslaw, 
bratwurst and baked chicken, spaetzli, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Dessert and drinks include apple 
streusel cake, coffee and water. Alcohol is available for purchase. Participants should bring money for 
souvenirs. Level of Walking: Low to Medium. 

Please call the Hart Park House 626-355-7394. 

Dear Savvy Senior,

What is the easiest way to apply for my Social 
Security retirement benefits, and how far in advance 
do I need to apply before I start collecting?

Approaching 62

 

Dear Approaching,

The Social Security Administration offers three 
different ways you can apply for your retirement 
and/or spouses benefits, depending on your 
preference and how much help you need. Here’s 
a rundown of the options, along with a list of 
information you’ll need to apply, and when to fill 
out the application.

 

How To Apply?

The easiest and most convenient way to apply for 
your Social Security benefits is to do it yourself 
online at SocialSecurity.gov. It takes less than 15 
minutes to complete the application, as long as 
you’ve gathered all of the required information 
and documentation (more on that at the bottom 
of the column).

 If, however, you’d rather have a Social Security 
employee assist with the process, you can also 
apply by phone at 800-772-1213, or at your local 
Social Security office. If you apply in person, be 
sure to call ahead and schedule an appointment to 
cut your office wait time. 

 Whichever method you feel most comfortable 
using, your application will be reviewed and 
processed as soon as all necessary documentation 
and information is received. And, the Social 
Security Administration will notify you if it turns 
out you could qualify for higher benefits on your 
spouse’s record, or if other family members can 
receive benefits on your work record.

 

When To Apply?

While full retirement age is currently 66 (for 
those born between 1943 and 1954) you can start 
receiving your Social Security retirement benefits 
as early as age 62 or as late as age 70, but the longer 
you wait the larger your monthly check. See ssa.
gov/retire/estimator.html to estimate your benefits.

 Social Security recommends that you apply for 
retirement benefits three months before you want 
your payments to start. So if you want your benefits 
to begin as soon as you turn 62, you should apply at 
61 years and nine months old. 

 It’s also worth noting that if you start receiving 
your Social Security retirement benefits before 
age 65, you will automatically be enrolled in 
Medicare Part A and Part B, and you’ll receive 
your Medicare card about three months before 
your 65th birthday. It will include instructions to 
return it if you have work coverage that qualifies 
you for late enrollment.

 But if you decide to delay your retirement 
benefits, you’ll need to sign up just for Medicare 
at age 65, which you can also do at SocialSecurity.
gov, over the phone at 800-772-1213 or through 
your local Social Security office.

 If you do not sign up, in some circumstances 
your Medicare coverage may be delayed and cost 
more.

 

Need Information

In order to apply for Social Security benefits, you’ll 
need to be able to document some information 
about your identity and work history. So before 
applying, have the following information handy:

· Your Social Security number.

· Your birth certificate (original or certified).

· Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if 
you were not born in the United States.

· A copy of your U.S. military service papers if 
you had military service before 1968.

· A copy of your W-2 forms and/or self-
employment tax return for last year.

· Your bank information (including your account 
number and the bank routing number) you want 
your benefits direct deposited to.

 For a complete checklist of information you’ll 
need to complete your application, see ssa.gov/hlp/
isba/10/isba-checklist.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.


HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

THE JOY OF YOGA


THE BEST KEPT SECRET

AARP SMART REFRESHER DRIVER COURSE

The Smart Refresher Driver Course focuses on 
learning current rules of the road, defensive driving 
techniques, and how to operate your vehicle more 
safely in today's increasingly challenging driving 
environment. You'll also learn how you can 
manage and accommodate common age-related 
changes in vision, hearing and reaction time. Must 
pre-register. (Requirement of 10 students; drivers 
over 70 must take DMV written test.) *Checks 
payable to AARP and brought to the first day of 
class.

Days: Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Times: 1:00pm-5:30pm

Fees: $15.00 AARP Member, $20.00 Non 
Member

Instructor: Certified AARP Instructor

Location: Hart Park House (Senior Center)

If I told you that 
you could parlay 
45 minutes into the 
equivalent of 4 hours 
of deep sleep, would 
you be interested? Yoga Nidra is one of the best-kept secrets 
in Yoga! Well, it’s not really a secret. Many yoga practitioners, 
teachers, and psychologists have been using this ancient 
practice for many years. Yoga Nidra is commonly called 
yogic sleep, though it is not sleeping. It is a guided supine 
practice, lasting anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes, somewhere 
in-between sleep and full consciousness. The body becomes 
completely relaxed, while the mind is alert. 

There is no physical movement in Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra 
is a profound systematic practice addressing “threefold 
tension”: muscular, emotional, and mental. These tensions 
accumulate over time or they may be left over from past 
traumas. This buildup manifests in our lives as unhappiness, 
pain, or aggression, so releasing these tensions is vital for our 
health and wellbeing. Yoga Nidra effectively addresses this 
need. 

To ease muscular tension, the sustained and guided 
visualization used in the practice lead the body to relax 
while the mind has “jobs” to do. Emotional tension is more 
deeply rooted. Over time, tensions build when emotions are 
repressed and not openly and freely expressed. According to 
the manual “Yoga Nidra” by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, 
“It is not possible to relax these tensions through ordinary 
sleep. A method such as yoga nidra can tranquilize the entire 
emotional structure of the mind.” Relief from mental tension 
arises as we delve into the subconscious mind. We relax and 
release tension around past experiences to seek harmony 
and restore peace in our system.

Yoga Nidra offers another hidden gem in its guidance: 
sankalpa, or resolve. In each practice, we create a simple, 
concise, positive statement to repeat and implant mentally 
within our consciousness. With life-changing possibilities, 
sankalpa is a very powerful tool in the process.

Although, eventually, you can learn to do Yoga Nidra 
yourself, to achieve the full benefits of this profound 
relaxation, seek an experienced teacher who will guide you 
through this unique practice. It’s important to hear the voice 
of a teacher. 

Yoga Madre has a Yoga Nidra workshop on, Sunday, 
October 30, from 2:00-4:00 P.M. Check our website www.
yogamadre.com for details. It’s your chance to experience 
the magic! 

Namaste friends, 

Keely Totten

Your InvItatIon to an EvEnt at thE KEnsIngton sIErra MadrERCFE License198601953www.theKensingtonsierraMadre.comthursdaY, octobEr 13, 2016From: 2:00pm – 5:00pm 
at the Kensington 
245 West sierra Madre blvd. 
sierra Madre, ca 91024(626) 355-5700EvEnt dEtaIlsProtect Yourself From This Season’s Flu. 
Get Your Flu Shot Here at The Kensington.
The Kensington Sierra Madre is 
putting on a Flu Shot Clinic brought 
to you by Rite Aid Pharmacy. Most 
insurances taken. For more information 
call Julie Lacey at 626-355-5700.
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