Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, December 17, 2016

THE GOOD LIFE

9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 17, 2016 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HOW TO CREATE A SAFE ‘AGING-IN-PLACE’ HOME


Dear Savvy Senior,

My husband and I are thinking about making some 
modifications to our home so we can remain living there 
for as long as possible. Can you recommend some good 
resources that can help us with aging in place ideas?

Staying Put

 

Dear Staying,

Many retirees, like you and your husband, want to 
stay living in their own house for as long as possible. 
But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to 
maneuver your home as you get older. Here are some 
helpful resources you can turn to, to get an idea of 
the different types of features and improvements you 
can make that will make your house safer and more 
convenient as you grow older.

 

Home Evaluation

A good first step in making your home more age-
friendly is to do an assessment. Go through your house, 
room-by-room, looking for problem areas like potential 
tripping or slipping hazards, as well as areas that are 
hard to access and difficult to maintain. To help with 
this, there are several organizations that have aging-
in-place checklists that point out potential problems 
in each area of the home, along with modification and 
solutions.

 Rebuild Together, for example, has a two-page 
“Safe at Home Checklist” that’s created in partnership 
with the Administration on Aging and the American 
Occupational Therapy Association. Go to AOTA.org 
and search for “Rebuilding Together Safe at Home 
Checklist.” 

 The National Association of Home Builders also has 
an “Aging-in-Place Remodeling Checklist” that offers 
more than 100 suggestions to can help homeowners 
age 50-plus live safely, independently and comfortably. 
Go to NAHB.org and search for “Aging in Place 
Remodeling Checklist.” 

 Also check out AARP’s excellent resource called the 
“HomeFit Guide” that’s filled with 28-pages of tips and 
diagrams to make your entire home safe and easier to 
live in as you age. You can access it at AARP.org – search 
for “HomeFit,” or call 888-687-2277 and ask them to 
mail you a free copy. 

 

Personalized Advice

If you want more personalized help, consider getting a 
professional in-home assessment with an occupational 
therapist. 

 An occupational therapist, or OT can evaluate the 
challenges and shortcomings of your home for aging in 
place, recommend design and modification solutions, 
and introduce you to products and services to help you 
make improvements. 

 To find an OT in your area, check with your 
physician, health insurance provider or local hospital, 
or seek recommendations from family and friends. 
Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, 
will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by 
your doctor. However, they will not cover the physical 
upgrades to the home.

 Another option is to contact a builder who’s a 
Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS). CAPS 
are home remodelers and design-build professionals 
that are knowledgeable about aging in place home 
modifications, and can suggest ways to modify or 
remodel your home that will fit your needs and budget. 
CAPS are generally paid by the hour or receive a flat fee 
per visit or project. 

 To find a CAPS in your area visit the National 
Association of Home Builders website at NAHB.org/
capsdirectory where you can search by state and city.

 

 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! …December Birthdays*

Pat Karamitros, Joan Hufnagel, Mary Alice Cervera, Carol Horejsi, Shirley Anhalt, 
Mignon Grijalva, Helen Reese, Levon Yapoujian, Toni Buckner, Lottie Bugl, Pat 
McGuire, Sheila Wohler, Nan Murphy, Eleanor Hensel, Sylvia Curl, Elizabeth Levie, 
Gayle Licher, Cindy Barran, and Melissa Stute. 

* 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 - 

Proposed 2017 Trips

January The Broad Museum (Sold Out)

February St. Sophia’s Cathedral

March Walt Disney Concert Hall

April Tanaka Farm Strawberry Tour

May The Getty Villa

June Guided Dogs of America and The Wildlife Learning Center

July Gardens of the World

August Gondola Getaway

September Riley’s at Oak Glen

November Japanese American National Museum

December Mission Inn

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 medical excuse or 2) if the Department is able to fill the patron’s 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 $13 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 
Library & Community Services Dept.


HOLIDAY LUNCH

On Thursday, December 15th, join us for the Annual Holiday Lunch. 
The lunch will feature special dessert, and a raffle with a variety of prizes. 
Also returning this year, students from Bethany Christian School will 
be singing Christmas Carols. Bring your holiday spirit and join us for 
the special day! Lunch reservations MUST be made with the Senior 
Lunch Café by calling 626-355-0256.

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

THE ART OF RE-GIFTING

Re-gifting --you know you’re 
guilty of it, or you’ve been the 
victim, or probably both at 
different times. Somewhere in your holiday history 
you suspected the sweater in primary colors your 
cousin gave you was originally a gift from her 
second graders. Or maybe that the Chocolate 
Barge from your aunt was something a client gave 
her. Maybe you’ve never re-gifted anything, and if 
that’s the case, I tip my hat to you. When we receive 
something we don’t need or want, our first instinct 
is to toss it along like 
a hot potato.

 Outside of the 
heartfelt presents 
exchanged among 
loved ones and dear 
friends, so much 
of our gift giving is 
merely obligatory 
gestures we perform 
like automatons 
to the dictates of 
the calendar. It is 
the thought that 
counts, and I’m honestly just as happy with a 
greeting card as I am with a Trader Joe’s card. I 
wish we could all simply circulate sincere notes of 
thanks to the people we appreciate. Even when a 
harmonious balance like this exists, some well-
intentioned person has to go and up the ante by 
giving something tangible. This necessitates that 
the recipient respond in kind, unless they want to 
come off as a schmo. 

 Although inherently tacky, re-gifting makes a 
lot of sense. Especially in this economy, if you’ve 
been dealt a re-gift-able present (chocolates, bath 
products, coffee/tea collections) it’s very tempting 
to save a buck by utilizing this item to fulfill your 
gesture to someone else. 

 So, re-gifting is sometimes allowable, but there 
are ground rules you need to follow. First, never re-
gift something from someone you’re deeply close 
to (If you need to hear this, you’re beyond grasping 
its meaning). It’s okay to pass along ceramic 
snowmen figurines from the coworker in another 
department to your neighbor down the block. It’s 
not okay to re-gift anything someone made for you 
personally. You’d look stupid trying to pawn off a 
glass mug engraved with “To my friend, Wendy” or 
hand knit mittens bearing your initials. 

 Second, never re-gift in the same location. For 
example, if a coworker gives you something, don’t 
turn around and give it to another coworker! The 
first thing the recipient will probably say is “Gee, 
Gloria just gave me 
Bath & Body Works 
“Sugar Plum Dream” 
lotion, too! I guess 
great minds thinks 
alike!” Instead, re-
gift your soulless 
lotion to a distant 
relative or marginal 
acquaintance. 

 Gift cards are the 
ultimate re-gift-able 
gift. How much more 
impersonal can you 
get? I remember having lunch around Christmas 
with a girl I didn’t know very well. When we 
opened our gift bags we realized we exchanged 
gift cards of the same denomination for different 
stores. I felt like laughing and saying, “Tell you 
what, you keep your $20 and I’ll keep mine!” 

 The most honorable ways of dealing with 
unwanted re-gift-able items are to donate them to 
a charity or leave them in the break room at work 
(as long as the gifts weren’t from a coworker). If 
you do re-gift, it’s polite to provide a disclaimer 
as you offer the recycled item to it’s next person. 
Say something to the effect of, “Someone at work 
gave this to me and I really have no use for it. 
If you don’t want it I totally understand!” Of 
course you can always keep your re-gift-able 
gifts. But if you do this consistently, you might 
run into a situation I addressed in an earlier 
column –”Garage Sale!”

GINGERBREAD JAMBOREE!

Thursday, December 22nd, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Show off your creative side by building a gingerbread house for the holidays. Come build your own 
gingerbread house on December 22 at the Hart Park House. All supplies will be provided. This is 
a great way to get into the holiday spirit! Reservation required. Please call the Hart Park House 
626-355-7394.


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