Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, August 19, 2017

WHAT TO DO WITH CREMATED ASHES? 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, August 19, 2017 10 THE GOOD LIFE THE GOOD LIFE 
FINDING MONEY FOR LONG-TERM CARE 



Dear Savvy Senior,
What resources can you refer me to for long-term care financialhelp? My 84-year-old mother needs assisted living or nursinghome care, but we don’t have a lot of money and she doesn’thave long-term care insurance.
Searching Daughter 

Dear Searching,
If your mother does not have a long-term care insurancepolicy, depending on her circumstances, here are severalother sources you should check into that can help pay for her 
care. 

Medicaid: The first thing you need to understand is thatMedicare (the government health insurance program forseniors 65 and older and those with disabilities) does notcover long-term care, which includes nursing home care,
the costs of assisted living facilities and home aide services,
unless your mom is receiving skilled nursing or therapyservices too. It only provides limited short-term coverage, upto 100 days for skilled nursing or rehabilitation services aftera hospital stay.

However, Medicaid (the joint federal and state programthat covers health care for the poor) as it currently stands,
does cover long-term care facilities and it covers in-homecare too. But to be eligible for coverage, your mother mustbe very low-income. Her countable assets can’t be more thanaround $2,000, including investments.

Note that most people who enter a nursing home don’tqualify for Medicaid at first, but pay for care out-of-pocketuntil they deplete their savings enough to qualify. Contactyour state Medicaid office (see Medicaid.gov) for eligibilitydetails. 

Veterans aid: If your mom is a wartime veteran, or aspouse or surviving spouse of a wartime veteran, there is abenefit called Aid and Attendance that can help pay between$1,153 and $2,127 a month toward her long-term care.

To be eligible, your mom must need assistance withdaily living activities like bathing, dressing or going to thebathroom. And her yearly income must be under $13,836 asa surviving spouse, $21,531 for a single veteran, or $25,525as a married veteran – after her medical and long-term careexpenses. Her assets must also be less than $80,000 excludingher home and car. 

To learn more see Benefits.VA.gov/pension, or contactyour regional VA office, or your local veterans serviceorganization. Call 800-827-1000 for contact information.

Life insurance: If your mom has a life insurance policy,
find out if it offers an accelerated death benefit that would 
allow you to get a tax-free advance to help pay for her care.

Or, consider selling her policy to a life settlement company.
These are companies that buy life insurance policies for cash,
continue to pay the premiums and collect the death benefitwhen she dies. Most sellers generally get four to eight timesmore than the policy cash surrender value.

If you own a policy with a face value of $100,000 or moreand are interested in this option, there are various companiesyou can turn to like GWG Life (GWGLife.com), which offerssome of the highest cash payouts for life insurance policies.
Tax breaks: If you’re helping out your mom financially, youmay also be able to claim her as a dependent on your taxesand reduce your taxable income by $4,050, which you coulduse for her care. To qualify, you must pay at least half ofyour mom’s yearly expenses, and her annual income mustbe below $4,050, not counting Social Security. For moreinformation, see IRS Publication 501 at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/
p501.pdf.
If you can’t claim your mom as a dependent because herincome is too high, you may still be able to get a tax break ifyou’re paying at least half her living expenses including hermedical, dental and long-term care costs, and they exceed 7.5percent of your adjusted gross income. You can include yourown medical expenses in calculating the total. See the IRSpublication 502 (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf) for details.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. JimMiller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of“The Savvy Senior” book. 

 
I’ve been guilty again lately ofrecycling old articles. I chose this 
one not only because the currentstate of national and global eventsputs me in a Doom’s Day mood, but also because Iparticularly like this picture of Vincent Price withrabbit ears! It’s about a good old campy flick titled“The Last Man on Earth.” This 1964 gem was basedon Richard Matheson’s novel “I am Legend.” Shot in 
Italy, mostly with Italian-speaking actors, the voicesdon’t quite sync with the lips. But that just makes it allthe more deliciously corny. “The Last Man on Earth” 

IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD, 
AS WE KNOW IT! 

is considered to be the precursor to


frightened, but he convinces her

“The Omega Man,” (1971) a film

to come home with him. Once 

with a significantly bigger budget,

subdued, the woman, Ruth, asks 

starring Charlton Heston. Recent 

how Morgan survived. He explains

movie-goers will recognize its latest

that years ago he was bitten by a bat

rebirth as “I am Legend,” (I suppose

infected with the vampire germ.

the name gives it away).

The bat’s system strained the germ

The premise of “The Last Man on

before it entered his body, thus

Earth” is that an air borne pathogen

giving him immunity.

is spreading across continents, 

 Over coffee, Morgan begins

making people sick, killing them,

to suspect that his lovely guest is

and subsequently turning them 

infected. A potent whiff of garlic

into the walking dead. But these 

proves his theory. Ruth flees the 

night walkers don’t exactly conform

room and starts to inject herself,

to our modern zombie stereotype.

but is interrupted by Morgan. She 

Although they have the classic

tells him that she, and her people,

zombie dead pan expression and

are infected, but keep the germ at

stiff gait, they also possess vampire

bay through regular injections of

qualities. They are repelled by garlic

treated blood plus vaccine (I didn’t

and their own reflection in mirrors. 

understand that, but then science 

Like Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” they 

was never my strong suit. Apparently

are most effectively killed when 
impaled with a wooden stake through the heart. Also, 
these zombies can speak simple phrases (e.g., “Comeout, Morgan! We know you’re in there!”). They’retoo articulate to be true zombies, but too crude to be 
vampires. Everyone knows that vampires are sexy andwell-spoken.

The story begins with Robert Morgan (Vincent Price)
exiting his mirrored and garlic-laden home, to drivearound and collect bodies of the infected dead. (As withmost zombie flicks, there seems to be a period of timebetween death and zombie-hood). His task is made 
funnier by the fact that the dummies must’ve weighedabout 15 pounds, so Price effortlessly tosses them intohis 50’s station wagon, not bothering to close the tailgate.
“They’re not gettin’ out!” After he’s accumulated a goodnumber of bodies, he heads to “The Pit,” a perpetually 

smoking zombie landfill. He dons a gas mask (leftover from “Plan 9 from Outer Space” or some similarlycheesy production), douses the wrapped, staked bodieswith gas, and chucks them in. On the way home,
Morgan replenishes his mirrors and checks his garlicgarden. At night the zombies gather outside his houseto weakly throw stones and beat against his boarded updoors and windows. Morgan plays a record, attemptingto drown out their voices, and tries to get some sleep onthe couch. 

One day, Morgan spots a disheveled, but otherwisenormal-looking woman walking though a field. She’s 

it wasn’t the screenwriter’s strength 
either.). Ruth warns Morgan that her people haveplotted to kill him. Overcome by exhaustion, she falls 
asleep on the couch. While she’s knocked out, Morganhooks up a transfusion of his own blood into hers. In 
his kitchen laboratory he discovers that the transfusionhas cured her! Unfortunately, the “Infected Resistance”
captures Morgan after a long chase, and harpoons himin a church as he shouts, “You’re freaks! I’m a man --the 
last man!” Ruth consoles him as he dies in her arms. 

Yet we are left with a sense of hope as Ruth leaves thechurch hugging her freshly injected arm. They killed thelast man, but Ruth’s blood holds the promise of a cure.
The morals of the story are: 1. Eat lots of garlic (seriously,
it’s anticarcinogenic!), 2. Don’t pick up strange women,

3. Don’t go home with strange men, and 4. Give blood,
but with discretion. 
SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….August Birthdays

Bill Nelson, Karlene Englert, Juanita Fernandez, Jeanette Francis, Joseph Kiss, John 
Luke, Jacquie Pergola, Maury Whitaker, Pat Miranda, Phyllis Chapman, Jerry Burnett, 
Margaret Aroyan, Phyllis Burg, Beverly Clifton, Rosemary Morabito, Susan Poulsen, 
Dorothy Quentmeyer, Genevieve Stubbs, Miep Tulleners, Joy Barry, Ellie Baudino, 
Marcia Bent, Daryls Brechwald, Joan Spears, Ruth Torres, Jane Zamanzadeh. * 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 

Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10a.m.
to 11a.m. Join instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula. 
Bingo Time: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00p.m. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome
to join. May be canceled if less than five people. 


Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesdays of the month from 11a.m. to 12p.m. No appt. is 
necessary. 
Brain Games - *New Activity*: Join us on Thursday July 20th, at 10:30a.m. to 11:30a.m for
Scattergories. A creative thinking game by naming objects within a set of categories. Everyone
is welcome, no experience needed. Great way to strengthen your brain and make new friends.
Activities are facilitated by Senior Volunteers. 


Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, August 16th from 10:30a.m. to Noon. Attorney Lem
Makupson is available for legal consultation. Specializing in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, and
Injury. Appointments are required by calling 626-355-7394. 
Senior Club: Meets every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown Bag Lunch at 
11:30a.m. 


Chair Yoga: Mondays & Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45a.m. with Paul Hagen. 3rd Mondays of each
month, a variety of balance exercises are practiced.All ability levels are encouraged and welcomed! 


*A suggested donation of $5 at one of the classes is requested, but is not required. 


Case Management: Case Management Services are provided by the YWCA and offer assistance in
a variety of areas. Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling the Hart Park House
Office at 626-355-7394. 


Birthday Celebrations: Every 2nd Thursday of the month at the Hart Park House, share some free
birthday cake provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club. 


Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00p.m. Come join this group of Seniors in their poker
game. Other games are offered to all. 


Free Strength Training Class: Fridays from 12:45p.m. to 1:30p.m. with Lisa Brandley. This energetic
class utilizes light weights for low impact resistance and training conditioning. All class materials are
provided. 


AUGUST EXCURSION 

Gondola Getaway in Long BeachDate: Friday, August 25thTime: 9:15a.m. to 2:30p.m.
Cost: $35.00 (Not including Lunch)
Gondola Getaway brings old world charm and a thousand year old tradition to

Southern California. Authentic Venetian Gondolas gently cruise the enchanting canals and waterwaysof Naples Island, near the resort area of Belmont Shore in Long Beach. It’s a unique way to enjoy thearchitecture of Naples Canals and its beautiful homes and yachts. The cruise is approximately one hour.
Lunch is on your own around 2nd Street, Belmont Shore District with many dining options and shops.
Level of Walking: Medium; please call the Hart Park House for reservations at 626-355-7394. 

Draw from History with Kt Boyce - Free Art Class 


Monday, August 28th at 12:30p.m. – 1:30p.m. at Hart Park HouseJoin us as we use color pencils to learn color theory and value. Portraits of Sierra Madre’s heroe are ready for youto shade and bring them back to life as we enjoy learning about their history. Kt will read the bios of Geronimoand Lucky Baldwin and a few others. Participants will reflect on their legacy, how things have changed, andothers stayed the same in Sierra Madre. All art materials and supplies will be provided freely, however spaces 
are also limited. Reservations are required to save your spot! Please call the Hart Park House 626-355-7394. 

SENIOR CINEMA 


THE IRON LADY

 August 16th at 1:00p.m. 

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) reflectson her life and career as she finally prepares to dispose of the belongings ofher later husband. Daughter of a Grantham grocer, she successfully brokethrough a double-paned glass ceiling of gender and class. Thatcher becamethe first female prime minister of the United Kingdom and remained as suchfor 11 years, until declining popularity forced her to resign. Run time: 1h45m. 


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