Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 15, 2020

10

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 15, 2020 

WHEN SHOULD 
DEMENTIA 

PATIENTS STOP 
DRIVING?

Dear Savvy Senior:

Is there a good rule of thumb on when dementia patients should stop driving? My 82-year-
old mom has early stage Alzheimer’s disease but still drives herself around town just fine. 

Inquiring Daughter

Dear Inquiring:

Most doctors agree that people with moderate to severe dementia should never get behind 
the wheel, but in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, driving performance should be the determining 
factor of when to stop driving, not the disease itself.

With that said, it’s also important to realize that as your mom’s driving skills deteriorate over 
time from the disease, she might not recognize she has a problem. So, it’s very important 
that you work closely with her doctor to monitor her driving and help her stop when it is no 
longer safe for her to drive. Here are some additional tips that can help you.

Watch for Warning Signs

The best way to keep tabs on your mom’s driving is to take frequent rides with her watching 
out for key warning signs. For example: Does she have trouble remembering routes to 
familiar places? Does she drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate, drift between lanes or fail to 
observe traffic signs? Does she react slowly or make poor driving decisions? Also, has your 
mom had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you noticed any dents or scrapes on 
her vehicle? All of these are red flags.

If you need some assessment help, hire a driver rehabilitation specialist who’s trained to 
evaluate older drivers. See AOTA.org/older-driver or ADED.net to locate one in your area.

Transition Tips

Through your assessments, if you believe it’s still safe for your mom to drive, you should 
start recommending some simple adjustments to ensure her safety, like driving only in daylight 
and on familiar routes, and avoiding busy roads and bad weather. Also, see if she will 
sign an Alzheimer’s “driving contract” (see ALZ.org/driving to print one) that designates 
someone to tell her when it’s no longer safe to drive.

You may also want to consider getting a GPS car tracking device (like MotoSafety.com or 
AutoBrain.com) to help you keep an eye on her. These devices will let you track where she’s 
driving and allow you to set up zones and speed limits that will send you alerts to your 
smartphone when she exits an area, or if she’s driving too fast or braking harshly.

Time to Quit

When your mom’s driving gets to the point that she can no longer drive safely, you’ll need 
to talk to her. It’s actually best to start having these conversations in the early stages of the 
disease, before she needs to quit driving, so she can prepare herself.

You also need to have a plan for alternative transportation (including a list of family, friends 
and local transportation options) that will help your mom get around after she stops driving.

For tips on how to talk to your mom, the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence offers 
a helpful guide called “At the Crossroads: Family Conversations About Alzheimer’s Disease, 
Dementia and Driving” that you can get at TheHartford.com/Publications-on-Aging.

Refuses to Quit

If your mom refuses to quit, you have several options. First, suggest a visit to her doctor who 
can give her a medical evaluation, and prescribe that she stops driving. Older people will 
often listen to their doctor before they will listen to their own family.

If she still refuses, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if they 
can help. Some states require doctors to report new dementia cases to the DMV, who can 
revoke the person’s license.

If these fail, consider hiding her keys or just take them away. You could also disable her 
vehicle by disconnecting the battery, park it in another location so she can’t see it or have 
access to it or sell it.

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.


SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …February Birthdays*

Beatrice DaRe, Cathrine Adde, Hilda Pittman, Anne-Marie Stockdale, Susan 
Henderson, Allie Attay, Ursula El-Tawansy, Gladys Moser, Sylvia Lorhan, Ana 
Ptanski, Winifred Swanson , Janet Gillespie, Marian DeMars, Vickie Vernon, 
Mary Beth Knox, Sharon Lefler. 

 * To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 
626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required


HART PARK HOUSE MONTHLY PROGRAMS: 

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 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 
Join the class with Instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula!

Bingo Time: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00 p.m. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to play! Activity may 
be canceled if there are less than five people.

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesdays Monthly from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

Brain Games: Every third Thursday of the month at 12:45-1:45pm Join us for Scattergories, a creative thinking game by 
naming objects within a set of categories; or Jenga, a block-building challenge that keeps you stacking and bal-ancing 
your tower. Everyone is welcome, and no experience is needed. A great way to strengthen your mind and make new 
friends... Games are facilitated by Senior Volunteers. 

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, February 12th from 10:30 a.m. - Noon. Attorney Lem Makupson is available for 
legal consultation. Specializing in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates and Injury. Please call the Hart Park House for an 
appointment, 626-355-5278 ext. 704.

Senior Club: Meets Saturdays, Weekly at Hart Park House Brown Bag Lunch, great company and bingo at 11:30 a.m.

Chair Yoga: Mondays & Wednesdays 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. with Paul Hagen. Classes include Yoga and balance exercises. 
All ability levels are encouraged and welcomed!

Birthday Celebration: Every 2nd Thursday Monthly at the Hart Park House. Share free birthday cake and ice cream 
kindly provided by the Senior Community Commission!

Game Day: Every Thursday Monthly 12:00 Noon come into the Hart Park House and join a lively poker game with 
friends!

Free Strength Training Class: Fridays 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. with Lisa Brandley Light weights, low impact resistance 
training and body conditioning. Class equipment provided.

Gentle Yoga for Active Seniors: Every Monday & Wednesday from 8:15 - 9:45 a.m. with Andrea Walsh at the Hart Park 
House. Classes include complete floor relaxation, standing and floor postures, balancing, and featuring extended 
meditations on the fourth Wednesdays of the month! Call (626)-355-5278 for more information.


MEALS - ON - WHEELS PROGRAM

The Home Delivered Meals Program provides healthy meals to homebound Seniors 60 and above. 
Seven frozen meals, milk, bread and fruit are included and delivered once a week. $3 Donation per 
meal is suggested but remains completely anonymous and voluntary. Clients must be eligible and we 
invite you to contact YWCA Intervale Senior Services at 626-214-9467. SUBJECT TO CHANGE 
WITHOUT NOTICE SUGGESTED DONATION $3.00 1% LOW FAT MILK INCLUDED


SENIOR CINEMA 1st & 3rd Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m.

February 5th “Moonstruck” PG; 1 
hr. 42 min.

Loretta Castorini, a bookkeeper 
from Brooklyn, New York, finds 
herself in a difficult situation when 
she falls for the brother of the man 
that she has agreed to marry

 

February 19th “Hope Floats” 
PG-13; 1 hr. 54 min

Birdee Calvert choose between 
her morals and her heart after 
her husband divorces her and a 
charming young man, who her 
daughter disapproves of, comes 
back into her life.


AUTRY MUSEUM (LOS ANGELES)—LOS ANGELES

*Date: Thursday, February 20th *Time: 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. *Cost: $20 per 
person

Don't miss a visit to this historic museum and the once in a lifetime exhibit Master 
of the American West Art Exhibition and Sale. See paintings and sculptures by 
more than 60 nationally recognized, contemporary Western artists. A one hour 
docent-led tour of the exhibit will be given upon arrival.

* Lunch will be on your own at the Crossroads West Café at the Autry;

* Participants should bring money for lunch & souvenirs;

* Level of Walking: Medium;

* Bus departs from the Hart Park House Senior Center at 9:00am and returns at 2:30 p.m.

 Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure. 

Sierra Madre Resident Registration starts Monday, January 27, 2020 through Tuesday, February 4, 
2020. Non-Resident Registration starts online or in-person on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder


I SURE MISS MY OLD TYPEWRITER 

I was going through my office the other day looking for something, and then I saw 
it for the first time in many years. It was my old typewriter.

Most people today have no idea what the typewriter is. I remember, however, my 
very first type-writer. I was so excited to get it and begin writing with it. I wrote a bunch of poems on 
that type-writer, and I sure wish I had copies of those poems.

Up until I got my typewriter, I was writing everything by hand, which can get very tiring after a while. 
There were typewriters in my school, and I went to a class to learn how to use a typewriter. However, 
I had no typewriter at home.

That Christmas, my parents surprised me with my very own typewriter. I was so excited about it, 
and I spent a lot of time typing nonsense. I used that typewriter for many years, and it was quite a 
companion with me.

Then I decided to upgrade to an electric typewriter. That was a significant upgrade for me. An after-
thought: I wished I would've kept that first typewriter. When I got the electric typewriter, I could 
type faster than I was ever able to type before. I could not keep enough paper in the typewriter while 
typing.

Using those typewriters, you put in one sheet at a time, but since I knew nothing better, it was a wonderful 
thing. I went through a lot of paper.

In those old typewriters, what you typed was exactly what you got. If you mistyped a word, it was 
mistyped. I cannot remember how many times I yanked the paper out of the typewriter, put in a new 
piece and started typing all over again.

The thing so exciting was if I wanted several copies of what I was typing, I could use carbon paper 
between each page. What I typed on the first page was typed on the second and third pages. That sure 
was exciting because now I had copies of what I was typing.

The problem was, when I made a typo on the first page, it went all the way through to the last page. 
You could not fool those carbon copies. What was on one was precisely on the other.

I was thinking about that the other day and was wondering how I used up a forest of trees just learning 
to type.

That typewriter was a friend of mine, and we worked like a well-oiled machine. The thing about that 
typewriter, it never tried to correct me. It always went along with what I said and wrote — and never 
talked back to me. I was actually in charge.

I could always tell where my typewriter was because it was where I put it, and it never moved. To 
move that typewriter would have been a big job, and so it always remained on my desk in my room 
exactly where I put it. I could not take it traveling with me; I had to use it where it was.

At the time, I thought I had no better friend than that old typewriter of mine. To look at it now, I 
kinda smile as I remember how things have changed.

I was writing my first book, typing each page, when I learned about this new thingamajig called a 
computer. Well, I was not going to get anything modern. I was going to do things the old way. After 
all, Ernest Hemingway did all his typing on a typewriter.

The more I learned about these computers, the more interested I became. According to the people I 
was talking to, I could increase my output 100 times faster. I initially did not believe that.

Finally, halfway through that first book, I decided to switch over to a computer. Those first com-
puters had no hard drive, so you had to put a floppy disk in to run any program that you might be 
using. You also had to save what you were writing to a floppy disk.

I set that new computer up in my office and started fiddling around with it to try to understand how 
it worked. Much to my surprise, the more I fiddled, the more I liked the music I was hearing.

I did not have to use paper until the manuscript was completed and I could print it out on a printer. 
If I made a typo, I could correct it right there on the screen, no problem.

Getting adjusted to it was difficult for me. I remember the first chapter I did and worked very hard to 
complete, but I forgot to save it on a disk and lost that whole chapter. I was a little provoked be-cause 
my old typewriter would never have done that!

Through the years, I have regularly upgraded my computers to the point where I do not have to do 
much typing anymore. I can dictate into my computer and see words appear on the screen.

Looking at that old typewriter, I thought of what Solomon once said. “The thing that hath been, it 
is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing 
under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Maybe the way I do certain things today has changed, but the message is always the same. Tech-
niques change, but words never will.

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