Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 20, 2020

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Mountain View News Saturday, June 20, 2020 

WHY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE 
IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS IN 
THE COVID-19 ERA

Dear Savvy Senior:

Are people with high blood pressure at increased risk 
of getting coronavirus? Hypertensive Helen

Dear Helen:

If you have high blood pressure, you definitely need to take extra care to protect yourself during 
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Research shows that people with hypertension are more 
susceptible to getting COVID-19, are more likely to develop severe symptoms if they do get sick, 
and are more likely to die from the infection, especially if they’re older.

High Risk Links

A weaker immune system is the key reason people with high blood pressure and other health 
problems are at higher risk for coronavirus. Long-term health conditions and aging weaken the 
immune system so it’s less able to fight off the virus. Nearly two-thirds of Americans over 60 have 
high blood pressure.

Another concern that has been circulating, but was put to rest last month, were theories that the 
medications that are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure – ACE inhibitors and 
angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) – could make patients more vulnerable to contracting COVID-
19, and more susceptible to severe illness if they did become infected. 

But new research published in The New England Journal of Medicine last month found no risk 
linked to these medications.

COVID Complications

While pneumonia is the most common complication of the virus, it can also damage the cardiovascular 
system. That’s why people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart failure are 
at risk.

High blood pressure damages arteries and reduces the flow of blood to your heart. That means 
your heart has to work harder to pump enough blood. Over time, this extra work can weaken your 
heart to the point where it can’t pump as much oxygen-rich blood to your body.

Coronavirus can also damage the heart directly, which can be especially risky if your heart is 
already weakened by the effects of high blood pressure. The virus may cause inflammation of the 
heart muscle, which makes it harder for the heart to pump.

If you also have plaque buildup in your arteries, the virus may make those plaques more likely to 
break apart and cause a heart attack. Studies have shown that people with heart disease who get 
a respiratory illness like the flu or earlier types of coronavirus are at higher risk for a heart attack.

What to Do?

While everyone needs to take precautions to prevent coronavirus, people with high blood pressure 
and other health conditions need to be extra careful.

The best way to avoid getting sick is to stay home as much as you can. If you have to go out, wear a 
mask and keep at least 6 feet away from other people. And every time you come home, wash your 
hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Also, clean and disinfect all frequently 
touched surfaces like cell phones, countertops and doorknobs.

The CDC also recommends that you have enough medicine on hand to treat high blood pressure 
and other health conditions. And stock up on over-the-counter medicines to treat a fever and 
other symptoms if you get sick.

While a coronavirus vaccine isn’t available yet, you should stay up to date on your other important 
vaccines. The pneumococcal vaccines – Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23 – will prevent you from 
catching pneumonia on top of coronavirus. Also get a flu shot in September or early October. Its 
symptoms are easy to confuse with coronavirus, which could make it harder for doctors to diagnose 
you if you do get sick.

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! …June Birthdays*

Joanne Thrane, Nellie Haynes, Dorothy McKay, Donna Doss, Mary Carney, Carol 
Handley, Marilyn McKernan, Pat Fujiwara, John Shier, Beth Smith-Kellock, Ann 
Disbrow, Joan Ellison, Anne Montgomery, Trini Ornelas, Martha Spriggs, Pat 
Starkey, Kathleen Coyne, Suzanne Decker, Jacque Persing, Jeanne Peterson and 
Grace Sanders

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


SIERRA MADRE SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

The City of Sierra Madre is following these procedures to provide current communication in light of 
COVID-19 and keep the Senior Community and families informed of essential information and resources. 
City staff are monitoring email communication daily, and although employees are minimizing 
direct engagement and practicing social distancing in the community, please note that voice messages, 
emails, and social media responses are being addressed in the most efficient and timely manner.

If at any moment additional information is needed, please contact City Hall Administrative Services at 
(626) 355-7135, Monday-Thursday from 7:30a – 5:30p, as they are taking messages and e-mailing the 
appropriate person.

For messages that may trickle in otherwise, please note our team is remotely checking voicemail daily at 
the Community Services Department, (626) 355-5278 x702.

Community Services Department will continue email communication with Senior residents and aging 
community members.

If you know of family members or neighbors who may benefit from accessing information electronically, 
and to receive the department’s Seniors Newsletter via email but may not otherwise have been included 
on an email group list, please send your request with email address to the following team members:

Lawren Heinz Lheinz@cityofsierramadre.com and Clarissa Lowe Clowe@cityofsierramadre.com.

Community Services Department will continue Electronic Seniors Newsletter on a weekly-basis 
distribution.

Community Services Department will continue with mail drop-off of newsletters at the Sierra Madre 
U.S. Post Office Box (unless otherwise advised).

City Social Media will continue via Facebook as well as Instagram, and information sharing will include 
updates as details becomes available.

Mater Dolorosa - Sierra Madre Meal Pick-Up Program provides seal-packaged frozen meals, 5-per 
person every Thursday, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at Hart Park House Senior Center 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 
Donations are accepted. Call (626) 355-5278; x702 or 704.

YWCA Intervale Meal Program - Effective Wednesday, April 1, 2020

YWCA has transitioned their distribution of take home meals at the Sierra Madre Hart Park House Senior 
Center to a home-delivery meal program. Participants previously reserved for meal pick-up as of 
Wednesday, 3/25/20 were informed that they would begin to have their meals delivered to their homes, 
beginning Wednesday, April 1, 2020 until further notice.

For any additional participants calling in that are at a high risk and need meals delivered to, please 
provide us their name, date of birth (they must be 60+), address and phone number and Community 
Services Department will for-ward this information to our County Contact.

Food Banks Support: Seniors & Families:

If someone is outside of our local area and in need of a food bank, they can find one nearest them by 
going to www.lafoodbank.org and typing in their zip code; or call from the list here:

First Church of the Nazarene-Pasadena 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-351-9631

Wednesday 10:30 am-12 pm 

Pasadena Senior Center 85 E. Holly St. Pasadena 626-685-6732

Foothill Unity Center 415 W. Chestnut Ave. Monrovia 626-358-3486 Monday 1 pm-3:30 pm, 
Wednesday & Friday 9 am-11:30 am

Lifeline Community Services & Economic Development 2556 N. Lake Ave Altadena

626-797-3585 2nd and 4th Wednesday 12 pm-2 pm & 8:15 pm-9 pm

Morning Star Outreach Ministry 1416 N. Mentor Ave Pasadena 626-794-4875

2nd & 4th Saturday 11 am-1

626-355-5700245 W Sierra Madre Blvd,
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Reserve yours today!
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M
OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder


THOSE USED TO BE THE DAYS

Being limited as to travel and outside 
activities can sometimes get 
rather boring. You can be inac-tive 
only so long, and then you get in 
that car that drives you to crazy land.

Finding something to do to keep me from being 
bored has become somewhat of a challenge.

However, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage can 
always find something to do, especially something for 
me. That is why every day I "act" as if I am busy. I think 
I ought to get some Emmy award for that because I 
am a rather good actor. I have had a lot of practice.

Not only that, but my hearing is not very good. 
Therefore, when my wife asked me something, I pretend 
that I am busy and cannot hear her. I think she 
has caught on to my acting skills here. There goes that 
Emmy.

One evening the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
and I were sitting in the living room together watching 
TV. At the same time, I was working on some sermon 
notes I was preparing for Sunday. I think that got 
most of my attention at the time.

Eventually, I looked over to my wife, smiled and said, 
"I'm beginning to understand politics much better 
and I think these politicians on TV are really making 
sense to me." Then I flashed her one of my smiles.

She stared at me for a moment and then said, "You do 
know we're watching The Three Stooges, don't you?"

To get caught is one thing but this rather threw me 
for a loop. (Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk).

My wife keeps herself quite busy and I certainly cannot 
keep up with her. She cannot sit down for very 
long and rest.

This is where I come in as the husband. I sit down 
and rest for her so she can go about and keep busy. I 
must say I am very good at resting for her.

While she was rummaging through some stuff, she 
discovered a box of old photographs of our family. I 
forgot we had such photographs. After all, we have 
cell phones today with photographs on them. Does 
this younger generation know what a photograph really 
is? Has any young person ever seen a camera?

She brought several boxes out into the dining room 
and began opening them up and spreading the photographs 
on the table. I do not know who the photographer 
was on most of these but they were not that 
good. However, you gotta take what you get.

“Do you know who that person is?” My wife asked.

I looked at it and I could not imagine who that person 
was in that photograph.

“No, it doesn’t look familiar to me at all.”

My wife just stared at me and said, “Take another 
look.”

I could not figure out who that picture was and I 
could not imagine the location of where that pic-
ture was taken.

“That is a picture of you just before we got married. 
Now do you remember?”

There was a picture of a young man with hair and as 
skinny as a lamp pole. I just could not see that that 
was a picture of me. Now, I am old, and my hair is 
starting to retire and, let's say, I'm not skin-ny.

“Are you sure that’s a picture of me?”

“I should know because I’m the one that took the 
picture.”

If that's what I looked like back then, what has happened 
to me?

"I sure have changed, haven't I?"

She just looked at me and smiled. I wondered what 
she was smiling about but I was not going to ask her 
for fear she would tell me.

Then she brought out the other pictures. There were 
pictures of our wedding, which I really could not 
remember. Oh yes, I remember getting married, but 
I did not know we were that young. Is it legal to get 
married when you are that young?

Looking at those wedding pictures, I said something 
perhaps I should not have said, "Now, I know why 
you married me. I was so handsome back then."

Looking at me for a moment, she finally said, "No, I 
married you for your money."

We look at each other for a moment, and then both 
of us broke out in hysterical laughter. I may have 
had good looks back then, but I certainly did not 
have any money.

Of course, today I have neither good looks nor 
money.

Then there were the pictures of our children as they 
were born. I had forgotten how young they were 
when they were born.

Then there was that wonderful picture of all of us as 
a family. My wife, our three children and I are setting 
together for this photograph.

Wow! It does not seem possible that that is what we 
looked like way back then.

We spent the rest of the evening picking up pictures 
and saying, "Do you remember this picture?" Of 
course, my wife could remember more of the pictures 
than I could. I was however, getting a good 
picture of what our life was back then, how things 
have changed.

That evening I thought of what the apostle Paul 
said. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed” (1 Corinthians 
15:51).

God has a wonderful change in store for those who 
put their faith and trust in him.

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God 
Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34472. www.whatafellowship.
com.


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