Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 12, 2020

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Mountain View News Saturday, September 12, 2020 

IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT FOR ORGAN DONATION?

Dear Savvy Senior:

I never thought about becoming an organ donor 
until my brother died of kidney failure last year. 
But at age 78, I would like to know if I’m too old to 
be a donor, or if they would even use my organs if I 
were to die from COVID-19. What can you tell me?

Potential Donor

Dear Potential:

 There’s no cutoff age for being an organ donor. Anyone, regardless of age or medical history, can sign 
up. In fact, there are many people well up into their 80’s that donate. The decision to use your organs 
is based on health of the organ, not age. So, don’t disqualify yourself prematurely. Let the doctors 
decide at your time of death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.

Regarding the COVID-19 part of your question, as of right now, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation 
Network (OPTN) does not recommend transplantation of organs from donors known to 
have the virus. So, if you were to contract the coronavirus and die, your organs would probably not 
be used, however, this may change as treatments are developed.

Here’s what else you should know about becoming a donor.

Donating Facts

In the United States alone, more than 112,000 people are on the waiting list for organ transplants. But 
because the demand is so much greater than the supply, those on the list routinely wait three to seven 
years for an organ, and more than 7,000 of them die each year. 

Organs that can be donated include the kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, pancreas and intestines. Tissue is 
also needed to replace bone, tendons and ligaments. Corneas are needed to restore sight. Skin grafts 
help burn patients heal and often mean the difference between life and death. And heart valves repair 
cardiac defects and damage.

By donating your organs after you die, you can save or improve as many as 50 lives. The United Network 
for Organ Sharing maintains the OPTN, a national computer registry that matches donors to 
waiting recipients.

Some other things you should know about being an organ donor are that it does not in any way 
compromise the medical care you would receive in a hospital if you are sick or injured, nor does it 
interfere with having an open-casket funeral if you want that option. And, most major religions in the 
United States support organ donation and consider it as the final act of love and generosity toward 
others.

How to Donate

If you would like to become a donor, there are several steps you should take to ensure your wishes 
are carried out, including:

Registering: Add your name to your state or regional organ and tissue donor registry. You can do this 
online at either OrganDonor.gov or DonateLife.net. If you don’t have Internet access, call Donate Life 
America at 804-377-3580 and they can sign you up over the phone.

Identify yourself: Designate your decision to become an organ donor on your driver’s license, which 
you can do when you go in to renew it. If, however, you don’t drive anymore or if your renewal isn’t 
due for a while, consider getting a state ID card – this also lets you indicate you want to be a donor. 
You can get an ID card for a few dollars at your nearby driver’s license office.

Tell your family: Even if you are a registered donor, in many states, family members have the ultimate 
say whether your organs may be donated after you die. So, clarify your wishes to family. Also tell your 
doctors and indicate your wishes in your advance directives. These are legal documents that spell out 
your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment when you can no longer make decisions 
for yourself. If you don’t have an advance directive, go to MyDirectives.com where you can create one 
for free.

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! …September Birthdays*

Clem Bartolai, Pat Hall, Donna Anderson, Teresa Chaure, Cathy Gunther, 
Esther Macias, Sheila Pierce, Nancy Sue Shollenberger, Patti O’Meara, Judie 
Cimino, Mary Steinberg, Geri Wright, Parvin Dabiri, Denise Reistetter and 
Nehama Warner. 

 * 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

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett

LOST AN OLD 401(K)? HERE ARE 6 TIPS 
FOR FINDING IT!


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder


The days of working for a single employer for decades until you retire 
are over. Today, you are much more likely to change jobs multiple times 
during your career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, today’s 
workers have held an average of 12 jobs by the time they reach their 50s.


Since people change jobs so frequently, it is easy to lose track of an old 
401(k), especially if you only worked in a position for a short time. In 
fact, forgetting plans is quite common: it’s estimated that roughly 900,000 
workers lose track of their 401(k) plans each year. And when you forget 
to cash out your 401(k) upon leaving a job, it may eventually be transferred to a bank, rolled into an 
IRA, or even sent to the state’s unclaimed property fund. 


If you’re looking to increase your retirement savings, one way to start is to make sure you haven’t lost 
or forgotten about any old accounts. Here are 6 tips for tracking down a missing 401(k).


1. Contact your previous employers: If your former employer is still in business, the easiest way to find 
an old 401(k) is to contact them. You can ask the human resources department or the plan administrator 
at the company to search their records to find out whether you participated in the plan, and if they still 
manage your account. Be prepared to provide the dates that you worked for the employer, your name, 
and your Social Security number.

2. Find the plan administrator’s contact details: If your former employer has shut down or merged with 
another company, you can try to contact the organization that administered the plan to see if they still 
control your 401(k). If you have an old statement, it should contain the administrator’s contact information. 
You can also contact former co-workers and ask if they have copies of old statements from the plan. 
3. Review the plan’s annual tax return: If you can’t access your old plan statements, you can try to 
find the contact information for the plan administrator via the plan’s tax return. Most plans must file 
an annual tax return, Form 5500, with the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Labor. 
Search the website www.efast.dol.gov by entering the name of your old employer to find this form. 
4. Search unclaimed property databases: If you are unable to track down your account through your 
former employer or the plan administrator, you still have options. Depending on what happened to 
the company and how much money was in your account, there are a few different places to search. 
The National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits offers a database where employees can register 
names of former employees who left retirement funds with them. By entering your Social Security number, 
you can search this database for free to determine if you have any unclaimed retirement account balances.
Additional online resources, such as missingmoney.com and unclaimed.org, similarly 
allow you to search for retirement assets in any states in which you’ve lived or worked.
5. Search for default IRA accounts: If your old account had a fairly small balance, it may no 
longer be in a 401(k). For 401(k) accounts with balances of less than $5,000, a former employer 
might have rolled the funds into a default IRA account on your behalf. Default IRAs can 
be created when your former employer is unable to reach you to find out how you want the 
funds paid to you. You can search for such IRA accounts for free on the FreeERISA website. 
6. Search for terminated plans: If your former employer terminated its 401(k) plan, this doesn’t 
automatically mean your money is lost forever. The Department of Labor maintains a list of plans 
that have been abandoned or are in the process of being terminated. Search their database to find out 
whether the plan is in the process of—or has already been—terminated, and learn the contact details 
for the Qualified Termination Administrator (QTA) responsible for overseeing the plan’s shutdown.
Keep track of your assets

The best way to keep track of your retirement accounts is to not lose them in the first place. Indeed, one 
of the most important parts of estate planning is to create a comprehensive inventory of all your assets, 
not just your retirement funds. By doing so, none of your assets will end up in our state’s Department 
of Unclaimed Property, and your family will know exactly what you have and how to find everything 
if something happens to you.

Dedicated to empowering your family, building your wealth and defining your 
legacy, 
A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a mission to help parents 
protect what they love most. His office is located at 55 Auburn Avenue, Sierra 
Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an appointment to sit down and talk about 
ensuring a legacy of love and financial security for your family by calling 
626.355.4000 or visit www.CaliLaw.com for more information.

A MUSICAL CONCERT OR AGGRAVATING NOISE?

To say the least, and I usually 
do, this summer has been 
quite a journey for the Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage 
and myself. I can't remember a summer 
equal to the one we just went through. The fact 
that we got through it is amazing.

We have been staying at home more often than 
usual, but I'm not complaining. What better 
night than the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
and me sharing whatever we are doing?

One night this past week, I turned off the TV; 
we were getting ready to go to bed when my wife 
said, "What is that aggravating noise?"

I didn’t know what she was talking about. I asked 
her to tell me what noise she was referring to.

“Listen,” she whispered, “don’t you hear that 
noise?”

I must say one of my problems is that although I 
listen, I most often don't hear. There is supposed 
to be a connection between listening and hearing, 
but it doesn't always work with me. I guess 
I'm wired differently than my wife.

When they say men and women are equal, they 
obviously have never been married. Both men 
and women have their eccentricities. Mine is 
more obvious than my wife's.

A husband soon discovers after his marriage 
that there is a major difference between him and 
his bride. It takes him a while to unscramble it 
and figure out how to deal with it.

As I tried to listen, I couldn't hear what she was 
hearing. And then I heard it. Somewhere in our 
living room, a tree frog invited himself to provide 
us with one of his concerts. There's nothing 
I like better at night than listening to a tree frog 
singing its latest song.

“That’s not aggravating noise,” I replied, “that’s a 
tree frog singing a musical concert for us.”

"It is not music," my wife uttered, "it is aggravating 
noise, and we need to get rid of it right now."

Now, if anybody knows anything about music, 
it is my wife. She plays the piano, the organ, the 
guitar, the flute, and many times she plays me. 
But that's a different story.

For me, I don't have a musical background. If you 
ever heard me singing, you would understand.

When I first met my wife, she was singing in a 
musical group. They did a great job and traveled 
church to church on weekends. So, she can sing 
very well.

Never once have I even entertained the idea of 
her and I singing a duet.

“Where is that aggravating noise coming from?”

I learned that when my wife asks a question to 
be very careful in my response. I'm not saying 
that she sets before me trick questions, she does, 
but I'm not saying that.

She searched all through the living room to 
find this singing tree frog for the rest of the evening. 
Never once did the music stop while she 
was searching. I just sat back and enjoyed the 
concert.

At one point, she looked at me and said, "Why 
are you smiling?"

Not realizing I was smiling, I just looked at her 
and said, "I'm enjoying that wonderful music."

“Well, stop it and help me find where that tree 
frog is.”

We never did find that tree frog that night. It 
sang all night long, and when I got up in the 
morning, it was just finishing its concert.

For the next several nights, that tree frog entertained 
us with its musical concert. I enjoyed it 
while my wife despised it.

I guess that’s the difference between people. One 
person enjoys the music while the other person 
looks at it as noise. What is the real difference 
between music and noise?

The only difference is the person listening. Since 
I do not have any musical credibility, I can listen 
to a tree frog singing and enjoy it as a beautiful 
musical concert.

On the other hand, my wife is very musically 
adept and can tell what is musical and what is 
simply noise.

A few days later, my wife got up, came into the 
living room, and asked, "Where is that noise?"

"Oh," I said rather cheerfully, "you mean the 
musical concert we enjoyed for the last several 
nights."

She looked at me with one of her looks.

“I think the tree frog has finished its concert and 
has moved on to its next engagement.”

For a moment, I was a little sorry because I enjoyed 
all the music from that tree frog. If up to 
me, and it isn't, I would engage that tree frog for 
a concert every night.

Last night as we were sitting in the living room, 
my wife said, “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Not knowing what she meant, I asked her, and 
she said, "that aggravating noise from the tree 
frog is gone. I really enjoy the quiet."

For a moment, I wanted to reply, "I really enjoyed 
the tree frog concert." I knew that would 
not be the proper thing to say at a time like this. 
There is a time when you can agree on something. 
We don't have to agree on everything, but 
we need to agree on that which is important.

Amos, the Old Testament prophet, said it this 
way, “Can two walk together, except they be 
agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

Throughout my life, I have discovered that the 
important thing is not what you disagree about 
but rather what you agree on, and that brings 
you together.


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