Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 13, 2021

11 
Mountain View News Saturday, March 13, 2021 
11 
Mountain View News Saturday, March 13, 2021 
KEEPING YOUR BALANCE AS YOU AGE 

Dear Savvy Senior:
What can you tell me about balance exercises? I’ve fallen 
a few times over the past year and have read that balance 
exercises can help me regain my steadiness, but I’m not 
exactly sure what to do. Unsteady at 70 

Dear Unsteady: 


Most people don’t think much about practicing their balance, but they need to. As we age, our balance 
declines if it isn’t practiced, which can lead to falls that often result in a broken bone.

 Every year more than one in four people age 65 and older fall, and the risk increases with age. 
Here’s what you should know about balance problems, along with some different exercises that can 
help you improve it. 

Aging Affects BalanceBalance is something most people take for granted until it’s challenged by a medical condition, 
medication or advanced age, which dulls our balance senses and causes most seniors to gradually 
become less stable on their feet over time. 

Poor balance can also lead to a vicious cycle of inactivity. You feel a little unsteady, so you curtail 
certain activities. If you’re inactive, you’re not challenging your balance systems or using your 
muscles. As a result, both balance and strength suffer. Simple acts like strolling through a grocery 
store or getting up from a chair become trickier. That shakes your confidence, so you become even 
less active. 

Balance Exercises 
If you have a balance problem that is not tied to illness, medication or some other specific cause, 
simple exercises can help preserve and improve your balance. Here are four exercises you can do 
that will help: 

· One-legged stands: Stand on one foot for 30 seconds, or longer, then switch to the other foot. 
In the beginning, you might want to have a wall or chair to hold on to. Or, for an extra challenge 
try closing your eyes, or standing on a throw pillow or Bosu ball (an inflated rubber disc on a stable 
platform). 

· Heel-to-toe walking: Take 20 steps while looking straight ahead. Think of a sobriety test. 

· Standing up: Without using your hands, get up from a straight-backed chair and sit back down 
10 to 20 times. This improves balance and leg strength. 

· Tai chi: Research has shown that the Asian practice of tai chi – which uses a combination of 
slow, graceful movements, meditation and deep breathing – can help reduce the risk of falls. 

For more information on different balance exercises you can do at home, there are a variety of 
balance and strength exercises and beginner Tai Chi DVDs you can purchase at Amazon.com or 
through Amazon Prime video. 

There are also senior fitness programs, like SilverSneakers (silversneakers.com) and Silver&Fit (silverandfit.
com), that offer online classes that can guide you through a series of exercises you can do 
at home during the pandemic. 

See a Doctor 
I do, however, want to emphasize that if you’ve already fallen, are noticeably dizzy or unsteady, or 
have a medical condition affecting your balance, you need to see a doctor. They might refer you to 
a physical therapist or to an appropriate balance-training class in your community. It’s also important 
to know that many medicines and medical conditions – from Parkinson’s disease to diabetes to 
inner-ear disorders – can affect balance. 

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. 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett 


LEGAL PLANNING PRIORITIES FOR PARENTS 
DURING COVID-19 

Even though there are now vaccines for COVID-19 and the number 
of new cases is on the decline, becoming infected with the virus is still 
a very real possibility. And for parents who become infected, it can 
be a colossal challenge to navigate typical parenting responsibilities, 
while trying to recover from the illness. 
Name legal guardians for your kids: As a parent of minor children, 
your number-one planning priority is to name legal guardians to care for your children should 
anything happen to you. And with the ongoing pandemic, this responsibility is even more vital 
and urgent. 

Officially answering the question of who will care for your kids if you can’t—even for a short 
time—is one of the best things you can do to prepare for COVID-19 or any potential illness. 
Taking this simple action is a real, concrete step you can take to protect your kids during 
this frightening time. Plus, knowing that your kids will be cared for by the people you would 
want to look after them in the event you require hospitalization, need to be intubated, or 
pass away from the virus will be a huge relief, allowing you to focus 100% on your recovery. 

Create advance healthcare directives: The second-most urgent planning priority for all adults 
is to create the proper legal documents to assist medical providers in better coordinating your 
care should you become hospitalized and/or incapacitated by the virus—or any other medical 
condition. The planning documents for this purpose are a medical power of attorney and a living will. 

A medical power of attorney and living will are both advance healthcare directives that work 
together to help describe your wishes for medical treatment and end-of-life care in the event 
you become incapacitated and unable to express your own wishes. What’s more, in light of 
COVID-19, even those who have already created these documents should revisit them to 
ensure they are up-to-date and address specific scenarios related to the coronavirus. 

While all adults over age 18 should put these documents in place as soon as possible, if you 
are over age 60 or have a chronic underlying health condition, the need is particularly urgent. 


SENIOR HAPPENINGS 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …MARCH Birthdays* 


Cathy Flammer, Clare Marquardt, Karen Blachly, Carla Duplex, Ella Guttman, 
Viky Tchatlian, Mary Cooper, Sun Liu, Helen Wallis, Joan Crow, Nancy Fox, 
Martha Cassara, Rita Johnson, Mercedes Campos, Dorothy Webster,Terri Elder, 
Carol Cerrina, Amy Putnam, Sally Contreras

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

CHAIR YOGA Every Monday and Wednesday, 10-10:45 am Chair yoga with Paul is coming back! Class will 
begin on Monday, August 10th and will be held in the Covered Pavilion in Memorial Park in front of the Senior 
Center. Please join us for some gentle stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxa-tion. Class size is limited 
so please call 264-8923 to reserve your spot. 

HAWAIIAN AND POLYNESIAN DANCE CLASS Every Friday, 10-10:45 am Class will also meet in the Covered 
Pavilion in Memorial Park in front of the Senior Center. Join the class with instructor Barbara as she leads 
you through the art of Hula. Please call 264-8923 with any questions. 
Classes will maintain a distance of 6 ft between participants. ALL participants must be wearing masks for the 
duration of the class. All equipment used will be sanitized after each use before it is stored. Each participant is 
responsible for providing their own water, masks and needed equipment or sup-plies for each class. Please call the 
Community Services Department at 355-5278 with any questions or concerns. 

OCTOBER CRAFT 

Wednesday, October 21, 11:00 am. Please join me as we try our hands at making Wooden Owl Orna-ments. This 
will be a new type of program as we create our masterpieces via Zoom to ensure all of our safety. I will have all the 
supplies individually packaged and ready for pickup on Monday, October 19th pickup will be between 10:00 am


2:00 pm. I will have enough supplies for 10 participants. Reservations are required so please call 355-5278 x 704 
to secure your spot. Please note that this is an ONLINE class that will be held via Zoom. We will not be meeting 
in the Hart Park House Senior Center. 
IDEAS

 Do you have any ideas for programming? Is there a class or club you would like to see in our Senior Community? 
Please call or email Lawren Heinz with ideas or questions. 626-355-5278 x 704 lheinz@cityofsierramadre.com

 City staff are monitoring email communication daily, and although employees are minimizing direct engagement 
and interfacing less with 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 time 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 per-son. 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. 

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) 3557135, 
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.

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. 

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

NEW NORMAL: IF IT'S FREE, IT AIN'T FOR ME 


Once when I wore a younger man's 
suit I would take anything free. 
I assumed it was my right to get 
something free. 

Then I had a conversation with my grandfather. If 
anybody knew how to squeeze a buffalo out of a nickel, 
it was my grandfather. But you couldn’t trick him 
by offering him something free.
He said to me, "Son, if it's free, it ain't for me."
Explaining that, he said, "For everything free, somebody, 
somewhere has to pay for it." 

At the time, I just chuckled and fluffed off this advice. 
After all, if I’m offered something free I'm going to 
jump and even dance to get it. 

Getting something free wasn't too bad, and I tried to 
be careful about some of these free offers. But that was 
back in the day when there was no Internet or websites. 
Oh, those were the good old days. 

I would see a free offer in the newspaper and immediately 
cut it out and send it in and wait for that free 
offer to come. I must say I did get a lot of free things 
back in those days, but if I would examine them, they 
weren't worth the postage I used to send for them. 

Also, there were free offers on TV programs at the 
time. I applied for as many as I could get.
But then came the Internet, and everything has 
changed. 

When I first started seeing these "free" offers, I jumped 
at the opportunity. After all, it was the Internet, and 
you didn't have to spend any money on postage. So I 
was in my glory. After all, you can trust the Internet. 

I got free pens, a free hat, a free notebook, and boy, it 
goes on and on and on. All I had to do was send my 
name and address, and everything was fine.
My fun was just beginning. 

The change was that now I could get something free 
if I just paid the shipping. I didn't think that was too 
bad, I was just thinking about what I was getting for 
free. 

Not being too sophisticated about how this works, I 
entered my name, address, phone number, and then 
[drumroll] my credit card number. After all, I was 
getting something free, and I only had to pay the 
shipping. 

I know I'm an old country boy that's very naïve along 
these lines. I wouldn't rob anybody, so I don't think 
anybody would rob me. It goes both ways. 

Pretty soon, those sunny days were overcome by a 
dark cloud of rain and thunderstorms. 

In checking my bank account, I noticed some suspicious 
withdrawals on my account. I thought maybe I 
bought something I had forgotten about, so I didn't 
give it much thought. 

Then one day, I noticed in my bank account a withdrawal 
of $1,699, which took place in California. I was 
in California, but that was 20 years ago. How I was 
able to purchase something in California for such an 
amount of money, I don't know. 

Then the next day, a withdrawal of $3,699, which took 
place in Texas.
I rode my snorting horse to the bank to see what in 
the world was going on.
“Have you ever,” the banker said to me, “ordered 
something online and used your credit card?”
"I don't order anything online, particularly that 
expensive." 

She looked at my account very carefully and then 
look back at me, “Have you ever used your credit card 
online?” 
“The only time I do is when I am taking advantage 
of some free product where I only pay the shipping.” 
“So,” she said rather hesitatingly, “you have used your 
credit card online for some purchase.” 
There was a long pause in the office while she continued 
looking at my account online. 

"You do know that when you use your credit card on-
line, some people can scam that account and use it to 
make purchases?"
Staring at her, I said, "Who in the world would do 
something like that?"
I don't think I heard a chuckle but I thought I sensed 
a smile in her direction. 

“Who would do something like that?” Then she read 
to me from my account the fraudulent companies that 
extracted money from my account. 

She then explained to me the new normal for online 
transactions. According to her, when you apply for 
some free gift and only have to pay the shipping, you 
expose yourself to some fraud scheme. 

"Somebody out there," she said very soberly, " is interested 
in your money, and they don't care how they 
get it." 

From my side of the room came a deep, heartfelt sigh. 
I never expected people just to take advantage of me 
to get my money. They need to find out that I don't 
have enough money to go around. 

She then explained to me that she could reverse all of 
these transactions and turn them over to the bank's 
fraud department, and they would take care of it. 

In a few days, those transactions disappeared from my 
account. I then understood what my grandfather used 
to say, "If it's free, it ain't for me." 

I can only trust God. “O Lord my God, in thee do I put 
my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, 
and deliver me” (Psalm 7:1). 

God will never scam me. 


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