Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, November 19, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, November 19, 2022 14 Mountain View News Saturday, November 19, 2022 14 
ASSISTED LIVING OR NURSING 
HOME? 

There are many myths about Assisted 
Living being like Nursing Homes. This 
is not true at all. Nursing facilities are for 
those with chronic health issues who require 
care around the clock from medical 
professionals. 

In Assisted Living, one will get the support 
as needed, such as getting help with 
showering, grooming, and dressing. 
Again, these services are based on the 
seniors needs. 

There are many reasons in working with 
us. At Safe Path for Seniors, we will assess the senior and depending on their care needs and budget, make 
recommendations. For example, we may suggest that the right fit is a Board and Care Home (normally a 
6-bedroom house) as opposed to an Assisted Living Community or a Memory Support Facility. You will 
work with an experienced agent who 
knows the industry well and will give you recommendations. The good news is that there is no cost for this 
service. 

If you have any questions about placing a loved one, visit www.safepathforseniors.com or call Steve at 
626-999-6913 


HOW TO CAPTURE YOUR LOVED ONE'S STORY 


Dear Savvy Senior:
I am interested in making a video of my 82-year-old parents’ 
life story/legacy and how they want to be remembered. 
With the holidays approaching, I thought this could be a 
neat gift to my older siblings, but I could use some help. 
What can you tell me? Youngest of Five 

Dear Youngest:

 A personal recording of your parents’ life story could be a 
wonderful holiday gift and something you and your family 
could cherish the rest of your lives. Here are a few tips 
to help you get started. 

What You’ll Need 
Your first step is to find out if your parents are willing to 
make a legacy video, which would entail you asking them 
a number of thoughtful questions about their life in an 
interview format in front of a video recording device. If 
they are, all you’ll need is a smartphone or camcorder and 
a list of questions or prompts to get them talking. 

Recording EquipmentIf you have a smartphone, making a video of your parents’ 
story is simple and free. However, you may want to 
invest a “smartphone tripod” to hold the phone while you 
conduct the interview, and a “smartphone external microphone,” 
which would improve the audio quality. You 
can find these types of products at Amazon.com for under 
$20. 

Most smartphones today have good quality cameras and 
have the ability to edit/trim out the parts you don’t want. 
Or you can download a free video-editing app like Magisto 
or Adobe Premiere Clip that can help you customize 
your video. 

If you want a higher quality video, consider purchasing a 
HD camcorder. Sony, Panasonic and Canon are the top-
rated brands, according to Consumer Reports. These can 
run anywhere from a few hundred dollars, up to $1,000 
or more. 

Questions and PromptsTo help you prepare your list of questions for your parents’ 
video interview, go to “Have the Talk of a Lifetime” 
website at TalkofaLifetime.org. This resource, created by 

the Funeral and Memorial Information Council, offers 
a free workbook that lists dozens of questions in different 
categories. Some of these include: earliest memories 
and childhood; significant people; proudest accomplishments; 
and most cherished objects. This will help you 
put together a wide variety of meaningful, open-ended 
questions. 

Old photos of your parents, their family members and 
friends are also great to have on hand to jog your parents’ 
memory and stimulate conversations. 

After you select your questions and photos, be sure to 
share them with your parents ahead of time so they can 
have some time to think about their answers. This will 
make the interview go much smoother. 

Interview TipsArrange an interview time when your parents are rested 
and relaxed, and choose a quiet, comfortable place where 
you won’t be interrupted. You may need several sessions 
to cover everything you want. 

When you get started, ask your parents to introduce themselves 
and ask a warm-up question like “When and where 
were you born?” Then ease into your selected questions, 
but use them as a guide, not a script. If your parents go off 
topic, go with it. You can redirect them to your original 
question later. Think of it as a conversation; there’s no 
right or wrong thing to talk about, as long as it’s meaningful 
to you and your parents. 

Also, be prepared to ask follow-up questions or diverge 
from your question list if you’re curious about something. 
If you’d like to hear more, try “And then what happened?” 
or “How did that make you feel?” or “What were you 
thinking in that moment?”

And end your interview with some reflective questions, 
such as “What legacy would you like to leave?” or “How do 
you want to be remembered?” 

FAMILY MATTERS

 By Marc Garlett 

7 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DISABILITY INSURANCE 


If you earn a good liv


ing now, but you worry 

about not having enough 

money for a future time 

when you cannot work 

due to illness or injury, 
disability insurance may be the answer. However, 
you need to make sure you are getting an insurance 
policy that will meet your needs and not waste 
your money. This article covers 7 things everyone 
should know when considering purchasing disability 
insurance. 

Disability Insurance: Things to know 
Knowing the answers to these 7 questions can give 
you the best chance of finding a policy well-suited 
for your particular situation. 

01 - What is disability insurance?
Disability insurance pays benefits when you are unable 
to work because you are sick or injured. Most 
policies pay a benefit that replaces a percentage of 
your income. But disability insurance is not the 
same as health insurance—it will not cover your 
medical bills. 
Instead, disability benefits replace a percentage of 
the income you lose due to your inability to work, 
so you can cover your basic financial needs, such 
as paying bills, covering daily living expenses, and 
providing for your family, until you can return to 
work. To begin your search for disability insurance, 
first you need to get clear about your minimum financial 
needs, or what we call your “minimum to 
thrive” number, should you become unable to work. 

Your “minimum to thrive” number includes your 
basic living expenses and should be the minimum 
amount of money you need to cover all the basics 
so you can focus on building the thriving life you 
were born to live. 

02 - Should I get disability coverage? 
If you are the breadwinner in your family and your 
income would stop if you became ill or injured and 
could not work, you should look into disability insurance. 
According to U.S. government’s statistics, 
one in four 20-year-olds become disabled before 
reaching retirement age. Statistics like this make 
it important that you consider protecting yourself 
and your family with disability coverage.
03 - What’s the difference between short and longterm 
disability insurance?
There are two primary types of disability insurance: 
short-term and long-term. Short-term disability 
insurance typically lasts between 3 to 6 months, 
and sometimes up to a year or more. These policies 
generally cover about 60% to 80% of your monthly 
gross income, and the premiums you pay generally 
range from 1% to 3% of your annual income. One 
major upside to short-term policies is that payouts 
usually happen within two weeks, which can be a 
lifesaver in an emergency.
Long-term disability insurance can pay benefits 
for a few years or until your disability ends, even 
if that's when you retire. Most long-term policies 
cover 40% to 60% of your monthly gross income, 
but policies that pay up to 70% do exist. Long-term 
disability policies also cost 1% to 3% of your yearly 
income, but based on the benefits, they tend to be 
more cost-effective in the long run.
That said, it can take up to 6 months to see a payout 
from a long-term policy, which may not be a realistic 
option if you need money immediately to cover 
your living expenses. Therefore, you may want to 
consider covering your short-term financial needs 
with emergency savings of 6 months, and then getting 
a long-term policy to cover your longer-term 
needs. 

04 - What does ‘portability’ mean?
If you purchase your disability insurance through 
your workplace, ask if you can keep that insurance 
if you leave the company. If your insurance is non-
portable, your coverage will end when you leave the 
job. Having a portable policy means that you will 
be covered no matter where you work. 
Although many disability policies purchased 
through an employer are not portable, it’s something 
you should look into. If portability is important 
to you, consider purchasing disability insurance 
on your own, rather than through your 
employer. 

05 - What are the renewal options for disability 
policies?
A “guaranteed renewal” policy allows you to renew, 
without making any changes to your coverage, but 
your premium can fluctuate. A “non-cancelable” 
policy means your coverage and your premiums 
cannot be changed, assuming you pay your premiums 
on time. Also, be sure to find out if premiums 
are waived during a qualified disability.
Given these considerations, the best policies will 
be non-cancelable and guaranteed renewable. Obviously, 
such policies will cost more, so consider 
what’s best for you.
06 - How do cost of living benefits work?
Cost of living benefits are not included in most policies, 
but adding this rider is something to consider 
under the current economic environment. Cost of 
living benefits are designed to provide financial 
stability by offering an increasing benefit to keep 
pace with an increased cost of living - which is especially 
important right now, as we are experiencing 
unprecedented levels of inflation.
When choosing cost of living benefits, consider 
choosing policies which increase on a compounding 
basis. Compound interest is earned on the 
principal and the interest. This additional rider 
can help your benefits keep pace through inflation, 
even after your disability ends. 

07 - Do I need a ‘future increase’ rider? 
A future increase rider is another option to consider 
adding to your disability coverage. It’s worth 
looking into particularly if you think your income 
may increase significantly over time. With this 
rider, you can increase the monthly benefit of your 
policy, regardless of your health status. 
Without it, your policy will not change to protect 
your future income, and your benefits will pay out 
according to your income when you first obtained 
coverage. That said, many insurance companies 
will limit the total supplementary coverage that can 
be implemented each year with a future increase 
rider, so even if you have this option in place, the 
benefits might not fully reflect your future salary. 

Get help choosing your coverageWhen shopping for a policy, it’s often best to work 
with an insurance agent who can survey many 
different companies to help you choose the right 
policy for your budget, age, health, and other factors. 
And remember, you must have the policy in 
place before something happens—if you’re already 
sick or injured, you can’t buy disability insurance to 
make up for lost income. 

To your health, wealth, and family legacy, 

Marc Garlett, Esq.
Cali Law Family Legacy 
Matterswww.caliLaw.com 
626.355.4000 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS*

 Flo Mankin, Alberta Curran, Carmela Frontino, Kathy Wood, Lena Zate, 
Joe Pergola, Janice Kacer, Valerie Howard, Lois Stueck, Jean Wood, Shirley 
Yergeau, Pat Krok, Irene Nakagawa, Anna Ross, Mary Steinberg, Mary 
Bowser, Susan Clifton, Mary Higgins, Kim Buchanan, Leigh Thach and 
Sue Quinn, Jill Girod, Pat Krok, Jeanne Martin* To add your name to this 
distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required 

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR CLUB Every Saturday from 11:30am-3:30 pm in the Hart 
Park House Senior Center. Join us as we celebrate birthdays, holidays and play BINGO. 
Must be 50+ to join. For more information call Mark at 626-355-3951. 

DOMINOES TRAIN GAME 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 11:00 am— 12:30 pm Hart Park 
House The object of the game is for a player to play all the tiles from their hand onto one or 
more trains, emanating from a central hub or “station”. Call Lawren with questions that you 
may have. 

PAINT PALS 

Thursday, 10/13 10:30 am—Hart Park House If you enjoy painting, sketching, water color, 
or making some other form of artistic creation please join our new program, PAINT PALS!!! 
Bring a project that you are working on to the HPH and enjoy some quality art time with other 
artists looking to paint with a new pal. 

TEA AND TALK SENIOR BOOK CLUB Tuesday Oct. 12 and Oct. 26 — 9:00 am 
Staff has launched a new book club series, Tea and Talk, which meets twice a month to discuss 
the fun, suspense, intrigue, love and so much more that each selection will have in store! 

FIBER FRIENDS Tuesday, 10/4 and 10/18 —10:00 am If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, 
embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or cross stitch then we have a group for you! 
Bring your current project, a nonalcoholic beverage, then sit and chat with likeminded fiber 
friends. We meet in the Hart Park House 

CHAIR YOGA Every Monday and Wednesday, 10-10:45 am Please join us for some gentle 
stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxation with Paul. Classes are ongoing and 
held in the Memorial Park Covered Pavilion or the Hart Park House.. 

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE Every Friday, 10-10:45 am Bring a lei, your flower 
skirt or just your desire to dance! Hula in the Park is back and waiting for you to join in on all 
the fun! Memorial Park Pavilion. 

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC - Tuesday, Oct. 11 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Methodist Hospital will be holding a free to seniors clinic once a month in the Hart Park 
House. Walk in are welcome - no pre-registration required. 

LOTERIA: Oct. 20 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 
Come down to the HPH (Hart Park House) for a lively round of Loteria (Mexican Bingo) 
Prizes await! 

OCTOBER CRAFT Tuesday, October 25 10:30am Hart Park House 
Have you ever had interest in balloon art? Well you are in luck! Join Recreation Coordinator 
Pardo as she instructs us on how to create a cat, bat or pumpkin balloon column. Space is limited 
so please call or email Lawren to reserve your spot. 

SENIOR CINEMA Wednesday, 10/12— 1:00 pm HUBIE HALLOWEEN PG-13 1h 43m 
Good-natured but eccentric community volunteer Hubie Dubois finds himself at the center of 
a real murder case on Halloween night. Despite his devotion to his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts 
(and its legendary Halloween celebration).
Wednesday, 10/26 – Beginning at 1:00pm THE BIRDS PG 1h 59m 

SPECIAL MEDICARE PRESENTATION NEW DATE! Thursday 10/20, 9:00 am


10:00 am Hart Park House Please join Duarte Councilmember Vihn for 
a Medicare presentation. Pastries and coffee will be served during this informative 
presentation. Space is limited, call Lawren to reserve your spot. 
OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

WHO'S THE CLOWN NOW? 


As a young person, I was fascinated 
with clowns. My first 
encounter was at a circus I 

attended with my family. The main character 
in the circus was the clown. 
When I first saw those clowns, I was scared 
almost to death. I've never seen anything as 
scary as those circus clowns.
That began my adventure with clowns, and 
every Saturday morning on television, I 
watched Bozo the Clown. I rarely missed an 
episode. But, of course, like most friends, I 
believed Bozo the Clown and all clowns were 
real. In fact, on Halloween, I usually dressed 
up as a clown and went door-to-door collecting 
"treats." 

Imagine when I first realized that Bozo the 
Clown was not real. That was when I also 
discovered that Santa Claus and the Easter 
Bunny were not real. So you can imagine the 
distress I experienced. 

As I got older, I grew out of that fascination 
with clowns and put it all behind me. That's 
the real purpose of growing up, to put things 
behind you that aren't real. 
I didn't think of clowns very much until 
something happened recently in our house.
It was the day after Halloween, and The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage told me she 
was going to the bathroom and take care of 
her hair, wash and dye it, and whatever else 
she did with it. 

Looking back over my life, many things have 
come to me while drinking my coffee. Coffee 
is a very important aspect of my life, and I'm 
just now beginning to appreciate it. 

As I was drinking my coffee a thought came 
to me, and I said to myself, "What if…."
I needed to put together a nice little plan.
I got ready for my plan, thought it through 
very carefully, and believed I had everything 
down where it needed to be (Or, so I thought). 
Then The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
came out of the bathroom and walking down 
the hallway, I saw her and said, "Oh my, you 
are wearing the funniest and scariest looking 
clown costume that I have ever seen." And I 
laughed a glorious, hahaha. 

I continued staring at her with a ridiculous 
smile on my face. Unfortunately, The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage did not return 
the smile. 
Staring at me, she said, "What are you talking 
about?" 

Still laughing, I said, "Don't you know that 
Halloween is over? You don't need a costume." 
And then I resumed my hysterical laughter.
I resumed my laughter, and she resumed her 
scowling. 

That's the difference between my wife and 
me. I see something to laugh at, and she 
doesn't laugh at it. 

When I quieted down a little bit, she cleared 
her throat and said, "So, you think I'm wearing 
a clown costume, do you?" 

Without thinking, which is my usual MO, I 

resounded, "Yes, I do." I followed that up with 
more hilarious laughter.
"Are you sure," she said, "you want to stick 
with your story?"
How she said it caused me a great deal of 
pause. I began to think that maybe she did 
not think my comment was funny. Aren't all 
clown jokes funny? 

My smile began to evaporate from my face, 
and a lightbulb in my head went on.
Then she said, "Seriously, do you want a 
clown to fix your supper tonight?" 

Having no understanding of where that came 
from, I had to stop and try to process that 
thought. So what was she getting at?
"How about," she continued, "would you like 
a clown to be in the house while you're asleep 
tonight?" 

Now I was getting nervous. So who's the 
clown now? 

Where this was going to end, I did not 
know, but I did have a little bit of fear in that 
direction. 

"I was just joking," I explained. "After all, yesterday 
was Halloween, and I just was joking 
about it." So I tried flashing a smile at her, but 
for some reason, it didn't flash. 

I was beginning to understand why some 
people are afraid of clowns. I suddenly had 
an epiphany about something I had long ago 
forgotten. I now have resumed my fear of 
clowns. 

Getting out of this situation is going to take 
the brainpower of Bozo the Clown. 

Knowing The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
as I do, there will be a payback for this 
clown gaff. It may not be today, tomorrow, 
next week, or next month, but it will come 
when I least expect it. 

Staring at me, she said, "I do not think clowns 
are funny." 

After being a husband for over 50 years, I 
know that no payback is the worst payback. 
Every day I get out of bed, I expect a payback 
in some form. Whenever I see my wife stare 
at me with a mischievous smile on her face, I 
expect a payback. I wish she would get it over 
and not keep me in suspense. 

In the meantime, I happened to run across a 
passage in the Bible for my personal situation.
James 1:19 - 1:20, “19 Wherefore, my beloved 
brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow 
to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of 
man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
I must confess that too often I am slow to hear 
and quick to speak. After this incident, I’m really 
going to work on reversing my behavior. 

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with 
the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 
Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@
gmail.com, website www.jamessnyderministries.
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