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Mountain View News Saturday, August 24, 2024

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


FREE ASSISTED LIVING PLACEMENT SERVICE

 

 Discover the perfect assisted living community with 
Safe Path for Seniors. Our compassionate advisors 
specialize in assisting individuals with unique needs. 
Benefit from our extensive network and affordable 
options. Plus, we offer personalized tours to help you 
explore each community firsthand. Call (626) 999-
6913 or visit www.safepathforseniors.com for free 
assistance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …AUGUST Birthdays*

Nancy Beckham, Karlene Englert, Juanita Fernandez, Jeanette Francis, 
Joseph Kiss, Jacquie Pergola, Pat Miranda, Jerry Burnett, Margaret Aroyan, 
Phyllis Burg, Beverly Clifton, Rosemary Morabito, Susan Poulsen, Joy Barry, 
Marcia Bent, Joan Spears, Ruth Torres, Jane Zamanzadeh. Helen Stapenhorst, 
Chandy Shair, Heidi Hartman, Erma Gutierrez, Margaret Switzer

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


From The Desk of Steve Sciurba, Safe Path For Senior


RESPITE CARE OF SENIORS

Respite care is an important service for seniors and their caregivers. It provides temporary relief to 
primary caregivers by offering short-term care for the senior. This can be crucial for maintaining 
the well-being of both the senior and the caregiver.

Why Respite Care is Important:

1. Caregiver Relief: Caring for a senior can be physically and emotionally demanding. Respite 
care gives caregivers a much-needed break, which can help prevent burnout and reduce stress.

2. Senior Well-being: It offers seniors the chance to experience new environments and social 
in-teractions. This can be particularly beneficial if they’re primarily at home and may feel isolated.

3. Flexible Options: Respite care can be provided in various settings, including in-home 
care, adult day care centers, or short-term stays in residential care facilities. This flexibility allows 
caregivers to choose the option that best suits their needs and the senior’s preferences.

4. Health Management: It can provide specialized care that might not be available at home, 
such as medical supervision or therapy services, helping to manage chronic conditions or recover 
from illness or surgery.

Types of Respite Care:

1. In-Home Respite Care: A professional caregiver comes to the senior’s home to provide care, 
allowing the primary caregiver to step away for a few hours or days.

2. Adult Day Care: Seniors spend the day at a center that provides supervision, social activities, 
and sometimes medical care. This allows caregivers to work or take a break during the day.

3. Short-Term Residential Care: The senior stays in a care facility for a few days or weeks. This 
option is useful if caregivers need an extended break or if the senior needs specialized care.

4. Emergency Respite Care: Offered on an urgent basis when an immediate break is needed due 
to unexpected situations.

How to Access Respite Care:

• Assess Needs: Determine the level of care the senior requires and the type of respite care that 
will best meet those needs.

• Research Providers: Look for reputable respite care services in your area. This can include 
local agencies, senior centers, or home care companies.

• Consult Healthcare Professionals: Discuss options with the senior’s healthcare provider to 
en-sure the chosen respite care will support their health needs.

• Check References and Reviews: Ensure that the provider has a good track record and that 
other families have had positive experiences.

Benefits of Respite Care:

• Reduces Caregiver Stress: Helps caregivers recharge, leading to better overall health and ef-
fectiveness in their caregiving role.

• Enhances Quality of Life: Provides seniors with opportunities for socialization and 
engagement in activities, improving their quality of life.

• Offers Peace of Mind: Knowing that the senior is in capable hands allows caregivers to be 
more at ease during their time away.

In summary, respite care is a valuable resource that supports both seniors and their caregivers. By 
providing temporary relief and ensuring that care is maintained, it helps manage the complexities 
of caregiving and enhances the well-being of everyone involved.


WHAT ARE THE EARLY SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES?

Dear Savvy Senior:

What are the early signs and symptoms of diabetes? 
I’m 60 years old, and in pretty good shape, but was just 
diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. What did I miss?

Diabetic Dan

 

Dear Dan:

The signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild that many people miss them. That’s why 
testing is so important. Here’s what you should know.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 38 million Americans 
have diabetes today, and another 97 million have prediabetes, but many of them don’t even know 
they have it.

 

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that develops slowly over decades. Most people have prediabetes for a 
long time before the disease becomes full-blown diabetes, and even then, it progresses gradually.

 

Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. This excess blood 
sugar damages blood vessels and affects circulation, putting you at risk for a host of ailments, from 
heart attack and stroke to blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.

 

Signs and Symptoms

So how can you tell if you have diabetes? The earliest signs, which are usually subtle, including 
urinating more frequently (often at night), being thirster and hungrier than usual, weight loss 
without trying, feeling very tired, having dry itchy skin and blurry vision.

 

And the symptoms that can indicate advanced diabetes and long-term damage has occurred 
includes cuts or sores that heal slowly, having more infections than usual, and pain or numbness 
in your feet or legs.

 

Who Should Get Tested?

Because prediabetes typically causes no outward symptoms, and the signs of early type 2 diabetes 
can easily be missed, the only way to know for sure if you have it is to get a blood test.

 

Everyone age 45 years or older should consider getting tested for diabetes, especially if you are 
overweight with a body mass index (BMI) above 25. See CDC.gov/bmi to calculate your BMI. 

 

If you are younger than 45 but are overweight, or have high blood pressure, a family history of 
diabetes, or belong to an ethnic group (Latino, Asian, African or Native American) at high risk for 
diabetes, you should get checked too.

 

To help you determine your risk for diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a 
quick, online risk test you can take for free at Diabetes.org/risk-test.

 

Diabetes Tests

There are three different tests your doctor can give you to diagnosis diabetes. The most common is 
the “fasting plasma glucose test,” which requires an eight-hour fast before you take it. There’s also 
the “oral glucose tolerance test” to see how your body processes sugar, and the “hemoglobin A1C 
test” that measures your average blood sugar over the past three months. It can be taken anytime 
regardless of when you ate.

 

Most private health insurance plans and Medicare cover diabetes tests, however, if you’re reluctant 
to visit your doctor to get tested, an alternative is to go to the drug store, buy a blood glucose meter 
and test yourself at home. They cost around $20.

 

If you find that you are prediabetic or diabetic, you need to see your doctor to develop a plan to get 
it under control. In many cases lifestyle changes like losing weight, exercising, eating a healthy diet 
and cutting back on carbohydrates may be all you need to do to get your diabetes under control. 
For others who need more help, many medications are available.

 

For more information on diabetes and prediabetes or to find help, join a lifestyle change program 
recognized by the CDC (CDC.gov/diabetes-prevention). These programs offer in-person and 
online classes in more than 1,500 locations throughout the U.S.

 

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.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

I DIDN'T LOSE MY MARBLES, THEY JUST RETIRED!

For some people, getting old is a real challenge. And it probably is for many 
people, but it hasn't been too much of an issue for me.

Don't let this get out, but getting old has been more of a blessing than a curse 
for me. I thought it would be terrible and didn't know what I would do when I reached 
that magical retirement age. Fortunately for me, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
is several years ahead of me, so she is leading the way.

I like it when she is in charge like this because that means I don't have to wear out my brain 
by trying to figure out anything. When she acknowledges that she is old, I will accept it 
and look forward to getting old myself.

The other day, for example, she complained about her bones aching, and I said, "Well, my 
dear, you're just getting old."

Of course, that did not go well with her. She replied, "No, it has nothing to do with my age. 
There is a storm coming, and Mother Nature is warning me to get ready for the storm."

Am I losing it, or have I heard that before? Evidently, she's in contact with Mother Nature, 
who messages her when a storm is coming.

Because I do not like pain, I went along with her story. When she walked out of the living 
room, I said, "Tell Mother Nature I said hello." She looked at me with one of her looks, 
and she was not laughing, although I was laughing, at least on the inside.

Getting old does have its privileges. Because I'm old, for instance,I have the privilege of 
not remembering things.

Whenever The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage asks me about something, I reply sadly, 
"Oh, I must be getting old because I don't remember that."

So far, I've gotten away with that. The only problem is that I need to have a good memory 
to remember what I don't remember. Oh boy. 

For me, the greatest pleasure of getting old has to do with my eating habits. I can complain 
about some food and say to The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, "I don't think I'm able 
to eat that sort of thing anymore, it stirs up my stomach."

Right here, I need to have a very good memory to know what I don't want to eat. After all, 
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has an excellent memory, and I'm banking on that 
for sure. Certain vegetables are off-limits to me because I'm older now. If it's green, it can't 
be seen, at least on my plate. 

Last week, I got caught complaining that I couldn't eat certain vegetables, and my stomach 
could not handle it anymore. I snuck into the kitchen and got several cookies, and as I 
turned around to walk out, who was standing in front of me but The Gracious Mistress of 
the Parsonage? "What are you eating?" She said very sternly. "I thought at dinner you said 
your stomach couldn't handle anything more for the day."

I looked at her, tried to smile, and said, "But, my dear, I can't resist your cookies. You make 
such delicious and wonderful cookies." Then, I tried to smile more broadly. "For your 
information," she said while staring at me, "I did not make those cookies I bought them 
for our great-granddaughter." I was careful what I was going to say next because anything 
I said, she would remember until the day of my funeral.

The game of forgetfulness can be a wonderful game. However, the Gracious Mistress of 
the Parsonage does not know that she's playing it. Because of that, I usually win.

I'm really not as forgetful as I let on, because sometimes it is important not to remember 
something. Some things are not worth remembering and my problem as I get older is I 
remember what I should forget and forget what I should remember. How I get out of this 
mess will be something to treasure the rest of my life.

The other day, I had one of those forgetful issues. I was trying to find something in my 
office, but I just could not find it. I looked everywhere, but it didn't show up. I was a little 
bit frustrated. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came and said, "What's wrong? 
Have you lost your marbles?" And she looked at me and laughed and laughed.

I responded to her by saying, "No, my dear, I have not lost my marbles, they just have 
retired."

Looking at me she grinned and said, "Well, maybe you should retire too." She has 
something there that I’m going to think about.

While I was thinking about my memories I was reminded of what King David said, “I 
remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands” 
(Psalm 143:5). Even David thought remembering good things was important. His 
reflection was on the good things God had done. It is easy for me to forget what God has 
done in my life.

It’s easy to think of all those bad times in my life. I do that quite often. David’s focus was 
to meditate on the “good things God has done.” Although there have been bad times in my 
past, it is important to recognize God’s activity in my life.

SUMMER ON BIG BEAR LAKE AUGUST 28, 2024

Register now registrations for a trip to Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest on Wednesday, 
August 28, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Shopping and dining at your own pace Big Bear Village. The 
group will head to Pine Knot Marina to board the lovely Miss Liberty Paddle Wheeler for a scenic 1.5-hour 
lake cruise. The bus will depart from the Hart Park House Senior Center at 9:00 a.m. and return at 5:30 
p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes before departure. Cost: $33.00 per person (Lunch not included) 

Registration Deadline: Monday, August 26, 2024

Registrations may be made in-person at the Hart Park House Senior Center, or online at www.sierramadreca.
gov/onlineregistration. For more information, call the (626) 355-5278.

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