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Mountain View News Saturday, December 7, 2024

FREE ASSISTED LIVING PLACEMENT SERVICE

 

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Safe Path for Seniors. Our compassionate advisors 
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Benefit from our extensive network and affordable 
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SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS*

Maria Decker, Nancy Dorn, Prudence Levine, Pat Karamitros, Joan 
Hufnagel, Mary Alice Cervera, Carol Horejsi, Helen Reese, Levon 
Yapoujian, Toni Buckner, Lottie Bugl, Sheila Wohler, Nan Murphy, Eleanor 
Hensel, Sylvia Curl, Elizabeth Levie, Gayle Licher, Cindy Barran, Melissa 
Stute, Hanna Jungbauer, Sheila Woehler. 

 * 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

IMPROVING SENIOR DIETS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS


The holiday season often brings a whirlwind of delicious feasts and festive treats, but for seniors, it’s 
essential to consider how their diet can impact their overall health and well-being. As we step into 
the new year, many seniors are looking to reset their eating habits, shifting from indulgence back 
to healthier, balanced nutrition.

After a season of rich foods, sweets, and less-than-ideal meals, seniors may find their energy levels 
lower, or experience issues with digestion, weight gain, or blood sugar levels. However, making 
small, mindful changes can help improve their diet and bring lasting benefits.

1. Focus on Nutrient-Rich Foods: As people age, the body’s nutrient needs increase, making a 
nutrient-dense diet even more important. Seniors should incorporate more fruits, vegetables, 
whole grains, and lean proteins into their meals. These foods provide essential vitamins and minerals 
that support bone health, heart function, and cognitive well-being.

2. Stay Hydrated: Dehydration is a common issue for seniors, especially after consuming salty 
holiday meals or alcohol. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps maintain energy, 
improves digestion, and keeps skin healthy. Herbal teas or water with a splash of lemon are also 
excellent hydrating alternatives.

3. Portion Control: Seniors should aim for smaller, more frequent meals to maintain a stable 
energy level throughout the day. Keeping portion sizes in check is important to avoid overconsumption 
after holiday indulgence.

4. Limit Processed Foods: Cutting back on processed snacks, sugary treats, and fried foods is key. 
These can lead to inflammation, weight gain, and an increased risk of chronic conditions like 
diabetes.

By making these changes, seniors can regain their energy and embrace a healthier, more balanced 
lifestyle in the new year.


WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR DEBT WHEN YOU DIE?


Dear Savvy Senior,:

Can my kids inherit my debt after I die? I have taken 
on a lot of credit card debt over the past 10 years 
or so, and I’m worried that my son and daughter 
will get stuck with it when I die.

Indebted Senior

Dear Indebted:

In most cases when a person with debt dies, it’s their estate, not their kids, that is legally responsible. 
Here’s what you should know.

Debt After Death

When you die, your estate – which consists of the stuff you own while you’re alive (property, investments 
and cash) – will be responsible for paying your debts. If you don’t have enough cash to pay 
your debts, your kids will have to sell your assets and pay off your creditors with the proceeds.

Whatever is left over is passed along to your heirs as dictated by the terms of your will, if you have 
one. If you don’t have a will, the intestacy laws of the state you reside in will determine how your 
estate will be distributed.

If, however, you die broke, or there isn’t enough money left over to pay your “unsecured debts” – 
credit cards, medical bills, personal loans – then your estate is declared insolvent, and your creditors 
will have to eat the loss.

“Secured debts” – loans attached to an asset such as a house or a car – are a different story. If you have 
a mortgage or car loan when you die, those monthly payments will need to be made by your estate 
or heirs, or the lender can seize the property.

There are, however, a couple of exceptions that would make your kids legally responsible for your 
debt after you pass away. One is if your son and/or daughter is a joint holder on a credit card account 
that you owe on. And the other is if either one of them co-signed a loan with you.

Spouses Beware

If you’re married, these same debt inheritance rules apply to surviving spouses too, unless you live 
in a community property state, which includes Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New 
Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. In these states, any debts that one spouse acquires after 
the start of a marriage belongs to the other spouse too. Therefore, spouses in community property 
states are usually responsible for their deceased spouses’ debts.

Protected Assets

If you have any IRAs, 401(k)s, brokerage accounts, life insurance policies or employer-based pension 
plans, these are assets that creditors usually cannot get access to. That’s because these accounts 
typically have designated beneficiaries, and the money goes directly to those people without passing 
through the estate.

Settling the Estate

You should also make your kids aware that if you die with debt, and you have no assets, settling your 
estate will be fairly simple. Your executor will need to send out letters to your creditors explaining 
the situation, including a copy of your death certificate, and that will probably take care of it. But 
your kids may still have to deal with aggressive debt collectors who try to guilt them into paying.

If you have some assets, but not enough to pay all your debts, your state’s probate court has a distinct 
list of what bills get priority. The details vary by state, but generally estate administrating fees, funeral 
expenses, taxes and last illness medical bills get paid first, followed by secured debts and lastly, 
credit card debts.

Need Legal Help?

If you or your kids have questions or need legal assistance, contact a consumer law attorney or probate 
attorney. If you can’t afford a lawyer, go to LawHelp.org to search for free legal help in your area.

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

ANOTHER JINGLE BELL ON THE TREE?

Working in my office the other morning, I heard some rattling noises 
on the other side of the house. Being as busy as I was, I didn't take the 
time to find out what that noise was all about. When I'm working on a 
project, I like to stay on the project.

It was around lunchtime, and I was still hearing that noise. I decided to go into the 
kitchen and see what we were having for lunch, and as I did so, I noticed The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage was in the living room setting up our Christmas 
tree. She does this every year and is very good at it. Each year, she gets a new Jingle 
Bell and puts it near the top of the tree.

If Santa Claus was real (and I do not believe what my parents said about him), he 
would immediately recruit her to organize his Christmas. She could make his job so 
much easier. I'm sure Santa Claus would be very grateful for all the work she could 
do for him. Of course, he would have to listen to her and do exactly what she says, 
or we would probably never see Santa Claus again.

I think he is so old that he would listen to her and do exactly what she says because 
he has done this work so long that he's just about worn out. Sometimes, I think it 
would be really nice if there was a Santa Claus. Every year my parents would take 
me downtown where Santa Claus was, and I would sit on Santa's lap and tell him 
what I wanted for Christmas. I assured him I was a very good boy during the year.

The older I got the more suspicious I got of this man called Santa Claus. If he was 
real, he sure wasn't real to me. 

Every year, as far as I can remember, I sat on his lap and told him that I wanted a 
pony for Christmas and nothing more. He always went through his "ho ho ho" act 
and I believed he was going to do it for me.

I remember getting up on Christmas day and running into the living room, where 
my parents had their Christmas tree surrounded by all the Christmas gifts. I looked 
around the tree then I got up and went to the back porch, looked out, and shouted 
to my parents, "Where is he? I can't see him."

Of course, my parents would say, “What you're talking about,” and I always responded 
by saying, "Santa Claus promised me that he was going to bring me a pony. 
Now, where is that pony?"

The older I got, the more sophisticated my parents' response to that question was. 
Usually, it was something like, "Santa might have run out of ponies this year, so 
you'll have to wait until next year, and I'm sure he'll bring one next year."

Christmas went by, and another Christmas went by, and another Christmas went 
by, and there was no sign of any pony with my name on it.

My parents were rather disappointed when I discovered that they had been lying to 
me all these years and there was no such thing as a Santa Claus. Santa Claus was just 
a character somebody made up.

I remember the last time I sat on Santa Claus's lap, I was 12 years old. By the time 
the next Christmas came around, I had turned 13, and I was now a teenager. As a 
teenager, I knew everything, and nobody could talk to me about anything.

I remember the conversation I had with my parents. I explained to them that there 
is no such thing as a Santa Claus, and then I asked them why they had lied to me 
all those years.

"I'm sorry, son," my mother said. “Everyone was saying that, so we joined the crowd. 
We just wanted you to have a wonderful Christmas."

So Santa Claus is not a real person. If he were, why do I have to spend so much 
money on Christmas presents?

I was thinking about this as I was eating lunch. There, the Christmas tree was in 
the process of being put together for Christmas. One of the routines at Christmas 
time was to buy a brand-new jingle Bell, usually at her favorite thrift store. As I was 
looking at the Christmas tree, I noticed there was a space near the top of the tree, 
but no jingle bell.

I looked at my wife and said, "My Dear, where is the new jingle Bell and why is there 
a big space on top of the Christmas tree?"

"I guess you never pay attention to what's going on around here, do you?" Then she 
laughed a good, merry laugh. "I cannot put the new jingle Bell on until the night before 
Christmas. That has been our tradition for many years, in case you haven't noticed. 
That space near the top of the tree is where the new jingle Bell goes this year."

I sure do love it when a plan comes together, even if it's not my plan.

A verse of scripture came to mind, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, “Therefore, brethren, stand 
fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our 
epistle.”

Traditions are important, especially those grounded on the Word of God.

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 

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