11

Mountain View News Saturday, December 21, 2024


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.

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

WHEN A LOVED ONE CAN'T COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: 


For many, Christmas is a time for family gatherings, festive meals, and shared laughter. However, 
for some, the holiday season is marked by a bittersweet emptiness—the absence of a loved one 
who cannot make it home.

Whether due to work commitments, distance, or unforeseen circumstances like illness, the feeling 
of separation during Christmas can be especially hard. The empty chair at the dinner table or the 
quiet phone calls instead of joyous reunions can evoke a sense of longing that feels heavier during 
this time of year.

"Christmas is all about family for me, and not having them here makes it feel incomplete," says 
Emma Thompson, whose husband, a member of the military, is stationed overseas this holiday 
season. "We try to make the best of it with video calls, but it’s just not the same."

Technological advances have made staying connected easier, with many families relying on video 
calls and social media to bridge the gap. However, these virtual connections cannot replace the 
warmth and closeness of physical presence. For families facing separation, the holiday season can 
be a time of reflection, fostering deeper appreciation for their loved ones.

Experts suggest that while it’s okay to feel sadness, focusing on creating new traditions, such as 
sending care packages, crafting heartfelt messages, or scheduling a future celebration, can help 
alleviate the pain of absence. "The key is to hold onto the love and memories shared, even if circumstances 
prevent a physical reunion," says Dr. Sarah Green, a family therapist.

Though Christmas may not always be the same when a loved one is absent, the spirit of togetherness 
can still shine through—reminding us that love knows no boundaries, whether near or far.


HOW TO HELP A HOARDING PARENT


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

Dear Savvy Senior:

 My dad has always been a pack rat, but since 
mom died a few years ago he’s become more of a hoarder. 
The clutter in his house has gotten out of control and I 
don’t know what to do. Any suggestions? Distraught in 
Centerville

Dear Distraught:

Unfortunately, hoarding or clutter addiction is a problem that’s become increasingly common in the U.S. It 
effects approximately 6 percent of Americans age 65 or older. The problem can range anywhere from moderate 
messiness to hoarding so severe it may be related to a mental health disorder like obsessive-compulsive 
disorder. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips and resources that can help you help your dad.

Why People Hoard

The reasons most people hoard is because they have an extreme sentimental attachment to their possessions, 
or they believe they might need their items at a later date. Hoarding can also be a sign that an older person is 
depressed, anxious or showing early symptoms of dementia.

Common problems for seniors who live in excessive clutter are tripping, falling and breaking a bone; overlooking 
bills and missing medications that are hidden in the clutter; suffering from the environmental effects 
of mold, mildew and dust, and even living among insects and rodents.

What to Do

To help you gauge your dad’s problem, the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) offers a free “Clutter 
Hoarding Scale” that you can download at ChallengingDisorganization.org.

If you find that your dad has a moderate cluttering problem, there are a number of things you can do to help.

Start by having a talk with him, expressing your concern for his health and safety, and offering your assistance 
to help him declutter.

If he takes you up on it, most professional organizers recommend decluttering in small steps. Take one room 
at a time or even a portion of a room at a time. This will help prevent your dad from getting overwhelmed.

Before you start, designate three piles or boxes for your dad’s stuff – one pile is for items he wants to keep-and-
put-away, another is the donate pile and the last is the throwaway pile.

You and your dad will need to determine which pile his things belong in as you work. If he struggles with 
sentimental items that he doesn’t use, suggest he keep only one item for memory sake and donate the rest to 
family members who will use them.

You will also need to help him set up a system for organizing the kept items and new possessions. 

Find Help

If you need some help with the decluttering and organizing, consider hiring a professional organizer who can 
come to your dad’s home to help you prioritize, organize and remove the clutter.

The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO.net) and the ICD (ChallengingDisorganization.
org) both offer directories on their websites to help you locate a professional in your area.

If your dad has a bigger, more serious hoarding problem (if his daily functioning is impaired, or if he is having 
financial difficulties, health problems, or other issues) you’ll need to seek professional help.

Talk therapy and/or antidepressants can help address control issues, anxiety, depression, and other feelings 
that may underline hoarding tendencies, and make it easier for him to confront his disorder.

To locate help, contact Helping Elders Live Productively (H.E.L.P.). This is a free education, counseling, and 
referral resource that helps older adults and their families who are experiencing hoarding, by connecting 
them with legal services, mental health assistance and support groups. Call 310-533-1996 for a referral or visit 
Help4srs.org/support-services-for-seniors-who-hoard.

 You can also find professional help through the International OCD Foundation, which provides a 
hoarding center on their website at Hoarding.iocdf.org.

 And to get help with challenging cleanup jobs, the biggest provider is Steri-Clean, Inc. (see Hoarders.
com or call 800-462-7337), a hoarding cleanup company that has franchises located throughout the country.

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.


THE WORST CHRISTMAS I CAN REMEMBER

The best holiday for me is Christmas. I enjoy everything about Christmas 
except paying for many gifts. But looking back, it's all been worth 
it. I can't think of anything I would ever change.

It's the one time of the year that families get together who usually 
aren't together during the year because of work schedules and so forth.

I look forward to our great Christmas gatherings. There was a time in our family 
when the num-ber of family members increased every year. I thought when we 
had children, that would be the end of it. But wouldn't you know all of our kids 
decided to have their own kids? And it's even come to the point where some of our 
grandkids are having their own kids.

Oh boy, when will this stop? Actually, I hope it doesn't stop.

Everybody looks forward to the Christmas holiday and everything associated with 
it. It is very hard to have a bad Christmas, no matter what seems to happen.

After our Christmas holiday, I was sitting in my easy chair drinking coffee and 
reflecting on all the Christmases I had as a child. Those were fun times. I got to see 
relatives I haven't seen the rest of the year.

It was then I remembered something—the worst Christmas I ever had. I had forgotten 
about this, but all of a sudden, it came to mind.

When I was young, before I became a teenager, my parents would take me and my 
siblings downtown to meet Santa Claus. We would sit on his lap, take a candy cane 
from him, and tell him what we wanted for Christmas.

When we were done, he would say, "Ho, ho, ho," give us a Merry Christmas look, 
then send us back to our parents.

I vividly remember the first time I told him that I would love to have a pony for 
Christmas. He agreed to bring me a pony, and then he did his "ho, ho, ho" routine.

When I got up that Christmas, I noticed no pony under the Christmas tree. As I 
thought more about it, I realized that nothing was under the Christmas tree that 
I had asked Santa for. I couldn't understand it. My parents told me Santa would 
bring me the Christmas presents I asked for. Of course, I believed them.

Several Christmases passed, and the same thing happened or didn't happen. And I 
was just a little bit confused about this guy called Santa Claus. Why wasn't he good 
to his word?

I remember the year I turned 13. I was now a teenager, and so I had graduated to 
that smart lev-el of being a teenager.

At school, we were having some kind of Christmas party, and they were talking 
about Santa Claus coming down the chimney to put presents under the Christmas 
tree and in the stockings hung by the fireplace. I didn't think too much of it at the 
time.

That Christmas Eve, as we were getting our Christmas tree all "holidayed" up, I 
felt that some-thing was missing with our Christmas decorations. Then, it hit me 
rather strongly.

"Dad," I cried in alarm. He looked at me and said, "What's wrong son?"

I looked at him angrily and asked, "Dad, where is the chimney?"

With a curious look, he responded, "What are you talking about?"

"It's beginning to make sense," I seriously said to my father. "I now know what's 
wrong with our Christmas. I now know why I haven't got my pony."

My dad had no idea what I was talking about and asked me to explain.

"This week in school they were telling us all about Christmas and Santa Claus and 
Rudolph the red nose reindeer. One of the things they told us was that Santa Claus 
comes down the chimney to bring his gifts."

I paused for a moment and then continued, "So, that's why I've not got my pony for 
Christmas. Dad, where is our chimney?"

My dad was momentarily confused and had no idea how to respond to what I was 
saying.

"Well, son," my father said, "we don't have a chimney. We don't even have a fireplace 
so we don't need one."

"How then is Santa going to get me my Christmas presents under our Christmas 
tree I asked for while sitting on his lap?"

Thinking back over that now, I couldn't help but laugh. My father had a hard time 
explaining to me why we didn't need a chimney for Christmas time. Every year, 
just before Christmas, I ask, "Dad, will we have a chimney this year?"

After a while, he got tired of hearing me ask that question and refused to come up 
with any more excuses.

I was confused about Santa Claus and Christmas, not knowing what to believe. It 
took me some time to sort out the Christmas holiday.

As I reflected on this, I thought that many things in life need sorting out. We believe 
something and then find out it wasn't the truth.

Jesus addressed this in John 8:31-33, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed 
on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall 
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The truth about Jesus and His birth sets us free, and that truth can only be found 
in the Word of God.

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

Wistaria Thrift Shop 
550 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 
@ So. Side of Sierra Madre Woman’s Club 
Opened in 1957: 67 Years of Service to Our Community 
SShhoopp && DDoonnaattiioonnss CClloosseedd 
SSaatt.. 1122//2211//2244 –– TThhuurrss.. 11//22//2255 
Wistaria Shop & its SMWC Volunteers 
Thank You for so Wholeheartedly 
Supporting Us This (& Past) Years 
With your Shopping & Donations. 
You are our “Bright Lights” Partners! 
Proceeds help support our SMWC Philanthropies & Scholarships 
DONATIONS ACCEPTED AS OF FRI., JAN 3 
Want to Volunteer With Us? 626-355-7739 
SierraMadreWomansClub.org 
SierraMadreWomansClub 
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