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Mountain Views News Saturday, July 5, 2025

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! …JULY Birthdays*

Nina Bartolai, Mary Lou Caldwell, Louise Neiby, Betty Hansen, Melinda 
Rogers , Christine Durfort, Shahrzad Azrani, Jeanne Borgedahl, Janet 
Cox, Dorothy Montgomery, Bess Pancoska, Janet Swanson, Barbara 
Watson, Pat Alcorn, Karma Bell, Alice Clark, and Betty Dos Remedios, 
Bonnie Diener, Jan Greteman, Linda Heller

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


CHOOSING THE RIGHT CARE FACILITY: 

Small Board and Care Homes vs Large Assisted Living Communities


When selecting a living arrangement for seniors, families often weigh the benefits and drawbacks of small board 
and care homes against larger assisted living communities. Here, we break down the pros and cons of each to help 
you make an informed decision.

Small Board and Care Homes

Small board and care homes offer personalized care with a higher staff-to-resident ratio, ensuring that residents 
receive more individualized attention. These homes provide a homelike environment, offering an intimate and 
comforting atmosphere that closely resembles a family home. With fewer caregivers, residents can form stronger, 
more personal relationships, and these homes can more easily accommodate specific needs and preferences.

However, the limited number of residents can result in fewer social interactions and organized activities. Small 
board and care homes typically lack extensive facilities like fitness centers and game rooms and often have less 
access to specialized medical care and equipment.

Larger Assisted Living Communities

Larger assisted living communities offer a wide range of activities, providing various social, recreational, and 
educational options to keep residents engaged. These communities come with extensive amenities, including 
fitness centers, libraries, and game rooms. They also provide more comprehensive care options, such as memory 
care and physical therapy, and with more residents, there are increased opportunities for social interaction and 
forming friendships.

On the downside, the higher number of residents can lead to less individualized attention from staff. Larger facilities 
can sometimes feel more like an institution and less like a home. Additionally, higher staff turnover and 
more shift changes can result in inconsistencies in care.

Key Considerations

When making a decision, it's important to evaluate the level of care required, especially for specialized medical 
needs, and compare expenses to determine what fits your financial situation. Proximity to family and friends can 
be crucial for maintaining personal connections. Consider whether the individual is more comfortable in a larger 
group setting or a smaller, more intimate environment. Touring both types of facilities can provide valuable insights 
and help make a well-informed decision.

Ultimately, choosing between a small board and care home and a larger assisted living community depends on 
the specific needs, preferences, and priorities of the individual requiring care. By carefully considering the pros 
and cons of each option, families can ensure their loved ones receive the best possible care in a setting that feels 
like home.

Courtesy of Safe Path for Seniors LLC / (626) 999-6913 / https://www.safepathforseniors.com


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

BEWARE OF THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE TRAP

THE OLDER I GET THE YOUNGER I FEEL


Dear Savvy Senior,

I will be enrolling in Medicare in a few months 
and would like to know if I initially enroll in a 
Medicare Advantage plan, am I able to switch 
back to original Medicare and get a supplemental 
(Medigap) policy and prescription drug plan 
later with without paying a fine? Almost 65

Dear Almost,

You won’t be subject to any fines for switching Medicare plans, but you will be subject to medical underwriting 
for the supplemental (Medigap) policy. That means the private insurance companies that 
offer these plans can deny you coverage or charge you a lot more for preexisting conditions. This is 
known as the Medicare Advantage trap. Here’s what you should know.

Understanding MA Plans

Medicare Advantage plans (also known as Medicare Part C) are government approved health plans 
sold by private insurance companies that you can choose in place of original Medicare. The vast majority 
of Advantage plans are managed-care policies such as HMOs or PPOs that require you to get your 
care within a network of doctors.

If you join an Advantage plan, the plan will provide all your Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B 
(medical insurance) coverage like original Medicare does. But many Advantage plans also offer extra 
health perks like dental, hearing and vision coverage along with gym/fitness memberships, and most 
plans include prescription drug coverage too.

Medicare Advantage plans are also cheaper than if you got original Medicare, plus a separate Part D 
drug plan and a Medigap policy. This can be very attractive to new enrollees who are relatively healthy 
and don’t require much medical care.

But the benefits and networks of Advantage plans can change from year to year. And if you get care 
outside the networks, you’ll usually pay more – sometimes a lot more. Advantage plans are also criticized 
for pre-authorization requirements which can delay or deny patient access to medical care.

The rap on Medicare Advantage has always been that they’re great when you’re healthy and don’t require 
much health care, but depending on the plan, may not be so great if you get sick.

With original Medicare, benefits remain the same and you can use any provider that accepts Medicare 
(most doctor’s do). But original Medicare has coverage gaps (deductibles, coinsurance and copayments) 
that can be very expensive, which is why you’ll need a supplemental (Medigap) plan offered by 
a private insurer.

If you opt for original Medicare when you’re first eligible, insurers are required to issue you a Medigap 
policy and can’t charge you more based on your health status. In most states, Medigap plans are automatically 
available only in the first six months after an enrollee becomes eligible for Medicare.

But if you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan when you’re first eligible, you’ll miss the Medigap enrollment 
window, which means an insurer can refuse to write you a Medigap policy or charge you a lot 
more for signing up later. And in case you’re wondering, you can’t buy a Medigap policy while you’re 
in a Medicare Advantage plan.

There are, however, four states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New York — that prohibit 
insurers from denying a Medigap policy to eligible applicants, including people with pre-existing 
conditions.

For more information on how Medigap works visit Medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap.

Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, 
Norman, OK 73070.

I like celebrating anything and everything. After all, who doesn’t like party 
time? Thinking along this line it occurred to me this month I will be celebrating 
my birthday. I pondered this for a while and was trying to figure out 
which birthday I should celebrate.

After all, if it's my birthday, I should be the one to choose which birthday to celebrate. I'm 
thinking, for example, that this year I'll celebrate my 16th birthday.

On my 16th birthday, I was not in a state to really celebrate it to its fullest. My only concern 
at that time was I’m old enough to get my driver's license. That's the only thing I was even 
thinking about. Looking back on that day, I lost a lot of celebration.

So, this year, I might just celebrate my 16th birthday.

Then I think of my 21st birthday. I didn't do very much to celebrate that birthday then. I 
was just so excited to become an official adult that nothing else really mattered. I didn't 
have to get my parents' permission to do anything. Oh boy, that was a great day in my life.

I didn't celebrate it to the fullest extent. I was too excited to become an adult, so I didn't do 
much celebrating.

I'm still in a quandary as to which birthday I should be celebrating this year.

The other morning, I was shaving in the bathroom. As I looked in the mirror, I gasped. Is 
that my grandfather in the mirror? Or, have I become my grandfather? Up to this time, I 
didn't realize how old I really was.

The other day I was in the shopping mall with The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 
When we were there, she would usually go one way, and I would go to the coffee shop to 
get coffee.

As I was walking to the coffee shop, a bunch of young boys looked at me and started laughing. 
Finally, one of them said, "Hey, grandpa. Where's your cane?" And then, in hysterical 
laughter, they ran away from me.

They can be very thankful I didn't have a cane at that time or I would have put it to good 
use, if you get my drift.

Being a little agitated, I walked, got my coffee and then sat down to drink it. As I was drinking 
it, I began to realize that at one time in my life, I was like those kids who were making 
fun of me. I thought my grandfather was just an old geezer. I never knew how he had become 
so old, but at the time, I wasn't asking him any questions.

A few years ago, I retired, which sent me off on a new direction in life. Certainly I continue 
much of my ministries but I don't have a schedule to follow. I can do whatever I want, 
whenever I want, for as long as I want.

The only catch to that was The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage.

She never lets me get away with anything that's rather stupid or crazy. The fact that I'm 
not that crazy today is a tribute to her oversight. If it wasn't for her I would be the craziest 
person in town.

Thinking about that, what would be wrong with that?

Several years ago we celebrated our birthdays at a restaurant. Our birthdays are two days 
apart and also two years apart. I won't go any further than that.

When the waitress approached our table, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage mentioned 
we were celebrating our birthdays.

The waitress, trying to be funny, looked at me and said, "So, what does it feel like to be 
older?"

I smiled at her. Then, I reached across the table and gently squeezed my wife's arm. I looked 
at the waitress and said, "It feels rather good.""

Both the waitress and I were laughing, but the other person at the table was not laughing 
at all. It concerned me a little because I wouldn't know what was going to happen until we 
got home.

Being old has many advantages. I may stumble around and get confused, and people will 
say, "That's okay. He's just old."

Maybe this year for my birthday I should celebrate the fact that I've lived this long. Both of 
my grandfathers died when they were 70. This month I will turn 74. So, I've outlived my 
grandparents. My father, however, lived to be 78. So, I've got four years ahead of me to catch 
up with my father.

The only thing that really concerns me about getting old is on top of my head. Every year 
a significant number of hairs retire and go on vacation never to be seen again. I have more 
hair today than I did when I was born, if that means anything.

Another thing is, the older I get the more my brown hair has been replaced with grey hair. 
Where do these grey hairs come from?

I then read a verse that gave me some comfort. “The hoary (grey) head is a crown of glory, 
if it be found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31).

If this is true, and it is, my grey hair is my “crown of glory” I never thought of that way, but 
now I’m going to. The older I get the bigger my “crown of glory.” I’m going to use it to the 
best of my personal advantage.

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

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