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Mountain Views-News SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2025

FREE ASSISTED LIVING PLACEMENT SERVICE

 

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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.
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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 


SUMMER NUTRITION: LIGHT, HEALTHY MEALS FOR SENIORS 

As temperatures rise during the summer months, seniors often experience a drop in appetite, making 
proper nutrition more important than ever. Eating well doesn’t mean heavy meals—in fact, summer 
is the perfect time to embrace lighter, fresher foods that nourish the body and support overall health.

Hydration is key, especially for older adults who may not feel thirsty as often. Wa-ter-rich fruits and 
vegetables like watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, and toma-toes not only help keep you hydrated 
but also provide essential vitamins and anti-oxidants. A simple cucumber and tomato salad with olive 
oil and a sprinkle of herbs makes a refreshing side dish or light lunch.

Cold soups, like gazpacho or a chilled avocado soup, are easy to digest and perfect for hot days. Pair 
these with whole grain crackers or a slice of whole wheat toast for a balanced meal.

Grilled fish, such as salmon or tilapia, offers heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and can be served alongside 
steamed greens or a quinoa salad. For dessert, skip the heavy pies and opt for a bowl of fresh berries 
with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Avoid overly processed snacks and salty foods, which can contribute 
to dehydration. Instead, keep nutritious snacks on hand, such 
as almonds, hummus with veggie sticks, or a slice of cheese with 
apple slices.

Remember, seniors should aim for meals that are high in fiber, lean 
protein, and healthy fats while being easy to prepare. If cooking is 
difficult, consider local meal delivery programs or asking a friend 
or family member for help in meal prepping for the week.

With a little planning, summer meals can be simple, satisfying, and 
full of the nu-trients needed to stay strong, healthy, and energized 
all season long.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

HOW TO FIND AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING 

NEAR YOU

THIS IS YOUR LAST AND FINAL WARNING!


As a child, I remember my parents saying to me, "I'm not going to 
tell you this again." The only problem with that was they did tell me 
again. And again. And again.

It was hard for me to trust my parents along this line. They always gave me warnings, 
and then when I would do it again, they would give me another warning. I 
began to realize that they weren't taking these warnings seriously.

The only thing I can think of is that they may not have remembered telling me 
that in the first place. I can understand that.

Now that I'm an adult, I'm the one giving this last and final warning. And, of 
course, my children responded to it the same way I responded to my parents. I 
think it might be an inherited attitude.

However, I'm now in a different situation. I receive letters at least once a week, 
warning me that this is their last and final notice about my car or home warranty. 
If I had all the postage that accu-mulated over the years from these letters, 
I could retire in style.

Usually, I ignore these letters, except when they contain a prepaid postage envelope. 
I usually take those envelopes, put a track in them, seal the envelope, and 
then put it in the mailbox.

I never know if these tracks work because I never hear back from them.

Over the last several years, a new level of inquiry has emerged. It is a wonderful 
invention by Al-exander Graham Bell called the telephone. Every day, I receive 
a phone call warning me that this is their last and final warning concerning my 
expiring car warranty. If only that were true.

The trouble with these "stupid" phone calls is that there's no real person on the 
other end. I don't mean me; I mean their end. It's all recorded, and how they do 
that is above my pay scale.

I can't do anything with these recorded messages, so I hang up. After all, what 
else can I do? Indeed, I would like the opportunity to give them a piece of my 
mind and tell them to stop calling me. But that is not on the agenda.

Then, beginning in December with the annual Medicare renewal time, I have 
some actual people call me.

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage refuses to answer these calls, and often, 
will take the phone off the hook for the whole day.

But I have a different perspective. After all, I am retired and do have some free 
time to mess around. When I get one of these calls from a live person, I dive into 
it with all the nonsense I have, which is quite a lot. After all, they called me, I did 
not call them.

The calls I like are those in which I'm asked personal questions.

"Do you have diabetes?"

I always respond to them, 'No, I don't have diabetes, but I am a very sweet guy." 
Usually, when I say that on the other end of the phone, there's an amazing "click."

There are times when I answer using the voice of Daffy Duck. I've done this so often 
that I'm be-coming quite skilled at it. Several times, when I respond to them 
on my end of the phone, they re-spond with a long list of vulgarities. And they 
asked me to do things to myself that are physically not possible.

One question I enjoy is when people ask me how old I am. I usually respond, "I 
don't know how old I am because my age changes every year and I don't know 
what it's going to change to this year." I can't tell how many were so confused by 
my answer that they said nothing and just hung up on me.

If someone calls me on the phone and offers me a product they think I would 
want, I wouldn’t take it from them. I will never trust anybody who randomly 
calls me with a product that I would really want.

Recently, I've been winning money from a PCH contest. I don't recall signing up 
for this contest, but I was grateful to have won it. The one prize was $8.5 million 
and a brand-new Porsche. I couldn't tell you how excited I was to win all of this. 
It certainly was my lucky day.

In processing this, all I had to do was send them $14,000 for the processing fee, 
and then I would receive all that money, along with the brand-new car.

I'm a Pennsylvania Dutchman, and we are rather frugal with our money. You 
touch my money, and I may say something nice at your funeral.

These phone calls are not going to stop. But no matter how many call me, they're 
not getting one dime from me. I only wish it were true when they say, "This is 
your last and final warning."

It’s amazing how many people lie for a living. Thinking on this I was reminded 
what Solomon said, and he was spark on. “Lying lips are abomination to the 
Lord: but they that deal truly are his de-light” (Proverbs 12:22).

Whenever a person lies it has a way of coming back to them. I remember my 
father use to say that if I didn’t lie I wouldn’t need a good memory. I have lived 
long enough to understand what he meant.

Dear Savvy Senior,

Are there any resources that you know of that 
can help seniors locate affordable housings? 
My sister, who’s 65 years old, needs to find a 
different place to live but has very little money. What can you tell me? Searching Sister

Dear Searching,

Finding affordable senior housing options can be challenging depending on where your sister lives. Senior 
apartments for some retirees are a good option, and you’ll be happy to know that there are several 
government programs that can help financially. Here are some tips that can help your sister locate an 
apartment that fits her budget and living preferences.

Start with HUD

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers a variety of resources that 
can help lower-income people, like your sister, locate and pay for housing. Here are three different 
programs to look into.

Privately owned subsidized apartments: HUD helps many apartment owners across the country offer 
reduced rents to low-income tenants. To search for subsidized apartments in your area, visit Resources.
hud.gov.

Housing choice voucher program: This program allows low-income families, elderly, and disabled people 
afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. The housing subsidy would be paid 
to the landlord each month. Your sister would then pay the difference between the actual rent charged 
by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. To learn more or apply, contact your local 
public housing agency (see HUD.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts for contact information), or 
call 800-955-2232.

Public housing: This low-income housing option comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single-
family houses to high rise apartments for elderly families. Your local public housing agency is again the 
resource for locating public housing in your area.

 

If you need more help or housing advice, contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency near 
you. See HUD4.my.site.com/housingcounseling or call 800-569-4287 for contact information.

How to Choose

If you or your sister find several apartment choices that fall within her budget, she should consider 
what’s important to her. She may want housing that’s close to family, religious organizations, senior 
centers, or places she visits regularly, like grocery stores, parks or gyms.

Or, if she has a disabling condition, it may be especially critical for her to find a living space that has 
easy access to important services like senior transportation and health care centers.

In your housing search, you may also come across some red flags that indicate a retirement community 
wouldn’t be a good fit for your sister. Keep an eye out for extra fees that may be applied to everyday 
items or perks you normally wouldn’t think about like laundry service, parking or pets.

You should also make sure the apartment is in good condition and then scout out the neighborhood. 
Ask yourself if the community is clean and well maintained and if there is any debris or messy landscaping. 
If you notice anything out of the ordinary, follow up with questions before your sister signs a 
rental contract.

Other Programs

In addition to affordable housing, there are a number of other financial assistance programs that may 
help your sister pay for things like food, medications, health care, utilities and more. To locate these 
programs, check her eligibility and apply, visit BenefitsCheckUp.org.

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

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