9

Mountain Views-News SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2025

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, 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 


THE GROWING NEED FOR SENIOR CARE: WHAT TO KNOW 

ABOUT HIRING A CAREGIVER


As the population ages, more families are facing the challenge of caring 
for elderly loved ones. With many seniors wishing to age in place, hiring 
a professional caregiver is becoming an increasingly common—and 
necessary—solution.

Senior care needs vary widely, from help with daily activities like bath-ing, 
dressing, and cooking, to more specialized medical support. Hiring a caregiver 
allows seniors to maintain their independence while receiving the care 
they need in the comfort of their own homes.

“The key is to match the right caregiver with the right senior,” says Linda Morris, director of a local 
home care agency. “It’s not just about qualifi-cations. Compatibility, personality, and trust are just as 
important.”

When hiring a caregiver, families can go through an agency or hire pri-vately. Agencies typically handle 
background checks, training, and in-surance, offering peace of mind. Private hires can be more affordable 
but require more responsibility from the family, including vetting and payroll management.

Experts recommend conducting thorough interviews, checking refer-ences, and discussing expectations 
clearly before hiring. It’s also im-portant to observe how the caregiver interacts with the senior. A 
trial pe-riod can help ensure a good fit.

“Don’t wait until a crisis happens,” advises Morris. “Start planning early and include your loved one in 
the decision-making process. It helps maintain their dignity and comfort.”

As demand for in-home care grows, so does the importance of choosing qualified, compassionate caregivers. 
With the right support, seniors can continue to lead safe, fulfilling lives at home—surrounded by 
familiarity and care.

For families navigating this journey, resources such as local aging agen-cies, senior centers, and online 
caregiver directories can provide guid-ance and support.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

PRACTOCE DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE PERFECT

This month The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her amazing 
husband will celebrate 54 years of marital bliss. I can’t believe 
how fast the time has gone. It only seems like yesterday that we got 
married. Maybe that’s the benefit of getting old.

I remember the beginning of our life together. I went to a Bible college to prepare 
for the pastoral ministry, and that’s where I met her.

As a young person, I had no qualities when it came to dating. Up until I met this 
young lady, I had never dated in my life. My parents planted the seed in my mind 
that most girls had cooties. I didn’t know what that meant, but I wasn’t going to 
explore it. I just stayed away from girls.

In going to college, my one prayer was that God would lead me to the young lady 
who would be my wife in my pastoral ministry. I had no way of choosing who 
that would be. With no dating ex-perience, I just let it in God’s hands. I was still 
nervous.

The first day of Bible college is when I met her, but I tried to dismiss it because it 
was just the first day. In classes, we crossed paths almost every day. Then one of 
the men in the men’s dorm invited me to go out with him and his girlfriend for 
dinner one night. He said his sister would be coming along if I didn’t mind. Well, 
I didn’t mind, so we went out together. Guess who it was?

That was the beginning. Slowly, we began seeing each other, and then one day it 
hit me like a pie in the face. I started thinking that maybe I was dating a girl for 
the very first time. It took me some time to get over that thought, and it made me 
wonder about certain things.

When I began to realize that we are actually dating, a thought came to my mind 
I had never thought before in all my life. What if, and I thought about this very 
seriously, but what if she expected me to kiss her?

I almost passed out when that thought run through my brain. I’ve never kissed 
anybody in the world, and nobody’s ever kissed me. Well, except for my dog 
Sparky. But outside of that, I have been kiss-free all my life. I did not know how to 
handle it if it got to that point.

Maybe I should begin practicing kissing. I didn't know how to do it, and I sure 
wasn’t going to ask anybody in the men’s dorm about this subject.

One morning, I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, and there I 
saw it. I saw how I could begin to practice kissing by using the mirror.

In the morning, I would go in and practice kissing myself in the mirror over and 
over again. Then, in the evening before going to bed, I would go into the bathroom 
and stand in front of the mirror and kiss myself over and over again.

I’m not sure how long I was doing this, but I did not have confidence I was learning 
how to kiss anybody. I can hardly kiss myself in the mirror and get away with 
it.

I always heard that practice makes perfect, and so I practiced, and practiced, and 
practiced as much as I could. I had no confidence I had perfected any kissing.

Up until now, I have never told anybody about this aspect of my life. After all, who 
would I tell? And, who would believe me?

Keeping to my diligence, I practiced this kissing procedure day after day. I had to 
be very careful I didn’t get caught in the dorm, because how would I explain what 
I was doing? Some things are bet-ter left secret.

As our dating got a little more serious, I got a little more nervous. There was going 
to come a time when she would expect me to give her a kiss good night. Oh boy. 
How do you fix such a situation in life?

Even now, I’m not exactly sure when it took place. But there was one date that I 
took her to the la-dies' dorm and walked her to the door, and before I knew it, 
we kissed. I still don’t know if I kissed her or if she kissed me. The only thing I 
remember was that woozy feeling I had following that kiss.

Not all my practice in the bathroom mirror prepared me for what I experienced.

After that experience, I guess we kissed a lot, but once I was over that first one, 
everything else seemed to fall in place.

I must say that all my practicing did not prepare me for what I expected to happen. 
The more I practiced, the less prepared I became.

A verse of Scripture came to mind along this line. The Apostle Paul writers in 2 
Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth 
not to be ashamed, rightly di-viding the word of truth.”

In my life I have learned that preparation and practice is important. I personally 
like the phrase, “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” I need to work at 
my life and not assume things will be OK.

I need to prepare my heart for what God has next for me.

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

TIPS AND TREATMENTS FOR RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME


Dear Savvy Senior,

What can you tell me about restless leg syndrome? 
Over the past year or so I’ve developed 
an uncontrollable urge to move my legs because 
of an annoying tingling sensation, and 
it’s keeping me awake at night. Always Tired

Dear Tired,

If an irresistible urge to move your legs has you kicking in your sleep, then chances are pretty good you have restless 
leg syndrome (or RLS), a condition that affects about 7 to 8 percent of Americans. Here’s what you should 
know.

RLS, also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, is a nervous system problem that causes unpleasant or uncomfortable 
sensations (often described as a creepy-crawly, tingling, itching, aching throbbing, pulling or electric feeling) and 
an irresistible urge to move one or both legs while you’re sitting or lying down, and the symptoms usually get 
worse with age. It typically happens in the evenings or nights while resting. Moving eases the unpleasant feeling 
temporarily.

While RLS is not a life-threatening condition, the main problem, other than it being uncomfortable and annoying, 
is that it disrupts sleep, leading to daytime drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and even depression.

What exactly causes RLS is not known, but researchers suspect it could be linked to several things including iron 
deficiency, an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine, and genetics – about 60 percent of people with RLS 
have a family member with the condition.

Treatments

While there’s no cure for RLS, there are things you can do to alleviate the symptoms. The first line of defense 
is usually to avoid certain substances like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and refined sugar, which can aggravate the 
problem.

Certain drugs including antinausea drugs, antipsychotic drugs, some antidepressants, and cold and allergy medications 
containing sedating antihistamines can also make RLS worse. If you take any of these medications, ask 
your doctor or pharmacist if something else can be taken.

Iron and magnesium deficiencies are also believed to be contributors to RLS, so make an appointment with your 
doctor and get a blood test to check for this. If you test positive for iron and/or magnesium deficiency, your doctor 
may recommend supplements.

You may also benefit from self-care treatments such as leg/calf stretches and massage, hot baths or applying hot 
or cold packs to the affected area. Pressure can also be effective for some people, so you may want to try wearing 
compression socks.

Getting moderate, regular exercise like walking, cycling, water aerobics and yoga can relieve symptoms too, but 
overdoing it or exercising late in the day may intensify them.

Medications

If the previously listed tips and self-treatments don’t reduce your RLS, there are various medications your doctor 
can prescribe that can help, including:

Anti-seizure drugs: These medications affect nerve cell activity to reduce symptoms. Examples include gabapentin 
enacarbil (Horizant), gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica).

Dopaminergic medications: These drugs, which are taken before bedtime, work by increasing dopamine, a 
chemical in the brain which helps reduce RLS. Examples are ropinirole (Requip), pramipexole (Mirapex), and 
the transdermal patch rotigotine (Neupro). But be aware that while these drugs, taken short-term are effective, 
long-term use can make symptoms worse.

The anti-seizure medicines have become a first-choice drug treatment option for most doctors because they 
seem to be as effective as the dopaminergic medications, with fewer side effects.

Sometimes, other medications like benzodiazepines – alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam 
(Valium) – may be prescribed for more restful sleep, but they don’t eliminate the leg sensations, and they can be 
addictive so it’s best to avoid them if possible.

For more information, visit the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation at RLS.org.

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

You Deserve an Agent WhoWill Do More Than Just SellYour HomeLearn why sellers say that working with me wasthe difference between success and stress!
If you’re thinking of making amove next year give me a call!
DRE#02015404626.253.1323 
suecookrealtor@gmail.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