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Mountain Views-News Saturday October 4, 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.
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SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! OCTOBER Birthdays*

Janda Ferris, Darlene Traxler, Margit Johnson, Sole Krieg, Mary Jane 
Baker, Dixie Coutant, Jill Frank, Cathleen Cremins, Adie Marshall, 
Susan Gallagher, Maggie Ellis, Gloria Giersbach, Ellen O’Leary, Jenny 
Piangenti, Anita Thompson, Linda Boehm and Angela Stella *

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


SENIORS AND E-MAIL SCAMS: 

STAYING SAFE IN THE DIGITAL AGE

 
In today’s connected world, e-mail has become an essential 
way for seniors to stay in touch with family, friends, and businesses. 
Unfortunately, it has also become a tool for scammers 
looking to exploit trust and technology. E-mail scams targeting 
older adults are on the rise, often preying on emotions like fear, 
curiosity, or kindness.

 These scams typically appear as legitimate messages 
from banks, government agencies, or well-known companies. 
They may claim there’s an urgent problem with an account, a 
missed payment, or a prize waiting to be claimed. Once the senior 
clicks a link or shares personal information, scammers can 
steal money, identities, or access to private accounts.

 According to the Federal Trade Commission, seniors lose billions each year to online fraud, 
and e-mail remains one of the most common entry points. Many victims don’t realize they’ve been 
tricked until it’s too late.

 Experts recommend several simple precautions. Never click on links or open attachments 
from unfamiliar senders. Verify suspicious messages by calling the company directly using a known 
phone number. Legitimate organizations will never ask for passwords, Social Security numbers, or 
bank details by e-mail. Strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication can also add important 
layers of protection.

 Families and caregivers can play a key role by discussing online safety openly and helping 
seniors recognize red flags such as poor spelling, urgent requests, or addresses that don’t match the 
company name.

 Staying informed and cautious is the best defense. As one cybersecurity expert put it, “Technology 
connects us, but it also requires us to stay alert.” By learning how to spot scams, seniors can 
enjoy the benefits of e-mail without falling victim to digital deception.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

HOW TO USE MEDICARE’S 

STAR RATINGS SYSTEM DURING 

OPEN ENROLLMENT

SNOOZING HAS BECOME MY NEW HOBBY


The Gracious Mistress Of The Parsonage asked me a question this 
past week. "Well, my dear, have you come up with a new hobby 
yet?"

I've been retired for about four years. But I haven't been doing nothing. I have a 
weekly Sunday morning service at an assisted living facility. I have several writing 
projects on my desk. Also, I produced three weekly radio programs. So, it's not 
like I don't have anything to do.

When I officially retired, that's when The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said 
I needed to come up with some new hobby to occupy my time. When she asked 
me that question, I asked her in return, "What is your definition of a hobby?"

She hesitated for a moment and then said very sternly, "A hobby is something you 
do for fun."

"Perhaps," I said with a twinkle in my eye, "my marriage to you is my primary 
hobby." She had no reply to that, and so she walked away. That was four years 
ago, and I'm still doing the same things each week. Everything I do, I do for fun, 
if that's the definition of a hobby.

It is amazing how fast time flies by. You blink an eye, and a year has disappeared. 
I'm not sure where it goes, and I'll likely never find it. The one thing that has my 
attention is what I like to call "Snoozing". Before I retired, I didn't think much 
about it, and of course, I didn't do too much about it either. However, after four 
years, I have developed a wonderful hobby I call Snoozing.

The fantastic thing about snoozing is that you can do it just about anywhere. The 
place I can't do it is behind the steering wheel in my truck while I'm driving. But 
I can practice my new hobby anywhere else. 

A few weeks back, I went to a restaurant for lunch. I was all by myself, and before 
long, I found myself snoozing. The waitress came up, tapped me on my shoulder, 
and said, "Is there anything I can get you?" As I woke up, I almost said, "And, who 
are you?" Fortunately, I didn't say. There is no place I cannot practice my new 
hobby. Every week, I try to find a new place to practice my new hobby.

It was last week when The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage asked me about my 
new hobby. "Do you have a new hobby for your retirement time?"

I looked at her and said most sweetly, "Yes, my dear I do have a new hobby that 
I'm very excited about."

Well, that excited her, and she replied, "Oh, please tell me about your new hobby. 
Maybe we can do it together."

I wasn't sure where to start, but I said, "I'm open to sharing my new hobby with 
you." This brought a smile to her face.

"I call my new hobby Snoozing. It has taken me several years to practice it to perfection. 
And I must say I am very close to perfecting this new hobby."

"What?" she said. "How can snoozing be hobby?"

"Don't you remember when I just retired you told me that a hobby was something 
you do for fun?" She shook her head, and I went on, "I find nothing funner than 
snoozing. So, if you want to join me in my new hobby I will be glad to welcome 
you and I know we can have so much fun together."

Of course, I knew I was talking to The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, who 
has quite a few hobbies. At the end of our house, she has a "craft room." I can’t tell 
all the stuff she does in that little room. I once walked into it and got lost, which 
took me three hours to find my way out. I'm not going to collaborate with her 
and her hobbies. Snoozing, on the other hand, is one hobby that can’t be shared.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but I don't think I have any time in my schedule for your 
hobby. Enjoy it yourself."

That's exactly what I wanted to hear her say. When I'm practicing my hobby, I can 
only do it by myself. If there are two of us, one will sit in one rocking chair while 
the other sits in another rocking chair.

Everybody has a different view of their hobby, which they enjoy doing. When 
I was younger, I would never have considered snoozing to be a hobby. I had so 
many things to do, so little time to do them, that snoozing was never on my 
calendar.

As I grow older, my energy has become limited. I have prepared myself for taking 
a short snooze in the morning, a longer snooze in the afternoon, and a short 
snooze right after dinner. I've never felt better than after I finished one of my 
hobbies.

Solomon said something that caught my attention. “There is nothing better for a 
man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy 
good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God” (Ecclesiastes 
2:24).

I have often been so caught up with work that there was no place in my life for 
laughter. I plan to make up for that in retirement. So far, I am making good on 
that.

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

Dear Savvy Senior,

What does Medicare factor into their star rating system? I need to find a new Medicare plan during the 
open enrollment period and want to get it right this time.

Medicare Shopper

Dear Shopper,

If you’re shopping and comparing Medicare Advantage plans (the alternative to original Medicare) or 
Part D prescription drug plans during the open enrollment (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7), you’ll likely find a dizzying 
number of options to choose from. The Medicare star rating system is a terrific tool to help you 
narrow down your choices. Here’s what you should know.

Understanding Star Ratings

The Medicare star ratings, which you’ll find in the Medicare’s online Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov/
plan-compare, offers a shorthand look at how Medicare Advantage and Part D plans measure up for 
quality and member experience.

In this annual rating system, five stars means excellent, four means above average, three means average, 
two means below average, and one means poor.

Medicare Advantage plans (but not Part D plans) that get at least a four-star rating get bonus payments 
from Medicare, which they can use to provide extra benefits.

You should also know that plans that get fewer than three stars for three consecutive years, can be 
terminated by Medicare, so plans are incentivized to keep their quality up. Such low-performing plans 
show up on Plan Finder with an upside-down red triangle that has an exclamation point inside.

People in these low-performing plans can switch to ones rated three stars or better during Medicare’s 
Special Enrollment Period for Disenrollment, which is between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31.

How Ratings Are Comprised

Part D and Medicare Advantage star ratings comprised up to 40 or 30 quality and performance measures, 
respectively. Ratings for both types of plans are based partly on member experience, customer 
service, and plan performance.

Part D ratings also assess prescription drug safety and pricing, while Medicare Advantage ratings also 
look at whether members are staying healthy and if ones with chronic conditions get the tests and 
treatments typically recommended to them.

Be aware that five-star plans are few and far between. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
(CMS) has revised the Medicare star rating methodology in recent years, making it extremely hard for 
a plan to earn five stars.

In 2025, just 2 percent of people with Medicare Advantage/Part D plans and 5 percent in stand-alone 
Part D plans have five stars. Four-star plans are much easier to find, as more than 70 percent of people 
with Medicare Advantage are enrolled in them.

Shopping Tips

Here are some tips to consider when evaluating Medicare Advantage and Part D star ratings during 
open enrollment:

Don’t choose or reject a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan only because of its star rating. Costs and 
access to services or health providers should be your top priority when choosing a plan. But a star rating 
could be your deciding factor when choosing between two plans with similar out-of-pocket costs 
and coverage.

Don’t panic if a plan’s 2026 star rating is slightly lower than its 2025 rating. The downgrade could be 
due to a blip in the way the ratings are computed from year to year. It’s best to look at a plan’s star-
rating history over several years.

If you’re fine with the cost and coverage of a plan but concerned about its star rating, click through the 
Medicare Plan Finder for the star ratings subcategories. You’ll be able to see how the plan scored in the 
specific quality and member satisfaction yardsticks that matter to you.

If you have questions or need help choosing a plan, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance 
Program (877-839-2675, ShipHelp.org), which offers free unbiased Medicare counseling in person or 
over the phone.

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

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