Mountain Views News Saturday, April 18, 2026 
88 
Mountain Views News Saturday, April 18, 2026 
88 
Elder abuse is a growing and often hidden 
issue affecting millions of older adults 
across the country—including here in our 
own communities. As families and professionals 
who care deeply about seniors, it’s 
important to recognize the signs, understand 
the risks, and take action when something 
doesn’t feel right. 

Elder abuse can take many forms. It may be 
physical, emotional, financial, or even neglect. 
While physical abuse may leave visible 
marks, emotional and financial abuse are often 
much harder to detect. Sudden changes 
in mood, withdrawal from social activities, 
unexplained financial transactions, or a decline 
in personal hygiene can all be warning signs that something is wrong. 


Unfortunately, many cases go unreported. Seniors may feel embarrassed, fearful of retaliation, or 
dependent on the very person causing harm. In other cases, cognitive conditions such as dementia 
make it difficult for them to communicate what they are experiencing. This is why awareness and 
vigilance from family members, neighbors, and professionals are so critical. 

Caregivers—whether family or hired help—often face stress, burnout, and lack of support, which 
can sometimes contribute to neglectful situations. While this does not excuse abuse, it highlights the 
need for better resources, education, and respite care options to support those providing care. 

If you suspect elder abuse, do not ignore it. Speak up. Contact local Adult Protective Services or law 
enforcement if necessary. A simple check-in or conversation can make a significant difference in 
someone’s life. 

Our seniors deserve dignity, respect, and safety. By staying informed and involved, we can help ensure 
that every older adult in our community is protected and valued. 

UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL SECURITY BREAKEVEN AGE 

Dear Savvy Senior,

I’m trying to figure out the best time for my 

wife and I to start taking our Social Security 

retirement benefits and would like to under


stand the breakeven age. What can you tell 

me? 

--Strategizing Sam 


Dear Sam,
As you approach retirement, one of the most important financial decisions you’ll face is when to 
begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits. A useful concept to guide your thinking is the 
“breakeven age,” which helps you evaluate the trade-off between taking a reduced benefit early versus 
a higher one later. Here’s what you should know. 

SSA Waiting Game 

The Social Security Administration allows you to start collecting your retirement benefits as early as 
age 62. However, your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced – about .5 percent each month 

– if you claim before your full retirement age (FRA), which is 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Conversely, 
for every year you delay claiming beyond your FRA – up to age 70 – your benefit amountincreases 8 percent each year. Your benefit maxes out at age 70, so there’s no financial incentive towait longer. 
Breakeven Age 

The breakeven age is the point when the total benefits from waiting to claim equal the total you would 
have received by starting earlier. Live longer than that age and delaying pays off. Live shorter and 
claiming early pays more. It’s a simple benchmark for retirement planning. 

The exact breakeven age varies based on individual circumstances, but a common comparison is 
between claiming at age 62 versus waiting until FRA. For most people, the breakeven age for this 
scenario is around 78. Another common comparison is claiming at FRA versus waiting to age 70. The 
average breakeven age here is around 82. 

Other Considerations 

Keep in mind that while the breakeven age is a powerful tool, it is just one piece of the puzzle. It 
doesn’t account for other crucial factors like your health and family longevity. If you have chronic 
health problems or a family history of shorter lifespans, taking a reduced benefit early might be the 
most prudent choice to ensure you receive a significant number of payments. 

On the other hand, if you’re in good health and expect to live a long life, delaying your benefits to age 
70 can provide a much higher income stream that acts as a form of longevity insurance. To estimate 
your life expectancy, try the online tool livingto100.com. 

Furthermore, a married couple’s claiming strategy can be complex. The higher-earning spouse’s decision 
can significantly impact the survivor benefits for the lower-earning spouse. Waiting for the 
higher earner to claim at age 70 can provide a larger benefit for the surviving spouse for the rest of 
their life. 

In the end, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The breakeven age provides a useful framework for 
comparison, but the decision of when to claim your benefits should also consider your health, financial 
situation and family. 

Online Calculators 

There are several online calculators that can help you and your wife figure out the best time to claim 
your benefits. One that’s completely free to use opensocialsecurity.com. Or for a more thorough analysis 
use maximizemysocialsecurity.com. This tool, which costs $49 for a year, will run what-if scenarios 
based on your circumstances to find your best strategy for getting the highest possible lifetime 
payout. 

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


SENIOR HAPPENINGS 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …APRIL BIRTHDAYS* 


Howard Rubin, Anita Hardy, Hattie Harris, Marilyn Diaz, Virginia Elliott,
Elma Flores, Betty Jo Gregg, Barbara Lampman, Betty Mackie, Elizabeth 
Rassmusen, Maria Reyes, Marian DeMars, Anne Schryver, Chrisine 
Bachwansky, Colleen McKernan, Sandy Swanson, Hank Landsberg,
Shannon Vandevelde, Barbara Rounkle, Wendy Senour 

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required 
Enjoy classic and family-friendly films at our Senior Cinema series, held 
at the Hart Park House. Join us for a relaxed and social movie experience 
with a variety of titles throughout April. 

Upcoming Showings: 

• April 1 -McFarland, USA 
• April 8 -Ray
• April 15 -Evan Almighty
• April 15 -The Story of Us 
• April 29 -You've Got Mail 
For more information, please visit sierramadreca.gov or call 
626-355-5278. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

BACK IN THE SADDLE - FINALLY! 

After about three months of wrestling with a variety of bug thingamajigs, 
I ended up with a case of acute bronchitis. Believe me; it 
was not really cute at all. 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I, during that time, 

competed in a coughing and sneezing contest. Unfortunately, she 
won the contest. Now, as a result of her winning, whenever she says anything to me 
next year, I have to respond, “Yes, dear.” 

Oh well, now that it is over, it will be well worth it. I have learned, over 50 years of 
marital bliss, that saying “Yes, dear” makes my life that much more blissful. 

With all that in the past, I now start a new chapter in my life. I am now back in the 
saddle again and picking up where I left off a couple of months ago. 

I have suffered many physical problems throughout the years, but I have noticed 
now that I am older, it takes me longer to get back in the saddle. I could choose to 
moan and groan in bed, but what in the world would that accomplish? 

The importance of getting “back in the saddle” reminds us that having the right 
support-like a good horse-is key to moving forward, especially for those facing 
setbacks. 

When I was young, I would visit my grandfather at his farm in the mountains of 
central Pennsylvania and sometimes spend the summer up there. He had a large 
horse he used on his farm to plow the fields and other work. 

My cousin and I would ride that horse, but grandpa did not have any saddles for 
us to use. We had to climb up on the bareback of that horse, and believe me, it was 
a huge horse. But we enjoyed riding it as much as we could. Of course, our grandmother 
was the one who led the horse as we rode it. Why she did that, I will never 
know. 

But it was the horse that led the way. I can get any saddle I want, but if I do not put 
it on a horse, what good is it really? 

Now that I’m back in the saddle, I need to understand the power of that saddle, 
which is the horse. Which is going to empower me to get back to my normal life?
Of course, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage always questions me about that. 
“What is normal for you?” She would always ask me. I never had a really good 
answer for that. 

What is normal to one person is a fit of craziness to someone else. It does not matter 
to me about my normal; if it is crazy, I am going to accept that and incorporate 
it into my life. What is wrong with being crazy? After all, I have been crazy all mylife, so why should I change now? Now that I’m back in the saddle, I can get into 
my office and begin working on projects I haven’t been able to work on for the last 
several months. It is a good feeling to be back in my office again. 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage thinks my office is a mess. She has been 
tempting me to get into my office, straighten everything out and organize it to her 
satisfaction. The last time she suggested that I replied by saying, “Okay, you organize 
my office and I will organize your craft room. How does that sound?”
I haven’t heard from her since about that. 

As I look around my office, I cannot see any mess at all. My office is so organized 
that I know exactly where to find whatever I need at any given time. I have learned 
through life that if I can’t find something, it means that I really don’t need it. That 
has been the saddle on my horse for many years. 

Getting back on the saddle is a very challenging proposition. First, I have to know 
where to start. After about three months of not doing much of what I need to do, I 
need to find out where to start. To find out where to start, I have to sit in my office 
with a nice hot cup of coffee, look around, and take in all the books I have, the computers, 
the printer and my desk. To The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, this 
looks like a mess. But, to her adoring husband, all of this inspires me to get back on 
the saddle and go charging forward. It is going to take me a week or so to readjust 
my priorities. What is really the top priority as I get started? 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage always has her priorities in focus. She is the 
kind of person who can multitask. I have never been able to multitask in my life.
That is why it takes me a little bit longer to get my priorities lined up. Now that I’m 
back in the saddle, I can go forward and get everything in line to become productive 
again.
I could not help but think of a Bible verse on this subject. “Therefore if any man 
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are 
become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
As a Christian, my focus is not on my past, but forward on Christ. 

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. 

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