Mountain View News Saturday, July 11, 2026 
99THE GOOD LIFETHE GOOD LIFE Mountain View News Saturday, July 11, 2026 
99THE GOOD LIFETHE GOOD LIFE 
StayingConnected: WhySocial Wellness 
Matters for Seniors 

As we age, it's easy to focus on physical health—
doctor visits, medications, and exercise—but 
one of the most important parts of healthyaging is often overlooked: staying sociallyconnected. 

Research has consistently shown that seniorswho maintain strong social relationships tend 
to live longer, experience less depression, and 


even have a lower risk of cognitive decline. Whether it's aweekly lunch with friends, attending church, joining a seniorcenter, or simply making a phone call to a family member,
those connections make a real difference. 

Summer is the perfect time to reconnect. Community events,
outdoor concerts, farmer's markets, and family gatheringsoffer wonderful opportunities to get out of the house andenjoy the company of others. Even if mobility is limited, 
technology can help bridge the gap through video calls, socialmedia, or virtual activities. 

For family members, remember that your time is one of thegreatest gifts you can give. A short visit, helping with errands,
or inviting an older loved one to dinner can brighten their entire week. 

If you're a senior living alone, consider trying something new. Many local libraries, community centers, and faith-
based organizations offer free activities designed specifically for older adults. Volunteering is another excellent way tomeet people while giving back to your community. 

Social wellness isn't about having dozens of friends—it's about having meaningful connections that provide support,
laughter, and a sense of belonging. 

At Safe Path for Seniors, we see every day how important those relationships are. Finding the right living environmentisn't just about safety and care; it's also about finding a place where seniors can build friendships, participate inactivities, and continue enjoying life. 

This week, challenge yourself to make one connection. Call an old friend, visit a neighbor, or attend a local event. Oneconversation could make all the difference—not just for someone else, but for you as well. 

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

IS CRAZY CONTAGIOUS? 


Getting into trouble seems to 
be an ongoing habit of mine. It 
doesn't matter what the trouble 
is at the time; it somehow 
associates itself with me. 

Whenever I think I'm perfect and everything is 
going fine, I’m set up for something to go horribly 
wrong. Believe me, it happens to me all the time. If 
I could accept the fact that I'm not perfect, maybe 
my life would be just a little bit better. I’m working 
on that. 

Every once in a while, The Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage will say to me, "Are you crazy?" 

The fact that she asks that question indicates that 
she doesn't really know the answer. Of course, I 
always answer in the negative. When I do, she looks 
at me, shakes her head, and walks away. 

After all these years (we will celebrate our 55th 
wedding anniversary this year) she doesn't reallyknow if I'm crazy or not. I'll give her another 55 
years to figure that one out. 

The other day, I began thinking about this idea of 
being crazy. I'm not quite sure I understand what 
"crazy" means, and I'm not going to look it up in the 
dictionary because you can't believe everything you 
read in that dictionary. At least I can't. 

I began thinking of my relatives all the way back to 
my great-grandmother. We used to have yearly gettogethers, 
but that seems to have passed. I began 
thinking about those relatives of mine and realized 
that some of them actually were crazy. 

I got up from my chair, went over to my library and 
pulled out my family photo album. I sat down and 
began to look through my album. I haven't done this 
in quite a few years, so I had forgotten a lot about 
my relatives. I looked at them and began to think 
about them and what I remembered about them. 

The more I looked through my photo album, the 
more I saw that some of my relatives were actually 
crazy. There is no way I would have to ask them,
"Are you crazy?" I knew they were crazy and 
remembered some of the evidence that proved it. 

As I was looking at these photos, I was chuckling 
and sometimes even laughing aloud, and then The 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage walked by. She 
looked at me and said, "What are you laughing 
about?" 

I looked up and said, "Remember the other day 
when you asked if I was crazy?" 

She nodded her head and said, "Yes, I remember 
that and I'm still asking that question today." 

Looking at her, I laughed some more. I said to 
her, "After looking at the photo album of myfamily I have come to the conclusion that crazy is 
contagious." 

Then I showed her a couple of photos of one of my 
cousins and said, "This cousin is the model of what 

crazy is all about." Then I told her the story of that 
cousin and all of the crazy things he did back in "the 
day." 

As I was explaining to her, she finally said, "Well, 
that sure does explain a lot of things." 

I went on to show her other pictures of my relatives 
and told their stories and how crazy they really 
were, from my point of view. Although she did not 
know all of my relatives, she began to understand 
why I was so crazy. 

"So," The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said,
"when will this contagious craziness stop? With 
you?" 

Thinking about that was a very serious consideration 
for me. Am I going to be the last of the craziness in 
my family, or will I pass it on to my children and 
grandchildren? 

I looked at her and said, "Well, my dear, you married 
crazy I didn't." 

"I know I did,” she replied, “but at the time I didn't 
think it was so contagious." 

Both of us laughed, realizing that craziness is quite 
contagious and runs in my family. It is impossible 
for one relative in a family to be crazy and not pass 
it on. 

For a moment, I thought about asking about her 
family and whether there were any crazy people in 
it. However, I did not want to jinx my day. From my 
casual observation, a few of her relatives, includingher siblings, showed signs of being crazy. I sure did 
not want to walk down that path of thorns. 

I guess being crazy is inherited and in some cases,
craziness is contagious among the people around. 

My primary agenda in life is to use mycraziness to my benefit. I'm not just going to be 
crazy and let it go. Rather, I'm going to use it to 
profit in any way I can. I can't profit from myintelligence, which isn’t there, but I can profit 
from my craziness, which is there. 

I'm not sure what that means, but I'll spend 
some time figuring it out and not waste any 
time. 

I thought of some scripture along this line. “See 
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools,
but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the 
days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). 

This doesn’t come automatically, I need to 
discipline myself along this line The world 
is not on my side, it only contributes to mycraziness. I’m going to trust God each day to 
walk in God’s wisdom in such a way that He is 
pleased. 

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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, DorothyMontgomery, 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 


MEDICAL BILLS 
CAN OVERWHELM 
ANYONE, EVEN 
PEOPLE WHO 
ONCE HAD HEALTH 
INSURANCE. LEARN 


HOW TO REDUCE 
WHAT YOU OWE, FIND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND 
NEGOTIATE AFFORDABLE PAYMENT OPTIONS. 

Dear Savvy Senior,
I’m 63 and recently had a hospital stay that left me with bills I can’t afford to pay. I had 
Affordable Care Act health insurance, but after my premiums went up in January, I had to 
drop my coverage. Now I’m overwhelmed by medical bills. What can I do?
–Struggling Patient 

Dear Struggling,
You’re definitely not alone. Medical debt is very common. About 1 in 12 Americans are 
dealing with it, and many had insurance when the bills started piling up. The good news 
is there are ways to reduce what you owe and make it more manageable. Here are some 
steps that can help. 

Check your billsMedical billing errors are more common than you might think, so start by taking a 
close look at every bill and explanation of benefits you receive. Watch for duplicate 
charges, services you did not receive or prices that seem off. 

If something does not look right, call your provider’s billing office and ask for an 
itemized bill. Do not be shy about asking questions. Even small mistakes can add up. 

Ask about helpMost hospitals, especially nonprofit ones, are required to offer financial assistance 
programs, often called charity care. Depending on your income, you may qualify to 
have part or even all of your bill forgiven. 

Call the hospital billing office and ask specifically about financial assistance. You can 
also visit DollarFor.org, a nonprofit that helps patients apply for charity care programs 
at no cost. 

Negotiate costsIf you do not qualify for assistance, you still have options. Many hospitals and doctors 
are willing to work with patients, especially if you reach out early. 

Ask if they can lower the bill or offer a discount if you can pay something upfront. You 
can also request a no interest payment plan to spread the cost out over time. If this feels 
overwhelming, a medical billing advocate can help. The Alliance of Professional Health 
Advocates can connect you with professionals who review bills and negotiate on your 
behalf. 

Find programsSince you recently lost coverage, it is also worth checking whether you qualify for 
Medicaid, especially if your income has dropped. You can apply through Healthcare.
gov or your state Medicaid office. 

Another helpful tool is BenefitsCheckUp.org, from the National Council on Aging, 
which can point you to programs that help lower health care and prescription costs. 

Get supportYou do not have to handle this on your own. There are several trusted organizations 
that offer free or low-cost help. The Patient Advocate Foundation provides case 
management services and can help you find financial assistance. The National 
Foundation for Credit Counseling offers nonprofit credit counseling and guidance on 
managing debt. You can also visit NeedyMeds.org to locate programs that can helplower the cost of prescriptions and other medical expenses. 

The most important thing is to act sooner rather than later. Ignoring medical bills can 
lead to collections and added stress, but many providers are willing to work with you 
if you reach out. 

Start by reviewing your bills, then explore assistance programs and payment options. 
With some persistence, you can often lower what you owe and set up a plan that fits 
your budget. Medical debt is common, even among people who had insurance, but it 
is often negotiable, and there are real resources available to help you through it. 


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