Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 21, 2013

11

THE GOOD LIFE

 Mountain Views News Saturday, December 21, 2013 


SENIOR HAPPENINGS

SIMPLE CHANGES FOR 
MAKING A HOME 
SENIOR-FRIENDLY

Dear Savvy Senior:

What tips or products can you recommend to help 
make a home safer and more convenient for aging 
in place? My husband and I are in our 70’s and don’t have the money for any big renovations, but we 
want to do what we can to stay in our house as long as possible. Homebodies 

Dear Homebodies:

There are lots of small adjustments and simple modifications you can do to make your home safer and 
livable as you age that are very inexpensive or completely free. Here are several to consider.

Fall-Proofing

Since falls are the leading cause of home injury among seniors, a good place to start is by picking 
up any possible clutter that can cause you to trip like newspapers, books, shoes, clothes, electrical or 
phone cords. If you have throw rugs, remove them or use double-sided tape to secure them. And if 
you have stairs, consider putting handrails on both sides. 

Good lighting is also very important, so add lamps or light fixtures where needed, and install brighter 
full-spectrum bulbs in existing fixtures to improve visibility. Also purchase some inexpensive plug-in 
nightlights for the bedroom, bathroom and hallways, and consider installing motion sensor lights 
outside the front and back doors and in the driveway.

In the bathroom get some non-skid bath rugs for the floors, put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick 
strips on the floor of the tub/shower, and have a carpenter install grab bars inside the tub/shower. 

And in the kitchen, organize your cabinets so the things you use most often are within easy reach 
without using a step stool. 

Simple Modifications

Growing old can also bring about various physical limitations which can make your home more 
difficult to use. Some simple solutions, for example, that can help weak or arthritic hands is to replace 
round doorknobs with lever handles, or get some inexpensive doorknob lever adapters. The 
same goes for twist knob kitchen or bathroom faucets. You can easily replace them with lever faucet 
handles that you can purchase for a few dollars in most hardware stores, or get a single lever handle 
faucet installed. 

In the kitchen, you can make your cabinets and pantry easier to access by installing pullout shelves or 
lazy susans. And D-shaped pull-handles for the cabinets and drawers are also recommended because 
they’re more comfortable to grasp than knobs.

In the bathroom consider getting a hand-held adjustable showerhead installed, and purchasing a 
shower or bathtub seat, so you can shower from a safe seated position if need be. And for easier toilet 
access, purchase a toilet seat riser for a few dollars. This can make sitting down and standing up a little 
easier, especially if you’re 6 foot or taller. 

And, if you get to the point where you need to use a walker or wheelchair, you can adapt your house 
by installing ramps on entrance steps, and mini-ramps to go over high entrance thresholds. And, you 
can widen the doorways an additional two inches by installing “swing clear” offset door hinges.

More Tips

For many more tips, visit The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence website at homemods.org, and see 
“The AARP Home Fit Guide” (publication D18959) which offers dozens of modification suggestions 
to make your home safe and livable as you age. You can access it at online at homefitguide.org, or if 
you’re an AARP member, call 888-687-2277 and ask them to mail you a free copy. 

Or, if you want personalized help, get an in-home assessment with an occupational therapist, or OT, 
who can evaluate your home, make modification recommendations and refer you to products and 
services to help you make improvements. Medicare will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed 
by a doctor. Ask your physician for a referral. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

 By Pat Birdsall

FYI: ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS......

 

Unless you know a specific item that the senior on your Christmas list wants, please don’t get them 
another scarf or another necktie. They will just go into the drawer along with the other scarves and 
neckties they have gotten in the past. Get them something they can really use; your time. Put IOU’s 
in the form of Christmas themed tags or cards. Some ideas: Run errands, give rides, help make phone 
calls, write letters for them, read to them, and help with cleaning, changing bed linens or cooking. 
The list goes on if you give it time, which after all, is all they want in the first place. Merry Christmas!

HELPFUL HINT: Repurpose Paper Towel Rolls- Part II

Make party favors: Just fill with candy and wrap in suitable paper for the occasion tying both ends.

As much as I hate the idea of plastic bags, the inevitable occasionally occurs: Use an empty paper 
towel rolls to store the excess bags. The Pollyanna in me says to eventually work your way down to a 
toilet paper sized roll. I can dream, can’t ?

......................................................................................

FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE - One evening in a busy lounge in the Deep South, a 
reindeer walked in the door, bellied up to the bar and ordered a martini. Without batting an eye, the 
bartender mixed and poured the drink, set it in front of the reindeer and accepted a $20.00 bill from 
the reindeer’s hoof. As he handed the reindeer some coins in change he said, “You know, I think you’re 
the first reindeer I’ve ever seen in here.” The reindeer looked hard at the hoof full of change and said, 
“Hmmmpf, let me tell you something buddy, at these prices, I’m the last reindeer you’ll see in here.”

~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … December Birthdays

Pat Karamitros, Joan Hufnagel, Marie Pedersen, Mary Alice Cervera, Carol Horejsi, 
Shirley Anhalt , Mignon Grijalva, Helen Reese, Levon Yapoujian, Toni Buckner, Bonnie 
Garner, Lottie Bugl, Pat McGuire, Sheila Wohler, Nan Murphy, Eleanor Hensel, Sylvia Curl, 
Elizabeth Levie, Gayle Licher and Cindy Barran.

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

..................................................................

Quote of the Week: From a commercial point of view, if Christmas didn’t exist it would be 
necessary to invent it ~ Katherine Whitehorn

 ..................................................................

ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart Park House 
(Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 

 YMCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale Senior Café: Monday-Friday at 12:00 Noon 

(Participants are urged to arrive no later than 11:45 A.M.) 

All seniors 60 and up can take part in the lunch program. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 for 
those 60 and over and $3.75 for non-senior guests. Daily

 reservations are necessary as space is limited. Please call 24 hours in advance...626.355.0256

Free Balance Class: Every 3rd Monday for 11:00 am to 11:45 am with Shannon Vandevelde. A 
variety of balance exercises are practiced; all ability levels are encouraged and welcomed. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: Held Second Tuesday of the month from 11:00 am-12:00 pm: No 
appointment necessary.

 

Bingo: Every Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm Cards are only .25c each! 

Free Chair Yoga: New Hours: 11:00 to 11:45 Every Wednesday morning. Join Paul Hagen for this 
free class that focuses on senior yoga techniques. No reservation is necessary!

Free Legal Consultation: Pasadena attorney Lem Makupson volunteers on the 2nd Wednesday of 
the month. He focuses on estate planning, trusts, wills, probate, conservatorships and business law. 
*Appointments are a must! Please call: 626.355.7394 to make yours* Conflicting court schedules 
can occasionally cause cancellations.

Birthday Celebrations: The 2nd Thursday of the month the Senior Center celebrates the birthdays of 
our patrons at 12:30 pm. Please join us for free cake and ice cream and “celebration.” (The cakes are 
provided due to a generous donation from the Sierra Madre Civic Club.)

Game Day: Every Thursday at 1:00pm. Poker is usually the game of choice, or should I say chance? 
Board games and other card games are also available. Outside, on the patio, a beautiful, one-of-a-
kind chess table is anxious for players.

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 1:00 pm -1:45 pm Conducted by long-time 
volunteer, Lisa Brandley. The class utilizes light weights for low-impact resistance training. Weights 
are provided by the Sierra Madre Senior Center. It’s a great way to stay in shape and to

 socialize with your peers. 

Senior Citizens Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House (Senior Center). Brown bag lunch at 
11:30am; Club meeting at Noon; Bingo 12:30- 3:30 pm. Only .25c per card.

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:

Los Angeles Times & Printing Plant (Los Angeles, CA.)

Date: Friday, January 10, 2014

Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Meeting Location: Hart Park House/Senior Center

Cost: $15.00 (does not include lunch)

With a daily circulation of more than one million readers, the Los Angeles Times is by far the most 
popular newspaper in the Southland. The publication’s headquarters, built in 1935, is situated on 
the outskirts of Downtown. The one-hour tour is an educational trip through the entire publication 
process as well as a history of this storied American newspaper. Following the Headquarters tour, 
the bus will take a short drive to the printing plant. During this 45-minute tour watch robots assist 
in the preparation of final copies of the paper for distribution. After the tours lunch will be enjoyed 
at a downtown restaurant. It is recommended that you bring $10 to $15 for lunch. Last day to 
register is Friday, January 3rd. Level of walking: Moderate

Save the Dates: Thursday, February 27, 2014

Feline Conservation Center (Rosamond, Ca.)Time: 9:00am to 4:00 pm

Cost: $15.00 (does not include lunch)

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Whale Watching (Long Beach, Ca.) Time: 10:00am to 3:30 pm

Cost: $31.00 (does not include lunch)

*Registering for Excursions can be done in person at the Hart Park House Senior Center and the 
Community Recreation Center or online at www.cityofsierramadre.com Cash, checks, and credit 
cards are accepted. Make checks payable “City of Sierra Madre”. Payment must be made at the time 
of reservation.


KATIE Tse.....................This and That

“ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY 
FINGERNAILS!”

 There’s less than a week before Christmas. 
And if you have kids on your gift list, good luck! 
Hopefully you made it through Black Friday, Small Business 
Monday, and Thirsty Thursday (wait, no --that’s for happy hour), 
without any black eyes or police bookings. Kids these days expect 
the latest technological products with all their bells, whistles, and 
hi-def resolution. (One of our tech managers jokingly informed 
us of the “I-Potty,” a toilet seat with an IPad installed in front. The 
current item is supposedly intended to lure toddlers into toilet 
training, but you know it’s just a matter of time before they come 
out with the adult version, complete with cup holders.)

 Ahhh... Remember the good old days when life was simpler, 
and kids just wanted their two front teeth? While I’m not lusting after a new pair of upper incisors, 
I do wish I had fingernails, if only for a day. I don’t want “glamour nails” with rhinestones. Nor do 
I want nails that are long enough to fit an intricate reproduction of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. 
Just normal, run-of-the-mill, healthy-looking nails would be fine for me.

 Since my early childhood, the ends of my nails have never extended beyond my fingertips. Of 
course this is entirely my fault, and I take full responsibility. You’ve heard of people who grind their 
teeth, pull out their hair, or engage in other compulsive behaviors. Well, I rip up my nails. I’m not 
proud of it, but it could be worse.

 The only time I made a conscious effort to grow out my nails was for my wedding. And then, the 
only reason was because I knew our photographer would take pictures of our hands wearing our 
rings. I was able to leave my nails alone for two weeks. Then there was a stressful meeting at work 
close to the wedding date. I could feel my fingers drawing together into rip position beneath the table.

 “Don’t do it! You’ve worked so hard!” I told myself. And I did resist the urge to tear my newly 
grown nails --for about five minutes. Unable to stand it any longer, I yielded to the impulse and 
feverishly tore the tops off all 10 fingernails. Weeks of patience and restraint were undone in a matter 
of minutes. But oddly, I felt better.

 At the wedding, our photographer did arrange our hands for a couple close-ups of our ringed 
fingers. I tried to curl my fingertips inward to avoid exposure of my miniscule nails. (As a wife, it’s 
embarrassing if your husband has nicer nails than you do.) Somehow those photos never made it 
into our album...

 I used to think nail-biting (or nail decimation of any sort) was a sign of some deep-seated personality 
imbalance. Children might bite their nails, but adults are supposed to be above such things. Those 
were my thoughts until I met a very smart, very “put-together” intern at our company. We’ll call her 
Lois.

 Lois was in the midst of grad school, a scary shadow-land pitted with academic quick sand ready 
to swallow students whole. At least that’s my memory of it.) Nevertheless, Lois was composed, 
confident, and cool as a cucumber. She also came to work every day with flawless makeup and not a 
single coiffed strand of hair out of place. Sigh... I supposed that’s how the other confident half lived 
--until I saw her fingernails. 

 Looking past her perfect hair and makeup, Lois’s fingernails (or lack thereof) betrayed the secret 
anxiety of all nail-biters. I never brought up nail biting as a commonality between Lois and myself. 
But at least I knew that I wasn’t alone in the world; there were other normal, functioning people with 
naked fingertips. “They walk among us!”