Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 20, 2015

13 Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 20, 2015 THE GOOD LIFE 
SENIOR HAPPENINGS13 Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 20, 2015 THE GOOD LIFE 
SENIOR HAPPENINGS
HOW SENIORS CAN TAME PET CARE COSTS 


Dear Savvy Senior,
What tips can you recommend to help senior petowners with their veterinary bills? I have two catsand a dog that are family to me, but their vet billshave become unaffordable. 
Fix Income Frankie 

Dear Frankie, 
The high cost of veterinar care has become aproblem for millions of pet owners today, but it canbe especially difficult for seniors living on a fixedincome. Routine medical care can cost hundreds 
of dollars, while urgent/specialized treatmentsand procedures can run into the thousands. But,
it is possible to reduce your pet care costs withoutsacrificing their health. Here are some tips that canhelp you save.

Shop around: If you’re not attached to a particularveterinarian, call some different vet clinics in yourarea and compare costs. When you call, get pricequotes on basic services like annual exams andvaccinations, as well as bigger-ticket items, liketo repair a broken leg, so you can compare. Also,
check to see if you live near a veterinary medicalschool (see aavmc.org for a listing). Many schoolsprovide low-cost care provided by students who areoverseen by their professors.

Ask your vet for help: To help make your vet billsmore manageable, see if your vet’s office acceptsmonthly payments so you don’t have to pay theentire cost up front. Also, find out if your vet offersdiscounts to senior citizens or reduces fees for 
annual checkups if you bring in multiple pets.

Search for low-cost care: Many municipal andnonprofit animal shelters offer free or low-costspaying and neutering programs and vaccinations,
and some work with local vets who are willing toprovide care at reduced prices for low-income andsenior pet owners. Call your local shelter or humanesociety to find out what’s available in your area.

Look for financial assistance: There are a number 
of state and national organizations that providefinancial assistance to pet owners in need. To locatethese programs, the U.S. Humane Society providesa listing on their website that you can access athumanesociety.org/petfinancialaid. 


KATIE Tse..........This and That 
ZZZQUIL --NOT JUST FOR SLEEP! 



Did you have a good night’ssleep? If so, be thankful! I 
would not go so far as to saythat I suffer from anything asserious as clinical insomnia, 
but there are times when I 

simply can’t sleep. This can be particularly badwhen it happens on a work night. I feel a wave 
of panic every time I look at the clock and realizeanother half hour has passed and I’m still wideawake. It’s times like those that caused me 
to develop the habit of routinely taking someprecautionary ZzzQuil before I hit the sack. (Thebottle claims it’s non-habit forming.)

 Technically, what I take is not ZzzQuil. It’s 
either the CVS or 

Buy cheaper medicine: Medicine purchased atthe vet’s office is usually much more expensive thanyou can get from a regular pharmacy or online.
Instead, get a prescription from your vet (ask forgeneric is possible) so you can shop for the bestprice.

Most pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS,
Walmart, Kmart, Rite Aid and Target fill 
prescriptions for pets inexpensively, so long as thatsame drug is also prescribed to humans. And, manypharmacies offer pet discount savings programs 
too. 

You can also save by shopping online at one ofthe Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy PracticeSites accredited by the National Association 
of Boards of Pharmacy, like 1-800-PetMeds(1800petmeds.com), Drs. Foster & Smith 
(drsfostersmith.com), KV Supply (kvsupply.com),
and PetCareRx (petcarerx.com).

Consider pet insurance: If you can afford it, petinsurance is another option worth looking into.
You can get a basic policy for under $10 per month,
and some insurers provide discounts for insuringmultiple pets. See petinsurancereview.com tocompare policies. Membership discount plans likePet Assure (petassure.com) are another way to save,
but you’ll need to use a vet in their network.

Look for other ways to save: In addition tocutting your veterinary bills, you can also save onpet food and other supplies depending on whereyou shop. Target, Walmart, Costco and the dollarstores typically offer much lower prices thansupermarkets and specialty retailers like Petco andPetSmart. You can also save on treats and toys atsites like coupaw.com and doggyloot.com.

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 Todayshow and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 

research the proper dye for knock-off brandplastic. Rit dye has a fascinating site with manyvideo tutorials on dyeing everything you’ve evereven remotely thought about dyeing. Inspired, Iordered two small bottles of different blue dyesand waited for them with excited anticipation.

 When they arrived, the instructions said thatthe dye would work on nylon and some plastics. I 
inspected one of the 50 newly “X-ed” plastic cups,
but did not see any indication of their specificplastic content. I guess the manufacturers weren’texpecting people to use them for art projects. A 
more thorough search of the Rit site indicatedthat “Rit DyeMore” would have worked betterfor dying plastic in general. “Oh well,” I thought,

“The instructions 

Rite Aid brand of 


warn that what I 

Diphenhydramine

bought could stain 

HCI, but “ZzzQuil” 

certain containers. 

rolls off the tongue

So if it can stain 

easier, so I’ll continue 

certain containers 

to refer to it as that. 

then maybe it can 

I don’t remember 

‘stain’ ZzzQuil cups, 

when I started my

too!” Undeterred, I 

relationship with 

proceeded with the

ZzzQuil, but we’ve 

dyeing as planned.

been going steady 

After a few 

for a while. As you

days, I had the first 

probably know, liquidmedicine usually comes with a little plastic cup foreasy dosage. Needless to say, I’ve accumulated awhole truckload of little plastic cups! Most peoplewould just toss these, but I’ve kept them andwondered for a long time what I would possiblyuse them for, other than shots of ZzzQuil.

 After much consideration, I had the hair-
brained idea to cut an X on the bottom of each 
cup, dye them a nice light blue, and pop them onclear Christmas lights. I can hear you thinking,
“Someone has too much time on her hands!” I 
honestly thought this would be a fast, easyway to turn these otherwise useless items intosomething aesthetic. What can I say? I have a 
flair for creativity --albeit a misguided flair. So, 
I embarked on my artistic journey with ZzzQuil.

 Cutting the X’s was fairly easy. Dyeing themwould have been, too, had I bothered to actually 

batch of ten cupsin varying shades of blue, from nearly white tolight bluish. It had taken about five dye baths toachieve this great feat, and I had 40 more cups togo! My parents, always supportive, despite mymany mishaps, suggested that I simply buy RitDyeMore and start over. “Yeah, I guess,” I said,
“But I already bought the regular dye, and I wouldhave to pay for shipping and all that.” They smiledat me sympathetically instead of pointing out,
“Yes, but that didn’t stop you from wasting timeand money on it in the first place!” Ah, the plansof mice and men, and ZzzQuil users... Here’s a 
little jingle that my mom came up with on thespot to go along with this story. Sing it to the tuneof the Christmas classic “Silver Bells.”

 “ZzzQuil cups... fill them up! It’s sleepy time 
in the city. Round and blue... just for you! Soon it 
will be snoozing time!” 

HELPFUL HINT: White vinegar is an inexpensive way to keep your dishes sparkling, 
just pour white vinegar in the compartment of your dishwasher instead of a liquid rinse product. 
........................................................................................ 

FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

Paul, late for an important meeting, was searching desperately for a parking spot in a parking lot. 
Looking up to the heaven’s he entreated “God if you find me a parking spot, I promise to start going 
to church again.” The words were barely out of his mouth, when a spot opened up right in front of 
his car.Paul looked back up, “never mind I found one.” 

~ ~ ~ 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … June Birthdays* 

Joanne Thrane, Nellie Haynes, Dorothy McKay, George Enyedi, Theresa Daley, Ann 

Dugerian, Donna Doss, Marilyn McKernan, Pat Fujiwara, John Shier, Beth Smith-Kellock, 

Mary Carney, Ann Disbrow, Joan Ellison, Irene Kudirka, Anne Montgomery, Trini Ornelas, 

Martha Spriggs, Pat Starkey, Kathleen Coyne, Suzanne Decker, Halcyon Koerber, Jacque Persing, 

Jeanne Peterson and Grace Sanders. 

 *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: Seize the moment. Remember all the women on the Titanic who 
waved off the dessert cart. - Erma Bombeck 


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



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 


HAWAIIAN AND POLYNESIAN DANCE CLASS: Every Tuesday morning from 10am to 11am. 
Join instructor Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula. 
BINGO: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to 
join. May be canceled if less than 5 people. 


FREE BLOOD PRESSURE TESTING: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11am to 12pm. No appt. 


is necessary. 
CASE MANAGEMENT: Meets the 2nd Thursday of the month. Case Management services are 
provided by the YWCA and provide assistance in a variety of areas. Appointments are required and 
can be scheduled by calling the HPH Office at 626-355-7394. 


BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS: Every second Thursday of the month the Hart Park House Senior 
Center celebrates birthdays of our patrons. The free birthday cake is provided by the Sierra Madre 
Civic Club. 


GAME DAY: Every Thursday starting at 12:45pm. A regular group of seniors play poker. Other 


games available for use. 
TAX ASSISTANCE: Every Thursday February 5th through April 9th from 1:00pm-2:00pm. Don 
Brunner is available for income tax consultation. Appointments are required, call 626-355-7394. 


FREE STRENGTH TRAINING CLASS: Every Friday from 12:45pm to 1:30pm with Lisa 
Brandley. The class utilizes light weights for low impact resistance training. All materials for the 
class are provided. 
SENIOR CLUB: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown bag lunch at 11:30am. 


Club meeting at noon. Bingo 12:30-3:30pm. Annual Membership is only $10.00. 


UPCOMING EXCURSIONS: 

THE ALPACA HACIENDA (TEMECULA) 

Date: June 30, 2015 
Time: 9:00am to 4:30pm 
Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center Cost: $12.00 (Does not include lunch) 
Description: Learn about the history of the alpaca, why we raise them and how we care forthem. You’ll learn some of their quirky traits and other interesting facts. You may hand feedthe alpacas if you like; this is a great opportunity for photographs! This tour includes a mini-
seminar on how we work with the fiber, from washing and carding, to spinning and felting, andwill give you a brief history of spinning fibers into yarn. Spend some time in our boutique whereyou can find beautiful, handmade items by local fiber artists made from alpaca fiber, as wellas luxurious scarves, hats, sweater and gloves. Lunch will be on your own at Old Town Temecula.
Participants should bring money for lunch and souvenirs. Last day to register is Wednesday, June24th. Level of Walking: Medium 

Excursion Refund Policy

Notification of the cancellation must be made at least 3 business days before the excursion. A refundwill only be issued 1) for a medical excuse or 2) if the Department is able to fill the patrons spotfrom a waiting list. This refund will be issued in the form of a credit which will be applied to thepatron’s account with the City, less a $10 cancellation fee. The credit will remain on your account forone year from the date issued and the credit may be used for any program or service offered by theCommunity Services Dept. 

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE!
Call Patricia626-818-2698 TODAY!
TRANSPORTATION CHANGES BEGINNING JUNE 1,2015 

Beginning June 1, 2015 Dial-A-Ride services in Sierra Madre will operate Monday through 
Friday from 8:00am – 10:30am and 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Dial-A-Ride services are available to 
Sierra Madre residents that are 62 years of age or older, or have a signed form by a physician 
attesting to a disability that hinders mobility. The cost of a one-way fare is $2.00. Dial-A-Ride 
users must submit an application prior to using the service for the first time.

Beginning June 1, 2015 the Gateway Coach fixed-route services operates Monday through 
Friday from 11:00am – 2:00pm. The Gateway Coach is free for anyone to use. The Gateway 
Coach stops at various points throughout the City including City parks, the library, City 
Hall, Senior Center, and schools. In addition the Gateway Coach stops in Hastings Ranch.
To download a copy of the new Sierra Madre Public Transportation Brochure, please visit 
the City’s website at www.cityofsierramadre.com/transportation. For additional informationcontact the Community Services Department at 626-355-7135.