Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, October 8, 2016

THE GOOD LIFE

9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 8, 2016 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

FLU VACCINES DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR SENIORS


Dear Savvy Senior,

Are there any specific flu shots that are better suited 
for seniors? I just turned 65 and would like to find 
out what’s recommended and how Medicare covers 
it.

Semi-Healthy Senior

 

Dear Semi-Healthy,

There are actually two different flu vaccines 
available this year that are designed specifically for 
seniors age 65 and older. One option is the Fluzone 
High-Dose, which has been available since 2010, 
and the other is the new FDA approved FLUAD 
vaccine (you only need to get one of these).

 The Fluzone High-Dose (see Fluzone.com) is 
a high-potency vaccine that contains four times 
the amount of antigen as a regular flu shot does, 
which creates a stronger immune response for 
better protection. While the new FLUAD vaccine 
(FLUAD.com) contains an added ingredient called 
adjuvant MF59 that also helps create a stronger 
immune response. 

 The extra protection these vaccines provide 
is particularly helpful to seniors who have 
weaker immune defenses and have a great risk of 
developing dangerous flu complications. The CDC 
estimates that the flu puts more than 200,000 
people in the hospital each year and kills an 
average of 24,000 – 80 to 90 percent of whom are 
seniors.

 But be aware that both the Fluzone High-Dose 
and FLUAD are not recommended for seniors who 
are allergic to chicken eggs, or those who have had 
a severe reaction to a flu vaccine in the past.

 You should also know that the Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not 
recommend one vaccination over the other, and 
to date, there have been no studies comparing the 
two vaccines.

 If you decide you don’t want to get a senior-
specific flu shot, there are other options available 
to people 65 years and older including the standard 
(trivalent) flu shot, the quadrivalent flu shot which 
protects against four different flu viruses, and the 
FluBlok vaccine for those who have egg allergies.

 To locate a vaccination site that offers any of 
these flu shots, visit Vaccines.gov and type in your 
ZIP code. You’ll also be happy to know that as a 
Medicare beneficiary, Part B will cover 100 percent 
of the costs of any flu shot, as long as your doctor, 
health clinic or pharmacy agrees not to charge you 
more than Medicare pays. 

 

Pneumonia Vaccines

Two other important vaccinations the CDC 
recommends to seniors, especially this time of year, 
are the pneumococcal vaccines for pneumonia. 
Around 1 million Americans are hospitalized with 
pneumonia each year, and about 50,000 people die 
from it.

 The CDC is now recommending that all seniors, 
65 or older, get two vaccinations –Prevnar 13 
and Pneumovax 23. Both vaccines, which are 
administered just once at different times, work in 
different ways to provide maximum protection.

 If you haven’t yet received any pneumococcal 
vaccine you should get the Prevnar 13 first, 
followed by Pneumovax 23 six to 12 months 
later. But if you’ve already been vaccinated with 
Pneumovax 23, wait at least one year before getting 
the Prevnar 13. 

 Medicare Part B covers both shots, if they are 
taken at least 11 months apart.

 

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.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….October Birthdays

Janda Ferris, Darlene Traxler, Margit Johnson, Sole Krieg, George Maurer, Dick 
Anderson, Barbara Cline, Eva Poet, Mary Jane Baker, Dixie Coutant, Cathleen 
Cremins, Alma Mays, Adie Marshall, Darlene Crook, Susan Gallagher, Maggie Ellis, 
Gloria Giersbach, Elva Johnson, Ellen O’Leary, Jenny Piangenti, Gail Ann Skiles, 
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 but you must be over 60.

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

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

 

 

 YWCA San Gabriel Valley - Intervale Senior Cafe 

Seniors 60 years of age and up can participate in the YWCA Intervale daily lunch program held at the 
Hart Park House Senior Center. Meals are served Monday through Friday at 12:00 pm and participants 
are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 am. Meals are a suggested donation of $3.00 for seniors 60 and over 
or $5.00 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary, space is limited. Please reserve your 
lunch by calling 626-355-0256.

Tech Talk: Will resume in the fall. 

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10:00 - 11:00am. Join instructor 
Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula. 

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00 pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to join. 
May be cancelled if less than 5 people. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11:00am - 12:00 pm. No appt. necessary. 

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 - 11:45am. A suggested donation of $5 at one of the 
classes is requested, but is not required. 

Case Management: Meets the second 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 at the Hart Park House. The free birthday 
cake is provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club. 

 Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00 pm. (Please note the time change.) A regular group of 
seniors play poker. Other games available for use. 

 Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45 - 1:30 pm 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. 

LUNCH AND LEARN

Thurday, October 27th, 11:00am - 1:30pm

Medicare Annual Election Period is here. If you have any questions on your health plans, please 
come to the Medicare Resource Table at the Hart Park House on October 27th from 11:00 a.m. 
to 1:30 p.m. A licensed representative will be available to answer questions as well as gather 
information. No appointment necessary.

SENIOR EXCURSION - 

NOVEMBER EXCURSION

GRABER OLIVE HOUSE (ONTARIO)

Date: Wednesday, November 9th, 2016 
Time: 9:45am - 2:30pm 
Meeting Location: Hart Park House 
Cost: $10.00 (Does not include lunch)

Description: Founded in 1894, the historic Graber Olive House 
is located in a pleasant residential area north of Ontario’s 
Business District. Here in quiet and serene surroundings, 
visitors are welcomed and delighted to discover a bit of early California. Participants will take a guided 
tour of the facility and may browse leisurely in the gift shop which feature Graber Olives, fine goods, 
and gifts. Lunch will be on your own at Molly’s Souper. Please bring money for lunch and souvenirs if 
desired. Level of walking: Medium. Please call the Hart Park House 626-355-7394.


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

 Happy Fall! My parents and I 
recently made our annual visit 
to Oak Glen. If you’ve never 
been you must go there. Nestled 
in the foothills of Yucaipa, 
Oak Glen is close enough for a day trip, and far 
away enough to get you out of the congestion of 
L.A. And, of course, there’s the apples. Not only 
are there all kinds of exotic varieties like Mutsu, 
Winesap, and Pippin, but there’s also an endless 
number of apple-inspired breads, pastries, and 
jams. This year I finally gave in and bought a bag 
of freshly fried donuts from Snow Line, worth 
every calorie. But perhaps the most unusual thing 
at Oak Glen is its “museum.” We did not go there 
this time. But the one and only time we went was 
memorable enough.

 A short walk up from the main thoroughfare, 
the front of the museum is essentially a pet shop. 
There are several parrots in cages, pet food, toys, 
and a box with large, unusual beetles on the 
counter (that should have been the first tip off). 
A nice lady who worked there talked with us for 
a while and then asked if we’d like to take a $3 
tour of the museum in the back. “It has over 500 
different species of animals” she said. As we paid 
she added, “Some are even live.” (That should’ve 
been the second tip off).

 The first thing I noticed on our self-guided 
“tour” was the abundance of textured plaster 
on the interior walls, reminiscent of the line for 
“Thunder Mountain” at Disney Land. We turned 
the corner and were met by a large polar bear and 
two small seals --all stuffed. The polar bear was 
fixed in a walking position, facing the viewer, 
teeth bared. The seals, on the other hand, were 
lying there stiff as bloated boards. This just isn’t 
the sort of thing one expects to see, especially in 
southern California. We must have lingered there 
for a moment with our mouths open. “So, I guess 
this isn’t the live portion” my dad remarked.

 The following displays included a bobcat, 
mountain goat, and a wolverine. It didn’t seem to 
matter whether or not these animals would have 
actually shared the same habitat in real life. In 
death they were all brought together in one big, 
stiff family. Eventually we came along to the live 
exhibits.

 In most of the small enclosures the animals 
were either hiding or being attended to by a 
museum worker I supposed (more on that later). 
There wasn’t anything as dramatic as a giant 
polar bear, but they had some frogs, lizards, 
snakes, and spiders. Eventually we came to the 
rabbits, chickens, parakeets, and a large, energetic 
iguana. Most of them were roaming around in 
open-air pens. One of the rabbits was missing an 
ear. The iguana was by far the most lively of the 
bunch. It took a keen interest in my mom, and 
kept vigorously nodding its head and sticking out 
its tongue at her. When she moved to the other 
side it followed after her, and climbed up the cage 
walls to get closer. There were two huge “things” 
on its neck that looked like thick slices of zucchini. 
Maybe it had iguana goiter. Although it seemed 
bent on captivating Mom, we eventually pulled 
ourselves free from it and exited the museum.

 Driving home, we laughed about the odd 
displays and their unusual use of taxidermy. “You 
know, a lot of those cages weren’t secure” Dad said. 
“What do you mean?” we asked. “Well, a lot of 
them were closed, but not actually locked. That’s 
why I was real careful where I was stepping.” 
“Well, I guess it would be bad to squish one of their 
frogs or lizards,” I remarked. “No,” Dad replied, 
“I was more concerned about the scorpions. They 
appeared to be missing.” And so ended another 
exciting trip to Oak Glen. I’m sure we’ll be back, 
but we’ll probably skip the museum next time (we 
did).

DAY AT THE MUSEUM


AARP SMART REFRESHER DRIVER COURSE

The Smart Refresher Driver Course focuses on 
learning current rules of the road, defensive driving 
techniques, and how to operate your vehicle more 
safely in today's increasingly challenging driving 
environment. You'll also learn how you can 
manage and accommodate common age-related 
changes in vision, hearing and reaction time. Must 
pre-register. (Requirement of 10 students; drivers 
over 70 must take DMV written test.) *Checks 
payable to AARP and brought to the first day of 
class.

Days: Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Times: 1:00pm-5:30pm

Fees: $15.00 AARP Member, 
$20.00 Non Member

Instructor: Certified AARP Instructor

Location: Hart Park House (Senior Center)

Your InvItatIon to an EvEnt at thE KEnsIngton sIErra MadrERCFE License198601953www.theKensingtonsierraMadre.comthursdaY, octobEr 13, 2016From: 2:00pm – 5:00pm 
at the Kensington 
245 West sierra Madre blvd. 
sierra Madre, ca 91024(626) 355-5700EvEnt dEtaIlsProtect Yourself From This Season’s Flu. 
Get Your Flu Shot Here at The Kensington.
The Kensington Sierra Madre is 
putting on a Flu Shot Clinic brought 
to you by Rite Aid Pharmacy. Most 
insurances taken. For more information 
call Julie Lacey at 626-355-5700.
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