Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, November 5, 2022

Specializing in PlacingSeniors in Assisted Living and 
Memory Care Communities 

ASSISTED LIVING OR NURSING 
HOME? 

There are many myths about Assisted 
Living being like Nursing Homes. 
This is not true at all. Nursing facilities 
are for those with chronic health 
issues who require care around the 
clock from medical professionals. 


In Assisted Living, one will get the support as needed, such as getting help with showering, grooming, 
and dressing. Again, these services are based on the seniors needs. 

There are many reasons in working with us. At Safe Path for Seniors, we will assess the senior and 
depending on their care needs and budget, make recommendations. For example, we may suggest 
that the right fit is a Board and Care Home (normally a 6-bedroom house) as opposed to an Assisted 
Living Community or a Memory Support Facility. You will work with an experienced agent who 
knows the industry well and will give you recommendations. The good news is that there is no 
cost for this service. 

If you have any questions about placing a loved one, visit www.safepathforseniors.com or call Steve 
at 626-999-6913 

DAILY MONEY MANAGERS CAN HELP SENIORS WITH 

FINANCIAL CHORES 

Dear Savvy Senior:
Can you recommend any services that can help 
my elderly mother with her financial chores? My 
dad always used to handle the bill paying and paperwork, 
but he passed away last year, and mom 
struggles to keep on top of things. And I don’t live 
close enough to help her on a regular basis.
Concerned Daughter 


Dear Concerned: 

It sounds like your mom could use a good daily money manager (or DMM). These are financial 
savvy professionals that can help older adults who have difficulty managing their own day to day 
personal financial affairs. 

The types of services they provide typically includes paying bills, maintaining financial records, 
balancing checkbooks and negotiating with creditors. DMMs can also prepare checks for clients 
to sign, help older people organize bank and financial records, prepare and deliver bank deposits, 
gather and organize documents for tax returns, help decipher medical bills, and review bank 
statements in order to detect potential financial abuse or fraud. 

Where to Find DMMs 

Depending on where your mom lives, DMM services may be available through private nonprofit 
elder assistance organizations or government agencies. These agencies often use volunteers 
to provide basic DMM tasks, such as bill paying at no cost. To find out if this is available 
in your mom’s area contact her Area Aging Agency. Visit ElderCare.acl.gov or call 800-677-1116 
for contact information. 

In addition to the non-profit DMMs, an increasing number of individuals and private for-profit 
companies have started offering DMM services for a fee. Cost for these services varies by region 
but it often ranges between $25 and $100 per hour. Most clients need approximately four hours 
of services per month, but this too varies according to the complexity of the person’s financial 
situation. 

The best place to look for a professional DMM in your mom’s area is through the American Association 
of Daily Money Managers (AADMM.com), which offers an online directory that lets 
you search by ZIP code. All the pros listed there have signed the group’s code of ethics. Some 
have passed a certification exam to earn the designation of Certified Daily Money Manager. 

Before hiring a daily money manager, however, get references from two or more of their clients 
and check them. Also, find out what they charge and what type of insurance coverage they have. 
Keep in mind that neither federal nor state governments regulate the DMM industry, so there 
is little oversight of these services. So before turning over your mom’s bills, make certain it’s 
someone you can trust. 

One other highly rated bill-paying service you should know about that’s specifically designed for 
older adults and caregivers is SilverBills (SilverBills.com). Available nationwide, this is a secure 
concierge bill management service that will manage your mom’s bills and pay them on her behalf, 
on-time and correctly, for a flat fee of $50 per month. 

If you opt for this service, your mom will be paired with an account manager who will communicate 
and work with her over the phone, or through email, text or mail (her preference) – no 
computer is required. SilverBills also reviews all bills for errors and fraud and provides monthly 
statements showing the date, amount and manner of each payment. 

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. 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS* 

Janda Ferris, Darlene Traxler, Margit Johnson, Sole Krieg, Dick Anderson, 
Eva Poet, Mary Jane Baker, Dixie Coutant, Jill Franks, Cathleen Cremins, 
Darlene Crook, Susan Gallagher, Maggie Ellis, Gloria Giersbach, Ellen 
O’Leary, Jenny Piangenti, 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 

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR CLUB Every Saturday from 11:30am-3:30 pm in the Hart 
Park House Senior Center. Join us as we celebrate birthdays, holidays and play BINGO. 
Must be 50+ to join. For more information call Mark at 626-355-3951. 

DOMINOES TRAIN GAME 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 11:00 am— 12:30 pm Hart Park 
House The object of the game is for a player to play all the tiles from their hand onto one or 
more trains, emanating from a central hub or “station”. Call Lawren with questions that you 
may have. 

PAINT PALS 

Thursday, 10/13 10:30 am—Hart Park House If you enjoy painting, sketching, water color, 
or making some other form of artistic creation please join our new program, PAINT PALS!!! 
Bring a project that you are working on to the HPH and enjoy some quality art time with other 
artists looking to paint with a new pal. 

TEA AND TALK SENIOR BOOK CLUB Tuesday Oct. 12 and Oct. 26 — 9:00 am 
Staff has launched a new book club series, Tea and Talk, which meets twice a month to discuss 
the fun, suspense, intrigue, love and so much more that each selection will have in store! 

FIBER FRIENDS Tuesday, 10/4 and 10/18 —10:00 am If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, 
embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or cross stitch then we have a group for you! 
Bring your current project, a nonalcoholic beverage, then sit and chat with likeminded fiber 
friends. We meet in the Hart Park House 

CHAIR YOGA Every Monday and Wednesday, 10-10:45 am Please join us for some gentle 
stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxation with Paul. Classes are ongoing and 
held in the Memorial Park Covered Pavilion or the Hart Park House.. 

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE Every Friday, 10-10:45 am Bring a lei, your flower 
skirt or just your desire to dance! Hula in the Park is back and waiting for you to join in on all 
the fun! Memorial Park Pavilion. 

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC - Tuesday, Oct. 11 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Methodist Hospital will be holding a free to seniors clinic once a month in the Hart Park 
House. Walk in are welcome - no pre-registration required. 

LOTERIA: Oct. 20 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 
Come down to the HPH (Hart Park House) for a lively round of Loteria (Mexican Bingo) 
Prizes await! 

OCTOBER CRAFT Tuesday, October 25 10:30am Hart Park House 
Have you ever had interest in balloon art? Well you are in luck! Join Recreation Coordinator 
Pardo as she instructs us on how to create a cat, bat or pumpkin balloon column. Space is limited 
so please call or email Lawren to reserve your spot. 

SENIOR CINEMA Wednesday, 10/12— 1:00 pm HUBIE HALLOWEEN PG-13 1h 43m 
Good-natured but eccentric community volunteer Hubie Dubois finds himself at the center of 
a real murder case on Halloween night. Despite his devotion to his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts 
(and its legendary Halloween celebration).
Wednesday, 10/26 – Beginning at 1:00pm THE BIRDS PG 1h 59m 

SPECIAL MEDICARE PRESENTATION NEW DATE! Thursday 10/20, 9:00 am


10:00 am Hart Park House Please join Duarte Councilmember Vihn for 
a Medicare presentation. Pastries and coffee will be served during this informative 
presentation. Space is limited, call Lawren to reserve your spot. 
OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

SEE COOKIE WILL SNEAK! 


For more years than I care 

to remember, I have been 

on a diligent pursuit, and I 
won’t stop until I reach my goal. 

My quest is to find a cookie I don’t like. 
Throughout the years, I have eaten every 
cookie I could find and loved them all. 

My biggest obstacle in this pursuit is The 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She has 
the crazy idea that I should limit my cookie 
consumption. I told her I will whenever 
I find a cookie that I don’t like. So far, that 
hasn’t happened. 

My favorite time of the year is when the 
Girl Scouts are selling cookies. I love those 
little angels. I tell The Gracious Mistress of 
the Parsonage that I’m just supporting these 
lovely young girls, and that’s all. 

I don’t think she believes me, but I will try 
what I can get away with. 

Recently, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
has been on a baking spree. She was 
baking cookies for various people, of which 
I have no idea. My focus is not on the people 
she’s baking for, but on the cookies she’s 
baking. 

As a faithful husband, I encourage her along 
these lines and congratulate her on a job well 
done. 

One rule she has laid down is I’m not allowed 
to have any cookie she does not give me personally. 
That is a very hard rule to keep with 
all of the cookies in the kitchen. I try my 
hardest, but my hardest is not enough. 

One of my favorite hymns has a line that says, 
“Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin.” 

Last Tuesday my wife planned spending the 
day with one of our daughters. I was supportive 
of her activity and encouraged her 
to spend as much time as possible with her 
daughter. 

She looked at me suspiciously and said, 
“While I am away, I do not want you to eat 
any cookies in the kitchen.” Then she went 
to the kitchen, pulled out one cookie, handed 
it to me, and said, “This is the only cooking 
you are allowed for today.” 

Of course, I took the cookie, smiled as she 
left, and told her to have a great day. 

Unfortunately, I did not know what kind of 
day I was facing and hummed the “Yield not 
to temptation” hymn all morning long. 

For the first couple of hours, everything went 
well. I was working in my office, and things 
were just okay. 

Then in the middle of the morning, I decided 
to take a break and get a cup of coffee. I never 
have too much coffee on any day. I had forgotten 
the cookies that were stacked up in 
the kitchen. 

As I entered the kitchen, the aroma of all 
those freshly baked cookies slapped me in 
the face liked I’ve never been slapped before. 
Up to this point, I was able to “Yield not to 
temptation.” But I am afraid that the “Yield 
not” had just expired. 

As I was fixing my coffee, I thought it would 
not harm me to look at and admire those 
freshly baked cookies. After all, The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage does a wonderful 
job in baking cookies. I just wanted to 
admire them and appreciate all the excellent 
work behind every one of those cookies. 

I thought I could handle the situation, but 
boy was I wrong. I’ve been wrong on a lot of 
things; I was wrong on this thing. 

With a cup of coffee in my hand, I began 
thinking that one cookie just wouldn’t hurt 
me. I don’t think my wife would find out that 
I had one cookie because there were so many 
cookies in that kitchen. 

I took one cookie very craftily and then 
walked back to my office, where I would 
drink my coffee and nibble on this delicious 
cookie. I thought I had solved the problem 
and gotten over any further thoughts I had 
about another cookie. 

After I finished that first cookie, I just sat 
back in my chair and enjoyed swallowing the 
last crumb. How delicious it was. Of all the 
cookies in all the world, why did this cookie 
taste so delicious? 

I thought it was over, but I could not get that 
cookie out of my head. Then, after lunch, I 
picked up another cookie, went to my office, 
and nibbled on it very slowly, enjoying every 
last crumb. 

An hour went by, and I needed another cup 
of coffee, walking through the kitchen, I 
smelled those delicious cookies. So I decided 
I deserved two cookies this time because 
I was working so hard. After all, how will 
would The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
know I had two cookies? 

Later that afternoon, I heard the front door 
open, and looking at my watch I realized it 
was time for my wife to come home. She entered 
the kitchen, and I heard her say very 
loudly, “How many cookies did you eat?” 

It was then I knew I was in trouble, but I 
didn’t know how much trouble I was in. 

I remembered the words of Jesus in Mark 
14:38, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into 
temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the 
flesh is weak.” 

Everybody faces temptation in some form. 
The real issue has to do with yielding to that 
temptation. It’s the weakness of my flesh. 

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