Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 25, 2023

Mountain View News Saturday, February 25, 2023 13 Mountain View News Saturday, February 25, 2023 13 
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 

HOW TO PROTECT SENIORS FROM SCAM CALLS 

Dear Savvy Senior:
What tools can you recommend to help protect trusting 
seniors from scam calls? My 74-year-old mother 
gets tons of unwanted telemarketing and robocalls 
on her cell and home phone and has been duped out 
of hundreds of dollars. 
Frustrated Daughter 


caller (Truecaller.com), Call Control (CallControl.
com), Hiya (Hiya.com) and YouMail (YouMail. 
Dear Frustrated: 

com) are all good options to consider. 
It’s a great question! Scammers are always looking 
for new ways to dupe people out of money, and in 

Built-In Call Blockers 
the U.S., phone calls remain the primary way swin-

Many smartphones today also offer built-in tools 
dlers hook older victims. 

that can block spam calls. If your mom uses a newer 
iPhone (iOS 13 or later), she can completely silence 
The Federal Trade Commission recently found that 

all unknown callers who aren’t in her contacts list 
24 percent of adults over age 60 who reported los


in the phone “Settings.” 
ing money to a scam in 2021 said it started with a 
phone call – the largest percentage of any method, 

Silencing all unknown callers is an extreme soluincluding 
email, text and mail. 

tion that will definitely stop all unwanted calls, but 
your mom will also miss some legitimate calls too. 
To help protect your mom from the onslaught of 

However, unknown callers do have the option to 
robocall scams, telemarketing and spam calls, here 

leave a voice message and their calls will appear in 
are some tips and tools you can help her employ. 

her recent calls list. And she can add any number 

to her contact list to let them through in the future. 
Register Her NumbersIf your mom hasn’t already done so, a good first 

If your mom owns a new Android phone, she can 
step in limiting at least some unwanted calls is to 

also block spam calls in the phone “Settings.” Or, 
make sure her home and cell phone numbers are 

if she owns a Samsung Galaxy phone, she can use 
registered with the National Do Not Call Registry. 

“Smart Call,” which flags suspected spam calls and 
While this won’t stop fraudulent scam calls, it will 

allows her to block and report them. 
stop unwanted calls from legitimate businesses 
who are trying to sell her something. To sign up, 

She can also block specific reoccurring spam call 
call 888-382-1222 from the phone number you 

numbers on iPhones and Android manually. 
want to register, or you can do it online at DoNotCall.
gov. 

Home Landline Protection 
To stop scam calls on your mom’s home phone set 
Cell Phone Protection 

up the “anonymous call rejection” option. This is 
Most wireless providers today offer good tools for 

a free feature available from most telephone com-
stopping scam calls and texts. For example, AT&T 

panies, however some may charge a fee. It lets you 
has the ActiveArmor Mobile Security app; Verizon 

screen out calls from callers who have blocked their 
provides the Call Filter app; and T-Mobile offers 

caller ID information – a favorite tactic of telemarthe 
Scam Shield app. 

keters. To set it up, you usually have to dial *77 from 
your landline, though different phone services may 
To activate these tools, download the spam-block


have different procedures. 
ing app from your mom’s carrier on her phone, 
which you can do at the Apple and Google App 

Call your mom’s telephone service provider to find 
store. These apps are free to use, but most carriers 

out if they offer this tool, and if so, what you need 
will also offer upgraded services that you can get 

to do to enable it. And if they don’t offer it, find out 
for a small monthly fee. 

what other call blocking options they offer. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 
5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim 

If, however, your mom uses a regional or small 

wireless carrier that doesn’t offer scam/robocall 

Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and au


protection you can use a free third-party app. True


thor of “The Savvy Senior” book. 

5 REASONS WHY SHOPPING 

FAMILY MATTERS 

FOR THE CHEAPEST ESTATE 
By Marc Garlett PLAN COULD LEAVE YOUR 
FAMILY WITH AN UNINTENDED 


In many cases, from 

it comes to 
sophisticated busi


families MESS 
nesspeople with the 

getti nghighest net worth to 

stuck in court, and you want a lawyer who can help 
those just starting in 

you design a plan that prevents your family from 
the workforce and on 

court and conflict. 
their path to adult


03 | Forms and documents won’t be there for your 
hood, people very 

family when you can’t be -- you want to leave your 
likely do not know 

loved one’s a relationship with a trusted advisor with 
how to evaluate esti


whom you have built a relationship during your life-
mates when shopping for an estate plan. 

time and who will provide your family with support 
Shopping for an estate plan based on getting the 

and guidance. 
lowest cost plan possible is often the fastest path to 

Working with a lawyer who focuses on “cheap 
leaving your family with an empty set of documents 

documents” or the “lowest price” or doesn’t charge 
(maybe in a beautiful binder, but not worth the paper 

enough for their services cannot provide more than 
they are written on) that won’t work for your family 

form documents. These days, especially with the 
when they need it. 

rise of AI, template form documents are abundant, 
Unfortunately, I see the negative effects of cheap 

which makes it difficult to know how those docuestate 
planning when family members come to me 

ments are put together when it comes to protecting 
during a time of grief with that fancy binder that sat 

the people you love. 
on the shelf for years providing a false sense of secu-

Shopping around for the least expensive plan may get 
rity, full of out-of-date estate planning documents, 

you the cheapest documents, but those documents 
and find themselves stuck in what could have been 

won’t be there to guide the people you love when they 
an avoidable court process, or even conflict with 

need someone to turn to in crisis or grief. 
each other when that’s exactly what their loved one 
thought they had paid someone to help avoid. 

04 | You get what you pay for. It’s your family that 
will pay the price. Traditional law firms usually 
Here Are 5 Reasons Why Shopping for The Cheapest 

use generic forms and documents. These are called 
Estate Plan Is Likely to Leave You with A Plan That 

“Trust mills” and are firms that draft plans but don’t 
Won’t Work for Your Family… And Could Leave 

ensure assets are owned correctly or stay up to date 
Them with A Big Mess Instead. 

over time. You might think that’s malpractice, but 
01 | The least expensive plan isn’t worth the paper 

it’s not. It’s common practice, leaving your family at 
it’s written on once you’ve left the attorney’s office 

risk if and when something happens to you! 
-- your life changes, the law changes, and your assets 

05 | An estate plan isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of 
change over time; your plan needs to keep up with 

thing, it needs to stay updated with changes in your 
those changes. 

life, the law, and your assets. 
And the truth is a lawyer can’t afford to provide any


There’s currently more than $58 billion in unclaimed 
thing more than documents which won’t get updated 

property held in departments of unclaimed property 
when you only pay a few hundred dollars for a plan. 

across the United States. Yep, that is billion with a 
That business model doesn’t work for the lawyer and 

B. Assets often land there when someone dies or bewon’t 
work for you. 
comes incapacitated, and their family loses track of 
An attorney who has built a practice specifically to 

it because it wasn’t organized well during life. And 
serve your family in their best interests cannot make 

that’s just one way your family loses out if you’ve 
a living selling $399 (or even $1,500 or $2,000) Wills, 

shopped around for the cheapest estate plan rather 
Trusts, or estate plans. Only insurance and finan


than having a plan that works for the people you love. 
cial professionals getting paid commissions to sell 

But Isn’t Something Better Than Nothing? 
your family annuities and life insurance products 

Sometimes, having something in place is better than 
can make a living selling cheap documents. Buyer 

nothing, but this is not one of those times. In this 
beware! 

case, having a “something” plan leaves your family 
holding the expensive, or even empty bag, when it’s 
02 | “Estate planning” is often sold by financial 

too late for them and you to do anything about it. It’s 
professionals who want to get their hands on your 

risky business to leave your loved ones with a set of 
“assets under management,” not necessarily pri


documents you aren’t sure are going to work, may 
oritizing doing right by your family or keeping the 

actually end up costing them more than having no 
people you love out of court or conflict. They may 

plan at all. 
not even know how to keep your family out of court 

Bottom line: don’t waste your time shopping around 
or conflict. 

for the cheapest plan possible. Most people don’t really 
want the cheap plan; they want the plan that will 
When your estate plan has been sold to you by an 

work for the people they love when they need it to 
investment advisor as part of your financial advisory 

work. 
and retirement support services, their focus isn’t on 
understanding the relational and legal dynamics of 

To your health, 
families, which can flare up after the death of a loved 

wealth, and 
one. A “relational lawyer” will have specific exper


family legacy, 
tise and training in pre-emptively identifying po-

Marc Garlett, Esq.
Cali Law Family Legacy Matters 

tential for family conflict and heading it off before it 

www.caliLaw.com 

becomes an expensive problem. I’ve seen it all when 

626.355.4000 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS* 

Tracy Verhoeven, Beatrice DaRe, Catherine Adde, Hilda Pittman, Anne-
Marie Stockdale, Susan Henderson, Allie Attay, Ursula El-Tawansy, 
Gladys Moser, Sylvia Lorhan, Ana Ptanski, Winifred Swanson , Janet 
Gillespie, Marian DeMars, Vickie Vernon, Mary Beth Knox, Sharon 
Lefler. 

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. 
YEAR of birth not required 
DOMINOES TRAIN GAME 
1st & 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. 

TEA AND TALK BOOK CLUB 
Wednesday, 2/15 9:00 am Hart Park House 

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, 1/17 10:00 am Hart Park House 

If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or 
cross stitch then we have a group for you! Bring your current project, sit and chat 
with like-minded fiber friends. 

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. 

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. 

BINGO 

Thursday, 1/19 Hart Park House 1:00 pm-2:00 pm

Please join in a fun and lively game of BINGO. Several rounds fun will be had with 
prizes for each rounds winner. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

RELAXING IS NOT ALWAYS SO RELAXING 

For the past several weeks, or has it been several months, I’ve been 

busy with many projects to complete. Finally, I finished my latest 
manuscript and sent it in; all the other projects were also finished.
That afternoon I sat back in my office chair and sighed deeply, appreciating the moment, 
that I was all caught up with everything. As I was thinking about it, I decided 
it would be good to take a day off. 

I’m not one for taking days off, and I can’t remember the last day I took off, but I had 
convinced myself that I deserved a good day off. Then, leaning back in my chair, I 
tried to think of what I would do on my day off. Then the thought came to me to do 
nothing. Have a day when I don’t do anything. 

After supper, I revealed my plan to The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage.
“Tomorrow,” I said with a big smile, “I’m going to take the day off and do nothing.”
As always, she looked at me with one of her curious smiles and asked me what my 
“do nothing” really meant. “That means I will spend the whole day doing nothing 
and just relaxing. It’s been so long since I’ve had a relaxing day.” 

I saw her smiling and remembered that kind of smile before, but it just didn’t register 
at the time. A thought began nagging me; maybe I should not have told her I would 
take the day off. Oh well, it’s already done. I got up the following day, got a cup of coffee, 
sat in my easy chair, and started thinking about what I would do today. I always 
do that to organize my projects so I can get them finished.
My wife walked into the room and said, “What are you doing? I thought today you 
were not going to do anything.” Looking at her, I sighed deeply and said, “You’re 
right. I guess I just forgot.” 

So, this is what doing nothing is all about. I’m not sure I can get used to it, but at least 
I was going to experience it for the very first time. 

About that time, I heard the front door ring, and when The Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage answered, I found out that the great-granddaughter was coming to spend 
the day with us. I didn’t know that before, but after all, it’s good to have the great-
granddaughter with us. 

Looking at my wife, I said, “I didn’t know she was coming today. You should’ve 
told me.” She looked at me and smiled; I recognized that smile for some reason but 
couldn’t define it. 

In a few minutes, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage carrying our great-granddaughter 
came into the living room and said, “You know, I forgot about the garbage 
today.” Not knowing what she was talking about, I said, “What do you mean?” 
“Well,” she stuttered a little, “I got the garbage all together in the garage to take to 
the dump today, and I just forgot that the great-granddaughter was coming. I was 
wondering if maybe you could take the garbage to the dump.” 

At that point, what in the world is a husband to say? So I agreed, went to the garage, 
put all the garbage in my truck, and headed for the dump. So, I said to myself, driving 
back, this is what doing nothing is all about. 

I got home, and my wife was on the rocking chair feeding the baby from the bottle.
Those little babies look so cute, especially the ones in my family. 

The telephone rang, and my wife asked me if I would answer it. A recorded message 
said that our latest prescriptions were ready to pick up at the local pharmacy. Looking 
at my wife, I told her the message and then hung up. “Would you mind going to the 
pharmacy and picking up our prescriptions?” 

Since I was doing “nothing” for the day, I nodded in the affirmative, went out to my 
vehicle, and headed for the pharmacy to pick up our latest prescriptions.
I returned the prescriptions, put them on the counter, and headed to my easy chair 
and maybe read a book. 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage entered the living room and said, “What 
would you like for lunch?” I told her anything that she would like would be okay with 
me. “How about going to Wendy’s and getting our lunch?” 

I looked at her, slowly shook my head, and headed for my truck. I got what she wanted 
written down so I wouldn’t forget it and headed to Wendy’s to pick up our lunch.
After finishing our lunch from Wendy’s, I sat back in my chair and snoozed.
Before long, she returned to the living room and said, “You know, I forgot I was going 
to go to the grocery store and pick up some groceries. Would you mind doing that 
while I babysit our great-granddaughter?”
Then she handed me a list of what she wanted at the grocery store.
At the end of the day of doing nothing, I ended up doing everything. I need to think 
this through the next time. 

I thought of what the Bible says in Ephesians 6:7, “With good will doing service, as to 
the Lord, and not to men.” 

Doing nothing doesn’t really please the Lord, but He is pleased when. I dedicate my 
service unto Him. 

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