Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 6, 2023

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 6, 2023 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


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


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …MAY Birthdays*

Beth Copti, Marilyn Diaz, Anne Schryver, Jo Ann Williams, Paul Hagan, Lenore 
Crilly Joann Serrato-Chi, Harriett Lyle, Jean Coleman, Birgitta Gerlinger, 
Luciana Rosenzweig, Linda Wochnik, Marian Woodford, Debbie Sheridan, 
Joanne Anthony, Carole Axline, Kika Downey, Shirley Hall, Annie Scalzo, Janet 
Ten Eyck, Jane Thomas, Ray Burley

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

SENIOR CLUB Every Saturday at Noon Hart Park House

Open to all seniors 50+ Fun - Games - And More! Call Mark at 626-355-3951 

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, 4/12 and 4/26 9:00 am Hart Park House

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!

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE

 BEGINNERS - Every Thursday 10-11:00 am

 INTERMEDIATE Every Friday 10-11:00 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 Covered 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. 

SPRINGO BINGO 

Thursday, 4/20 Hart Park House 1:00 pm-2:30 pm $5

Fee includes bingo games, light lunch, & prizes! Please call 626-264-8876 or visit 
HPH to pre-register. "Must pre-register to participate" Active Adults 55+


Dear Savvy Senior:

Can you recommend some good 
toenail clipping solutions for seniors? 
My toenails have gotten 
increasingly thick since I’ve gotten 
older and have become very 
difficult for me to reach down 
and cut. Almost 80

Dear Almost:

Trimming your toenails is a 
task that most people don’t 
think much about, but as we get 
older it can become very challenging. 
For many older adults, 
like yourself, toenails can become 
thicker and harder to 
cut, and reduced flexibility can 
make it more difficult to even 
get into the right position to cut 
them. Fortunately, there are solutions 
available that can make 
this job a little easier.

One of the simplest tricks for 
cutting thick toenails is to simply 
take a bath or shower, or 
soak your feet in warm water, 
prior to cutting them. The water 
helps soften them for easier 
cutting. 

There are also toenail softening 
creams you can buy, like 
“Miracle of Aloe Toenail Soft” 
and “Barielle Toenail Softening 
Cream,” that temporarily softens 
thick, hard nails. Just rub 
it into your toenails at bedtime 
and in the morning, they’ll be 
easier to cut and file.

Most people’s toenails grow 
about 1/16 inch per month, so 
it’s appropriate to cut them every 
six to eight weeks.

When cutting nails, take care 
not to cut too far down. Overaggressive 
trimming 
and cutting the toenails 
too short can 
lead to ingrown toenails. 
Podiatrists 
typically recommend 
leaving a very small 
bit (about 1/32 inch) of nail past 
the nail bed when trimming. 

You may also want to avoid a 
rounded cut. It’s best to cut the 
nails fairly straight across, ensuring 
that the corners of the 
nail do not cut into the skin 
folds of the toe. And use an emery 
board to smooth the jagged 
edges and corners that can snag 
and potentially tear the nail as 
it grows.

Top Toenail Clippers

There are a number of medical-
grade or specialty toenail clippers 
recommended by professionals 
for older adults. 

For thick nails the “New Huing 
Podiatrist Toenail Clippers” is 
a top option. This clipper has 
a sharp, curved blade that easily 
cuts through any toenail, no 
matter how hard or thick it has 
gotten, and a nonslip, cushion 
grip that allows for comfortable 
clipping.

For those with limited mobility, 
check out the “Clipperpro 
Omega Select Toenail Clipper,” 
which has a long plastic grip 
that’s much larger than that of 
a standard set of nail clippers 
and a blade head that swivels 
180 degrees. Both of those features 
make this clipper much 
easier to use for anyone with arthritis 
or mobility issues, since 
they have more control and an 
added range they can reach.

And for people who have a hard 
time bending over, there are 
long handled toenail clippers 
like the “DriFeez Long Handle 
Toenail Clippers” which come 
in four sizes – 20, 24, 28 and 32 
inches long. It also has a heavy-
duty clipper with a 1/8-inch-
wide jaw opening designed to 
cut thick toenails.

All of these clippers are available 
online at sites like Amazon.
com or Walmart.com at 
prices ranging between $10 and 
$40.

Toenail Trimming Services

If you get to the point that you 
can’t, or would rather not cut 
your own toenails, a podiatrist 
can provide both foot and 
toenail care. But be aware that 
routine foot care is not covered 
by Medicare unless you have an 
underlying condition or injury 
that requires a professional to 
tend to your feet. 

If you are generally in good 
health, regular pedicures at a 
nail salon is good option for 
getting your toenails cut and 
is much cheaper than visiting a 
podiatrist. 

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.

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder


MY REWARD I'LL EAT IT IF I WANT TO

One day last week, I was up early working in my office as I normally 
do. I happened to pause what I was doing for a moment and smelled 
this wonderful aroma.

I know it wasn’t me because I hadn’t taken a shower yet. The aroma was coming from 
the kitchen area.

I got up from my desk, walked out into the kitchen and the closer I got the stronger 
that aroma was. It was so wonderful and I just could not get enough of it.

When I got to the kitchen there was The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage baking 
cookies. Oh, how delicious those cookies smelled.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m baking cookies for some friends who are having a party tonight. They asked if I 
could bake them some cookies and I just couldn’t refuse.”

I smiled and just stared at all those cookies in the kitchen. There were molasses and 
peanut butter cookies, two of my favorites.

As I was looking at them, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said to me rather 
sternly, “These cookies are not for you, they are for my friends. Do not eat them.”

She saw me staring at those cookies and said, “Did you hear me?”

Then she told me that she had to go across town to pick up some things. So, she 
would be out of the house and I will be with the cookies all by myself. I can’t think 
of a better scenario.

There’s just no way I can be left alone with all those cookies in the kitchen and not 
eat some. I think my wife realized that and thought she could negotiate with me and 
solve the problem at hand.

Looking at me she said, “If you are a good boy today I will allow you to eat one 
cookie. Just one.” That brought me to quite a dilemma. What is her definition of “a 
good boy” and most importantly, how did she define “one cookie?”

I walked back to my office as she prepared to leave for the morning and I got back 
into the project I was working on. At least I tried to get back into my “saddle” for the 
morning, but it sure wasn’t working for me.

No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on my project all I could think about was 
those delicious cookies out in the kitchen which I could smell in my office. I don’t 
think it’s fair that I should be put in such a situation.

After all, it’s really not my fault. It is the fault of The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
who makes cookies so delicious that I cannot refuse them. If it wasn’t for that, 
I could ignore those cookies in the kitchen. So whatever happens, it is not my fault! 
And I am unanimous in that.

I then remembered that she said if I was a good boy I could have one cookie. That 
thought just ruminated through my mind and I couldn’t handle it any longer and I 
had to go out into the kitchen and deal with it.

I think I’m a good boy, but that’s only my evaluation. I sat for a moment at my desk 
and tried to think of anything bad I did that morning and I couldn’t think of one 
thing. Therefore, with the evidence on the table, I have been a good boy today.

The next thing I had to deal with was the word “one.” What does that word mean?

Looking at the cookies in the kitchen there were only two cookies: one was molasses 
and the other was peanut butter. So, in my understanding of the situation the word 
“one” means that I have to choose between the molasses cookie and the peanut butter 
cookie. That made sense to me.

So, according to my rationality, when I pick “one” cookie I can eat as many of them 
as I want to. I just can’t eat the other one or I will be eating two cookies.

I can’t tell you how happy I was in coming to this wonderful conclusion. I’m doing 
two things. I’m doing what my wife said to do and I am only eating one of the cookies. 
I love it when a plan comes together.

Going to the kitchen I made up my mind that the “one” cookie will be the peanut 
butter cookie. Oh, how I love her peanut butter cookies.

Picking out five cookies I joyfully skipped back to my office to enjoy these scrumptious 
treats. I earned these treats and therefore I’m going to eat them with a great deal 
of satisfaction.

I had finished those cookies and was working at my desk when I heard the front door 
open and expected it was The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage.

I then heard her voice, “Did you eat all these cookies? When I told you to eat only 
one?” Now I have some “splainin” to do.

A Bible verse came to mind that refreshed m concerning rewards. 2 John 1:8, “Look 
to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive 
a full reward.”

There are times when I convince myself that I deserve a certain reward. All I need to 
do is twist certain words to my benefit thinking I deserve something when in fact I 
am not being honest.

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 

FAMILY MATTERS


CREATE A STRONGER BLENDED FAMILY 
THROUGH ESTATE PLANNING

Blended families are a 
prevalent thread in our 
social fabric. Currently, 
52% of married couples 
have a step-kin relationship 
of some kind, and 4 
in 10 new marriages involve remarriage. 

If you’re part of a blended family, you’ve probably 
recognized the extra layer of complexity that comes 
with planning for your family’s needs and accommodating 
the many relationships that exist between 
stepparents, step-kids, and stepsiblings. Topics that 
might be straightforward for a “traditional” family - 
such as where to spend the holidays or who gets the 
old family car - are more complex. 

In a blended family, you work hard to navigate these 
complexities to keep the family unified and happy. 
And you need to be aware of the legal realities, so 
your blended family won’t be more likely to end up 
in court and conflict, which happens all too often 
in blended families without proper legal planning.

What Estate Law Says About Blended Families

State law determines what happens when we become 
incapacitated or die intestate, and those laws may 
or may not match our wishes. What’s more, even 
though you may see your stepfamily members the 
same way as your blood relatives, the law does not.

For example, if you die while domiciled in California, 
all community property assets would go to your 
surviving spouse, and any separate property assets 
would be distributed partially to a surviving spouse 
and partially to your children, if living, in amounts 
depending on the number of surviving children. 
Stepchildren are not part of the equation.

As you can see, what’s true for what happens when 
you die may not result in the outcome you want for 
your loved ones, especially in a blended family situation. 
That’s why it’s so important to create an estate 
plan for your blended family well in advance, and I 
encourage you to discuss your plan with the members 
of your family to avoid hurt feelings, confusion, 
or pain in the future.

Avoid Conflict in Your Blended Family Through 
Open Communication

Estate planning is often seen as a highly private 
affair, but it doesn’t have to be, and oftentimes, 
shouldn’t be. In the case of a blended family, having 
open conversations with your loved ones about your 
estate plan and your goals for the family can save 
them from hurt feelings and even court battles in 
the future.

Like all families, how you plan for your blended 
family will depend entirely on your family dynamics, 
your family members' situations, and your own 
personal values for how an inheritance should (or 
shouldn’t) be received and what kind of legacy you 
want to leave behind.

Maybe you have step-kids and biological kids but 
want all your children to inherit an equal share 
from you and your spouse. Maybe there’s a large age 
gap between your step-kids and biological child, so 
you want to make sure that your youngest has the 
financial support they’ll need if something happens 
to you whereas the older children are able to support 
themselves. 

Perhaps you have a stepparent or stepsibling that 
you would want to gift a special item of yours like a 
watch or necklace. Well, for better or worse, a person 
you have a step-relationship with has no right to 
inherit from you under the law, unless you put your 
plan in writing. 

You don’t need to give away every detail of your Will 
or Trust or tell everyone who you named to make 
decisions for you if you’re incapacitated. Instead, 
start by having an open conversation about the general 
goal of your estate plan, such as wanting everyone 
to have an equal share, or that you want to provide 
more for your biological children because your 
stepchildren will already receive a full inheritance 
from their other parent.

By taking the mystery out of your estate plan goals, 
your stepchildren will feel included in the discussion 
and feel like they are knowledgeable about your 
plan rather than feeling hoodwinked or hurt if they 
find out later that your plan doesn’t align with the 
expectations they created for it in their minds.

Most importantly, let the people in your life know 
you value and love them, and that no matter how 
they’re related to you, you care about them and want 
them to inherit not just material things from you, 
but also your values, stories, and legacy.

Create More Than a Plan, Create a Family Legacy

To make sure your wishes for your blended family 
are followed in the event of your death or incapacity, 
it’s essential to have a well-crafted estate plan created 
by an attorney experienced in serving blended 
families who knows your material possessions are 
only a small part of a successful estate plan. What 
will really matter to your family members, no matter 
how they became your family, is your legacy. 

Instead of leaving your family a mess to be battled 
over in court, leave your family an example of financial 
wellness and a plan filled with personal values 
and family history. By ensuring your plan leaves not 
only your material assets, but also your most important 
non-material assets - your values, stories, 
and the place your loved ones hold in your heart - 
to your family in a meaningful way, they’ll cherish 
your legacy for years after you’re gone.

To your health, 
wealth, and family 
legacy,


Marc Garlett, Esq.

Cali Law Family Legacy Matters

www.caliLaw.com

626.355.4000

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