Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 24, 2023

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 24, 2023 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


SAFE PATH FOR SENIORS

Steve Sciurba, Senior Placement Specialist 

There are many reasons in working with Safe Path 

for Seniors, we will assess your loved ones and make

recommendations depending on care needs and 
budget. 

With our many years of experience, we will make an

informed recommendation. 

We work with large communities to the small 6-bed, 

board & care residential homes.

You will tour with an experienced consultant who will 

work with you through the entire process. from selecting 
the right living environment to all of the necessary 
paperwork involved.

The good news is that there is no cost for this service.

If you have any questions about placing a loved one, 
visit our web site:

www.safepathforseniors.com 

or call Steve at 626-999-6913

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …JUNE Birthdays*

Joanne Thrane, Nellie Haynes, Dorothy McKay, Diane Hatfield, Georgette 
Dunlay, Elizabeth Shula Donna Doss, Mary Carney, Carol Handley, Marilyn 
McKernan, Pat Fujiwara, John Shier, Beth Smith-Kellock, Ann Disbrow, 
Joan Ellison, Anne Montgomery, Trini Ornelas, Martha Spriggs, Pat Starkey, 
Kathleen Coyne, Suzanne Decker, Jacque Persing, Jeanne Peterson, Roxana 
Dominguez, Carolyn Lanyi, Claire McLean and Grace Sanders . * 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 

SENIOR GAME TIME 

1st & 3rd Wednesdays 11:00 am— 12:30 pm Hart Park House

Choose from a variety of games to play! Cards, Bridge, Dominos, Chess, Checkers, 
Board Games $ More.

TEA AND TALK BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, 6/14 and 6/18 9:00 am Hart Park House

Tea and Talk, 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. 

BEST MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES FOR SENIORS WHO DON'T COOK


Dear Savvy Senior:

Can you recommend some good healthy meal delivery 
options for seniors who don’t cook or get out much? My 
80-year-old father, who lives alone, has a terrible diet and 
I worry about his health. Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned:

There are actually a wide variety healthy meal delivery 
options that can help non-cooking seniors who live at 
home. Here are several top options to check into. 

Community-Based Programs

 A good place to start, is to find out if there’s a senior 
home delivery meal program in your dad’s area. Meals 
on Wheels is the largest program that most people are 
familiar with, but many communities offer senior meal 
delivery programs sponsored by other organizations 
that go by different names.

 To find services available in your dad’s area, visit 
MealsOnWheelsAmerica.org, which offers a comprehensive 
directory on their website, or call the area aging 
agency near your dad. Call the Eldercare Locator at 800-
677-1116 to get the local number.

 Most home delivered meal programs across the U.S. 
deliver hot meals daily or several times a week, usually 
around the lunch hour, to seniors over age 60 who have 
problems preparing meals for themselves, as well as 
those with disabilities. Weekend meals, usually frozen, 
may also be available, along with special diets (diabetic, 
low-sodium, kosher, etc.).

 Most of these programs typically charge a small fee 
(usually between $2 and $9 per meal) or request a donation, 
while some may be free to low-income seniors who 
qualify for Medicaid. There are also some Medicare Advantage 
plans that cover limited meal service benefits.

Meal Delivery Service Companies

 Another great option for your dad is to order him 
some pre-made meals online from a meal delivery service 
company. These companies provide a wide variety 
of tasty meal choices and will usually post the nutrition 
information for their meals right on their website.

 Most companies will also cater to a host of dietary and 
medical needs, such as low-sodium and low-carb meals, 
diabetic meals, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian 
options. Plus, the ordering process is very easy.

 Depending on the company you choose, the food arrives 
either fresh or frozen and most deliver all across 
the U.S. Prices generally start at around $8 to $13 per 
meal, plus shipping, however many companies provide 
discounts or free shipping when you order meals in bulk. 
And most companies work with Medicaid and some 
Medicare Advantage plans to help reduce costs.

 Some of the best meal delivery companies for older 
adults, as rated by Verywell Health for 2023 include:

Best Variety: Magic Kitchen (magickitchen.com)

Best Value: Mom’s Meals (momsmeals.com)

Best for Nutrition Consultation: BistroMD 

 (bistromd.com)

Best Plant-Based Meals: Mosaic (mosaicfoods.com)

Best Gluten-Free: ModifyHealth 

 (modifyhealth.com)

Best Chef-Prepared: CookUnity (cookunity.com)

Best for Customization: Snap Kitchen 

 (snapkitchen.com)

 For more information on this list and their testing 
methodology, visit VerywellHealth.com and search 
“Best Meal Delivery Services for Seniors.”

Grocery Stores and Restaurants

 Depending on where your dad lives, he may also be 
able to get home delivered meals from local grocery 
stores or restaurants. Some grocery stores offer a selection 
of pre-cooked meals and foods, including roasted 
chicken, mashed potatoes, and fresh soups and salads. 
Contact the grocery stores in your dad’s area to inquire 
about this option. Or check with some of his favorite restaurants 
to see if they offer home delivery, or he could 
use a restaurant delivery service like UberEats.com, 
DoorDash.com or GrubHub.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 Today show and author 
of “The Savvy Senior” book.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

I'M TOO SMART TO BE STUPID

FAMILY MATTERS

3 REASONS WHY SINGLE FOLKS WITH 
NO CHILDREN NEED AN ESTATE PLAN

After being married for over 50 years, my wife, The Gracious Mistress of 
the Parsonage, knows more about me than I know about myself. At least, 
that's the perception I get from her actions.

It must be true when she says something about me, and I won't challenge her with anything 
she says. I have a Ph.D. (Pretty Hard Dude) in the husbandology field. I can take 
anything she throws at me.

Recently we were watching TV, and the news had an outlandish story. Looking at my wife, 
I said, "I sure hope I'm not that stupid."

Of all the times to be stupid, I chose the right time.

Looking at me, she said, "Well, my dear, my opinion is that you are too smart to be that 
stupid."

I did not think I heard what I heard, so I asked her to repeat it.

"You heard me. You just want to hear it again," she said laughingly.

It was just the beginning of a new chapter, and I wasn't sure where it was going.

One day this past week, we drove across town, and the traffic was rather crazy. Cars were 
weaving in and out and racing down the street. Then a motorcycle passed, weaving in and 
out of the traffic.

Looking at me, my wife smiled and said, "At least you're too smart to be that stupid."

With a nod of agreement, I smiled as we continued our journey. I'm not sure what's happening, 
but that phrase is ringing in my head like no other phrase I've heard before. The 
fact that my wife of 50 years thinks I'm too smart to be stupid has to have some credibility.

I've been thinking of ways to use this to my advantage. I've never had such an advantage, 
so I need to be very careful about how to use it. For example, I need to be able to use it in 
such a way that The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage doesn't recognize my advantage.

I was smiling as I thought about this because I would have a great victory if I could pull 
this one over on my wife. The problem is, if I do have this victory, how can I celebrate it 
without giving myself away? After all, she said I was too smart to be stupid.

To process my plan, I needed to have her repeat what she said, so as we were driving, I 
pointed to one driver and said, "I hope I'm not that stupid."

"Remember what I said," she chuckled, "you're too smart to be that stupid."

Smilingly I thanked her, and we continued driving while I looked for something stupid 
to call her attention. By the time we got to our destination, I had found about three incidences 
of stupidity, and for all three, I got her to tell me that she thought I was too smart 
to be that stupid.

I can't relay how wonderful it was to hear that phrase. I need to be able to develop more 
ways in which to hear her say that without showing my hand. I don't often get compliments 
like this, so I will try to plan it out carefully.

Just before we got home, we saw someone doing something more crazy than I had ever 
seen. Not thinking too much, I said, "I hope I'm not that crazy."

Smiling at me, she said, "My dear, I said you were too smart to be stupid but not crazy."

At the time, I didn't quite understand what she was saying, but as I thought about it, I was 
concerned about what she thought I was doing that was crazy. Now if I was in my right 
mind, and be-lieve me, I have no mind left, I would ask her what she meant by being crazy.

If I asked that, I was sure she would tell me, and when she told me, I was sure I would not 
be a happy camper. It's very obvious through time that her idea of crazy and my idea of 
crazy are certainly not twins.

I think crazy is something people do that makes them look foolish. That's what I would 
think, but then if that's what she thinks, then she doesn't think I'm not smart enough to be 
crazy. As I was thinking about that, my brain went into an ultra-crazy mode. I had to be 
careful in case some of that crazy seeped out, and my wife saw it.

I thought maybe I could trick her into describing it to me, so I asked, "When have you seen 
me acting crazy?"

She laughed like I'd never heard her laugh in a long time. At the time, I didn't understand 
what she was laughing about, and then she told it.

"Oh my dear," she said, taking a deep breath, "when you are acting crazy, believe me, you 
are not acting."

I had to think about that for a long time. So if I had to choose between "crazy" and "stupid," 
my best choice would be crazy.

Later as I reflected on this I remembered what Solomon said. "The way of a fool is right 
in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. A fool's wrath is presently 
known: but a prudent man covereth shame" (Proverbs 12:15-16).

I'm going to commit myself to hearken unto some wise thinking to cover my shame.

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.

The fact is 
that many 
people 
who are 
single 
without 
children 
will eventually 
marry or 
form other 
relationships. 
In 
addition, 
many parents 
are single yet have children. Yet, 
for other young adults, staying single 
and childless is a matter of choice. And 
if trends hold, the number of single, 
childless households is likely to increase 
in the coming years.

 While most adults don’t take estate 
planning as seriously as they should, 
if you are single with no children, you 
might think there’s really no need for 
you to worry about creating an estate 
plan. But this is a huge mistake. In 
fact, it can be even MORE important 
to have an estate plan if you are single 
and childless.

 If you are single without kids, you face 
several potential estate planning complications 
that aren’t an issue for those 
who are married with children. And 
this is true whether you’re wealthy or 
have very limited assets. Indeed, without 
proper estate planning, you’re not 
only jeopardizing what wealth and 
assets you do have, but you’re putting 
your life at risk, too. And that’s not 
even mentioning the potential conflict, 
mess, and expense you’re leaving 
for your surviving family and friends 
to deal with if something unexpected 
happens to you. 

 If you’re single and childless, consider 
these three inconvenient truths before 
you decide to forego estate planning.

1.Someone Will Have to Handle Your
Stuff

Whether you’re rich, poor, or somewhere 
in between, in the event of your
death, everything you own will need to 
be located, managed, and passed on to
someone, which can be a massive undertaking 
in itself—one that few families 
are properly prepared for.

In fact, following a loved one’s death,
American families spend an average of
500 hours and $12,700 over an average 
of 13 months (20 month if probate
is required) to finalize their deceased
loved one’s affairs and settle their estate, 
according to the first annual Cost
Of Dying report released this March
by tech startup Empathy in partnership 
with Goldman Sachs.

On top of the logistical complications
involved with finalizing your affairs,
without a clear and comprehensive
estate plan, including at least a will
–and often a trust - your assets may
have to go through the court process 
of probate, where a judge and state law 
control who gets everything you own. 
And in the event no family steps forward, 
your assets can become property 
of the state.

 Why give the state everything you 
worked to build? And even if you have 
little financial wealth, you undoubtedly 
own a few sentimental items, 
maybe even including pets, that you’d 
like to pass to a close friend or favorite 
charity.

 It’s rare for someone to die without 
any family members stepping forward. 
It’s far more likely, however,that 
some relative you haven’t spoken with 
in years will come out of the woodwork 
to stake a claim. Without a will 
or trust, state intestacy laws establish 
which family member has the priority 
inheritance. If you’re unmarried 
with no children, this hierarchy typically 
puts parents first, then siblings, 
then more distant relatives like nieces, 
nephews, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

 Depending on your family, this could 
have a potentially troubling—and even 
deadly—outcome. For instance, what 
if your closest living relative is your 
estranged brother with serious addiction 
issues? Or what if your assets are 
passed on to a niece with poor money-
management skills, who is likely to 
squander her inheritance?

 And if your estate does contain significant 
wealth and assets, this could 
lead to a costly and contentious court 
battle, with many of your relatives 
hiring expensive lawyers to fight over 
your estate. In the end, this could tear 
your family apart, while making their 
lawyers rich—all because you didn’t 
think you needed an estate plan.

 I’m sure that’s not what you want. But 
unfortunately, I see it happen all the 
time.

2.Someone Will Have Power Over
Your Healthcare

Estate planning isn’t just about passing 
on your assets when you die. In
fact, some of the most critical aspects
of estate planning have nothing to do
with your money at all, but are aimed
at protecting you while you’re still very 
much alive.

 Proactive planning allows you to 
name the person you want to make 
healthcare decisions for you in the 
event you are incapacitated and unable 
to make such decisions yourself. This 
is done using an estate planning tool 
known as a medical power of attorney.

 For example, without a medical power 
of attorney in place, if you’re incapacitated 
due to a serious accident or 
illness and unable to give doctors permission 
to perform a potentially risky 
medical treatments, it would be left up 
to a judge to decide who gets to make 
that decision on your behalf. 

 If you have a romantic partner but 
haven’t granted him or her medical 
power of attorney, the court will likely 
have a family member, not your partner, 
make those decisions. And that 
person may make decisions contrary 
to what you or your partner would 
want.

 And if you don’t want your estranged 
brother to inherit your assets, you 
probably don’t want him to have the 
power to make life-and-death decisions 
about your medical care, either. 
But that’s exactly what could happen if 
you don’t put a plan in place.

 Furthermore, your family members 
who have priority to make decisions 
for you could keep your dearest friends 
away from your bedside in the event of 
your hospitalization. Or family members 
who don’t share your values about 
the type of food you eat, or the types 
of medical care you receive, could be 
the one’s making decisions about how 
you’ll be cared for.

 To address these issues, you need to 
implement an estate planning tool that 
provides specific guidelines detailing 
exactly how you want your medical 
care to be managed during your incapacity, 
including critical end-of-life 
decisions. This is done using an estate 
planning vehicle known as a living will.

 Bottom line: If you are single with no 
kids, you need to create an estate plan 
to name healthcare decisions-makers 
for yourself and provide instructions 
on how you want those decisions made 
should you ever become incapacitated 
and unable to make those decisions 
yourself.

3.Someone Will Get Power Over Your
Finances

As with healthcare decisions, if you
become incapacitated and haven’t legally 
named someone to handle your
finances while you’re unable to do so,
the court will pick someone for you.
The way to avoid this is by granting
someone you trust durable power of
attorney.

 A durable power of attorney is an 
estate planning vehicle that gives the 
person you choose the immediate authority 
to manage your financial, legal, 
and business affairs if you’re incapacitated. 
This agent will have a broad 
range of powers to handle things like 
paying your bills and taxes, running 
your business, collecting your Social 
Security benefits, selling your home, 
as well as managing your banking and 
investment accounts.

 Without a signed durable power of 
attorney, your family and friends will 
have to go to court to get access to your 
finances, which not only takes time 
and money, but it could lead to the 
mismanagement—and even the loss—
of your assets should the court grant 
this authority to the wrong person.

 What’s more, the person you name 
doesn’t have to be a lawyer or financial 
professional; it can be anybody 
you choose, including both family and 
friends. The most important aspect 
of your choice is selecting someone 
who’s imminently trustworthy since 
they will have nearly complete control 
over your finances while you remain 
incapacitated. 

 Don’t Leave So Much At Risk

Given these potential risks and costs 
for yourself and those you care about, 
it would be foolhardy to ignore or put 
off these basic estate planning strategies 
just because you if you are single 
and without kids . Identifying the right 
estate planning tools is easy to do, and 
it begins with a consultation with a 
qualified estate planning attorney who 
will consider everything you own and 
everyone you love, and guide you to 
make informed, educated, and empowered 
choices for yourself and your 
loved ones.

In the end, it will likely take just a few 
hours of your time to make certain that 
your assets, healthcare, and finances 
will be managed in the most effective 
and affordable manner possible in the 
event of your death or incapacity. Don’t 
leave your life and assets at risk or leave 
a mess for the people you love; get your 
estate planning handled today.


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