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FREE ASSISTED LIVING PLACEMENT SERVICE

 

 Discover the perfect assisted living community with 
Safe Path for Seniors. Our compassionate advisors 
specialize in assisting individuals with unique needs. 
Benefit from our extensive network and affordable 
options. Plus, we offer personalized tours to help you 
explore each community firsthand. 

Call (626) 999-6913 or visit www.safepathforseniors.
com for free assistance.


SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …APRIL BIRTHDAYS*

Howard Rubin, Anita Hardy, Hattie Harris, Marilyn Diaz, Virginia Elliott, 
Elma Flores, Betty Jo Gregg, Barbara Lampman, Betty Mackie, Elizabeth 
Rassmusen, Maria Reyes, Marian DeMars, Anne Schryver, Chrisine 
Bachwansky, Colleen McKernan, Sandy Swanson, Hank Landsberg, Ken 
Anhalt, Shannon Vandevelde, Barbara Rounkle, Wendy Senour 

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


DECLUTTERING FOR SENIORS: A PATH TO SAFER, SIMPLER LIVING

As we age, our homes—filled with memories and mementos—
can gradually become cluttered, making everyday life more 
challenging and less safe. For older adults, decluttering isn’t just 
about tidiness; it’s a vital step toward safety, clarity, and peace of 
mind.

Start Small, Think Big

Tackling a whole house at once can feel overwhelming. Experts 
recommend starting small—perhaps a single drawer or nightstand. 
Sorting items into four categories—Keep, Donate, Discard, and Not Sure—helps guide decisions 
and keep progress on track.

Safety First

A cluttered home increases the risk of trips and falls, one of the leading causes of injury among 
seniors. Removing loose rugs, clearing hallways, and improving lighting can significantly improve 
home safety. Items used daily, like medications and glasses, should be kept within easy reach.

Preserving the Important Things

Decluttering doesn’t mean letting go of everything meaningful. Creating a “memory box” for treasured 
keepsakes or digitizing old photos can preserve memories without taking up space. When it 
comes to paperwork, sorting and safely storing key documents—such as wills, insurance, and medical 
records—brings both clarity and peace of mind.

A Gentle Approach

Decluttering can be emotional, especially for those who’ve lived in the same home for decades. Involving 
seniors in every decision honors their autonomy and memories. Take your time—this process 
is about care, not speed.

A Fresh Start

Whether you're downsizing, preparing for a move, or simply wanting to create a safer home, decluttering 
is a thoughtful and empowering act. And sometimes, the most meaningful transformations 
begin with clearing just one small shelf.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

IT WAS A SNARKY KIND OF DAY

STRATEGIES FOR PAYING OFF CREDIT CARD DEBT

Last week The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage 
had another one of 
her girl days with our 
daughter and granddaughter.

Don’t let this get around, but it is one 
of my favorite days of the year, including 
my birthday. It’s a day on which I 
can do what I want to do. That doesn’t 
come often; when it does, I cherish it 
and celebrate with an Apple Fritter or 
two…

Of course, I had some work to do in 
my office, so I was rather happy to be 
alone for the day. Nothing is more important 
to me than getting my work 
done.

I planned to catch up on several writing 
projects in the morning. Getting 
behind in a project is easy, so setting 
aside time just to catch up is wonderful.

I kissed The Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage goodbye, got a hot cup of 
coffee from the kitchen, and went to 
my office to begin the day’s work. I 
was almost singing as I was getting to 
my desk. I’m not allowed to sing aloud 
when The Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage is home. If you heard me 
sing, you would understand.

I was getting started, and suddenly realized 
there was a problem with the Internet 
and that my computer was not 
working. I fiddled with it for about 20 
minutes and then realized there was 
nothing I could do but wait for the Internet 
to return. (Grrr)

Being a little frustrated, I didn’t quite 
know what to do, and then remembered 
I had something to pick up 
across town. I don’t like driving across 
town because there are so many idiots 
with licenses who are driving. How 
these people get driver’s licenses is beyond 
my curiosity.

I wanted to get there and back as 
quickly as possible, thinking I could 
take advantage of this time.

I was becoming frustrated because 
every traffic light was red. I had to 
drive and then stop, drive another two 
blocks, and then stop. I was getting irritated 
by this kind of nonsense. I was 
trying to take advantage of my time to 
get across town and back home.

Have you ever been tempted? At one of 
the red lights there was no traffic coming 
or going, and not even any cars behind 
me. I sat there for three seconds, 
and then I was tempted to drive across 
the highway despite the red light. After 
all, there’s no harm if there’s nobody 
on the street and I won’t get caught.

The thought danced in my head as I 
was about to do that. There is around 
here somewhere a police officer watching 
me, and as soon as I cross the line, 
he’s going to pull me over and give me 
a ticket. Believe it or not, it would not 
be a ticket for the Policeman’s Ball.

I was reminded of a hymn we sing in 
church: “Yield not to temptation for 
yielding is sin.”

Although frustrated, I waited for the 
light to turn green, not yielding to 
temptation.

This was my routine across town.

As I was coming back, I noticed it was 
lunchtime. This would be a great time 
to stop at one of my favorite restaurants 
and have lunch.

The host seated me at my favorite table 
when I entered the restaurant. I’ve 
been to this restaurant often, so they 
knew me.

My waitress came, introduced herself, 
and handed me the menu. Being such a 
faithful customer I really did not need 
a menu because I knew what I wanted. 
I cheerfully gave the waitress my order 
and then she brought me some coffee 
as I waited for my order.

I sipped my coffee rather cheerfully 
and was finally happy that things were 
going my way. What a day it had been, 
but now, things will start going my way 
at my favorite restaurant.

I don’t always experience this, but today, 
I’m going to celebrate that it is finally 
happening to me.

I was sitting there drinking my coffee 
and anticipating my cheeseburger and 
fries lunch when the waitress came 
and put a plate on my table.

When I saw that plate, I gasped in horror. 
I’ve never seen such a terrible plate 
of food in my life.

How can my day get any worse?

In the center of that plate before me 
was some of the worst vegetables I’ve 
ever seen—broccoli. The fact that this 
waitress brought me a plate with broccoli 
made me realize my day was not 
improving yet.

While I was gasping, the waitress 
turned around, started gasping, and 
said, “Oh, I’m sorry. That’s not your 
plate; that’s for the table on the other 
side of you.”

Finally, my real plate came, and as I 
ate, I thought of what a snarky day this 
has been. What is going to happen between 
now and when I get home?

Where are my Apple Fritters when I 
need them?

As I was driving home I was reminded 
of of a verse of Scripture. “He that is 
slow to wrath is of great understanding: 
but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth 
folly” (Proverbs 14:29).

One of the great challenges for me is 
patience. I can be patient when everything 
is going my way, but that is not 
patience. I need to practice the “slow 
to wrath” part of my life.

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

Dear Savvy Senior,

My husband and I, who are retired, have accumulated 
about $7,000 in credit card debt over the past few years 
and need some help paying it off. What can you tell us?

Living Underwater

 

Dear Living,

I’m sorry to hear about your financial woes but know that you’re not alone. Credit card debt has become 
a big problem in this country for millions of older Americans. According to a recent AARP report, 52 
percent of adults ages 50 to 64 have credit card debt, along with 42 percent of those ages 65 to 74. 

 

Rising costs of basic expenses like food, housing, utilities and health care are the main culprits. But now, 
new tariffs on products made in China and other foreign countries will make many goods more expensive, 
which could make this problem worse. Of older adults carrying a balance, nearly half owe $5,000 
or more, and nearly a third owe upwards of $10,000.

 

While paying off credit card debt can feel overwhelming, it’s doable with a solid plan and a bit of belt-
tightening and persistence. Here are some strategies to help you tackle it:

 

Create a Budget

Start by taking a close look at your income and expenses to see where you can free up money to put 
toward your credit card debt. Also look for areas to reduce spending, such as dining out, entertainment 
or subscriptions. And see if you’re eligible for any financial assistance programs (see BenefitsCheckUp.
org) that can help boost your budget by paying for things like food, utilities, medicine and health care.

 

Call the Card Company

While the average credit-card interest rate is more than 20 percent, some credit card companies may be 
willing to lower your interest rate or work out a payment plan, especially if you’re struggling. It doesn’t 
hurt to ask.

 

Pay More Than the Minimum

Credit card companies only require the minimum payment, but it’s usually mostly interest. Try to pay 
more than the minimum every month to make a dent in the principal balance.

 

Choose a Repayment Strategy

If you have more than one credit card, pick one and get serious about paying it off. Start with the card 
that carries the highest interest rate, or the one with the smallest balance. 

 

If you focus on paying off the card with the highest interest rate first, you’ll pay less interest over time, 
saving yourself a lot of money. Once the highest-interest card is paid off, move to the next highest, and 
so on.

 

Or you may want to start with the card with the smallest balance. Paying off smaller debts quickly can 
give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to keep going.

 

Consolidate Your Debt

If you have multiple high-interest cards, look into consolidating your debt with a low-interest personal 
loan from your bank or credit union. Or consider moving your debts to a balance transfer credit card 
with 0 percent interest for an introductory period, which is usually 15, 18 or 21 months. This will eliminate 
the amount of interest you’re paying temporarily. But be careful! Once the introductory promotion 
ends, the card company will charge interest on any remaining balance.

 

Consider a Debt Management Plan

If you need more help, use a nonprofit credit counseling agency (see NFCC.org) to create a debt management 
plan for you. At no cost, a counselor will go over your income and debts and determine what’s 
workable. The counselor will then negotiate with your lenders, to get a payment plan that will lower 
your interest and monthly payments and maybe forgive some debt.

 

If you accept their negotiated offer, you’ll start making one monthly payment to the counseling service, 
which will in turn pay the issuers. You’ll likely pay the agency a small fee and give up the cards included 
in the plan, but over time you’ll be able to pay off your debt.

 

Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, 
Norman, OK 73070.


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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