Heart of ida Vol 1 Iss 1

Vol. 1, Issue 1 | Spring 2017 

AGEWELL 

Older Adults • Families • Caretakers 

FREE | Take One 

Long Beach 

magazine 

AGINGWELL INTO 99+ 

FALL PREVENTION 

Are you at risk? Take the survey. 

Health | Fitness | Classes | Libraries 

Recreation | Resources | More

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize 

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance as an evidence-based 

program that helps prevent falls in older adults by increasing 

exercise and balance. Join Us! 

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance with Heart of Ida 

Long Beach Senior Center 

1150 E 4th St. 

Tuesday 

10-11am 

Houghton Senior Center 

6301 Myrtle Ave. 

Monday and Wednesday 

11:15am-Noon 

FREE: 

DONATIONS 

WELCOME 

David 

Gretchen 

Find out what it’s all about on YouTube with Tai Chi Moments. 

www.youtube.com/user/theheartofida 

(562) 570-3548 • www.HeartofIda.org

“The City of Long Beach is working to make our City 

healthy, safe, and accessible for people of all ages.“ 

We know that this requires providing 

opportunities for easy access to healthy 

foods in our neighborhoods; safe 

exercise opportunities including 

park space and providing bicycle and 

walking opportunities; making sure 

there is physical and mental health care 

access, both preventative as well as to 

treat illness; places to meet and spend 

time with each other, and so much more. 

Another key is ensuring that our 

communities know the services 

available to them and that we do 

our best to make sure these services are 

coordinated to provide the best we can. 

Agewell Long Beach is an important 

part of this effort, helping people 

understand the resources in the 

community. 

Kelly Colopy 

Director of Health & Human Services

Senior Spotlight: 

AgingWell Into 99+| 5 

7 Little Known 

Ways to Stay Active, 

Maintain Health & 

Prevent Injuries | 20 

Classes | 12 

Senior Centers | 10 

Libraries | 13 

Helplines & Hotlines | 26 

City Numbers | 41 

Check Your Fall Risk | 44 

AGEWELL 

Long Beach 

magazine 

Older Adults 

Caretakers • Families 

Contents 

40 | City Government 

42 | Discounts 

25 | Elder Abuse 

30 | Fraud Help & Prevention 

34 | Hearing Assistance 

35 | Housing 

32 | Low Vision 

35 | Medical Equipment 

31 | Medical Care 

28 | Medicare 

31 | Mental Health 

42 | Mortuaries & Cemeteries 

33 | Nutrition 

36 | Resources 

36 | Transportation 

39 | Tax/Legal Help 

38 | Volunteer & Advocacy 

www.HeartofIda.org 

2 AgeWell Long Beach | Spring 2017

Successful-Aging-Ad-PRINT.pdf 1 2/10/2017 11:19:00 AM 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K

Executive 

Director’s Note 

Welcome to our very first edition of 

AgeWell Long Beach. You’ll find that 

AgeWell is filled with resources, helpful 

information and interesting articles. 

We hope that this publication will 

be valuable and entertaining for you. 

Please share our magazine with your 

family and friends. Your feedback and 

suggestions are always welcome. 

The Heart of Ida has helped older adults 

in Long Beach, CA and beyond remain 

independent since 2008. We look forward 

to serving our community and 

highlighting the stories, needs and accomplishments 

of those that we serve. 

Thanks to all of our partners, volunteers 

and friends who have made the Heart 

of Ida a success and to take the next 

step in serving others with the publication 

of AgeWell Long Beach. 

Editor’s Note 

With a recent MPH degree (Master of 

Public Health) & 9+years experience as 

a content editor, life naturally led me to 

the Heart of Ida’s concept of AgeWell 

Long Beach. I am excited to be a part 

of the first issue. I also look forward to 

serving our community by helping to 

preserve independence in older adults. 

Spring 2017 • Vol. 1, Issue 1 

Publisher 

Heart of Ida 

Founder/Executive Director 

Dina Berg, MPA 

Founder/Volunteer 

Keri Reich 

Director of Operations/Editor 

Pam Chotiswatdi, MPH 

Contributing Writer 

Dr. Gretchen Swanson, DPT, MPH 

Did we miss something, 

make a mistake, have 

questions or comments? 

Need help finding 

services or resources? 

We’d like to hear from you! 

Contact Heart of Ida 

(562) 570-3548 

heartofida@gmail.com 

facebook.com/heartofida 

@heartofida 

theheartofida 


Content in this issue 

was updated 

in February 2017. 

Changes may occur, 

please call ahead. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

Legal Note: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any 

form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without 

the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews 

and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email/call (see 

above) or write to Heart of Ida, addressed “Attention: Permissions” to PO Box 8194 Long Beach, CA 90808. 


SENIOR SPOTLIGHT 

AGING 

WELL 

INTO 

99+ 

In honor of the debut issue of AgeWell, 

we believed that the first Senior Spotlight 

interview needed an older adult 

who 1) would celebrate a significant 

birthday this year, 2) was a longtime 

Long Beach area Resident and 3) was 

active in the community. 

Through a good friend of Heart of Ida, 

we were introduced to Mildred Wallerstein, 

who found some time in her busy 

schedule to have a chat with us. 

Mildred, who is 99, will celebrate her 

100th birthday this July. She has lived 

in Long Beach and Signal Hill for over 

30 years. Still very active in the community, 

Mildred drives to several classes 

and programs (yes, she still drives 

a car!). Just last year, Mildred received 

the Community Volunteer of the Year 

award honoring her work in the community, 

knitting caps for hospital patients 

and the homeless, wrapping 

gifts for toy drives and folding newsletters 

(to name a few). 

Originally from Boston, Mildred was the 

middle child with two brothers. 

“Before Long Beach, I was in Boston. 

I was born in Boston, I lived there for 

68 years before I came here. I have 

two brothers. Both have died, but they 

were the greatest guys in the world… 

and I was in the middle, so, I never 

got any hand-me-downs.” 

AgeWell Long Beach | Spring 2017 5

Later in life, Mildred was a young divorcée. 

At age 30 with a five-year-old, 

she began a career as a private secretary 

for Massachusetts Bay Transit 

Authority. 

“I was married nine years, I knew it 

wasn’t going right. Someone asked me 

if I was heartbroken at the time. I said 

no, I was better. Once I got the divorce, 

I knew what I was going to do: I was 

going to work. 

I worked because I needed a job and 

I needed the money. I didn’t work because 

I was frustrated at home. Working 

keeps you aware, you have to get 

dressed every morning, you know. 

When I left I had six weeks’ vacation. 

I was private secretary to the head of 

the department. It wasn’t that I was a 

great genius. But I got into the company 

at the right time for me. I had 

gotten into the company when all the 

women that had gone to work because 

the men were in the service were leaving...well 

their husbands came home. 

Everyone wanted to get pregnant, and 

here I am with a five-year-old boy. I 

needed the job more than they needed 

me. I could take short hand. At the 

time, if you could take short hand, you 

could rule the world. Anybody could 

take it, but few could read it back. You 

can write it, but what good is it, if you 

can’t read it back.” 

Her son grew up, graduated college, 

and moved across country to California 

to begin a career as a psychologist. 

In the 1980s, while she was on a 

visit to escape the East Coast winter, 

her son suggested that Mildred consider 

retirement, something she had 

not really thought about. 

“Actually, when I retired I was 62, I 

had been working nearly 32 years at 

the same company. I had come out (to 

Long Beach) to visit my son. He was 

a psychologist and had an office on 

2nd St. He asked me, ‘When are you 

thinking about retiring?’ That was New 

Year’s Day, I was sitting on the patio. 

I said, ‘I really never thought about it.’ 

I was going to be 62 that July. So the 

next morning, the minute I got home, 

I went right away to the legal department. 

I found out I was going to take 

home more money by retiring than 

I did working. I worked 32 years in a 

great job. I worked for Massachusetts 

Bay Transportation Authority. Like Long 

Beach, but bigger. We had a subway 

train, street cars, and buses and overhead 

trains. We had everything. 

In Boston, I had six years of retirement, 

from [age] 62-68, with all my friends. I 

did everything I wanted to do. We went 

out to lunch, we played golf during the 

week, not on Saturday or Sunday, I 

went shopping in the middle of the day. 

Just to get up in the morning and have 

the paper delivered at the door to read 

it in bed was great.” 

At 68, Mildred made the big move to 

Long Beach. She settled in, made new 

friends, and acted as tour guide to her 

visiting East Coast friends. 

“I found moving a traumatic affair. 

Stick me in a place, I like it and I don’t 

want to have to move. I just don’t want 

that upheaval. One day, my son called 

and brought up moving to California. 

And you know, all my friends are back 

in Boston. People that I’ve known since 

kindergarten. I loved that city. It had 

everything. It had culture, it had theater, 

all the best hospitals in the world 


are there, and all the great colleges are 

in and around Boston. Only thing you 

didn’t like was the winter. 

I was a golfer. During early retirement, 

I was planning on playing golf five days 

a week, which you can’t do because you 

won’t have any strength afterwards. We 

bought a set of golf clubs at a yard sale, 

so my friends only had to bring their 

shoes (laughing). 

I become a tour guide practically. Everyone 

who came stayed two weeks. 

They would play golf six days a week till 

I was exhausted. We drove everywhere. 

“You know when I was 70, I thought I was 40, 

but when you’re 90, you realize you’re 90. “ 

played Monday and Wednesday. We 

had something to do all the time. From 

Boston, I would go to Florida and stay 

two weeks with my brothers. Then I’d 

come to California to stay. That would 

take up most of the winter. 

In fact, I came to California for four winters. 

I rented a little furnished studio. I’d 

bring my clubs and my clothes. I’d stay 

December 1 to April 1.Then one day, my 

son said to me, ‘Why don’t you move 

out here (California) before you get too 

old and I have to come down and move 

you out.’ And I thought to myself, ‘This 

guy, whose diaper I changed, he’s got a 

doctorate degree, but I don’t care what 

he’s got, he’s not going to move me. I’ll 

move me! (laughing).’ When I moved, 

I had more goodbye parties; you would 

think I was going to join the convent. 

Everyone crying, I said, “Listen, you can 

all come visit me when in the winter, 

when the snow gets up to here (pointing 

at her neck), you all can come out. 

In Long Beach, I had a one-bedroom 

apartment with a studio couch that 

opened to a bed. That was the busiest 

studio couch in Long Beach. In the winter, 

everybody came, even my brothers 

from Florida for a change of scenery. I 

One day we’d go to Santa Barbara, then 

down to San Diego or Mexico. The next, 

we’d do the Crystal Church, Newport, 

and all these places. And the Queen 

Mary, I could give a tour of the Queen 

Mary. And to Disneyland...Disneyland 

where no matter how old you are when 

you go, you’re 14 all over again.” 

Leading an active life well into retirement, 

at 90 she found herself slowing 

down gradually and having to move. 

“I lived in Long Beach for 22 years. The 

apartment management had changed. 

Some people were paying more than 

others and the new management decided 

everyone should pay the same. I 

moved in at $425 for rent and I moved 

out at $1000. They wanted another 

$400. That was a big jump. So, I called 

a couple agencies to find a new place. 

When I came to look at the apartment 

I live in now, it was empty. It was just 

what I wanted. It’s on the bottom floor 

because I moved in at 90. You know 

when I was 70 I thought I was 40, but 

when you’re 90 you realize you’re 90. 

So, I needed a bottom floor, a parking 

space, and washer and dryer in my 

apartment, not on the premises. Those 


were the three things that I had to have 

and when I got here, they had it all. 

I like it here. Neighbors see me in the 

morning and say, ‘I wish I were you, I 

wish I didn’t have to work.’ I reply, ‘Really, 

you want to be 100?’ No one wants 

to be 100 and no one wants to be 99 

(laughing)!’” 

At 95, settled in Signal Hill, Mildred had 

a scare and had to give up golf. 

“I started playing golf at 58. I went to 

the country club and this very nice guy 

named Guy…Guy Ambrosio, nice Italian 

guy, he pulls out a wood and an iron and 

asks me, ‘What are they?’ I say, ‘Well, 

one looks like it has a big chunk of wood 

at the bottom and the other looks like 

steel or something.’ He said, ‘You’re the 

kind of somebody we want—No bad 

habits.’ I took six lessons and I knew 

what I was doing right away. 

I had to give up golf a few years ago. I 

got vertigo. One morning I woke up, I 

was 95, I was in bed, it was a Sunday. 

I had been a pretty well person mostly. 

I woke up and opened my eyes and the 

room was flying around. I didn’t know 

what it was, so I held on to the bed. I 

wear a medical alert, so I pressed on it, 

they answered, and I told them, ‘I don’t 

know what’s happening, I think I’m having 

a heart attack and I can’t move.’ 

He (the medical-alert responder) said, 

‘Don’t move, we’ll be there in 5 minutes.’ 

They came and took my blood pressure 

and after 10 minutes or so, they 

knew I was not having a heart attack. 

They asked me, ‘What was your mother’s 

maiden name?’ I couldn’t open my 

eyes, I said, ‘What? My mother’s name? 

She’s been dead 50 years what’s she 

got to do with this?’ Then, he asks, ‘Well, 

she must’ve had a maiden name.’ So I 

gave it to him. Then he asks, ‘Where do 

you live?’, like he wanted me to tell him 

this address. I said, ‘I live in this house.’ 

He said, ‘I know it. You are the toughest 

woman; I can’t get any information out 

of you. I want you to tell me the address 

of the house.’ So then they knew 

I wasn’t having a stroke. But I didn’t 

know why they were asking me those 

questions (laughing). 

I had to take six or seven intensive exercises 

to get rid of it (vertigo). So when 

it came to golfing, we always walked, 

some wanted to ride, others wanted to 

walk. I was done. I went to the doctor 

and told him, ‘I think I have to quit golf, 

I feel terrible about it.’ He said, ‘Why 

should you feel bad about it? You’re 95! 

Just quit playing, don’t feel so badly.’ 

I didn’t know what I was going to do. 

I missed the walking. It’s not like we 

didn’t want to rent a cart, but if you’re 

real golfer, you want to walk it.” 

For Mildred, staying active and social includes 

going on walks, taking community 

classes, joining a book club and knitting 

group, and volunteering her time. 

“Now, I take two classes. I take a Bible 

class and World Affairs. And the 

first Friday of the month, I go to the 

book club at the library. One day I was 

at the library and a lady approached 

me saying, ‘Hey, we’ve been trying to 

reach you. We need some older people 

to be on the board of the library 

to read a book and tell us if older people 

would like it because we only have 

younger people to review the books.’ 

So I said, ‘Listen, I’m going to let you 

know something, the fact that I got old 

doesn’t mean I got smart, just means I 


got older. Because if you’re dumb when 

you’re younger, its likely that you’re 

dumb when you’re older (laughing)!’ 

I went to city hall to see how I could 

help, I said, “I could volunteer, but I 

don’t have much money to make donations 

as I’m on a limited income. I pay 

my rent and eat, but I don’t have any 

to give.” This lady said, “We don’t need 

much money, but we need volunteers.” 

So they started to say about me, “This 

is the lady who says, ‘I can give you 

time, I can’t give you any money.’” 

I went to an awards ceremony one 

night last year and the speaker says, 

“And now we have an award to give to 

somebody who doesn’t know she’s going 

to get it, this lady said ‘I don’t have 

any money, but I can give you plenty 

of time.’” I said to myself, “Hey, that’s 

me! Those are my words!” Then she 

called my name, Mildred Wallerstein, I 

nearly died. Everyone stood up, there 

was about 200 people there!” 

airfare, hotel, car and money to go see 

everything; I mean it’s California. To 

have this party, it would cost everyone 

too much. And these people only know 

me as their mother’s cousin and their 

kids have only heard of me. So, my 

son, grand-daughter and I are going on 

a cruise (laughing).” 

Our conversation winds down, she 

laughs, ‘What else would you like to 

know? Just don’t ask me about the 

state of the country.’ Well, we’ll stay off 

that subject. 

What makes Mildred happy is being 

able to Skype with her 74–year-old 

son and her 6-year-old granddaughter 

who live in the Dominican Republic 

(which she has traveled to about 12 

times). The most important part of her 

life that enabled her to lead a happy life 

was her career. Having a 32-year work 

life to support her son and herself independently 

allowed her a full life and 

comfortable retirement. 

“For my upcoming 100th birthday, I 

was thinking of having a party, but all 

my first cousins are gone. They all died 

late in life, up in the 80s and 90s. No 

one died young. So their children are 

in their 70s. They are all on the East 

Coast. If I send them invitations to 

come to my party, they’ll have to get 


LONG BEACH 

SENIOR & COMMUNITY CENTERS 

Long Beach 

Senior Center 

1150 E 4th St. 

Monday - Friday, 

8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Reception: (562) 570-3500 

Information & Assistance: 

(562) 570-3533 

Senior Fitness Room: 

(562) 570-3515 

Friendly Cup Cafe: (562) 570-3546 

Senior Nutrition Dining Room: 

(562) 570-3520 

Heart of Ida: (562) 570-3548 

Filipine/American Senior 

Civic Center Club: (562) 570-3543 

Senior Links: (562) 570-3555 

California Recreation Center 

1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. 

(562) 570-1605 

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Cesar Chavez 

401 Golden Ave. (562) 570-8890 

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. 

El Dorado Park West 

2800 Studebaker Road 

(562) 570-3227 


El Dorado Seniors Advisory Meeting 

- Share your ideas. Third 

Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Houghton Park 

6301 Myrtle Ave. (562) 570-1640 


Silverado Park 

1545 W. 31st St. (562) 570-1675 


Call for activities, classes, events, 

and lectures. 

www.tinyurl.com/LongBeachSC 


Classes 

Fitness, Balance 

& Special Interest 

Call for details such as schedules, 

fees, registration, and 

more options. 

Senior Centers 


1150 E 4th St., (562) 570-3500 

Wood Carving • Variety Band • Knit 

& Crochet • Body Works • Chair 

Aerobics • Beg. Spanish • Moving 

Easy • Senior Striders • Meditation 

In Motion • Drawing&Painting 

• Stretch N’ Flex • Sewing • Tai 

Chi • Beg. Weaving • Tap Dance, 

Reading Group • Lapidary • Weaving 

• Gray Panther • Bingo • Zumba 

Gold • Wii Bowling • Sudoku 

Class • Karaoke Cafe • Courage 

To Change • Flower Making • Social 

Dance • Sing Along, Round 

Dance Clinic • Senior Citizen 

Advisory Commission • Filipino 

American Dance 

Silverado Park 

1545 W. 31st St., (562) 570-1675 

Aerobics • Health Lecture • Bingo 

• Card Games • Crochet • Arts & 

Crafts • Senior Dances 

El Dorado Park West 

2800 Studebaker Rd., 

(562) 570-3227 

Call for programming. 

Houghton Park 

6301 Myrtle Ave., (562) 570-1640 

Light Chair Aerobics • Tai Chi • 

Toning with Bands • Mini Jewelry 

• Bingo • Beg. Computer • 

Mini Craft. Due to renovations, 

Intro. Spanish, Spanish 1 & 2 

and Quilting are on hold. 

California Rec. Center 

1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. 

(562) 570-1605 

Senior Exercise • Tai Chi • Bingo • 

Crafts • Line Dancing 

Cesar Chavez 

401 Golden Ave., (562) 570-8890 

Move and Groove Fit • Weight 

Training • Chair Exercise • Hooked 

Crochet Club • Garden Club • Arts 

& Crafts • Nature Tours 

Expo Arts Center 

4321 Atlantic Ave. For schedule of 

activities, call Council District 8 at 

(562) 570-6685. 


LIBRARIES www.lbpl.org 

Long Beach Hours & Locations 

Monday: Closed 

Tuesday: Noon – 7 p.m. (Main Library open until 8 p.m.) 

Wednesday: Noon - 6 p.m. 

Thursday: Noon – 7 p.m. 

Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Sunday: Noon – 4 p.m. (Bay Shore and Burnett Libraries only) 

Main Library 

101 Pacific Ave., (562) 570-7500 

Alamitos 

1836 E. Third St., (562) 570-1037 

Ruth Bach 

4055 N. Bellflower Blvd., (562) 570- 

1038. Mystery Readers Book Club2nd 

Friday, 11:30am-12-30pm 

Bay Shore 

195 Bay Shore Ave., (562) 570-1039 

Book Group: Second Thursday, 

6:30-8pm 

Brewitt 

4036 E. Anaheim St., (562) 570-1040 

Book Club: Fourth Saturday, 10am 

Burnett 

560 E. Hill St., (562) 570-1041 

Dana 

3680 Atlantic Ave., (562) 570-1042 

Book Club: Second Saturday, 10am 

El Dorado 

2900 Studebaker Rd., (562) 570-3136 

50+ Book Club: First Tuesday, 1pm 

Bret Harte 

1595 W. Willow St., (562) 570-1044 

Los Altos 

5614 E. Britton Dr.. (562) 570-1045 

Book Club: Second Saturday, 10am 

Mark Twain 

1401 E. Anaheim St., (562) 570-1046 

Michelle Obama 

5870 Atlantic Ave., (562) 570-1047 

Recommended Reading Book Club, 

share a recent book or a favorite, 3rd 

Saturday, 10:30-11:30am 

Call the locations above for book clubs, classes & workshops, online tutorials, 

databases & specialized collections. Homebound readers services, 

(562) 570-6959, Tuesday - Saturday, 10am-5pm. 

Signal Hill Library - 1780 E. Hill St., (562) 989-7323 

www.tinyurl.com/signalhillbooks 

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: noon - 8pm 

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 10am - 5pm 

Closed Sundays. First Friday Book Club at 11:30am 


Long Beach 

Recreation 

Adults 50+ classes 

(562) 570-3100, locations vary, 

www.lbparks.org 

Ballroom Dance • Round Dance • 

Senior Line Dancing • Boomer Zumba 

• Fit, Firm and Flexible for 50+ 

• Gentle Yoga - All Levels • Senior 

Fitness • Zumba Gold • Zumba Toning 

• Voice 

Signal Hill 

Community 

Services 

Bingo, Book Club, Lifelong Reader, 

The Social Club offered at Signal 

Hill Library, 1780 E. Hill St., 

(562) 989-7323. www.tinyurl.com/ 

signalhillseniors 

LGBTQ Center 

2017 E. 4th St., (562) 434-4455, 

www.centerlb.org 

Social support groups, seminars 

and events. 

Alpert Jewish 

Community 

Center 

Silver Sneakers for eligible Medicare 

health plan and group retiree 

members. 3801 E. Willow St., (562) 

426-7601. www.alpertjcc.org 

Older Adult Fitness including Tai 

Chi and Aqua Fitness, plus Happiness 

& Humor Class. 

CSULB 

Life Fit Center at CSULB 

For Long Beach residents ages 49+. 

1250 N. Bellflower Blvd. , (562) 985- 

2015, www.tinyurl.com/csulblifefit 

Fit and Fun • Krank Circuit & Krank 

Fusion • Zumba • Bodyweight & 

Balance • Building Strength • Pilates 

• Flexibility, Mindfulness & 

Gratitude • Yoga • Aqua Fitness 

• SIT: Spin Interval Training • 

In-Trinity Flow • Fit Camp • Tai Chi 

• Strength for Living • Qigong 

OLLI at CSULB 

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 

1250 Bellflower Blvd., (562) 985- 

8237, www.tinyurl.com/OLLICSULB 

More than 50 classes offered include 

cooking, dance, history, literature, 

language, culture & more. 

LBCC 

Lon 

We offer class 

to k 

Some of the classes we 

Social Media, Writin 

Classes 

The New Rich 

Papa Christo’ 

Jeopardy Taping & Lunc 

Los Angles Flower & Je 

The Newly Renov 

Architectu 

Tours Depart from 

Senior Studies at Long Call Cindy a 

Beach Community College & t 

Lifetime Learning Program for older 

adults. Pacific Coast Campus, 

1305 E. PCH., FF-108. (562) 938- 

3048, www.lbcc.edu/seniorcenter 


Long Beach City College Senior Studies 

Lifetime Learning Program 

Spring 2017 

We offer classes, seminars, day tours and special events 

designed to keep older adults engaged mentally and physically. 

Long Beach City College Senior Studies 

Lifetime Learning Program 

Spring 2017 

Some of the classes offered include 

g Beach City College We Senior offer classes, Studies seminars, day tours and special events designed 

Lifetime Learning Program to keep you engaged mentally and physically. 

World Affairs, Music Appreciation, 

Spring 2017 

Some of the classes we offer are World Affairs, Music Appreciation, Computer and 

Social Media, Writing Your Memoirs, German, Italian & Greek History for the 

es, seminars, day tours and special events designed 

Traveler and Tai Chi. 

eep you engaged mentally and physically. 

Classes are held at the Pacific Coast Campus FF-108 

1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy 

offer are World Affairs, Music Appreciation, Computer and 

Long Beach 90806 

g Your Memoirs, German, Italian & Greek History for the 

Pacific Coast Campus FF-108 

Traveler and Tai Chi. 

Join us for our exciting day tours: 

are held at the Pacific Coast Campus FF-108 1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy 

1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy 

The New Richard Nixon Long Presidential Beach Library and 90806 Lunch, March 2 

Long Beach 90806 

Papa Christo’s Taverna & St. Sophia Greek Cathedral, March 16 

Jeopardy Taping & Lunch at Dear John’s with Sinatra Style Entertainment, March 28 

Join us for our exciting day tours: 

Los Angles Flower & Jewelry Mart & Surprise Stop & Philippe’s for Lunch, April 13 

The Newly Renovated Getty Villa & Lunch at Rusty’s Surf Ranch, April 27 

ard Nixon Presidential Library and Lunch, March 2 

March 16: Papa Architectural Christo’s Los Taverna Angeles & with St. Lunch Sophia at the Greek HMS Bounty Cathedral 

s Taverna & St. Sophia Greek Cathedral, March 16 

Tours Depart from LBCC Foundation Building at Clark & Conant Avenues 

h at Dear John’s with Sinatra Style Entertainment, March 28 

welry Mart & Surprise Stop & Philippe’s for Lunch, April 13 

ated Getty Villa & Lunch 

Call 

at 

Cindy 

Rusty’s Surf 

at 562-938-3048 

Ranch, April 27 

for more Information 

ral Los Angeles with Lunch at the & HMS to be Bounty added to our Mailing List 

LBCC Foundation Building at Clark & Conant Avenues 

Computer and Social Media, Writing Your Memoirs, 

German, Italian & Greek History for the Traveler and Tai Chi. 

Classes are held at Long Beach Community College 

JOIN US FOR OUR EXCITING DAY TOURS: 

March 28: Jeopardy Taping & Lunch at Dear John’s with Sinatra-Style Entertainment 

April 13: Los Angles Flower & Jewelry Mart & Surprise Stop & Philippe’s for Lunch 

April 27: The Newly Renovated Getty Villa & Lunch at Rusty’s Surf Ranch, 

Architectural Los Angeles with Lunch at the HMS Bounty 

t 562-938-3048 for more Information 

o be added Tours to Depart our Mailing from List LBCC Foundation Building at Clark & Conant Avenues 

Call Cindy at 562-938-3048 for more Information 

& to be added to our Mailing List 


Tai Chi • Music Appreciation • World 

Affairs • Computers & Social Media 

• Writing Memoirs • German/ 

Italian/Greek History 

Long Beach 

Health & Human 

Services 

Locations vary. (562) 570-4499, 

www.longbeach.gov/health/ 

Diabetes Prevention & Management 

Program, Healthy Active 

Long Beach events & programs, 

workshops, health fairs, mental 

health resources and healthcare 

resources. 

Hospitals 

Long Beach Memorial 

MemorialCare Senior Plus program 

for older adults ages 55+. 

2801 Atlantic Ave., (562) 933- 

1650, www.memorialcare.org 

$25 annual fee, includes: free 

parking, free health education lectures, 

access to programs & services, 

free transportation (limited) 

and discounts. 

Dignity Health - St. Mary’s 

Medical Center 

Bazzeni Wellness Center for older 

adults 50+. 1050 Linden Ave. (562) 

491-9811. www.dignityhealth.org 

Membership, free - $25 annually. 

Free classes: Balance Assessment 

• Community Referrals • Health 

Education Classes. Fee-Based 

Classes (low-cost): Falls Prevention 

• Senior Fit Class • T’ai Chi • 

Stepping On 

YMCA 

Silver Sneakers and Silver&Fit programs 

for eligible Medicare health 

plan and group retiree members. 

Los Altos, 1720 Bellflower Blvd., 

(562) 596-3394; Fairfield, 4949 

Atlantic Ave., (562)423-0491; 

and Lakewood, 5835 E. Carson 

St. (Lakewood), (562) 425-7431. 

www.lbymca.org 

Water Aerobics • Zumba 

Call for more options. 

Mobul Long Beach 

2153 N Bellflower Blvd., (562) 343- 

7333, www.mobulstore.com 

Lectures and workshops on a variety 

of topics. 


(562) 570-3548 

www.HeartofIda.com 

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance 

and Book Club, plus occasional 

speakers, screenings, and events. 

Visit the website and join the newsletter 

to keep up to date on the latest 

schedule. 


Join a class about 

happiness & humor 

led by dr. susan mathieu 

“The Happy Professor” 

it’s FRee! 

First Fridays of the month at 11:30 am 

Next class: APril 7 (no class in march) 

Everyone welcome - bring a friend! 

Enjoy the company, the laughs & 

complimentary home-baked goods. 

Alpert Jewish 

community center 

3801 E. Willow St. , 

long beach, 90815 

www.Alpertjcc.org 

For details, contact 

Dr. Susan Mathieu 

(562) 426-7601, Ext. 1721 

smathieu@alpertjcc.org 




7 LITTLE KNOWN WAYS 

to Stay Active, Maintain 

Health and Prevent Injuries 

Article | Dr. Gretchen Swanson, DPT, MPH 

As time goes on more of us are 

living longer. The average life 

span is greater now than ever 

before. While that means more 

years, it can also mean more opportunity 

for chronic conditions 

and disability. 

Many of us have an image of 

that “classical retirement” in our 

heads from all those years of 

television. Happy, healthy, energetic 

seniors off for that grand 

tour of Europe or maybe just an 

afternoon of golf and drinks at 

the club. However, the reality of 

aging in today’s real world is that 

seniors are often burdened with 

financial stress, must provide for 

the care and feeding of grandchildren 

and even their parents, and 

face a number of threats ranging 

from mortgage Ponzi schemes to 

online identity theft. 


It takes a sharp, in shape senior 

to navigate today’s Golden Age. 

To counter some of the harsher 

realities of aging we offer 

here seven tried and true habits 

and strategies for feeling better 

as you live longer. Remember, 

you’re a seasoned veteran who 

has seen and done a lot in life. 

Maybe you’re a bit of a tough 

cookie, but with a heart of gold. 

In any case, you’re ready for, 

and deserve, a path to a better 

older life. 

1) Be Active Everyday 

No Excuses 

on the phone, limiting your computer 

and TV screen time and so 

on. Start small and create easily 

achievable goals when you begin 

so you have immediate success. 

Some movement is always 

better than none and you’ll be 

surprised how soon you feel like 

walking that extra block or doing 

a few more minutes of gardening. 

Movement is the building 

block of increasing your activity. 

It will also limit undue stress on 

inactive joints and weak muscles 

as you get stronger. 

2) Birds of a Feather 

Both the World Health Organization 

and the American Heart 

Association agree that we as a 

society have become too sedentary. 

So the trick is to increase 

your uptime and to decrease 

your sit time! But you say “I’m 

so busy.” Yes, undoubtedly you 

are busy but think about what 

you are busy with: sitting in the 

car, sitting while talking on the 

phone, sitting at your computer, 

sitting taking a fun class, sitting 

having lunch with friends. After 

being so busy it’s hard to go out 

and be active. Switch it around 

by going for a short walk in the 

morning, standing while you are 

Remember that saying from your 

childhood? Well they do flock together 

so if your friends and family 

are sitting around you probably 

are, too. Now we’re not suggesting 

you disavow your loved ones, 

but sometimes simply hanging out 

with active people will help you 

get active as well. What’s more, 

friendships are key to successful 

emotional health and this is especially 

true as we age. Try getting 

together with active friends 

by attending an exercise class or 

joining a hiking club. You’ll find 

many like-minded people doing 

and looking for the same things 

you desire. At the same time, 


don’t give up on your sedentary 

friends. Try inviting them out for 

a walk after dinner and before you 

know it they may be taking you to 

yoga class. 

3) Lose Those 

Extra Pounds 

Don’t go into your golden years 

overweight. You know this. Diabetes, 

joint pain and cardiac conditions 

are improved when you are 

at your optimal weight and you 

have sufficient muscle mass. There 

are numerous educational support 

groups, many at low cost, that can 

offer help. At the heart of it is altering 

what you eat and of course, 

being active. So as much as a big 

juicy hamburger with French fries 

was comfort food in the past, too 

frequent consumption of this rich 

chow truly is killing us. Crash diets 

are not the answer. Often they 

can do more harm than good. A 

gradual progression towards a 

healthy diet is key. If your family 

is not jumping on board that is 

a problem. But your health could 

become their problem. Think of 

nutrition as a form of medicine. 

4) Get The Right Tools 

Being comfortable and staying 

safe while increasing your ac- 


tivity is very important. Always 

wear a helmet if the activity 

calls for it. Protect against the 

sun with sunscreen, glasses and 

hats. Wear comfortable clothing 

and appropriate footwear. If 

you’re a little rusty consider a 

refresher course on your activity. 

if you’ re unsure about your 

balance then try something easier 

like tricycling over bicycling. 

Want to increase your distance 

walking? Those Scandinavian’s 

really have something going 

with walking poles. You may 

be seeing more and more people 

walking the streets in Long 

Beach with poles that look like 

ski equipment but are distinctly 

different. It takes a bit of an 

adjustment but the effort is well 

worth it. 

5) Shoes For Your Feet 

Shoes, especially for women, are 

a challenge. Don’t be swayed by 

fashion if the footwear doesn’t fit 

well and isn’t comfortable. Your 

feet may be undergoing changes 

and a supportive shoe can help 

with those changes. In the end 

one or two pairs of active footwear 

will encourage you to be on your 

feet rather than on your bum. 

6) Stay On Top 

Of Sensory Changes 

Normal aging does not have to 

include chronic conditions, weak- 


ness or joint pain. But more often 

than not as we age our sensory 

systems are likely to change. We 

are more apt to have a change in 

our vision as well as changes to 

the eyes themselves. Our hearing 

may be challenged and it becomes 

unpleasant or disorienting 

to go out to public spaces. We 

may notice changes in our balance 

due to a variety of factors. Don’t 

ignore what is going on. Sensory 

loss may come on slowly but that 

doesn’t mean you can or should 

avoid seeking help. It might cause 

you to limit your activity because 

you are fearful or uncomfortable in 

surroundings outside your home. 

7) Recliner? 

Think Again. 

Don’t get me wrong recliners have 

their place, especially for medical 

conditions. But make sure you are 

going in the right direction when 

altering your living room furniture 

to accommodate a recliner. 

Recliners are made for rest; and 

they are very effective, so much 

so, it is difficult to get out of them. 

Make sure you have other supportive 

seating in your home like 

a captain’s chair with comfortable 

cushion and arm rests. This type 

of seating promotes good posture 

and is easier to exit than a low 

slung seat. 

Where to start? Your neighborhood. 

Walk your block every day. 

As you get comfortable go a little 

further, change direction, take different 

routes and go new places. 

In my neighborhood of Rose Park 

we have Tai Chi class every Tuesday 

morning and we are looking 

forward to a bike boulevard along 

6th St. next year. You are more 

likely to connect with people you 

know or might develop a relationship 

with. Respect the days you 

don’t feel so hot and remember 

that rest, replenishment and recovery 

are all part of staying active 

as well. Support your friends and 

family when they need encouragement. 

We are in this together and 

we are all each other’s best reason 

to stay healthy and active! 

24 AgeWell Long Beach | Spring 2017 

Dr. Gretchen Swanson, DPT, MPH 

Creator of the Long Beach based 

Health & Function blog: 

http://healthandfunction.blogspot.com/

Elder Abuse 

To report elder abuse or 

neglect if it is immediate 

(happening right now) 

or life threatening—Call 911 

Elder Abuse Hotline 

(877) 477-3646 

Ageless Alliance 

www.agelessalliance.org 

LA County District Attorney 

Victim-Witness Assistance 

(800) 380-3811 

da.co.la.ca.us 

California Attorney General 

Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud 

& Elder Abuse 

(800) 722-0432 

www.oag.ca.gov/bmfea 

Domestic Violence Hotlines: 

National DVH 

(800) 799-7233 

DVH Socal in 13 languages: 

(800) 978-3600 

Jewish Family Service 

Violence Project 

(818) 505-0900 

Victim Information & Notification 

Everyday (VINE) Hotline: 

(877) 846-3452 

Aging & Adult Services 

(888) 202-4CIU (4248) 

(800) 660-4026 TDD 

aging.lacity.org/ 

Conducts investigation of all situations 

involving elders (age 65+) 

and dependent adults (physically 

or mentally impaired aged 18- 

64) who are reported to be endangered 

by physical, sexual, or 

financial abuse, abandonment, 

isolation, abduction, neglect or 

self-neglect, or hazardous living 

conditions. 

Long-Term Care 

Ombudsman 

(800) 334-WISE (9473) 

(800) 231-4024, after hours/crisis 

ombudsman@wiseseniors.org 

www.wiseandhealthyaging.org 

A free and confidential service 

that maintains and improves the 

quality of life for residents in longterm 

care facilities. 


Helplines & Hotlines 

911 Emergency Police/Fire 

211 Los Angeles 

211 or (800) 339-6993 

Los Angeles Aging & 

Adult Services 

(888) 202-4248 

Disabled Transport 

(Access Eligibility) 

(323) 780-9777 

Domestic Violence 

(562) 594-4555 

Center for Health Rights 

(213) 383-4519 

Emergency Cold 

Weather Hotline 

(800) 548-6047 

LA County 

Mental Health Access 

(800) 854-7771 

Legal Aid of Los Angeles 

601 Pacific Ave. (562) 435-3501 

Long Beach Gas & Oil 

Emergency (562) 570-2140 

Utility (562) 570-5700 

So Cal Edison (800) 655-4555 

LIHEAP 

(Low-Income Emergency 

Assistance with Utilities) 

(866) 675-6623 

Wise & Healthy Aging 

Long Term Care Ombudsman 

(800) 334-9473 

Medicare (800) 633-4227 

Multi-Service Center 

1301 W. 12th St. (562) 570-4500 

Poverty assistance, education and 

employment. 

Elder Abuse Hotline 

(800) 992-1660 

National Sexual Assault 

Hotline 

(800) 656-4673 

Poison Control (800) 222-1222 

Suicide Hotline & 

Vet Crisis Line 

(800) 784-2433 

Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ 

(866) 488-7386 



Medicare 

Medicare Assistance 

(800) 633-4227 • www.medicare.gov 

Sign up, change plans, review costs, what is covered, drug 

coverage, supplements, claims/appeals, forms and resources. 

Health Insurance Counseling & 

Advocacy Program (HICAP) - 

Medicare counseling: 

(800) 434-0222 

www.cahealthadvocates.org/hicap 

Medicare Fraud 

Senior Medicare Patrol 

California Health Advocates 

(855) 613-7080 

www.smpresource.org 

www.cahealthadvocates.org 

Center for Health Care Rights 

(213) 383-4519 

Telephone counseling by appointment; 

in-person also available under 

special circumstances. 

US Heatlh and Human TIPS 

Hotline to report Medicare Fraud 

(800)-447-8477 

oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud 


The help you need: 

Independence 

at Home 

It all starts with one call: 866-421-1964 

Maybe you just need a little extra support 

at home. Maybe you are so overwhelmed 

you don’t know what you need. 

Independence at Home (IAH) has a team 

of caring professionals ready to help. 

Our trained social workers, gerontologists, 

nurses, mental health professionals, 

pharmacists, and health educators can 

connect you and your loved ones to the 

services needed to stay healthy and 

independent at home. There is no charge 

for our assistance. 

If you are 55 and older—or a caregiver 

to someone 55 and older—find out how 

IAH can help you. Many services are also 

available in Spanish and other languages. 

? 

How can we help? 

Call IAH today: 

866-421-1964 

You may be familiar with Independence at Home’s MSSP 

services, but we have many other programs, including: 

• Caregivers & Older Adults Connected & Healthy 

(COACH): The COACH team will help identify 

where you need help and then connect you to 

such resources as transportation, meals, safety 

equipment and more. 

• C-MEDS: Through this medication safety program, 

our licensed pharmacists and nurses come to your 

home and work with you to develop a detailed plan 

to better manage your medications. 

• Insights: Licensed therapists provide support and 

coping skills to help you deal with such issues as 

stress and depression. 

• Volunteer Action for Aging (VAA): We provide 

the training, but our volunteers bring their own 

love for seniors. VAA offers one-time events and 

ongoing opportunities. Call 562-637-7169 or visit 

scan.samaritan.com for more information. 

Celebrating 40 years of serving 

seniors and their caregivers. 

Email: communityoutreach@scanhealthplan.com 


Fraud Help & Prevention 

Credit Card Fraud 

Help with identity theft, 

create a freeze on new 

accounts from being 

opened in your name, 

and credit report disputes. 

Experian: 

experian.com 

(888) 397-3742 

Equifax: 

equifax.com 

(800) 525-6285 

TransUnion: 

transunion.com 

(800) 680-7289 

Free annual credit report: 

(877) 322-8228 

annualcreditreport.com 

Mail Fraud & 

Prevention 

US Postal Inspection 

Service to report mail 

fraud: (877) 876-2455 

postalinspectors.uspis.gov 

Opt-out from insurance 

offers, pre-approved 

credit card, & 

unsolicited mail, (888) 

567-8688 

Direct Marketing 

Association Inc. 

Remove your name 

from mailing lists and 

e-mailing lists: 

www.dmachoice.org 

Telephone Fraud 

Federal Trade 

Commission (FTC) 

Report telemarketing 

fraud/identity theft: 

(877) 382-4357 

Do Not Call Registry 

- Stop telemarketers 

from calling. (888) 382- 

1222. www.donotcall. 

gov 

Internet Crime / Spam 

Internet Crime complaint 

center: www.ic3. 

gov 

Other Issues 

Financial Industry Regulatory 

Authority (FIN- 

RA) check the background 

of a broker or 

brokerage: (800) 289- 

9999 

California Department 

of Consumer Affairs to 

make sure licenses of 

physicians, nurses, and 

other heath care professionals 

are current: dcs. 

ca.gov, (800) 952-5210 

California Department of 

Insurance: (800) 927- 

4357, insurance.ca.gov 

California Department 

of Real Estate, dre. 

ca.gov, (213) 620-2072 

California Public Utilities 

Commission for 

utility complaints: 

cpuc.ca.gov/puc 

(800) 649-7570 

Utility Fraud Hotline 

(800) 321-2752 

www.cslb.ca.gov 

LA County Department 

of Consumer Affairs for 

landlord/tenant issues, 

housing discrimination, 

home-buyer issues, 

consumer complaints: 

www.dca.lacounty.gov, 

(800) 593-8222 


Mental Health 

Suicide Hotline 

(800) 784-2433 

St. Mary Medical Center 

Trauma - 1045 Atlantic Ave Suite 

801, (562) 491-7977 

www.ced.csulb.edu/lbtrc 

C.A.R.E. - 1045 Atlantic Ave., Ste. 

1016, (562) 624-4900, www. 

careprogram.org 

Long Beach Police Dept. 

Mental Health Evaluation Team 

(562) 435-6711 

Long Beach Mental Health Center 

1975 Long Beach Blvd. 

(562) 599-9280 

dmh.lacounty.gov 

Telecare La Casa 

Mental Health Urgent Care 

6060 Paramount Blvd. 

(562) 634-9534, Walk-in services 

only, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. 

Long Beach Asian Pacific 

Islander Family Mental Health 

4510 E. PCH, Ste. 600 

(562) 346-1100 

Mental Health America Village ISA 

456 Elm Ave., (562) 437-6717 

www.mhavillage.org 

Memorial Counseling Assoc. 

4525 E. Atherton St., 

(800) 633-7888 

www.mcapsych.com 

Pacific Asian Counseling Services 

3530 Atlantic Ave., Ste. 210 

(562) 424-1886 

Los Angeles County 

Dept. of Mental Health 

(800) 854-7771, 

also for after hours assistance. 

dmh.lacounty.gov 

Medical Care 

Hospitals 

St. Mary’s Medical Center 

1050 Linden Ave.,(562) 491-9000 

www.dignityhealth.org 

Community Hospital Long Beach 

1720 Termino Ave., (562) 498-1000 

www.memorialcare.org 

Long Beach Memorial Hospital 

2801 Atlantic Ave., (562) 933- 

2000, www.memorialcare.org 


VA Long Beach 

5901 E. 7th St., (562) 826-8000 

www.longbeach.va.gov 

Urgent Care Centers 

Urgent Care Plus 

555 Ocean Blvd., Ste. 110 

(562) 285-5050 

www.lburgentcare.com 

Reddy Urgent Care 

123 Atlantic Ave., (562) 726-1383 

www.reddyuc.com 

Long Beach Urgent Care 

6553 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. 

(562) 596-8700 

www.remedemd.com 

Medpost Urgent Care 

2010 E. Carson St. 

(562) 424-5450 

www.medpost.com 

MemorialCare Medical Groups 

Urgent Care Center 

2110 N. Bellflower Blvd. 

(562) 346-2222 

www.memorialcare.org 

LOW 

VISION 

St. Mary 

Medical Center 

Low Vision Center 

1050 Linden Ave. 

(562) 491-9275 

www.tinyurl.com/smlowvision 

Outside Long Beach: 

The Braille Institute 

Los Angeles 

741 N. Vermont Ave. 

(323) 663-1111 

Anaheim 

527 N. Dale Ave. 

(714) 821-5000 

(800) 272-4553 (BRAILLE) 

www.brailleinstitute.org 

Long Beach 

Comprehensive 

Healthcare 

1333 Chestnut Ave., Long Beach 

(562) 599-2153 

www.tinyurl.com/LBCHC 


Food Stamps 

(Cal Fresh) 

Sign-ups, call 

for days/times: 


- (562) 570-3500 

Long Beach Dept. of 

Health & Human Services, 

(562) 570-4315. 

longbeach.gov/health/ 

Alpert Jewish 

Community Center 

Senior Lunches $5-6 - 

Wednesdays (vegetarian 

and Kosher options). 

Nutrition 

3801 E. Willow St. (562) 

426-7601, alpertjcc.org 

Human Services 

Association (HSA) 

Meals Program 

(562) 570-3520. Lunch 

Program for ages 60+. 

Suggested donation of 

$2.25; any donation is 

appreciated, but no one 

will be turned away due 

to inability to donate. 

Locations include: 

California Rec. Center, 

Cerritos Senior Center, El 

Dorado Park, Houghton 

Park, and Long Beach 

Senior Center. Phone 

numbers and location 

addresses are found 

page 10. 

Meals on WheelsLB 

$8 per day for two 

meals—dinner & lunch. 

Meals are delivered Monday 

- Friday between 

10:30 am - 12:30 pm 

by volunteers. Sign up 

on their website or over 

the phone. (562) 439- 

5000, www.mowlb.org 

FOOD BANKS - Call for details. 

American Red Cross 

3150 E. 29th St., 

(562) 595-6341 

Long Beach Community 

123 E. 4th St., 

(213) 251-3432 

Centro Shalom 


(562) 591-2214 

Food Finders 

3434 Atlantic Ave. 

(562) 283-1400 

Foodbank of So. Cal. 

1444 San Francisco 

Ave. (562) 435-3577 

Grateful Hearts Storehouse 

- (562) 431-0880 

Long Beach Rescue 

1335 Pacific Ave. 

(562) 591-1292 

Salvation Army 

180 E. Ocean Blvd. 

(562) 436-7000 

2nd Samoan Church 

655 Cedar Ave., 

(562) 628-9282 

St. Francis Center 

1045 E. 7th St., 

(562) 599-6474 


HEARING ASSISTANCE 

Ascent Hearing Center 

4085 Atlantic Ave., Ste. D 

(562) 206-1983 

ascenthearinglongbeach.com 

Beltone S. California 

2865 Atlantic Ave., Ste. 225 

(714) 672-9445, beltone.com 

Connect Hearing 

(562) 494-7374 

Screenings: locations vary 

connecthearing.com 

Clear Captions 

Free phones, clearcaptions.com 

Hearing Loss Association 

at The Weingart Senior Center, 

5220 Oliva Ave., Lakewood, (562) 

630-6141, call for days/time. 

Jay’s Hearing Aid Center 

3740 E. 7th St. 

(562) 433-6701 

www.jayshearingcenterlb.com 

Sonus Hearing Care 

Professionals 

2530 Atlantic Ave., Ste. D 

(562) 426-2137 

sonushearing.com 


In-Home Supportive 

Services (IHSS) 

Personal Care 

Services Program (PCSP) 

(888) 944-4477, dpss.lacounty.gov 

Senior Links Program 

For Resources/Services 

(562) 570-3555 

1150 E. 4th St. 

(Inside Long Beach Senior Center) 

Assistance with meals, transportation, 

mental health, personal and 

house care. Ask about Medicare 

assistance. 

SCAN 

Independence at Home 

(855) 474-7226 

www.scanhealthplan.com 

Medical Care 

Equipment 

Disabled Resource Center 

2750 E. Spring St., Ste. 100 

(562) 427-1000, drcinc.org 

Medical equipment loans. 

Mozena Medical Supplies 

3935 E. Anaheim St. 

(562) 498-2500. 

mozenamedical.com 

Mobul - The Home 

Mobility Store 

2153 N. Bellflower Blvd. 

(562) 343-7333, mobulstore.com 

Housing 

California Hardest Hit Fund 

(888) 954-5337 

keepyourhomecalifornia.org 

Fair Housing Foundation 

(562) 989-1206 

3605 Long Beach Blvd., #302 

Housing Authority Bureau 

for the City of Long Beach 

521 E. 4th St. (562) 570-6985 

Rebuilding Together Long Beach 

(562) 490-3802 

rebuildingtogetherlongbeach.org 

Utilities: 

Long Beach Gas & Water 

333 W. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, 

(562) 570-5700, www.longbeach. 

gov/utilityservices 

SoCal Edison Assistance Plans: 

sce.com/billhelper 

Energy Assistance Fund, (800) 

205-8596; Energy Savings Assistance, 

(800) 736-4777 


Transportation 

AARP Driver Safety Course 50+ 

Online course at aarp.com 

AAA Defensive Driving Course 

Online courses, tips and evaluations. 

seniordriving.aaa.com 

Rancho Los Amigos National 

Rehabilitation Center - Driving 

Simulations. 7601 E. Imperial 

Hwy., Downey. (562) 401-7111. 

www.tinyurl.com/ranchodrive 

Long Beach Transit - Bus System 

Passengers that qualify for 

Medicare, are 62+, and/or have 

disabilities, bus fare is 60 cents. 

Passengers who are legally blind 

or use a wheelchair, bus fare 

is free. Find bus schedules at 

www.lbtransit.com/services 

Disability Transportation Services 

Must register prior to use 

Dial-A-Lift through Long Beach 

Transit, (562) 591-8753; and Access 

Services, (800) 883-1295, 

fees apply. 

Taxi and 

Mobile Ride Share: 

Long Beach Yellow Cab 

(562) 435-6111 

Access services offer additional assistance 

to seniors and people with 

disabilities. To use services, Uber 

and/or Lyft apps are required on a 

mobile device. 

For Uber services, open the app 

slide to Access, tap “assist,” and 

set location. 

For Lyft services, open the app, 

go to the “Settings” menu, tap on 

“Services,” tap on “Access” to enable, 

then request a ride. 

Resources 

Senior & Community Center information 

can be found on page 10. 

American Red Cross 

3150 E. 29th St. 

(562) 595-6341 

redcross.org/ca/longbeach 

Cambodian Association 

of America 


(562) 988-1863 


Centro Shalom 


(562) 591-2214 

centroshalom.org 

Christian Outreach in Action 

515 3rd St. 

(562) 432-1440 

coalongbeach.org 

Disabled Resource Center 

2750 E. Spring St., Ste. 100 

(562) 427-1000, drcinc.org 


(562) 570-3548 

Inside Long Beach Senior Center, 

1150 E. 4th St. 

www.heartofida.org 

Lakewood Senior Center 

5220 Oliva Ave, Lakewood 

(562) 630-6141 

tinyurl.com/lakewoodsc 

Long Beach Community Action 

Partnership (LBCAP) 

(562) 216-4600,www.lbcap.org 

Long Beach Health 

& Human Services 

Public Health 24 Hour 

Advisory Info Line, (562) 570-4499 

Main: 2525 Grand Ave. 

(562) 570-4000 

Multi-Service Center 

for People Experiencing 

Homelessness/Poverty 

1301 W. 12th St., (562) 570-4500 

Villages at Cabrillo 

2001 River Ave., (562) 200-7300 

Long Beach Rescue Mission 

Lydia House/Samaritan House 


(562) 591-1292, lbrm.org 

Lutheran Social Services 

Community Care Long Beach 

1611 Pine Ave. 

(562) 599-1321 

lsscommunitycare.org 

Mental Health America - Village 

456 Elm Ave., Lower Level 

(562) 437-6717, mhala.og 

Neighborhood Resource Center 

(562) 570-1010 

100 W. Broadway #550 

tinyurl.com/neighborhoodresource 

Access to fax machines, computers, 

printers, Internet, resource 

materials and more. 

Salvation Army Family Services 


(562) 426-7637 

salvationarmylbc.org 

Senior Links - Public Health 

(562) 570-3555, inside Long Beach 

Senior Center, 1150 E. 4th St. 


Social Security 

(800) 772-1213 

2005 Long Beach Blvd., ssa.gov 

LGBTQ Center Long Beach 

2017 E. 4th St., (562) 434-4455, 

centerlb.org 

Volunteer 

& Advocacy 

Alpert Jewish Community Center 

- Retired and Senior Volunteer 

Program (RSVP)- (562) 506-2801 

Carpenter Performing Arts Center 

(562) 985-4274 

www.carpenterarts.org 

Christian Outreach in Action 

(562) 432-1440 

www.coalongbeach.org 

Food Finders 

(562) 283-1400, foodfinders.org 

Grey Panthers Long Beach 

First Saturday, 10:30 a.m. at the 

Long Beach Senior Center, 1150 

E. 4th St. 


(562) 570-3548, heartofida.org 

SCAN: Independence at Home 

(866) 421-1964 

independenceathome.org 

Justin Rudd/ 

Community Action Team 

www.justinrudd.com/cat.html 

Long Beach Fire Ambassador 

(562) 570-2519 

www.tinyurl.com/fireambasslb 

Long Beach Heritage 

(562) 493-7019 

www.lbheritage.org 

Long Beach Playhouse 

(562) 494-1014 

www.lbplayhouse.org 

Long Beach Rescue Mission 

(562) 591-1292. www.lbrm.org 

Long Beach Senior 

Police Partners (SPP) 

www.tinyurl.com/lbpdseniorambass 


Meals on Wheels Long Beach 

(562) 439-5000 

mealsonwheelsoflongbeach.org 

Rancho Los Alamitos 

(562) 431-3541 

www.rancholosalamitos.com 

Rancho Los Cerritos 

(562) 206-2040 

www.rancholoscerritos.org 

Senior Corps 

(800) 942-2677, nationalservice. 

gov/seniorcorps 

St. Luke’s Long Beach 

(562) 436-4047 

www.stlukeslb.org 

Urban Community Outreach 

(562) 582-1000, www.ucodic.org 

US Vets Long Beach 

www.usvetsinc.org 

Hospitals: 

Long Beach Community and Memorial 

Care Long Beach 

www.tinyurl.com/hospitalvolunteer 

Dignity Health 

St. Mary’s Medical Center 

www.tinyurl.com/stmaryvolunteer 

VA Hospital - Long Beach 

(562) 826-5715 

www.longbeach.va.gov/giving 

TAXES 

& LEGAL HELP 

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide 

(877) 434-7598 

www.aarp.org, search Tax 

Aide and Tax Aide locator. 

Bet Tzedek Legal Services 

(323) 939-0506 

bettzedek.org 

California State 

Attorney General 

(800) 952-5225, oag.ca.gov 

CANHR State Bar 

Certified Lawyer 

Referral Service, (800) 474- 

1116 

California Elder Law Center 

www.calelderlawcenter.com 

(562) 377-7710 

5220 Clark Ave. Lakewood 

Veterans Seminar and Health 

Benefits Clinic - Weds. at 2 p.m. 

LA County Public Administration 

Public Guardian, (213) 

974-0515 

Legal Aid Foundation of LA 

(800) 399-4529, lafla.org 


City Government 

City Mayor & Council Districts 

Mayor Robert Garcia 

(562) 570-6801 

www.longbeach.gov/mayor 

www.longbeach.gov/officials 

Council District 1 

Lena Gonzalez (562) 570-6919 


Jeannine Pearce (562) 570-2222 


Suzie Price (562) 570-6300 


Daryl Supernaw (562) 570-4444 


Stacy Mungo (562) 570-5555 


Dee Andrews (562) 570-6816 


Roberto Uranga (562) 570-7777 


Al Austin (562) 570-6685 


Rex Richardson (562) 570-3319 

OUR MAYOR 

SUPPORTS 

FALL 

PREVENTION! 


LONG BEACH 

CITYNUMBERS 

Abandoned 

Shopping Carts 

(800) 252-4613 

Gas Dept. Emergency 

(562) 570-2140 

Broken Curb 

(562) 570-2770 

Leaking Fire Hydrant 

(562) 570-2390 

Abandoned Vehicles 

Code Enforcement 

Weed Abatement 

(562) 570-CODE(2633) 

Large Trash Pickup 

(free, twice a year) 

Alley Cleaning 

Trash Not Picked up 

Trash in Street 

Overflowing Trash Can 

(562) 570-2876 

Standing Water 

in Gutters 

Tree Trimming 

Potholes 

Storm Drains 

(562) 570-2700 

Noise Complaints 

(562) 570-4126 

Broken Traffic Light 

Broken Parking Meter 

(562) 570-3264 

Graffiti 

(562) 570-2773 

Damaged Sewer 

(562) 570-2440 


Discounts 

Many businesses offer discounts 

for older adults, just 

ask. The following is a short list 

of Long Beach businesses that 

may offer a discount. 

Entertainment: 

Aquarium of the Pacific, Long 

Beach Playhouse, AMC, El Dorado 

Park Pass 

Dining: 

Acapulco, Ben and Jerry’s, 

Chick-fil-A, Chili’s, Corner Bakery, 

Denny’s, Dunkin’s Donuts, 

Einstein’s Bagels, IHOP, El Pollo 

Loco, McDonalds, Subway, Taco 

Bell 

Retail and Grocery Stores: 

Banana Republic, Bed, bath and 

Beyond, Kohl’s, Ross, The Salvation 

Army Thrift Stores, TJ 

Maxx, Walgreens, Lazy Acres 

Services: 

Jiffy Lube, Midas 

Travel: 

Royal, Caribbean, Celebrity 

Carnival, Amtrak, Metro, Southwest 

Airlines, California State 

Parks 

Mortuaries 

& Cemeteries 

Affordable Burial 

and Cremation Services 

6510 Cherry Ave. 

(888) 932-3286 

www.affordableburial.net 

All Souls Mortuary 

4400 Cherry Ave. 

(562) 424-8601 

www.catholicmortuaries.com 

Dignity Memorial / Stricklin 

Snively Mortuary 


(562) 426-3365 

www.dignitymemorial.com 

Forest Lawn 

1500 E. San Antonio Drive 

(888) 204-3131 

forestlawn.com/long-beach 

Long Beach Colonial Mortuary 

638 Atlantic Ave. 

(562) 436-1601 

www.longbeachcolonial.com 

Luyben /Dilday Mortuary 

5161 Arbor Road 

(562) 425-6401 

www.luybendilday.com 

McKenzie Mortuary 

3843 E. Anaheim St. 

(562) 961-9301 

www.mckenziemortuary.com 

Sunnyside Cemetery(Historical) 

1095 E. Willow St., (562) 595-9392 


Bring Tech Day to Your Group 

Heart of Ida Tech Day 

Volunteers Help Older Adults 

with Tech Tutoring, such as email, 

mobile devices & social media. 

Email or Call for Details: 

heartofida@gmail.com • 562-570-3548 

VOLUNTEER 

BE A HERO 

Help Older Adults 

Prevent Falls 

Grab Bars • Smoke/Carbon 

Monoxide Detectors 

Minor Modifications 

Must have prior skills and 

own tools for installations 

(insurance and background check 

provided by Heart of Ida). 

Email or Call for 

Volunteer Application 

heartofida@gmail.com 

(562) 570-3548

Check Your Fall Risk - Take This Survey 

Please circle “Yes” or “No” for 

each statement below 

Why it matters 

Yes (2) 

Yes (2) 

Yes (1) 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

No (0) 

No (0) 

No (0) 

I have fallen in the past year. People who have fallen once are likely to fall 

again. 

I use or have been advised to use a cane or 

walker to get around safely. 

Sometimes I feel unsteady when 

I am walking. 

I steady myself by holding onto furniture 

when walking home. 

People who have been advised to use a cane or 

walker may already be more likely to fall. 

Unsteadiness or needing support while walking 

are signs of poor balance. 

This is also a sign of poor balance. 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

I am worried about falling. People who are worried about falling are more 

likely to fall. 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

I need to push with my hands to stand up 

from a chair. 

This is a sign of weak leg muscles, 

a major reason for falling. 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

I have some trouble stepping up onto a curb. This is also a sign of weak leg muscles. 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

I often have to rush to the toilet. Rushing to the bathroom, especially at night, increases 

your chances of falling. 

Yes (1) 

Yes (1) 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

No (0) 

No (0) 

I have lost some feeling in my feet. Numbness in your feet can cause stumbles and 

lead to falls. 

I take medicine that sometimes makes me Side effects from medicines can sometimes 

feel light-headed or more tired than usual. increase your chance of falling. 

I take medicine to help me sleep or improve 

my mood. 

These medicines can sometimes increase your 

chance of falling. 

Yes (1) 

No (0) 

I often feel sad or depressed. Symptoms of depression, such as not feeling well 

or feeling slowed down, are linked to falls. 

Total 

Add up the number of points for each “yes” answer. If you scored 4 points or 

more, you may be at risk for falling. Discuss this brochure with your doctor. 

This checklist was developed by the Greater Los Angeles VA Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center and affiliates and us a 

validated fall risk assessment tool (Rubenstein et al. J Safety Res; 2011:42(6)493-499. Adapted with permission of the authors. 


NUMBER FACTS ABOUT 

OLDER ADULTS 

46.2 

MILLION 

Older adults (65+) 

in the United States 

as of 2014 

81.9% 

completed high school 

57,052 

people ages 65+ 

living in Long Beach 

2033 

The first year in US history 

that the 65+ population 

will grow larger than the 

18 & younger population 

24.8% 

earned a bachelor’s 

degeee or higher 

There are 488,292 

total people living in 

Long Beach 

(as of March 1, 2017) 

2584 

Non-fatal 

emergency 

department visits 

related to adults 

aged 65+ 

unintentional falls 

in Long Beach 

2011-13 

5245 

Non-fatal hospitalizations 

related to unintentional 

falls in people ages 65+ 

living in Long Beach 

2011-13 

Info comprised from 

LiveWellLongBeach.org and Census.gov 


AGEWELL 

LONGBEACH! 

MULTI-FACETED FALL-PREVENTION 

& HEALTHY-AGING PROGRAM 

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance 

Safe at Home 

Tech Day Workshops 

Ida’s Walkers 

Fall Risk Screening 

Community Referrals 

Fall-Prevention Education 

Community Training 


46 AgeWell Long Beach | Spring 2017 

(562) 570-3548 

heartofida@gmail.com

Heart of ida Vol 1 Iss 1

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