10 ways to keep your aging parents safer

1. Have Realistic Expectations: America’s health care
system is extremely overburdened; we must be proactive
in all aspects of healthcare. Assist your parent by keeping
a close tab on prescription & over-the-counter medications.


2. Recognize & Adjust for Diminishing Vision, Hearing
or Thinking: Any lessening in faculties or infirmities like
diabetes or circulatory disorders may impair mood or
mental cognition.


3. Hire Health Aides with Caution: Check your state’s
requirements regarding criminal background checks,
finger printing, random drug-testing, licensing and
whether the company providing aides has litigation
against it; call the Better Business Bureau. Hiring
privately requires additional legwork.


4. Understand Exploitation Is A Crime: If your
parent signs any document they can neither
explain nor comprehend the consequences of,
they may have been exploited. Report it
immediately to law enforcement.

5. Keeping A Watchful Eye: Forensic testing of
hair, aide cams, drop-in company, monitoring
credit cards and reports, reviewing bank
statements by looking for handwriting changes
on checks (someone else fills in payee and/or
amount) and examining check number sequences
are ways some issues can be detected early.
Be especially aware of utility companies adding
charges to your parents’ bill and medical insurer’s
explanation of benefits not paying what they should.
The wave of corporate greed that’s being exposed
in 2011 and 2012 can easily make your family
member a victim by making customer service especially
difficult to understand or even receive.


6. Sudden Relationships May be Dangerous:
Be weary of anyone who steps over healthy
interpersonal boundaries or takes an intense
interest in the health, wellness or finances of your parent.


7. Face Multi-generational Family Dynamic Issues:
Substance abuse (alcohol or drugs) and dysfunctional
families are huge risk factors for the elderly.

8. Be Realistic about Your Parent’s Personality:
Seniors with complicated or difficult dispositions
are unlikely to develop coping skills as they age
and grow infirm.

9. “Do Not Call” List: Unscrupulous telemarketers
solicit at-home seniors. Place your parents’
phone numbers on your state’s “do not call list.”

10. Avoid Caregiver Burnout: Most elder abuse
takes place in families. It’s crucial that caregivers
take frequent respites to avoid stress and fatigue.

Irene A. Masiello is the author of “Paradise Costs-A Victim’s
Daughter Fights Back Against Elder Abuse” –afterword by

Co-author of “suicide by cop” Bennett Blum, MD. Her proactive
book contains an actual forensic report to drive home a
chilling reality. It offers helpful lists of common elder abuses,
 exploitative tactics and common characteristics of victims
and abusers. Prewritten letters to federal legislators
supporting the Elder Justice Act, now before both Houses
of Congress, are contained in her book and are available as
free downloads at her site, www.ParadiseCosts.com and
her new blog at www. http://babyboomerwhistleblower.blogspot.com/

 ©Copyright 2008-2012, Irene A. Masiello, All rights reserved