Elder Abuse & COVID-19, Omens of a Tragic Future Impacting 330-Million Globally Warns New Book

Britain's "The Lancet," estimates elder abuse and elder exploitation will be a global holocaust by 2050. Elder abuse is now classified as public health and human rights issue by international advocate groups such as National Institutes of Health, American Civil Liberty Union, World Health Organization, United Nations, etc.

New York City, N.Y. December 8, 2021 – In a frightening and compelling, true story, corruption, deception, manipulation and exploitation collide in Paradise Costs: A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse. It’s the heart-wrenching, horror story of an infirm, 80-year-old man with Alzheimer's who was taken from his family, stripped of his assets and exploited despite the pleas of his next of kin. His daughter, author of this book, Irene A. Masiello offers his startling forensic toxicology report demonstrating the presence of illegal drugs present in his hair as shocking proof that something illegal was transpiring. “My father was bedridden and on a stomach tube,” she stated, “the family had no access to him, how did this happen?”

What makes the narrative more compelling now than it was when the book was first released and then recently obligated the author to update it in spring 2021?  Masiello stated, “Many international humanitarian and health organizations are reporting issues across the planet that are horrendous due to COVID-19 numbers and its death toll. AARP Magazine’s ‘Health’ section cover story in April 2021 reported, 95 Percent of Americans Killed by COVID-19 Were 50 or Older.

 She continued, “Brace yourselves, that’s an ugly harbinger given The Lancet’s numbers and time frame. Teenagers of today will be victims by 2050 unless there is significant intervention done to improve laws and protect the elderly now. Where’s the legislation? The Elder Justice Act my book supported in 2007 was passed but fell short.”

The Lancet, the oldest and most prestigious medical journal in the world stated in 2017, elder abuse and exploitation will be “growing to 330-million victims by 2050” with “[t]he findings of [their] study strengthen[ing] the case for global action….” 

Elder abuse is now recognized as a human rights and public health issues by the United Nations, the World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health, the American Civil Liberties Union, etc.  Furthermore, the abuse and exploitation of seniors and #olderadults are now understood to be systemic issues and present in many organizations including governments and their agencies, as well as public and private institutions and corporations across the world.

For the author of this book, her father, a hearing-impaired, honorably discharged, World War II veteran retired from the New York City Transit Authority, his story started innocently enough. Like scores of seniors and #olderadults seeking a lower cost of living and warmer weather, Irene’s parents relocated to a small town in Colleton County, South Carolina called Walterboro to realize his life-long dream of utopian living.

Masiello says, her father’s blissful life was shattered and ravaged by the death of his wife and by several illnesses including diabetes, deafness, Alzheimer's and depression.

 “Walterboro and Colleton County” Irene states, “is no stranger to corruption, gang rape, a nationally covered jewelry heist as well as peep holes in the walls at a major hotel chain with staff watching guests having sex. CNN reported on a national story only recently saying “no one wants to talk.” I do and I allege my dad may have been a victim of a conspiracy that succeeded given his suspicious forensic report that resulted from a lock of his hair. I want to exhume my dad’s body and get to the bottom of this but there is no cooperation from the local authorities.”

Her book tells the bone-chilling story of the last years of her dad’s life when he was "grandpa-napped" from his family by neighbors and "friends." Masiello says all she has left of her father is a frightening forensic report and a mystery: how did a bedridden, hospitalized 80-year old man taking all sustenance via a stomach tube land up with illegal drugs in his hair? Mario ingested everything via a surgically inserted stomach tube after he had a stroke in February 2001 that only his caregivers handled. No family member was allowed unsupervised visits with Mr. Masiello.

Irene Masiello states, “I’m often asked why blood work done while my father was hospitalized did not turn up the high potent Ecstasy and a cocaine metabolite found in my dad’s hair by a forensic toxicologist, the Director of the Toxicology at Ohio State’s Medical School. Apparently, hospitals are not routinely screening senior citizens for illegal drugs. Maybe in view of the recent statistics, they should be?”

Learning of this monumental uptick spelled out by international organizations just recently, Masiello, though drained, exhausted and disabled from this grueling and tragic journey and the loss of her younger brother to Vietnam vowed make others aware of the risks of an impending cataclysmic world holocaust.

She pointed out, “COVID-19’s deadly ramifications are well known now however facts are still debated. It’s as though people fiddle while Rome burns and remain in denial, have distaste for bad news and bury their heads in the sand. We’ve seen what’s happened to those hoping to escape catastrophic events by not getting vaccinated, not wanting to socially distance or wear a mask or even believe in science.”

Masiello continued, “My book was quickly reworked to get facts, danger signals, red flags, definitions and imperative information into the hands of those who need it now. We have spoken with physicians and attorneys and made #ParadiseCosts2022 a handbook on what #olderadults need to know to navigate the evolving medical and legal changes in the various systems. We’ve spoken to a practicing East Coast cardiologist about tele-health, for example. The physician advised us on how to easily improve results in this technology which may not be intrinsically well suited for all seniors. Paradise Costs contains the doctor’s professional recommendations.”

She continued, “#Paradise Costs2022 lists more that 60+ red flags behaviors in victims and perpetrators, legalities, medical jargon, how to navigate systems that can be challenging like medical insurance, etc. It’s imperative to be aware, informed and pro-active to protect yourself and your parents while keeping in mind this is a dynamic situation. It’s unlikely to get easier unless you take action. We need to empower ourselves and be our own advocate until governments take the threats more seriously and they take legislative action. Paradise Costs is more than a story, it’s an interactive a work book and instructions are included. Meanwhile, please get your vaccinations and booster, wear a mask, socially distance and wash your hands. Please also choose responsible media and do your legal homework like writing a Will, naming a healthcare proxy, etc.

Masiello stated, “My brother and myself are not observers, we’re participants and we care. He ran into a burning plane in Vietnam at 19-years old and rescued five crewmembers and he received high military honors.  At the age of only 35, he got an early grave from service related illness. That grave doesn’t belong to our family, strangers still own it and, perhaps, for a damn good reason, I suspect. My father is buried in it, too. An exhumation of my dad could prove very bad news for interlopers given the forensics. The actual forensic report is contained in the book and on the website (www.ParadiseCosts.com).”

Paradise Costs-A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse also contains an afterword written by the author of “Suicide-by-Cop,” the internationally known forensic and geriatric psychiatrist, Bennett Blum, MD. In 40+ pages of simplified, easy to understand definitions and explanations of medical jargon and psychiatric information, etc., Dr. Blum educates readers re: what may be the first sign that elder abuse may be taking place. It may be an imposed “isolation” of an aging family member away from friends and family members via less accessibility for visits, calls or outings.

Also, Dr. Blum’s afterword is a primer regarding normal aging vs. impaired cognition, types of dementia pointing out 20% of the dementias are treatable, what is cognitive decline, what about wandering, the stages of Alzheimer’s, diminished capacity, does your senior need a doctor, lawyer or both, descriptions and details of his well known IDEAL© and PARADISE2© acronyms, work sheets for maintaining records for establishing evidence, and, much more.

Irene Masiello urges readers of #ParadiseCosts2022 to write their political representatives; readers can do that from preformatted letters inside her book. By using a digital camera, readers can photograph and upload letters to officials email addresses and be heard. She also reminds all that elder abuse and exploitation are crimes; call 911 and Adult Protective Services.

©December 8, 2021-all rights reserved, Irene A. Masiello, Paradise Costs-A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse, 2006-2021 www.paradisecosts.com

Paradise Costs-A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse  is now available on Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Costs-Victims-Daughter-against-ebook/dp/B09157P9LM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Paradise+Costs-A+Victim%27s+Daughter+Fights+Back+against+Elder+Abuse+Masiello&qid=1618279102&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Paradise Costs-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse (2022)

by Irene A. Masiello  (Author)  Format: Kindle Edition

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In a true story, greed, deception, exploitation and corruption collide. Paradise Costs: A Victim's
Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse by Irene A. Masiello is an all too common reality
facing America’s seniors and #olderadults. In this startling tale the author shares the suspicious
and tragic death of her dad.

Mario Masiello, a retired NYC worker thought he found “paradise” in Walterboro in Colleton County,
South Carolina like many seniors in search of warmer weather and a lower cost of living. Years later,
he became a victim of predators who swindled Mario and family out of everything including his life.
The infirm, deaf, diabetic 80-year-old diagnosed w/Alzheimer's was stripped of his assets and
exploited as his daughter protested. Despite medical records, fraudulent legal documents, a forensic
report identifying illegal drugs found in his hair, intrusive neighbors managed to claim his estate and
stay in control of a gravesite containing bodies of Irene’s parents & only sibling.

The interlopers told a NYC newspaper Mario was “a poor old man.” Irene counters with a website
containing photos displaying affluence, the forensic report from the U. of Ohio Toxicology Lab after
he was on a feeding tube for months and medical records that stated Mario was “at risk” for exploitation.

While updating this narrative to include COVID-19, Irene discovered a projected, petrifying future
for the world’s elderly foretold by several of the globe’s most prestigious groups like Dr. Fauci’s
N.I.H, the WHO, the ACLU, the UN & the world's most famous medical journal, The Lancet, predicting
330 million victims of elder abuse by 2050. With the future looking grim, Paradise Costs is a terrifying
look at tomorrow where elder abuse and exploitation have now been categorized as public health
and human rights issues.

In the afterword, an internationally known forensic psychiatrist, Bennett Blum, MD, author of “Suicide-by-Cop,” states, “No one knows
how often criminals, 'brand new best friends' or family members exploit the elderly.’ ” He includes 40-pages
clarifying medical conditions, describes dementias (some are treatable!), discusses the 7-stages of
Alzheimer’s, explains 11 conditions that may impact cognition, explains diminished capacity, shares his
dangerous acronym, "IDEAL,©" and more to educate readers. 

In 2009, Paradise Costs was included in the National Clearinghouse on Abuse & Neglect of the
Elderly (CANE), the largest .gov site in the world data-basing professional and scholarly works on
elder abuse and exploitation. (c)Copyright 2021

REVIEWS:
John Bradshaw, PBS series host: Bradshaw on the Family, NY Times best-selling author selling
more than 12-million books worldwide: "Paradise Costs is a compelling journey through the scripts
& tapes of the past into a dysfunctional family dynamic to which most can relate. More than a story
of personal tragedy & triumph, this is a call to action...to take a pro-active stance against elder abuse."

Larry Dossey, MD: international expert on prayer research, author of: The Extraordinary Healing
Power of Ordinary Things, Healing Words: the Power of Words, more. "We owe our elders everything;
they deserve our compassion, love, protection, and best of care. Irene's…voice is a clarion call to
provide them what they need—unconditionally & with gratitude."

Jacqueline Marcell: Author, Elder Rage & radio host: “Paradise Costs is a riveting wake-up call…
for anyone faced with caring for the elderly…It's a gripping true story told through the eyes of a
courageous daughter who demonstrates how ordinary circumstances can turn into extraordinary
events…leading to unthinkable crimes. Through this compelling & cautionary page-turner, Irene
encounters unforeseen issues & obstacles during her remarkable effort to save her beloved father.”©

Buy the book: tinyurl.com/23sr54cw

 #elderabuse , #olderadults , #COVID-19 , #Walterboro , #exploitation , #Alzheimer's , #dementia ##diminished , #capacity , #APS , #IDEAL , #PARADISE2 , #BennettBlum , #afterword ,
#330-Million , #HealthCareProxy , #ParadiseCosts2022, #ParadiseCosts#22 , #ACLU #UN #World Health Organization, #new-book 

Paradise Costs-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse NOW ON AMAZON! Elder abuse & exploitation out of the closet? NO!!!

8/11/21

#older #adults and COVID-19 changed the landscape of elder abuse. AARP says 95% of those who died from Covid-19 were over 65. (see cover story of the HEALTH SECTION, 4/2021) Got the picture?

There's really bad new for seniors....seniors now and in the future according to some of the largest humanitarian and health organizations in the world by the year 2050, will have 330,000,000 victims of elder abuse and exploitation.

While I was adding a bit of current information to an update of Paradise Costs-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse I read the above and felt sick. I'll be honest, reading and working with #ParadiseCosts sickens me. It was a horrible time for my family and I am a forward thinking person.
Finding out what's new from the large groups across the world is a huge downer. I understand the planet is over crowded, I know that seniors are abused by the systems we are all guided by...everyone is...however, seniors are the most vulnerable. And, they also own much of the wealth in the country. Get the picture?

I'll also confess to having a serious issue myself getting a much needed medical test done. Because of the rules, it became an obstacle course that hindered my life tremendously. Because I have a medical office background, I managed but not without weeks....almost 2 months...of waiting for the test and, wow, I suffered in pain.

What bothers me so about this? What about those #older #adults who don't have a medical office background? That's why I am in this to begin with...my father died because greedy savages took over his life and I was helpless to help him though I valiantly tried, risking my life to no avail. They got my dad and on August 25th he will be dead 20 years.

The Elder Justice Act passed, but we have miles to go before we sleep, seniors....330 million victims by 2050 and the Elder Justice PASSED? My God! That means those people who are 15 now will be at risk by 2050. Our kids are potential victims to what we and our leaders can't or won't stop. Elder abuse is systemic like racism. We have a Facebook page up called, President Biden: SENIOR LIVES MATTER with all due respect to our Black brothers and sisters. This hate, discrimination, exploitation must be stopped.

I am sickened by the hate, greed, manipulation and exploitation. Its bad for my health, its bad for everyone's health.

Here's a version of a press release that will be issues shortly and when its issued the very latest version of Paradise Costs-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse will be available at Amazon. We had to add a few tid-bits, sickening information, but necessary information:

Press Release

Release of Book Warns of Increasing Dangers of COVID-19 and Elder Abuse Across the Globe

Driven by startling, grim statistics from international humanitarian and advocacy groups including  the world’s most prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, elder abuse and exploitation across the world will be  “growing to 330 million victims by 2050. The findings of this study strengthen the case for global action” demonstrates a victim's daughter as she offers her father's suspicious forensic report to readers to exemplify a terrifying reality. Created in a work-book format, Paradise Costs—A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse, is a frightening personal narrative calling attention to what may be a predicted global holocaust.

New York City (August 8, 2021)— In a frightening true story, deception, corruption, exploitation and manipulation collide in Paradise Costs: A Victim's Daughter Fights Back Against Elder Abuse, the heart-wrenching story of an infirm, 80-year-old man with Alzheimer's who was taken from his family, stripped of his assets and exploited despite the pleas of his next of kin.

What makes the narrative more compelling now than it was in 2007 when the book was released? Many global humanitarian and health organizations are reporting issues across the planet today that are more horrifying than ever due to the harbinger of COVID-19 and its death toll.

Currently, elder abuse is recognized as human rights and public health issues by the United Nations, the World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health, the American Civil Liberties Union and Britain’s The Lancet, the world’s oldest and most famous medical journal. Furthermore, the abuse and exploitation of elders are understood to be systemic issues in many organizations including governments and their agencies, as well as public and private institutions and corporations across the world. The Lancet stated in 2017, elder abuse and exploitation will be “growing to 330,000,000 victims by 2050” with “[t]he findings of [their] study strengthen the case for global action….” 

For the author of this book, the daughter of Mario Masiello, a hearing-impaired, honorably discharged, World War II veteran retired from the New York City Transit Authority,  it started innocently enough as it does for hundreds of thousands of seniors and #olderadults seeking a lower cost of living and warmer weather. Her parents relocated to the small town of Walterboro, South Carolina to realize his life-long dream of utopian living. Twenty years later, her father’s blissful life was shattered and ravaged by the death of his wife and by several illnesses including diabetes, Alzheimer's and depression. Paradise Costs tells the bone-chilling story of the last years of his life when he was "grandpa-napped" from his family by neighbors and "friends."

No longer a unique story, millions are and will be victims of this type abuse, exploitation and worse. Now in conjunction with some of the largest humanitarian groups in the world it’s a common occurrence and millions of seniors will be denied their human rights and robbed of their right to life.

"I never thought this type of betrayal and brutality would happen to my family," says Irene A. Masiello, Paradise Costs author and Mario's daughter. "My experience has made me realize how little people know about the deadly American pandemic that predates COVID-19. One-in-six seniors have been victims of elder exploitation and elder abuse for decades."

Recently, learning of this monumental uptick spelled out by international humanitarian and health organizations, Masiello, drained and exhausted from this grueling and tragic journey, the loss of her younger brother to Vietnam, and the death of her dad yet concerned about millions of #older #adults across the world, vowed to do the best she could to awaken others to the risks of an impending cataclysmic world tragedy.

The American Psychological Association for a decade or more had estimated approximately 2.1 million senior citizens are victims of physical and psychological neglect and abuse every year. However, the numbers have been grossly misleading for too many cases go unreported while most are unaware or under-informed of elder abuse's broader definitions. Several world-wide organizations are offering a glimmer of awareness however mass media hasn’t given this story the attention it deserves in reporting to #olderadults a shocking impending reality. However, COVID-19’s deadly ramifications were announced on AARP Magazine’s “Health” section cover in April, 2021’s story, “95 Percent of Americans Killed by COVID-19 Were 50 or Older."

Masiello urges, “Brace your selves, that’s just a harbinger.”

Meanwhile, too many older adults remain in denial, have distaste for bad news and bury their heads in the sand hoping to escape catastrophic events at a time in their life when they want to be enjoying their sunset years. It was to that end this book was quickly reworked to get facts, danger signals, red flags, definitions and imperative information to readers in hopes of avoiding what is experienced everyday by hundreds of thousands or more senior citizens.

Ms. Masiello states, “My brother and myself are not observers, we’re participants and we care. My brother ran into a burning plan in Vietnam and rescued five crewmembers; he received high military honors and an early grave that doesn’t belong to my family.  Interlopers own it for good reason; an exhumation of my dad could prove very bad news for them.” And I won’t stand back and allow millions to die like my father did without attempting to arm them with life saving information. l refuse to stand-by for a holocaust.”

In this gripping personal narrative the author gives a voice to countless victims who suffer and die in silence while the staggering issues paint a gruesome picture. Driven by more bleak statistics from national elder advocacy groups in the past, present and future stating its predicted that an additional 330 million cases of elder exploitation, Irene shares her family's story. In a bold stance, she drives home the pervasiveness of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation by offering her father's suspicious forensic report to readers to exemplify a terrifying reality. Even more important, she offers a viable solution to the problem that allows every American to be pro-active in helping to eradicate this social ill.

"As difficult as the aftermath of this tragedy has been, I am determined not to let my father's death be in vain," states Irene. "My goal now is to take my story to the nation again and raise awareness of this deplorable social ill that's plaguing America and the world. Information is power, we’ve got it in this book—we want people empowered and aware.”

Irene's objective is to provide a voice to the millions of victims that fall through the cracks every year. As readers accompany the Masiello family along their horrific journey they can't help but recognize and call for legislation that could prevent their own families from being victimized by this fast-growing phenomenon. "It's robbing our seniors of their dignity, treatment, proper nourishment and their right to life while causing pain and hardship for their loved ones."

"I'm urging participation via our interactive book to lobby legislators to amend the Elder Justice Act [EJA] to address the adjusted victim count alarming the humanitarian groups across the world” says the author. "Hopefully, others can be spared the suffering my father was forced to endure and their families will not have to look on helplessly in horror as mine did."

Masiello is urging global reform addressing elder issues and continued support to implement and amend human rights specifically protecting seniors by correcting public health issues now and understanding that elder abuse and exploitation are crimes.  She’s urging voters to pay close attention to political candidates who specifically make elder care issues part of their campaigns and “Vote for them like your life depends on it—it does!”

Irene also advises dysfunctional families, a huge risk factor for seniors, to get the help they need. She urges abusive and damaging patterns not be imposed on helpless, exploitable, aging victims who are at great risk. She warns families containing a substance abuser to understand elders are at special risk, “Don’t let grandpa be an easy hit to someone supporting a habit.”

Paradise Costs-A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse also contains an afterword written by the author of “Suicide-by-Cop,” internationally known forensic and geriatric psychiatrist Bennett Blum, MD. In 40-pages of simplified, easy to understand definitions and explanations of medical jargon and concepts, etc., Dr. Blum cautions readers a first sign that elder abuse may be taking place is “isolation” of #olderadults away from friends and family with less accessibility to visits, calls and outings.

Also, Dr. Blum’s afterword is a primer answering readers’ questions regarding normal aging vs. impaired cognition, types of dementia pointing out 20% of the dementias are treatable, what is cognitive decline, what about wandering, stages of Alzheimer’s, diminished capacity, does your senior need a doctor, lawyer or both and much more.

Both Masiello and Blum remind the public and, especially, #olderadults and their families

that elder abuse and exploitation are crimes. Call 911.

at Amazon $9.95

 https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Irene-Masiello-ebook/dp/B09157P9LM  

 

WHO ARE ELDER ABUSERS? June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month 2014

Elder Abuse and Exploitation WHO ABUSES THE ELDERLY?

I know what you're thinking.

Most people hear the words "elder abuse" and their mind jumps to nursing homes. While many nursing homes need improvement, surprisingly, they are not the number once perpetrator of elder abuse and exploitation.

What is? Dysfunctional families. Got an alcoholic, a gambler or any other addict living in your home with an elder? The risk of exploitation of your senior soars! It's estimated that over 95% of families in America today are dysfunctional. Over 72% of these families have someone present with an addiction issue.

If your family falls in these numbers and your family contains a senior citizen there are factors that make the elderly member "at risk" in your household for exploitation and/or physical and emotional abuse.

Caretakers also get tired, frustrated, have unresolved mental health issues with parents. It's really important, folks, to point out that old age is not a free pass to grind the ax of your ancient history with any senior in your care.

Who else abuses of exploits seniors? Let’s name a few: businesses and corporations. They complicate contracts, terms of service, instructions, etc. Senator Elizabeth Warren's work with credit card companies comes to mind. If you're thirty five and confused by your cell phone contract, imagine what age and declining cognition will do.

Mistakes, errors, confusion, etc. costs seniors millions of dollars and even their lives; most live on fixed incomes where every penny counts. No money=no food, no meds, no care=diminishing wellnes...follow that all the way down an ugly, ugly path. Big pharma: the producers of life saving medications have soaring prices for medications to keep seniors comfortable, well and alive. Try paying for modern meds on a fixed income.

One senior requires a medication for pain in the joints, chest wall and has very limited mobility without a certain prescription drug. In America, the medication is $225 a month. Fortunately, this senior is in the know and gets this prescription med through a Canadian pharmacy for $30 a month. Legislators want that stopped citing they have the best interest of patients in mind. No one is suggesting anyone purchase RX meds on the streets however legitimate pharmacies in Canada deal with legitimate drug manufacturers in other counties where the government mandates that meds are affordable.

Telemarketers: Seniors are at risk from unscrupulous telemarketers simply because they are home during the day. Many are lonely and highly responsive to friendly people or high pressure sales people and scare tactics. Get you senior citizen an answering machine or Caller ID.

We all have unrealistic expectations in today's healthcare system. Seniors, especially, lack the knowledge and coping skills to negotiate a complex system that's dysfunctional as well. Additionally, they don’t question authority figures like doctors, nurses, pharmacists because of their demigod status.

I know from my own personal experience  working in medical management my health would seriously suffer from the ramifications of healthcare professionals that are too busy to really do what needs to be done.

 I could write a book on the above...in fact, I already did about the death of my father. I saw ugliness, greed, exploitation, conspiracy that still haunts me 7 years after the book was published because I KNOW nothing much is being done to protect seniors and millions of them will die.

 June is elder abuse awareness month. Please, get smart about elder abuse.

  Irene A. Masiello is the author of Paradise Costs: A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse, afterword by forensic and geriatric psychiatrist Bennett Blum, MD. Book available at https://www.etsy.com/listing/128403276/paradise-costs-a-victims-daughter-fights 
© Copyright, June 2014, Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved.

“Grim Reaper” Markets Flu Vaccine at Duane Reade

(c) Copyright of photos, text, October 11, 2013, Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved, do not replicate the text nor the photos without the written permission of the author/photographer

(c) Copyright of photos, text, October 11, 2013, Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved, do not replicate the text nor the photos without the written permission of the author/photographer

(c) Copyright of photos, text, October 11, 2013, Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved, do not replicate the text nor the photos without the written permission of the author/photographer 

“Grim Reaper” Markets Flu Vaccine at Queens Duane Reade

By Irene A. Masiello

Duane Reade’s location in Bayside, Queens, NY has a macabre slant on flu season.

The staff has made the Grim Reaper a ghoulish messenger at the pharmacy department; standing almost 7 feet high, the Angel of Death statue greets customers at the “drop off” prescription section of the pharmacy. He holds an ominous computer printed sign printed on a pasty colored blue paper stating, “Don’t be afraid: get your flu shot today or I’ll come to visit.”

Apparently, someone at the pharmacy knows him personally as the sign bears his signature.

The statue of the Reaper stands towering over customers, many of them elderly, as they drop off their prescriptions. Certainly, it’s a great marketing tool to sell vaccines through fear in a national atmosphere of profits before people.

The Grim Reaper is a universal archetype centuries old. Queens is a multi-cultural borough of 8 million people. Some residents speak perfect English, others do not. Some are superstitious, some are not. Since obtaining a flu shot is a medical condition that can be dangerous or unwarranted, that decision is probably better made by an INFORMED consumer rather than a SCARED one.

Duane Reade’s staff was delighted by this “joke,” and my taking pictures, as well. Apparently, as professionals they do not grasp that in a diverse culture in a time of great national fear, scaring customers into making health care decisions is bad medicine. However, it might make for good business, increased profits and better sales numbers at corporate headquarters. I did ask the pharmacist if this was from corporate and she said yes. I took her word for it.

The manager scurried over and asked me if I wanted him to turn on the flashing lights and repulsive sounds of the Grim Reaper. I was game as I had left the pharmacy totally appalled after dropping off my prescription. I went home, thought about the implications, called a lawyer friend of mine who worked with me on my book and came back with my digital camera.

Before I left the Duane Reade, I told the pharmacist, “On the surface this appears amusing to some, however, I get the message.” Her face drained of color as I said, "As an elder advocate and author of a book on elder abuse and exploitation I think I know exploitation when I see it."

Irene A. Masiello is the author of Paradise Costs- A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back Elder Abuse, afterword: internationally known forensic and geriatric psychiatrist and co-author of the acclaimed “suicide-by-cop,” Bennett Blum, MD http://www.paradisecosts.com http://www.bennettblummd.com (c) Copyright of photos, text, October 11, 2013, Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved, do not replicate the text nor the photos without the written permission of the author

The Scary Prospect of Change whether personal, economically, politically, it all boils down to yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery and today is the present!

Personal empowerment through conscious change seems overwhelming but, come on, lets face it, is the past working for you? The world is changing, if you stay in the past, its not possible to enjoy today. And, as we age, change gets more and more difficult so its critical to start personal growth, changing with the times, growing and expanding early in your life. Therefore, change gets to be the norm and you are better able to change with the times, an important facet of survival.

With the election approaching many seniors are afraid Medicare won't be there for them. Medicare was resisted years ago when it was first introduced. Today, the affordable care act is resisted.

Too many in the country are resistant to the change...a Black president. President Obama has been called everything one can think of. Never in my life have I seen a president so disrespected. Over the past 4 years, Mr. Obama has been called many ugly things as well as a liar in public by Joe Wilson of SC.

If you know anything about me, as the author of Paradise Costs, you know my story unfolded in South Carolina. My father was white, elderly, disabled...it didn't matter in South Carolina. It's the most hate filled place I have ever been and it is symbolic of the hate, fear, racism and ignorance that plague our country.....it's very dangerous because when one of us, no matter what the color of our skin, is in danger from hate, ignorance and racism, then every single one of us are.

So, we need change, BIG CHANGE but big change doesn't happen unless the small changes are made incrementally from within each of us. Don't fear it, embrace it. Think back to those who rejected Medicare when it came along and how fearful they were about whether health care would challenge their liberties. Sounds silly now, right. Hindsight is 20/20 however we all know something has to be done about the spiraling costs of medical care.

The Only Constant in Life is Change!
by

Irene A. Masiello

CHANGE. It's a scary word! Take a look around and see how much people are freighted by it. Many have the past ingrained so deeply that anything that is new is immediately a threat.

Witness the healthcare debate. Many don’t want to government running healthcare and yet it’s been doing a pretty good job in Medicare. However, change anything and the country is freaking out.

There is only one constant in the world: CHANGE!

If you want to be a better person, a better parent, employee, friend, spouse…there are some simple changes that can improve yours and everyone else’s way of life.

1: Be happy
It’s not about money, looks or professional success. Being genuinely grateful for what you have and looking forward to the dawn of each day can make you feel a kind of deep happiness that is contagious. Think back to your childhood….doesn’t that yield some wonderful simple moments
that make you feel warm?

2: Be honest
Honesty is a way of life. It means you don't steal, you don't cheat on your taxes and you are faithful to your spouse. Here's a quick test to determine your level of honesty: You give a cashier $10 for a magazine, candy and soft drink. The tab comes to $8.15. Instead of giving you $1.85 in change, she gives you $10.85. That is, instead of a $1 bill, you get a $10 bill. You notice it immediately. What do you do?

3. Be respectful of others
When you treat others as you would like to be treated, you are showing the ultimate kind of respect.

4. Be easygoing and fun
As the old saying goes, "Live, laugh, love." Slow down from life's frantic pace and have fun--whether it's an unscheduled day playing hooky from your responsibilities or just a few minutes respite from the grind.

5. Be confident
Once you accept there is always someone out there who is better than you, you can realize your own abilities. Be confident in what you can--and cannot--do.

6. Be emotionally open
Be open and honest with those you love. Express your opinions and listen to theirs without criticizing.

7. Be disciplined
No one is watching over your shoulder when you slack off--except you. Self-discipline means you have a finely tuned sense of ethics, of what is right and what is wrong, and you act accordingly. You are strong enough to say no to life's many temptations, from food to drugs to illicit sex.

8. Take pride in yourself
While too much pride can be seen as sinful, we all need to feel some pride in who we are, where we live and what we do. That kind of pride helps define who you are in your world.

9. Be compassionate
Being empathic to the needs of others and doing good deeds to ease others' suffering is one of the most basic acts of kindness and goodness we accomplish as human beings.

10. Have a sense of humor
You have to be able to laugh, especially at yourself. There is humor in almost every situation. You just have to find it. And laughing is almost always better than crying.

(c) Copyright 2007-August 2012 Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved, please do not reprint without permission from the author. Thanks

This article orginally appeared in NYC's HealthWise Magazine in my column called SPIRITWISE in 2007

please share info on Elder Financial Abuse ASAP...late notice but important!

This is another step in an endless process in pointing out the failures of our system. Any organization, corporation, program that so obfiscates its rules and regulations, terms of service, etc needs to simplify their materials, contracts, etc. and, if neccessary, needs the government to make that mandatory. 

I have become cynical as I have seen how difficult tasks like completing forms, understand complex material like legal documents, etc, are so challenging that they, by nature, exploit the diminishing capacity of senior citizens. And corporations use this to gain financially.

We need laws to protect preditory and greedy corporations from exploiting the vulnerablities of old age. I have written about my experiences here about corporations such as Home Depot and Verizon and how difficult it is to do business with them, how they mislead everyone and especially seniors simply because seniors often lack the ability to understand terms and service especially written so they cannot be understood as often this results in corporations win....seniors lose....where have I heard this before?

I am not going to apologize for sticking it to greedy corporations who consider government penalties as the price of doing business while they triple their profits.

Be careful out there...the Ryan budget, Mitt Romney's taxes... this is a war on senior citizens too so lets stand with women, labor, the poor and middle class and defeat this...we are a generation that can defeat this anti-humanistic campaign simple by the sheer number of us.

Baby boomers...we can do this alone....a vote for the poor is a vote for yourself as certainly after retirement many of you will find yourself among the very people who need food stamps, medical coverage, etc. Yes, change is difficult but it is the one constant in life. The GOP vision of America is Anti-American.

Please pay attention in the months that follow and make an informed choice about the future, a future that holds your life in the balance.

Blessings,

Irene

Irene A. Masiello

Author of Paradise Costs-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder abuse

Afterword: Bennett Blum, MD, co-author of "suicide by cop"

=========================

CFPB Seeks Information on Elder Financial Abuse, Financial Advisors for Seniors

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Request for Information on Senior Financial Exploitation (RFI) is now in the Federal Register. The request seeks information on elder financial abuse and exploitation as well as certifications or designations of financial advisors who serve seniors. The Bureau is seeking as robust a response as possible. If you have regular membership calls or email communications (such as a listserv) and if you think it is appropriate to let your membership know about the RFI, please encourage comment submissions. There is a sixty (calendar) day window for responses. The last day for responses is August 17^th.

Here is the link to the Request https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/06/19/2012-14854/request-for-information-regarding-senior-financial-exploitation

Please share your story asap !

Senior discounts? With some checking accounts, it's a senior penalty

By Bob Sullivan

Senior citizens are used to getting good deals. Tell the truth: if you're aren't of AARP age, there have been times you wish you were -- when buying mass transit tickets, for example, or visiting America's national parks (one $10 fee gets you into any park, all year). Plenty of restaurants and other retailers offer "senior days" and other deals.

But take checking accounts off the senior discount list. A new report by the Pew Center on the States warns(.pdf) that so-called senior checking accounts may not be a good deal at all. In fact, in some cases, senior accounts cost much more than a basic checking account.

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At Bank of America, for instance, a senior account is far more expensive than a basic account. Here are the facts, from Bank of America's website. The bank's “Advantage for Seniors” account costs $25 per month vs. a basic checking account fee of $14 per month. In both cases, consumers can earn a fee waiver, but here again, the senior account comes up short. Direct deposit of paychecks is one way, but that's often not available to seniors, Pew points out in its report. Basic checking users can also avoid fees by maintaining a $1,500 balance in their account; but seniors have to keep at least $5,000 in their account. Fall below $5,000 for even one day, and that's a $25 fee.

"If you have $5,000, and are happy to have it sit in this account, this can be a fine deal," said Susan Urhan, director of Pew's Center on the States. "But the question is: Is the consumer in an account that best suits their needs? The point of this (research) is that consumers need to understand the terms of their accounts."

 

Seniors who could comfortably park $2,000 or $3,000 -- but not more – in their checking accounts would save $300 apiece annually by steering clear of the senior account at Bank of America. And those with balances below $1,500 would still save $132 by picking a standard, basic account instead of the senior account.

The Advantage for Seniors account does offer a few perks, such as fee-free mini-statements from ATMs (they normally cost $1), but Pew concludes in its report that such perks aren’t worth the extra fees.

 

"Essentially, accounts of this type are a luxury account tailored for seniors, not necessarily an improvement on the basic checking package," Pew concluded.

Bank of America spokeswoman Betty Riess said that seniors have a variety of low-cost choices at Bank of America, including its MyAccess product, which provides a fee waiver with any monthly direct deposit of $250 or more, including Social Security payments.

“The Advantage interest-bearing account is designed for customers who have higher balances with us, and the vast majority of seniors in that account do not pay a monthly maintenance fee on the account,” she said. She added that the Advantage account offers one benefit that is quite handy for seniors – an early CD withdrawal without a penalty.

Senior accounts at other banks also offer some tricky choices, but not quite as tricky. At TD Bank, the "60 Plus" account costs $10 monthly(.pdf), more than the $3.99 basic checking account costs, the report found. But it only takes a $250 balance to earn a fee waiver in the TD senior account, a much more manageable threshold.

At BB&T, senior accounts cost $8 per month, and a $1,000 balance earns a fee waiver, a genuine discount compared to the $10 per month the firm charges for its basic "BB&T Bright Banking" account, which requires $1,500 for a fee waiver.

Of course, if your eyes have begun to glaze over at these various numbers, then you've heard the main lesson of the Pew report -- it's not easy to pick the right checking account under even the best of circumstances. Add in a new set of variables, such as those associated with senior accounts, and you’ve got even more confusion. But seniors aren’t the only ones struggling with specialized checking account questions. A related Pew report released the same day looked at student/college checking accounts and found similar problems; some student accounts are inferior to basic accounts, and comparison shopping can be a real challenge.

"We looked at all these disclosures from banks, and 69 pages was the median length," Urhan said. "We're worried this is confusing for people ... for students, for seniors."

Pew is trying to get banks to adopt a simple disclosure format -- similar to nutrition labels on food items -- so consumers could more easily comparison shop and pick the account that's best for them.
Already, TD Bank, Chase and Citibank (since July 17) have voluntarily adopted Pew's fee box, she said. The nonprofit research group also is urging the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to make fee disclosure boxes mandatory.

“It would have the same effect as a nutrition label,” she said. “But until we get that kind of transparency ... it will be hard to make the right choice.”
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