Taking Advantage

I feel sorry for old people.

I feel sorry for anybody — especially old people — who are stuck at home, nursing one thing or another, and turns on the TV in hopes of a little distraction. Relief. Fantasy.

I feel sorry for anyone home all day with nothing to do.

I had the 24-hour bug yesterday, and it hit hard. (I’m perfectly fine today… go figure). I slept a lot, but between glazed outings I turned on the local TV.

Every other commercial was for either health care for your funeral arrangements or life insurance for $9.99 a month or Medicare supplements or magic pills for metastatic breast cancer or stage four pancreatic cancer.

I am not for one second downplaying the severity of any physical condition, whether it’s fatal or lasts only 24 hours. This is a personal world that only those suffering with their conditions can understand or deal with.

But this also is a world ripe for picking.

I was amazed at how gullible TV ads think viewers are. 

There are bright (yet serious) actors talking about “impending doom” scenarios like funeral expenses, car repair, and cancer treatments. Advertising assures these bright (yet serious) actors that they can be prepared ahead of time for all of the above (and more) by paying just a little amount every month.

I have a hang up about advertising anyway, but it’s a necessary part of the all cultures, keeping people employed and consumers informed.

But constant bombardment by holding death over you and scaring you into moving into directions unknown kinda crosses the line for me. Not is a big, blown-out way — more like a needle-in-your-skin way.

And, by the way –many of these plans are posted for those 45 and up too! WooHoo!

People with no one to talk to or confide in may think that these quickie schemes will actually help them get better or save money. They may give scarce funds towards ends that never really pay out.

I may sound like a broken record, but again — deals that are too good to be true don’t exist. No matter what age you are.

Just because a new drug is advertised doesn’t mean it works for everybody. Just because big man ‘A’ got his blown engine replaced for free doesn’t mean he didn’t pay a fortune before trouble showed up. And Medicare supplements don’t just freely put money back into your savings account. 

Before you invest in late night fly by schemes, talk to somebody. Anybody. Don’t be embarrassed. Don’t worry about seeming confused or panicked or lost. Talk to  someone who gets out into the working world and fights for a living. Someone who can see behind the curtain.

Get a second opinion.

Don’t take this invasive species sitting down, Golden Oldies! Mute those babies as soon as they pop up!