Golden years? Career criminals and one-time opportunists are scheming to strip that gold from elderly people…Darryl, the greaser who worms his way into the heart and home of the frail Esther, hell-bent to drain her bank account…Harry, the charmer who checks the obituaries and puts widows like Estelle on a schedule for exploitation that includes seizing their homes…Rusinski and Rugerio, criminal doctors who use elders – and routinely put lives at risk – to manipulate a hopelessly inept Medicare and Medicaid bureaucracy, and rake in the cash…Imelda, the “capper” who brings the crooked docs a vanload of elders every Friday, for bogus “sleep studies”…Rose, who can ruin a lonely retiree’s credit rating with a few outings to department stores…Denise, who gets to the much-older Charlie’s wallet through his zipper…to name just a few. And at the top of this criminal world is the brilliant and ruthless Sherrelle. She emerged from prison to build the Crown of Life Society, in which she trains women – all using stolen identities — to exploit elders and avoid detection. She will do anything (murder is an easy call), and use her sharp survival instincts, to make sure the enterprise that nets her over $200,000 a year continues to thrive. Meanwhile, these elders’ adult children feel the stress every day, of trying to balance caregiving with their other responsibilities. Sibling differences, and the tension between too-busy lives and the “We really have to do something about Mom” imperative quickly blaze up. The “Caregiver Coping” chatroom provides some release for Boomers; they post about the problems they are struggling to handle – including some really nutty ones. You can laugh, because these things aren’t happening to you. Or maybe you will laugh because they are happening in your family, and you need your own release. You might shed a tear, too, when some of the elders in this book finally reach the end of their noble, exemplary lives. In The Crown of Life Society, William R. Henry, Jr. and noted elder law attorney A. Frank Johns, Jr. turn fact into fiction for an appalling — but hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking — narrative that is as entertaining as it is informative and timely. It’s a loud alarm for anyone who is an elder, hopes to be one, or has elderly loved ones.

"The Crown of Life" through George Gissing is a singular that delves into the complexities of affection, relationships, and societal expectations inside the overdue nineteenth century. The narrative follows the lives of its characters, exploring the demanding situations they face in pursuit of happiness and success. At the middle of the tale is Sidney Athelstone, a skilled author who navigates the literary international and grapples with the intricacies of human feelings. The novel weaves a tapestry of characters whose lives intersect, revealing the intricacies of love, marriage, and the pursuit of personal aspirations. As Sidney seeks creative and private success, he encounters numerous characters, each struggling with their personal goals and constraints. The novel explores subject matters of societal norms, the conflict between man or woman goals and societal expectancies, and the sacrifices individuals make inside the pursuit of their passions. George Gissing, regarded for his keen observations of society, crafts a narrative that reflects the challenges and contradictions of the time. "The Crown of Life" stands as a poignant exploration of the human circumstance, imparting readers a window into the social dynamics and private struggles of the overdue 19th century.

First Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.