Page 18 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 18, 2022 avy eniiooravvy S iorn or avvyavy vvy io iori by Jim Miller Daily Money Managers Can Help Seniors with Financial Chores Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that can help my elderly mother with her fi nancial chores? My dad always used to handle the bill paying and paperwork, but he passed away last year, and mom struggles to keep on top of things. And I don’t live close enough to help her on a regular basis. Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, It sounds like your mom could use a good daily money manager (or DMM). These are fi nancial savvy professionals that can help older adults who have diffi culty managing their own day to day personal fi nancial aff airs. The types of services they provide typically includes paying bills, maintaining fi nancial records, balancing checkbooks and negotiating with creditors. DMMs can also prepare checks for clients to sign, help older people organize bank and fi nancial records, prepare and deliver bank deposits, gather and organize documents for tax returns, help decipher medical bills, and review bank statements in order to detect potential fi nancial abuse or fraud. Where to Find DMMs Depending on where your mom lives, DMM services may be available through private non-profi t elder assistance organizations or government agencies. These agencies often use volunteers to provide basic DMM tasks, such as bill paying at no cost. To fi nd out if this is available in your mom’s area contact her Area Aging Agency. Visit ElderCare.acl.gov or call 800-677-1116 for contact information. In addition to the non-profi t DMMs, an increasing number of individuals and private for-profi t companies have started off ering DMM services for a fee. Cost for these services varies by region but it often ranges between $25 and $100 per hour. Most clients need approximately four hours of services per month, but this too varies according to the complexity of the person’s fi nancial situation. The best place to look for a professional DMM in your mom’s area is through the American Association of Daily Money Managers (AADMM.com), which off ers an online directory that lets you search by ZIP code. All the pros listed there have signed the group’s code of ethics. Some have passed a certifi cation exam to earn the designation of Certifi ed Daily Money Manager. Before hiring a daily money manager, however, get references from two or more of their clients and check them. Also, fi nd out what they charge and what type of insurance coverage they have. Keep in mind that neither federal nor state governments regulate the DMM industry, so there is little oversight of these services. So before turning over your mom’s bills, make certain it’s someone you can trust. One other highly rated bill-paying service you should know about that’s specifi cally designed for older adults and caregivers is SilverBills (SilverBills.com). Available nationwide, this is a secure concierge bill management service that will manage your mom’s bills and pay them on her behalf, on-time and correctly, for a fl at fee of $50 per month. If you opt for this service, your mom will be paired with an account manager who will communicate and work with her over the phone, or through email, text or mail (her preference) – no computer is required. SilverBills also reviews all bills for errors and fraud and provides monthly statements showing the date, amount and manner of each payment. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. “Wide Eyed World” on display at Gallery UMA G allery UMA (at Urban Media Arts in Malden) is pleased to present a new exhibit, “Wide Eyed World,” featuring illustrations for children by Kari Percival and Chie Yasuda and art for healing by Gurleen Anand. The exhibit features artwork centering on seeing the world through the lens of children and fi nding comfort and healing through maintaining our childlike wonder. The exhibiting artists hope to bring people of different backgrounds together to bond over shared experiences and promote cross-cultural connection. Kari Percival studied woodcut printmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After earning her master’s in environmental science and science teaching, she taught in public schools for several years. Percival writes and illustrates children’s books on science inquiry and nature. She hopes to encourage children to get involved in citizen science and promote a lifelong love of exploring the wonder of nature. Visit her website at karipercival.com. Chie Yasuda grew up in Japan and studied art at the University of New Mexico. She specializes in watercolor, seeking to illuminate the beauty of everyday life through common things. She uses art as a way to connect with other people and communicate joy to the entire world. Yasuda works at her studio in Somerville and as an art instructor at the MAP family learning center in Malden. She enjoys teaching children and is working on her first illustrated children’s book about the beauty of cultural diversity. Visit her website at chieyasuda.com. Gurleen Anand is a certified art healer from the University of Florida and resides in Malden. Throughout her career, she has worked in the fi eld of creativity and innovation. Anand works with a variety of mediums to create art centered around mindfulness and recovery. She uses art therapy to help individuals heal. Domenica (Guglielmi) Russo Of Malden, passed away peacefully on November 12, 2022. She was 90 years old. Domenica was the wife of the late Serafi - no Russo. She was the daughter of the late Francesco and Assunta (Rago) Guglielmi. Domenica was the beloved mother of Mario Russo and his wife Vera and Domenic Russo. She was the sister of the late Rosario Guglielmi. Domenica was the loving grandmother of Andrea Blaszka and her husband Jeff rey, Gregory Russo, Stephanie Russo, and the late Christopher Russo, and great grandmother of Stella Blaszka. Visiting hours will be held at the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden on Saturday November 19th from 11:00am-2:00pm. A service will be held at 1:30pm during the visitation. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. OBITUARIES All other services and entombment will be held in Italy. Mario A. Venditelli Of Malden, passed away on November 4th, 2022. Beloved husband of the late Mary N. (Pecci) Venditelli. Loving father of Denise Venditelli and her husband Michael Cammarata of Manchester, NH, Lisa Venditelli Karmel and her husband Clay Karmel of San Diego, CA and Marisa Leonard and her husband Sean Leonard of Malden. Cherished grandfather of Kristen, Max, Caitlyn and Jake. Dear brother of the late Vittorina, Yolanda, Joseph, Norina, Aldarica and Guildo. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Mario has been a resident of Malden since 1972. He was previously a resident of Canton, Braintree and Quincy. Mario served his country honorably as a Sergeant in the United States Army during She hopes to use her art to bring people of various backgrounds and from all walks of life together. This curated arrangement of artworks generates new refl ections of childhood and healing through our relationships with ourselves, others and the outside natural world. A family-friendly reception will be held on Saturday, December 3 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Urban Media Arts (formerly MATV), which is located at 145 Pleasant St. in Malden. Alongside the artwork on view, the reception will feature fun art activities and videos from Wonderland Spectacle Co. Masks are recommended. For more info: urbanmediaarts.org. World War II. For over 60 years, he worked in the Garment Industry as a Pattern Designer. He was an avid bowler, playing competitively in local bowling leagues for several years. First and foremost, Mario enjoyed the company of his family. Relatives & friends were invited to attend his funeral from the Breslin Funeral Home, Malden on Saturday November 12th followed by a Funeral Mass celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church, Malden. Services concluded with interment in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park in West Peabody. In lieu of fl owers, donations in his memory may be made to the Armed Service Veterans charity of your choice. Virginia C. (Catucci) Szmyt November 13, 2022 Virginia C. (Catucci) Szmyt, a resident of Methuen, MA passed away at OBITUARIES| SEE PAGE 20
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