[Kitty]

You can tell by the time of this post that it's been an eventful night at our house.

It all started when my neighbor came over to ask us to move a car that was parked in front of her house. It wasn't our car - not sure whose car it was - but she was agitated about it. She has dementia and Parkinson's and isn't doing too well at this point. Her husband uses a power chair due to knee problems he's had for years.

She kept shuffling back into her house and coming right back out again. She also had on a summer type nightgown that you could see right through!

My DS said he'd go over and speak to the husband. He came right back out and asked me to get the guy across the street to come help. I asked what was wrong and he said the man was lying in the hallway next to his wheelchair.

I scooted across the street and got our other neighbor and he came to help. When we both walked into the house next door I immediately knew that these two people (in their 80's) did NOT need to be living alone. The whole house reeked of urine and it was filthy.

DS and neighbor managed to get him to his bed and he propped himself up on the edge of the bed. He was having a terrible time getting his breath and his feet were so swollen. He insisted he was okay. DS called the ambulance and we waited there with them for help to arrive.

I knew they had a son who lived locally and asked if he wanted to call him. He kept scrolling through his cell phone so finally I asked what name the son was listed under and I would call. I found him and called but got no answer. The EMT's arrived and finally convinced him to go to the hospital. One of them tried the son again and got him. Asked him to come over ASAP. It took them a while to get him loaded up on the stretcher and by that time the son arrived.......drunk as a skunk. And he had driven!!

The EMT's noticed it as well as everyone else there. He couldn't hold a conversation or even stand straight. Well, after they got the man loaded into the ambulance (with his wife) the EMT's called the police. So we had a fire truck, an ambulance and two police cars on our street. They questioned us since we were the ones who made the initial call. The son kept insisting that he lived there and was the primary caregiver to these folks. He doesn't live there and by the looks of things in their house doesn't do a very god job of looking after them. Needless to say the police would not let him back in his car and, after another police cruiser arrived on the scene, he was carted off to jail.

Husband and wife were both taken to the hospital and EMT's said that Social Services would now become involved. Thank goodness! I'm still worried about them....bless their hearts.....they do no deserve to be living like they were. When the EMT asked the man what they were eating everyday he said hot dogs and bread. If sonny has money to go get liquored up then he has money to get them some decent food.

I cannot sleep now and I'm worried about them. I pray everything turns out well for them and they get the help they deserve. I'm amazed they were surviving all alone this long. It's obvious they couldn't manage alone. I might just take a ride up to the hospital tomorrow and visit them.

That was our night of excitement here on our street. Wish it had been something positive like me winning the lottery or something!

[Blessings2You]

How upsetting for you, and how very sad for them to be living that way! We often have no idea what's going on right within arm's reach, do we?

[Alffe]

You surely did the right thing by getting involved and finding them help. They are lucky to have someone who cares living so close to them.

[Chemar]

((((((((((((Kitty)))))))))))

how very upsetting, but thankfully you and your son were there to help and maybe now they will get the care they need.

how shameful that their son neglected them that way. hopefully this will be a wakeup call for him!!

hope you managed to get some rest after all that

[Hockey]

Kitty:
Your a good neighbour and a better soul - so many people would just look the other way. Heck, their son did.

[braingonebad]

Good job, Kitty! I know it doesn't fix what's wrong, but maybe some good will come of all this.

Makes me wonder if there are social services that look into the welfare of seniors, as they do children?

Also makes me SO glad about where my mom lives. People check on each other all the time there. I'd know in 5 mins if anything was up.

[Kitty]

I called the hospital to see what room he's in and he's in ICU! Good heavens......I'm wanting to go visit (they said he could have visitors even in ICU ). I really just want to make sure that Social Services knows what's going on. Not from their son but from someone who's seen first hand how these poor people live.

I know with all the privacy laws and such it's going to be hard but I'm going to keep trying till I get someone who'll listen to me.

I also want to find out if they are on any kind of special diet.....'cos I want to take them some food but don't want to cause more problems for him if his diet is regulated. I figure two more plates won't be that much of a difference for us. We'd just not have left overs but they tend to get thrown out more than they're eaten anyway. I'm just really worried about these people. They sort of remind me of my own parents (just the age and health problems.....NOT the terrible living conditions).

At this point I'm getting mad at their son. How dare he allow them to live like this? While he's out drinking?? My own DS said to me last night "he's not a very good son to let them live like that". Even he can see that it's wrong.

**Edited to Add: I called the hospital and asked to speak with someone in Social Services. Got to speak with a very nice young man who listened to everything I had to say. I told him I knew he couldn't discuss personal details due to privacy laws. I gave him my name and number and told him what happened last night. He said that Social Services had already been alerted to this patient and neighbors daughter had been notified. She is in CA. He also said that more than likely the Social Svcs counselor would want to speak with me at some point and asked if it was okay for them to call me. Of course, I said yes.

My main concern (and I told him this) is that the son will pipe up and tell them that all is well and he is taking care of them....which is isn't.

[mrsD]

What a mess.. They are lucky to be alive IMO....
I know how stressful this can be. I often wonder how the EMTs do their job, seeing all this agony, every day!

You did a great job, Kitty.

[soxmom]

Your neighbors are very lucky to have such a kind neighbor in you. I
think your concern is just what was needed to jumpstart some help.

s to you Kel, you done good.

[supermoo]

Kitty you are a star with a very big heart.What luck for them living near to you. xxxxxxxxxx