Hello,
I have an affected aunt who has our family mystery neurodegenerative disorder. She is quite advanced in progression and severity, and unfortunately, one of the things that has been lost is her sense of smell. We don't have any clinical proof of this, but a walk through her house would most definitely confirm it...Anyway, she refuses any outside help whatsoever (whether it would come from another family member or from the Office of Aging/Home Help group). I'm at a loss as to how I can explain to her that even though the stench and filth may not be offensive to her, it most definitely is to those who want to help and visit (such as the plumber, the doctor, the store delivery person, the relatives - both young and old, etc.).

Help, please! Any ideas?

Thanks so much.

identify the smells causes. would sneaky work?

example, rug needs shampoo. i am selling these rug shampooers to supplement my income. would it be ok if i do a demo for my friend who is interested? he/she does not feel comfy at my house with no chaperone to supervise us. could i bring him/her over to clinch the sale? if u don't like lying offer to sell the thing for a dollar, buy it back for 50cents.

example, trash piled high. fire marshall wants to do an inspection, oh oh, this is not to code. i am writing u a warning, and if the trash is picked up there will be no fine. i bet u could use a real one if concerned about being truthful.

what about a social worker? if the advice comes from outside the family it may be listened to. the fire marshall could send one.

also, figure smart ways to prevent the smells occurring if u can. if she spills a lot get her mugs with lids for a present.

Thanks so much for the advice. My brother's girlfriend called me last night and offered to do some cleaning and then they will move in with my aunt and keep the house decent for her. So keep your fingers crossed, please!

I'm glad you got help to do the cleaning. Your aunt gives off a whiff (no pun intended) of hoarding disorder. Hoarders can not notice the smell of their environment. But I'd suggest getting a social worker who does case management. These folks are experts at bringing together a lot of different services that your aunt probably needs. A friend can clean once, but there is no guarantee that it won't get bad really quickly.

keep in touch

gershonb

Do I contact her social security disability case worker or someone else? She has a care manager (is that the same as a "case worker"?) through her county's Office of the Aging program -- but I've talked with them extensively about this, and the only way they'll help is if she would agree to have personal hygiene as part of their services. My aunt most definitely needs would benefit from having someone, such as a home nurse, help her a couple of times/week -- but there is no way in the world that she would ever let it happen. You see, she is a very independent and stubborn woman.

Thanks for listening.

I think it's like a lot of hard news, but you'll just have to sit down with her and explain it to her.

Are you aware that loss of smell is an early symptom of Parkinson's disease? Maybe she should be checked out by neurologist.