Monday, November 8, 2004

My neighbor

I have an elderly neighbor that has advanced Alzheimer's disease. She is in the hospital right now with a kidney and bladder infection. Some time ago she was admitted to hospital and released to her son on the condition that she was to recieve 24/7 care. That has not happened. Human services has been called in the past, the police has been called in the past, nothing has helped. I have seen injuries on this woman that you cannot get in a normal manner. Once she had a lump on her hand that I recognized to be a broken bone. Why did I know that? Because mine had been broken in the same place and I had the same identical marks . It was not one that can be recieved in a fall. Her hand had to hit into something and not in a normal type fall. The son does not take care of her. I have tried to feed this woman but she refuses to take it because "that man is coming to get me". I have watched this woman lose a lot of weight. She is basically a skeleton. This son is using her check as he has no job of his own. He has a joint bank account with her. She had lots of jewerly and coins and collector dolls. None now. The family did not come to visit her very often. Now they do not show up at all. Her other son is in Florida and is a drunk and does nothing. He is due to inherit her land unless the son here has managed to illegially get that changed. I think the state needs to take custody of her and do something but they do nothing. She is in a hospital in another state so they cannot investigate. What about when she is released? There are laws that are supposed to protect the elderly in this state but no one seems to be able to do anything for her. They say they cannot do anything. So in the meantime she is being starved to death. I will tell you this, I did not like this woman. She was a mean and spiteful person. I pity her now. I do not hold her past against her. I cannot. I do not know how to make my heart that hard. I cannot see how her own son can do this. Yes, I am one of the people that has called and I will continue to do so.
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9 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 8, 2004 at 5:29 PM

    How awful, to have to watch a situation like that and be virtually helpless.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 8, 2004 at 5:51 PM

    KEEP CALLING CELESTE. YOU MAY BE THE ONE THAT SAVES HER LIFE!
    THIS IS SO SAD. MY MOM HAS ALZHEIMERS, THANK GOD MY SISTER LOVES HER ENOUGH TO KEEP HER IN HER HOME WHERE SHE CAN BE LOVED AND CARED FOR IN THE PROPER MANNER.
    KIM.

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  3. AnonymousNovember 8, 2004 at 9:24 PM

    oh Celeste' i too feel so sorry for this lady...no matter how she was in the past, she is like a child now.please KEEP ON CALLING TILL THEY GET TIRED  OF IT AND DO SOMETHING! poor poor elderly people.:-(

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  4. AnonymousNovember 9, 2004 at 12:35 AM

    {{{Celeste}}} I know how helpless and miserable it is to watch an injustice and have limited avenues to approach for help.   Keep calling it is way better than turning your back on humanity.  

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  5. AnonymousNovember 9, 2004 at 1:59 AM

    Too sad...

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  6. AnonymousNovember 9, 2004 at 9:28 AM

    I am sorry, for her in her lost world, and you having to worry about her, and having nothing done to help her. Blessings, Margo

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  7. AnonymousNovember 9, 2004 at 10:07 AM

    ohhh Celeste how sad, I would call every elderly human service place available and get her some help.....how sad huh....

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  8. AnonymousNovember 9, 2004 at 10:36 AM

    Oh how terrible, do contact all the authorities you can, I know nothing about the law in the US but I assume like England, the local authorities have a lot of responsibilities for the elderly, though even here we have to give them a bit of a push to get something done. The sons sound like deadful people to have as family...Sandra x

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  9. AnonymousNovember 10, 2004 at 1:57 PM

    Since you have contacted the proper services and authorities the only thing I can think of it to contact your local television station.  I don't know about where you are, but in our area our station has an "action team" that investigates improper or lack of action of busineses or government offices, etc.  Maybe something like that would help?  You could tell them who you've called, the lack of action and your fear for this womans safety.  Good luck and thank God for caring people like yourself.  Jill Marie

    http://journals.aol.com/jillannemarie/OurFamily

    ReplyDelete

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