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We have asked social services, commission on aging, doctors, animal control, and different government agencies. They say they cannot help. Mom is diabetic and refuses to take her medicine. She needs her toenails cut and refuses to go to foot doctor. They are so long that they are curling under the big toes. She had a stroke less than a year ago and refuses to go back for follow up treatment. Her memory is going away fast. Female has five adults' cats and three six-month-old kittens in kennels in her kitchen that she feeds, waters, changes the kennel once or twice a day. We are unsure if the cats get outs daily. Her house smells like cats. Unsure of female's eating. She has food however she has lost down from about a size 12 to 8 in the last six months. Female has food in the home. She said she takes a sink bath instead of the tub or shower and we are unsure how many times a week. She does not wash clothes sometimes for weeks. Female is refusing to leave her house. The family does not have the $5, 000. or more to take the female to court to get power of attorney to be able to take her against her will to the doctor, clean her house, take the cats outside or give them away, hire someone to assist her, etc... Female is become a hoarder. Is there anyone who can help us? She lives in South Carolina.

Yes, those cats need to be taken to a shelter. I don't understand the call to Social Services. Office of Aging and Adult Protection services are combined now in my County. APS is who you want. POA cannot be gotten because female is incompetent to assign someone. Guardianship is expensive but can come out of females assets if you win. But, even if you force her, she may not comply. Diabetes that is not controlled can cause a number of problems. One, getting lethargic and loony, for a better word.

If she goes to the hospital, this is when you act. You tell the staff she needs to be evaluated for Dementia and 24/7 care. I would say she needs to be in Longterm care. It would not be easy caring for someone like this. While she is in the hodpital, call and have the animals removed.

You may just need to wait until something happens that winds her up in the hospital.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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You tell us that: "We have asked social services, commission on aging, doctors, animal control, and different government agencies. They say they cannot help".

If your calls INCLUDED APS and included your county's commission on safe housing (check with Fire Department in your area; suggest fire hazard. They may intervene with the county), then I say you have attempted the best you are able to intervene for this poor woman.

She may die of this situation. She may live in it, with this situation worsening with time, and reports needing to be filed AGAIN AND AGAIN. She is 86. She has had her life, and as I tease about mySELF (82) and my partner (84), we are past our sell-by date. While this poor woman may die in her circumstance, she may as likely die being forced into a nursing home. We all are headed in the same direction and to the same place.

Sadly, this may have fallen into the category of "Not everything can be fixed".
If APS and the State will not take guardianship, in these circumstances there is likely there is no answer.

If anyone is able to install cameras here then there is at least a possibility of finding her "down" and getting her to hospital care, where social workers may intervene in the matter.

I can only wish you good luck, but you seem to have taken the steps we would recommend to no avail. So as a Forum of total strangers, some of us as far away as Australia, there's little, I think, we have to offer but our sympathy and best wishes.
I hope you'll keep us updated.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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cover9339 Jan 14, 2025
Interesting OP starts out saying mom, then further down the post it is changed to female
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If she has no PoA, then she needs to be reported to APS. When APS deems things are "bad enough" then they will put her on track for a court-assigned legal guardian who will then find proper care for her (as in a facility).

If you've already reported her to social services then they obviously don't think she's "bad enough" yet. Nonetheless, just keep reporting her.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Adult Protective Services as many times as it takes. Police for a wellness check. Humane Society for the cats.
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Reply to Daughterof1930
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Mom has given up. Painful to watch but it may come to a 911 call and ambulance to ER.

Poor kitties; can you discreetly attempt to rehome them?
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Reply to JeanLouise
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cover9339 Jan 14, 2025
I agree. it sure comes across that way.
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There is only one thing that you did not list in your contacting and that is Adult Protective Services
To report suspected Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation of a Vulnerable adult, call 1-888-CARE4US (1-888-227-3487) or online at:
https://dss.sc.gov/adult-protection/adult-protective-services/
Unless you can lie to her about getting her to the doctor.
I did lie to my daddy - I told him that the doctor would not renew his prescriptions unless he went to the doctor. YES I LIED!
If you can think of any other kind of lie she may listen to do it! Oh and always blame it on the doctor, police, the guy down the street! Always be on her side!
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Reply to Ohwow323
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Igloocar Jan 16, 2025
Many doctors will not do long-term prescription renewals without the patient's coming in--you might not have to lie!
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Is there a Senior Resource Center in your area? If so, they provide physician in home medical care. It's working for our family member.
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Reply to LizDewey
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She would qualify for Hospice
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Reply to EvelynBT
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Call police. They will take her to ER for evaluation and treatment.
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Reply to Taarna
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My mom had diabetes and high blood pressure and refused meds most of her life (she passed yesterday). Only person that could cut her toe nails was me. We have 24/7 care in my parents home and I come from another state for 1/2 the month to take care of "stuff" which included cutting mom's toe nails. Her feet were so sensitive, I simply held one toe at a time.

I really appreciate the change from "mom" to "female" in your post. It shows you have already mentally separated as you needed and should. That is not your mom's behavior, it is memory related issues and sadly I will say ... I hope she doesn't last long in this world. Hospice and adult protective services are your only option for her and the cats.

Highly recommended that the rest of your family each put their own POA and MPOA in place so this doesn't happen to another member of the family. Protect each other! Get the paperwork in place NOW! Durable POAs can work this kind of situation, a POA after passing does NOT cover. AND if you want a say in the funeral arrangements you have to have a specific line in the POA...unless you are the spouse...at least in Arizona.

Know that you are doing what you can and each of us know that aging is painful to watch. Take care of yourself.
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