Does the doctor have authority/responsibility to call social services if they suspect the person is not able to care for themselves (pay bills, eat, drive)
First off, let's let the RN daughter off the hook. Likely she's one of the folks who has been posting here about how they can't get their parents to spend money on fixing the home, won't cooperate in going to doctor because they don't trust doctors anymore and won't allow any help except for family coming in and staying in the filth. If it's 100 degrees outside and you know the person has no a/c, then yes, I think it's time to call social services and ask for a wellness check. And stop thinking ill of the daughter. She's probably called in social services and they said "oh we can't do anything". Except that if they start getting calls from ALL the neighbors, saying that the person in endangering themselves, they CAN and will take action. organize and have EVERYONE call. Don't speculate with Social Services about "there might be spiders". Report the facts, elderly frail person who is hoarding and has no a/c and no heat.
What if you are a neighbor and know the person doesn't won't go to the doctor? If they live where it gets to be over 100 degrees and they won't allow a service person to evaluate/fix air conditioner. Where they have all windows cardboarded, where the garage has so much recyclable garbage, where likely there are hundreds of black/brown widows breading. There is no heat in the winter and another neighbor said call Social Services when it is freezing. I have a problem with that. She has a daughter in town that is a Registered Nurse. She has money to fix the mechanics of life but refuses. Likely been a lifetime social misfit because everywhere she goes she talks....and talks. Likely she is lonely and maybe can't look in the mirror. Her garage is a fire hazard. She has been asked to attend to her hazard and help was offered. The next Monday morning she will be out waiting for the trash man to empty cans so she can roll all the cans back up the driveways. She is 80 and thinks that maybe she has the mind of a 30-40 year old. She will tell you over and over again how all the medical treatment she has had has all gone south. Over and over again you can hear the tape. Maybe she didn't go to the right kind of doctor? Last year I think her next door neighbor called social services because she wouldn't leave them alone. I am thinking it is a family matter greater than they just waiting for her to die. I am sure they can't see her spending $3,000 a month for her care. Gee it is their money when she passes....and I think they want the money. It is really sad. Should I call?
Yes. The doctor is the first "avenue" to take. He will evaluate the patient and with information from another who knows first-hand how the patient is...make the decision.
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If they live where it gets to be over 100 degrees and they won't allow a service person to evaluate/fix air conditioner. Where they have all windows cardboarded, where the garage has so much recyclable garbage, where likely there are hundreds of black/brown widows breading. There is no heat in the winter and another neighbor said call Social Services when it is freezing. I have a problem with that. She has a daughter in town that is a Registered Nurse. She has money to fix the mechanics of life but refuses. Likely been a lifetime social misfit because everywhere she goes she talks....and talks. Likely she is lonely and maybe can't look in the mirror. Her garage is a fire hazard. She has been asked to attend to her hazard and help was offered. The next Monday morning she will be out waiting for the trash man to empty cans so she can roll all the cans back up the driveways. She is 80 and thinks that maybe she has the mind of a 30-40 year old.
She will tell you over and over again how all the medical treatment she has had has all gone south. Over and over again you can hear the tape. Maybe she didn't go to the right kind of doctor? Last year I think her next door neighbor called social services because she wouldn't leave them alone. I am thinking it is a family matter greater than they just waiting for her to die. I am sure they can't see her spending $3,000 a month for her care. Gee it is their money when she passes....and I think they want the money. It is really sad.
Should I call?
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