My grandmother is a very private person with mental illness. She recently told family she wants no contact. What can we do?

She could be pushing people away because of her perception that they don't in fact care. The two issues can work negatively with each other - one reinforces the other.

Family can show they care by sending cards, those nice old fashioned printed messages which are still used despite electronic communication domination now.

They're something she can read and reread, if she remembers that she has them, and perhaps be convinced her family does care, although it does sound as if she's pretty entrenched in her perception that she's alone in life.

If she is mentally competent which you can be even with a mental illness, then legally your hands are tied unless she becomes a danger to herself or others. Sometmies, we just have to let people crash when they tell us not to rescue them. Not everyone wants the good things we would like to do for them.

Oh my, how worrisome this is.

You could call Adult Protective Services and report her as a vulnerable adult. You could call her doctor, if you know who s/he is and express your concern about her mental state (they can't GIVE you information, but you can give them information ).