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rosie123 Asked July 2017

70-year-old friend lives in a mobile home that needs to be condemned, but he refuses all help. What can I do?

He has mild dementia, he has no family, he is from another country. A mutual friend who is 70 makes sure he eats (at her house), does his laundry & takes him where he needs to go if she can. He spends the majority of the day at her house. He is a long time alcoholic and drinks all day, everyday. She is too. But she seems to function well. He has recently started seeing a new Dr that believes in homeopathic remedies (his insurance changed & this Dr was accepting new patients). He has stopped his prescriptions and gives him medication from his own pharmacy. (no instruction label on bottle which I believe is illegal) He has had cellulitis on his feet and was hospitalized 6 mths ago for treatment. His feet are worse now and the Dr just has a nurse rub ointment on his feet 2x a week. he has cirrhosis of the liver but his Dr has no knowledge of any diagnosis/treatments because he doesn't want his previous medical records. They are starting over new (DR words) I know that ammonia levels need to be measured for toxicity, my friend throws up daily and his abdomen has grown considerably from fluid build up. His moods are unstable but the worst thing is that he falls asleep, unconscious, etc everywhere. Even during eating and on the electric cart at Walmart. That's how bad it is. He will not allow us to accompany him to the Dr. It wouldn't matter anyway, they all speak spanish & limited English. They pick him up in a company car for appts. Yesterday he left his home at 3pm for a 4pm appt. & still wasn't home at 9pm. I called to find him and told them I was coming for him. Nobody understood me. 15 minutes later I was there. Nobody knew what I was saying and finally a man stepped in who could translate. they still didn't know where he was. At that moment he stepped out of the bathroom with his bag of meds without appropriate labeling and I took him home. His level of understanding has diminished greatly in the last year. He speaks fluent English/spanish so that is not the problem. Who would I contact about the nonlabeling of prescription meds in the state of Florida? Also, his home has many electrical cords providing power because his outlets do not work. he can barely walk with his cane and has had numerous falls & had to lay on the floor until the neighbor checked on him. he has a cell phone but doesn't know how to use it. The floor in front of his fridge has caved in and the trailer is filthy with dirty dishes, beer cans on the floor and he has no way to light his porch to insure safety when going up his steps at nite. His toilet was messed up with roots growing in the lines and he took the toilet off for 6 mths and had a open hole in the floor. He would not allow anyone to put repair it. My son finally talked him into it. He used a bucket to relieve himself and still does. (he cannot make it to the bathroom in time) A repairman attempted to look at it once but refused to walk down the hallway because he said it to was falling in. I have tried to do as much for him as I can but the time has come for outside help to step in. We have tried to get him to move in with his neighbor who cares for him but he refused. we feel he needs better medical care but he loves this Dr. and gets angry if we ask him to see another Dr. He cannot afford assisted living and does not want to, in his words, live in a bedroom at his friends house. I don't think she needs to be caring for him long term because she is 70 and is an "in your face kind of person". I have a 2 story house or I would ask him if he'd like to live here. I cared for my father after his stroke and liver disease until he passed. I guess were looking for someone else to convince him that its time to get some assistance. Thanks.

Guestshopadmin Jul 2017
If an adult is vulnerable and in a dangerous condition, you
can contact APS, Adult Protective Services.
Please be aware that if the friend's immigration status is not a citizen or green card has expired, Immigration services may be called in by APS.
Call: 1-800-962-2873 | Online at: ReportAbuse.dcf.state.fl.us
Got this info from their website
MISSION: We are dedicated to protecting vulnerable adults from further abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect and enabling adults with disabilities to remain in the community.
Florida law requires the reporting of known or suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect of vulnerable adults (elderly or disabled). the Florida Abuse Hotline receives reports 24 hours a day. call 1-800-962-2873 or 1-800-96-ABUSE. report online at https://reportabuse.dcf.state.fl.us. If you suspect or know of a vulnerable adult in immediate danger, call 911.

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