Update on neighbor

The locksmith came and we got the doors open.  No gas leak thank goodness!  I found her keys under her bed along with one of her guns.  I know where she normally keeps her guns and under the bed was not it. Scares me to think she had her gun out walking around the house at night thinking burglars were getting into the house. I had the police come to put safety locks on the guns, take the bullets with them, and put the guns away in a locked cabinet.  Whew!  Then I started making phone calls while I fixed her something to eat.

I contacted her son who lives right here in Louisville.  No one in the neighborhood could understand why he hasn't been around helping his mother.  Apparently he has been unaware she is suffering extreme dementia.  He works during the day and will stay with her at night for awhile.  He thought she was just being stubborn when she refused his help.  Today he is applying for guardianship with the courts.  He also took possession of the guns.   Another big sigh of relief! 

A doctor appointment has been set up for tomorrow to see if there is a medical condition causing her dementia to be so bad all of a sudden.  In just a short two weeks this lady has gone from a very active senior to a completely confused person believing burglars are trashing her house at night.  Another appointment has been set up for next week to apply for housing at an assisted living facility.  Her son now understands that she should not be living alone in her house anymore. 

I also contacted Adult Protective Services and they have already gotten her a worker.  The worker came to visit during the afternoon and met with her and her son.  Many people associate APS with only investigating cases of abuse but they do so much more than that.  APS can cut through red tape really fast.  APS can get appointments immediately when a family member will be told there's a long wait.  APS was a tremendous help to me when I was dealing with my mother.  I'm sure they will be helpful for them too.

New people in the neighborhood might think I'm meddling all the time but they soon realize I'm the one who can be relied on to help.  I'm home most of the time.  I know who belongs in the neighborhood and who is a stranger.  When parents are delayed getting home from work, the kids can come to my house to wait after getting off the school bus.  When someone is locked out of the house, I have a set of keys.  When the people are away and the alarm goes off, I'm the one that can turn it off after the police check for burglars.   When packages are delivered but the person is at work, the package is left at my house.  Hmm... even the mail lady and the UPS man know where to leave the packages.

You might wonder why I do these things when most of the time no one will even offer to help me with carrying groceries or making a garden.  Well, hmm, this is just the person I am.  A good Samaritan without any expectations of something in return.  I believe I will get my rewards someday when I see my deceased sons again.

Well now that my neighbor is taken care of, I can get back to my own work.  I have quilts that should get done very soon and a garden that must be planted.  My house needs some attention as well.  The dust bunnies have been multiplying while I wasn't looking.  Naughtly little buggers!