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This person has the onset of dementia and begun to show clear signs of erratic behavior, has had friends take car keys away, has severe bouts of forgetfullness and had no one in their lives to help or take control. A friend accepted handling their power of attorney but is overwhelmed with the progress and impact of the disease. The person with the disease refuses to acknowledge there is anything wrong and refuses to seek medical and psychiatric help. This is in Arizona. Can the state intervene and take control to give this person care and enforced overseeing?

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The best way to begin is to call Adult Protective Services and tell them what is going on. They may be able to help, or maybe not. If this person is competent APS will leave them alone. They have the right to luve as they want until it is very obvious they cannot care for themselves. The POA, should has the legal responsibility to choose a place that is appropriate for this person to live and force the move, but in a nice way.
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Yes, I live in AZ. Call Adult Protective Services and/or the police if there is an immediate threat to self or others. Hope this person gets the help they need.
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doesnt this person have a family???? He needs medication and a close watching. They are dead serious about no help and that they are okay, its hard work, but only a phase. Call the family and get him on depakote or whatever the doctor recommends to calm him, its not him, its the disease. Poor thing :(
My Mom was the same, burnt things, did weird things like tissues inher fridge, etc and she would not move! I finally got her, after she fell and broke her hip. Sometimes it takes an accident to get them into a safe place unfortunately. I used to go over every weekend and call her 5 times a day!! I also gave all her neighbors a nice letter explaining moms condition with my phone number and that worked out well once, when she fell outside. The neighbor went right to that letter and called me.
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If there is no family and the person has the money hire someone to live with that person but it has to be done carefully. Try a nurse it normally works better and a older person that understands the persons life. But hire someone that understands dementia. APS and will do nothing. Talk with their doctor and get a neuropsych to see for sure the dx. This will clearly tell you what the person can do or not..
I have seen so many families that will do nothing and expect the church or neighbors to help...NO IT's the families job.. But again get a neuropsych done and it was give you most of the answers you need. There can be other things to.. See if you can hire someone at night because that's the most important time... There is day care programs that mights help..Get them involved with senior citizen groups so there are people around... But you need 1st to know the safety issues....Taking the keys away becomes a major issue seniors like the rest of us what or demand our freedom......NO ONE EVEN YOU don't want to lost their rights.. Careful and slowly...let them have as much control over themselves as possible this is the only way to go....Or they will do nothing but become a issue. Have the doctor talk to the person about a neuropsych.....
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Definitely involve Adult Protective Services and follow their suggestions. They can also help with obtaining services.
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Is the OP sure there is no family? AZ is a retirement state. Did the man never marry or are there adult children in other parts of the country? I would check for any family first.
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