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A
apparker Asked July 2015

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

She has health as well as mental problems and she keeps saying no one cares, will discuss any of her conditions or what physicians have found and has called all family, started confrontations and told us to all stay away from her. She lives alone and is very depressed so I am afraid for her. No POA designated and she refuses but is very clear she is going to have things her way and we should all go away. Her behavior is scary and not sure if she would hurt herself however she has expressed her disinterest in life....

GardenArtist Jul 2015
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.

notrydoyoda Jul 2015
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.

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BarbBrooklyn Jul 2015
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 ).

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