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LauraEastnWest Asked October 2020

I have POA for my brother, but he won’t allow me to be his conservator. He is in terrible mental and physical health. What can I do?

My brother lives alone and won’t allow any caregivers into his home. I visited him for the first time in 6 months, due to Covid, and not being able to make my every 5 week trip to see him. He has deteriorated rapidly and can barely walk. I found him lying on his bed in soiled underwear under a soiled comforter. I was able to get him to a doctor, but he won’t accept help from any outsiders and won’t leave his home.
He is a hoarder and has 2 guys come in and out of his house that he says “help” him. They take his things and take his money and he doesn’t resist. He is afraid of them and now, because he can’t walk, they are his only means of getting food to him.
I called the police yesterday and they came to do a check and went inside but they said he said he was ok- so they left him.
Today I got a call from a neighbor that these same 2 guys had a truck backed up to his front door and were emptying out his house. I called police and paramedics and they said they came there and were told everything was fine- so they left.
Everything is not fine when you are being coerced into saying something to the police and you are lying in your own excrement.
I have no idea what to do if the police won’t help me.
I’m afraid these guys are trying to empty out his house so they can try to pull some scheme to sell his house and just put my brother out somewhere.
is this time to get a lawyer involved? Can they stop this?

ExhaustedPiper Oct 2020
Please call APS and let us know what happens.

Also do you have a *durable* POA? Please say yes. If so, then I hope you can find a doctor to declare him incompetent so you can activate the POA and make decisions for him.

I mean if laying in bed in soiled underwear and soiled bedding does not show incompetence then I don't know what does??? In fact I am constantly wondering what it takes for doctors to activate durable POAs?!!

I sincerely hope you get some answers soon. Tell APS the situation is dire and you fear for his safety.

Geaton777 Oct 2020
Another yes to calling APS as your only real option. You could consider consulting with a therapist who specializes in hoarding to see what she/he suggests for how best to interact with him in a productive way that preserves your sanity. The next time you take him to the doc discretely ask them do a cognitive exam (and also test for a UTI).

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BarbBrooklyn Oct 2020
Definitely call Adult Protective Services in his county and explain what is going on.

NeedHelpWithMom Oct 2020
What a horrible situation. I don’t know what to say. You have called the police already.

Try calling APS.

Best wishes to you.

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