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?
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.....
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.