My father lived with my grandmother until she passed in September, now he is living in a house that he owns that has not had anyone living in it since 1994. It was in disrepair then. Now it has no running water, no heat, and limited electricity. He won't move. I don't want to have the house condemned, but what else do I do?
Carol
As a unit of our Department of Children and Families, trained caseworkers are sent to the home to assess and evaluate the health and safety of an elder. I have had cases where siblings were squabbling to such an extent that mom was being neglected and placed in danger. You wouldn't believe how quickly everyone started singing a different tune once the "authorities" were involved.
For those that are alone, Adult Protective Services will make sure that there utilities, food, and medical care available or move the elder to another venue if required.