Mental Health problems (NOT MINE)
 

Hi peeps.

Some time ago you may remember that I had a neighbour who kept accusing her husband of beating her up. This wasn't happening and it was all in her mind.

She was ok a year or so ago. She is now knocking on neighbours doors between 12 and 3 am and begging for help and how she is scared etc etc. I had the police round, on average about once a week with this.

Now I just ignore her, but she carries on further and further down the street until someone takes notice.

On friday she woke up a young couple (ie my age :D) who had a 3 month old son. They knocked me up as they were really worried about her. I explained the situation and got lumped with her again.

She is that batty that she was trying to ring her son by picking up an ornament thinking it was a phone. The husband who is old, unplugs the phone so she cant ring and cause nuiscence. I thought omg, there may be something in it, not realising why he unplugs it, but she doesnt know what number to dial. She kept dialing double 1 and such like and having a conversation even though there was nobody on the other end of the phone.

She goes further and further down the street until someone takes notice. Last night it got to a new high. Some drunks off the street found her wandering and knocked me up and gave her to me. . I call the police every times because I don't know what else to do. They are fairly ok, and say social services will be notified etc etc but they never are. They knocked me up at 3.40 am this morning after we called em at 11.30. Luckily it was the copper that had dealt with her before.

What can I do because im not being nasty but I hope someone runs her over because she is making our lives miserable.

Its getting that bad that we run into the house and ignore her during the day because she always has the same line. We have got things to do !

I have resorted to taking the same tack as the other neighbor, ie ooooh thats bad, now go home and make it ok again and shut the door in her face. Unfortunatly I cant keep doing that because im not that nasty as a rule unless im really pissed off.

Also the daughter doesnt want to know, and refused to give us her number and her words were "dont bother us, ring the police".

So what can I do?

Hit her, really hard, then say her husband did it, some authorities might get involved then ;) lol

Make a nuisance of yourself with social services till they do something about it. Also talk to the husband about hiding the bloody door keys at night so she can't go wandering and get her to take her medication.

Does sound like a bad situation to be in.... Doesnt her hubby get annoyed with it all? Surely its his responsibility? Id be having a stern word with him

Her husband, well he drives her round all night because she is calm when in the car. She thinks her friends are with her. But with 10 minutes of coming back she kicks off again. Poor guy. I may suggest locking the door actually. Never thought of that. He himself is about 85 and can hardly walk, and his driving is terrble.

if you know the daughter's name and roughly where she lives, look on 192.com
unless they are ex-directory, you can probably find their number quite easily. you could then "bother" them every time her mother goes walkabout at night...dial 141 first though!
probably best to call social services direct though and quote what her daughter said. whilst the husband is doing what he can, some may consider the daughter's attitude as neglect.

A most unfortunate situation for all concerned.

I hasten to say this is not my field at all but I do have some experience with an old man trying to cope with a completely batty female (Alzheimers at its worst).

Seems that family want to abrogate their responsibilities when they should be dealing with this by sorting things out at home or thinking about a home that will look after her. At the very least making arrangements that someone calls every night to see that she is OK. I would take it up with Social Services and try and walk away (but I know you are trying this!). May be CAB can offer some thoughts or her GP, if you know who this is, may accept a call from you? At this rate she is going to end up getting sectioned when perhaps all she needs is someone to makes sure she takes the pink tablets. Good luck.

Well I have had some good news. I rang social services and they actually do know about her and ARE apparently in contact with the police.

The social worker quized me about it all and I told him all about this weekends happenenings. He was aware of previous ones.

He did say he would get the gp involved, but if it happens again, carry on doing what you are doing. :( So I have to put up with more of this until something happens by the looks of it.

Kind of a mixed result but its an improvement none the less

why not just ignore her if she knocks on your door ??

ASBO? Although I guess you would have to take a civil action out againt her and based on what you have said it would feel like kicking someone when they are down. I guess the bottom line is she is ill and she needs help which she is not getting.

http://www.madnotbad.co.uk/resources/links_home.htm might have some helpful links :)

Get the social worker to section her.

Move?

And if she is dillusional and acting as mad as a box of frogs when the Police turn up, explain to them what section 136 of the mental health act is for.

Section 136 is for a public area ie on the street. If she's in the house they have to apply for a Sec 135 part B off the top of my head.
Her GP should do a home assessment and refer her to an Approved Social Worker, these have the power to apply for detainment under the 1983 Mental Health Act if she does not agree to admission. Also the assessment may not find her at risk to her self or others and therefore be powerless to do anything believe it or not!

Just to add if the police do remove her from a public place under a Sec 136 then they must take her to a place of safety, eg the station or hospital for further assessment.

well she is kinda banned from the hospital believe it or not because last time she was there she screamed so much and caused so much hassle she has been asked never to return.

Thanks for the Info everyone. The really silly thing is, during the day she is *usually* fine. Also she is not on any medication whatsoever according to her poor husband. He says she is the same every night. Poor Guy.

Because she goes down the street until someone takes some notice :cuckoo: And then I end up getting dumped on cause I live next door to her :mad:

Have you seen Home Alone? That kid had some great ideas on how to stop unwanted visitors ;)

When you have rung the police, have you been reporting her for causing harrasment? If not, then you certainly should do, every single time she comes banging on the door. Harsh? Oh well, yes, but she needs help, and it seems sod all is being done to help her, and you're the one whose getting to deal with it, and she's nothing but a neighbour to you.

Part of me wants to suggest that you call her GP and get them to come out when she's doing her door knocking routine, at which point they could examine her in this state and possibly get her temporarily sectioned.

The sad thing here is that unless someone gets involved, nothing will happen and it'll just get worse, and you're the poor sod who is trying to do something, as no other bugger, including her kids, wants to, very sad indeed. Thing is there is only so much you can, or want to do.

[QUOTE=Stueyb]
........

Also she is not on any medication whatsoever according to her poor husband. He says she is the same every night. Poor Guy.

/QUOTE]

Seems odd that she hasn't been given anything to try and calm her down or whatever??? (not doubting your word for a minute btw). Make more sense if she was simply not taking what she was supposed to. Maybe hubbie is wrong about this? I hope this could be sorted before more drastic action is considered such as being sectioned and carted off which is quite a drastic step. dl

Sounds like the poor dear has alzeimers. You are obviously a very caring neighbour but really, she is the responsibility of her daughter and the social service. Her doctor should be overseeing her wellbeing too.
There but for the grace of the gods go you or I.
Yve

Aparently todays episode has already started. She is in the garden telling people her husband is beating her up etc :angry:

If it comes to it tonight, I will do as Markus suggested because im getting pissed off with it already. When it first happened 12 months ago, you could laught it off so to speak but now arrggghhhh

a sticker on the door saying "no canvassers or ****ed up mentalists" would have been my first port of call tbh

Alzheimers is a terrible thing to have happen to you. I can understand how you feel after all that trouble and also the attitude of her daughter. We had that sort of problem with my mother in law who was living with us and my wife looked after her.

Its is certainly a case for the local authorities to deal with and I hope they do and also manage to get her daughter to take some responsiblity. Hope she does not get run over though!

Les

Speak to Social Services and stay on their case.

I've had a similar experience and my local Social Services didn't do squat until I kept on at them.

Remember that she is also suffering in all of this. I'm sure she should have been prescribed some medicine, whether she takes it is another matter.