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Neighbour with Mental Health Issues

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  • 14-06-2017 2:24pm
    #1
    Dow99
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭


    I'm concerned regarding a neighbour of mine for both herself and also the safety of the community.

    She is a lady who lives on her own & appears to be suffering from some sort of mental illness. It started probably about 3 or 4 years ago when her lawn was unkempt and her door and windows would be left constantly open throughout the year regardless of weather. She wanders around the locality in soiled clothes which hasn't been changed in a number of years & does not engage with anyone. There doesn't appear to be any callers to her house & no one seems to be looking in on her.

    She use to drive but shortly after noticing that something was "wrong" she crashed 2 cars within months of each other and both were left in her driveway for a few months. It has been probably about a year since both cars have been removed.

    Just yesterday a new (be it a few years old) car was in her drive way, which looked like it was recently damaged. My concern is that she has recently procured a car but has managed to crash it after a number of hours.

    To look at her physically she does not appear to be capable of having the responsibility of a car and I feel obliged to do something before something more serious happens.

    I think this is best left to the professionals to deal with rather than me to try and talk to my neighbour herself.

    Who is this a matter for? Who should I contact?


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    #2
    K.Flyer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,565 ✭✭✭K.Flyer


    Speaking from personal experience with a similar situation.
    Our neighbours and ourselves became concerned for a middle aged person living alone and in a similar state to your neighbour.
    It was very difficult to engage with them as trust, and as we found out later, embarrassment, were the main problems, mixed in with alcoholism and depression.
    Long story short it took many many small steps to get to a point of trust where we could actually be off help. Got the person cleaned up, cleaned out the house of all the rubbish and got it clean and tidy for them again, but sadly they slowly slipped back into their old ways and disengaged from those who were trying to help out.
    I would suggest to contact social services and see if they can help out first, as it can be hard to try do it on your own.
    The difficulty is that your neighbour may not want help, or see that she needs it. Thats the first challenge that you have to overcome, she may be very content as she is.
    Well done for looking out for her.


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    #3
    Dow99
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭Dow99


    K.Flyer wrote: »
    The difficulty is that your neighbour may not want help, or see that she needs it. Thats the first challenge that you have to overcome, she may be very content as she is.
    Well done for looking out for her.

    And that's fair enough, but it is her being responsible for a car that has me more than concerned.


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    #4
    MarkR
    Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 11,074 Mod ✭✭✭✭MarkR


    You're going to have to see her doing something dangerous I would think. A damaged car in the drive isn't enough.


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    #5
    Burzum
    Registered Users Posts: 567 ✭✭✭Burzum


    If you feel she is a danger to herself, other road users and pedestrians then to be honest contact the Gardai and I would also look into contacting your local mental health office as they could send someone around to have a friendly chat with this woman.


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    #6
    MysticMonk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 903 ✭✭✭MysticMonk


    Burzum wrote:
    If you feel she is a danger to herself, other road users and pedestrians then to be honest contact the Gardai and I would also look into contacting your local mental health office as they could send someone around to have a friendly chat with this woman.

    The gardai havn`t got the time or rescources to moniter every potentially ill person. They can only act if a crime has been,or is about to be committed.
    A person in my family had serious alcohol issues and would regularly drink a bottle of whiskey and drive along the m50...we tipped off the guards several times but he was difficult to find and they really couldn't do anything unless he was breathylised or involved in an accident..thankfully neither happened.


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    #7
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    MysticMonk wrote: »
    They can only act if a crime has been,or is about to be committed.

    Its in the OP
    Dow99 wrote: »
    My concern is that she has recently procured a car but has managed to crash it after a number of hours.

    If she has managed to hit something and drive on it gives AGS the cause to investigate. I doubt a person in their condition has managed to tax and insure the vehicle so all one has to do is show evidence of it being on a public road.


    Long term Social Services, short term the Gardai.


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    #8
    MysticMonk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 903 ✭✭✭MysticMonk


    ED E wrote: »
    Its in the OP




    What is?

    A woman that a randomer *might* think is insane because she doesnt change her clothes?


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    #9
    mrsmags16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 185 ✭✭mrsmags16


    You need to contact a family member, the Gardai or her GP, if you know who it is, and advise there is a vulnerable person who may need to be assessed under the Mental Health Act. If she is a danger to herself (e.g. neglect) then these people have standing to take it further. You would need to give a few examples of recent incidents causing concern.


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    #10
    pilly
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    I think OP that your first call should be to local mental health services. Depending on how good the service is they can have someone call to her and may already have her on their books if she has mental health issues.

    I don't agree with calling the Garda?, just because you've seen damage on her car doesn't mean that she's crashed it. You'll have to have a lot more than that to go on before calling the Garda?.


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    #11
    mrsmags16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 185 ✭✭mrsmags16


    The Gardai are authorised to refer a person for assessment under the Mental Health Act.
    The local mental health services generally need to be contacted by a GP, family member or Garda first.


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    #12
    Tow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭Tow


    Contact your local HSE office and ask if they can send one of the community psychiatric nurses around for a visit.

    When is the money (including lost growth) Michael Noonan took in the Pension Levy going to be paid back?



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    #13
    AnneFrank
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,827 ✭✭✭AnneFrank


    Unless she has done something wrong that you can prove, I think you should mind your own business and stop stalking this lady. Leaving windows open or not wearing clothes that meet your approval is not a crime


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    #14
    Dow99
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭Dow99


    AnneFrank wrote: »
    Leaving windows open or not wearing clothes that meet your approval is not a crime

    Seriously :confused: ?? Re read my post. I did not pass any judgement on whether I approve or otherwise regarding her clothes or leaving windows open. I am totally respectful of how people choose to live and that's fine. I'm also totally respectful of peoples safety and that is my point.


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