Mend Your Diet

At what point should/would the Health Department step in?

I have a very elderly neighbor who's a shut-in. While I do feel quite sorry for her, she is stinking up the entire apartment building with her cat's litter box, and mounds of garbage that don't get taken out but once a month, if that. I have complained to the landlord, who won't do anything. I have bought Air Wick warmers from my own pocket and placed them throughout the building, which helps some, but every time she opens her door for the mailman, a foul, lingering odor of feces and urine and who knows WHAT else escapes her apartment. It's gotten to the point where I want to call the Health Department on her, because it isn't sanitary! I have lived here for two years and have tried to have compassion for her; I understand she's very old and crippled and can't do much for herself. But the other neighbors and I have gotten tired of the stench! Can the Health Department do anything, since it is only one cat, and since the garbage doesn't spill out into the hallway? Might there be something that her Medicare or something would cover to help her with her housekeeping so she isn't making the rest of the people in this building miserable?

Public Comments

1. I'm sure the health dept can do something. If they can't they'll point you in the right direction. If no one steps in I'd continue to get on the landlord.
2. You need to call adult protective services and tell them that there is an elderly woman living in filth and you are concerned for her. She may not have the ability to understand that she is in filth. They will come out and look at her apartment and get her the resources she needs and that might very well include healthcare and assistance with living (which would include someone to help her in daily living, cooking cleaning, etc.). You can also call your local chapter of the SPCA, but call Adult Protective Services first. Those animals are probably all she has and she probably does need help. Just get her help then the animals.
3. something has to be done!!! I been to a friends aprt and it smells!!!! yuck!!!! So i know what you are going through. Get this! friends mom loves stuff animals and she has it all over the apartment. the thing is the apartment is too small so everytime i go to the place i am surprise i could find the door to get out. too smell apartment and smell yuck dont mesh well together.
4. You've got a tough problem on your hands. I'm sure you can get that apartment cleaned out by complaining to the county health dept or some other authority. But the price you pay will be that your actions resulted in the eviction of a lonely old lady. I'm not saying that you would be wrong to do so. Just understand that you can not appeal to the authorities without being directly involved in a personal tragedy. Is there some other way? edit: some others are suggesting that there may be public money that would help her. I'm pretty doubtful of that. Those budgets have been stripped to the bone in recent decades.
5. I would start by leaving an anonymous note letting her know she stinks, and if she can't take care of herself, maybe a long term care facility would be better suited for her. If this doesn't work you could do one of two things- get the neighbours to pitch in and buy her a maid for maybe 1hr a week, or you can just move.
6. If she is on medicare she should qualify for a Home Health Aid who can help her with her own hygeine as well as the con-dition of her apartment. He/she can help the poor thing with the catbox problem. It's sad that she has no family or anyone who cares enough to help her. Have you ever offered to help her? You could ask her if she needs anything when you are going to the store, also you could offer to grab a bag of trash on your way out. If you did this when you go out, it'd be a great help to her and you would be helping someone who really could use assistance. Like it or not, we are all going to get old someday and maybe the good you do today will be returned to you when you are her age.
7. Your description appears to be self-neglect, for whatever reason you neighbor is not keeping her apartment clean and sanitary. "Self-neglect" is classified as a form of elder abuse. One thing you can try is to contact your local "Agency on Aging" and report to them what is going on. If you don't know the local number, then try this national number, they can refer you to local agencies: National Center on Elder Abuse, Administration on Aging http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/index.aspx If you suspect elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, call 1-800-677-1116 Most areas have agencies that can provide services to help elderly people care for their homes and themselves. Some of these are governmental programs, some are private home health agencies, and some are charitable social service groups. No one wants to intrude into other people's business, but what you describe isn't healthy for the lady or her neighbors. Calling the abuse line can give you information about who can help her. In my area, complaints about foul odors and other problems on private property do not go directly to the Health Department. Complaints go to "Code Enforcement" for the city or county that you live in. The more details you give them on the phone, the better case you build. The more neighbors who call, the easier it is for code enforcement to see a pattern and act. I wish you and your neighbors well. This is a sensitive subject, no one wants to gang up on an elderly neighbor. I just don't see doing nothing as being very kind to her either.