V concerned about elderly neighbour

[NoFrills01]

We have a new neighbour, she is 91 and just got here from America, no family or friends, and she is renting the three story property which is over £1000+ a month.

We live in a rural area, there are buses, but still its a long walk to get around to anywhere, she obviously has no car.

She has no internet to set up a food delivery (what she wants to do) no phone, no bank account, and is struggling to work the gas cooker ect as she is from the states and things are a little different within the home.

I have a background in care, I find it a very odd situation. She seems frail, and she seems like she has early dementia to me.

I feel she is very vulnerable, I've offered to help all I can when I'm not working but she declines.

The house is the same as ours, and the stairs are steep. I'm worried we are the only ones who basically are checking in and would notice anything.

I'm not sure what to do. I think I need to gently ask a little more information, I'm worried about her health and welfare, and I'm not sure how she will keep up with bills or even pay them? It all seems so strange. She wasn't aware the bills are going up here, and she doesn't know how to work the heating and is currently just living off the microwave.

The 3 story house, anpproac winter and rural area could be calculated move if someone has ‘dumped’ her there. Higher chance of her coming to attention of authorities and them having to assesses her and move her somewhere suitable. So for an outlay of say £6000 6 months rent up front. Maybe rented through a fake company etc. Then she falls and goes to hospital or doesn’t pay rent and is evicted through court - in both scenarios we don’t just kick 91 year olds onto street in this country she would be housed.
If the dumper put her in a warden supported flat etc then she’d be ok for longer and they’d have to pay for her for longer.

Oh OP, what a wonderful caring neighbour you are. Poor old lady, she's definitely confused, unable to care properly for herself and living in an unsuitable house.

The situation sounds very bizarre - I agree with others, trust your instinct. Something's not right here. Granny dumping is a possibility.

She mentioned in a green card (which of course is the US immigration system, not UK). Could it be that she is British-born, lived in the States most of her adult life on a green card, and has now been sent / 'dumped' back here by her son?

Maybe the house is all he could find without too many questions being asked, or it belongs to a friend or relative.

If I were you, I'd contact Age Concern and the local adult social care team to flag the situation. Thanks for caring.

Our neighbour is very elderly. She has private carers with her all day, so I assume she always has help with shopping and cooking etc.

You’re very kind to help your neighbour. Just be careful you don’t end up being her only support

Not that the hospital can do anything about.

Hospitals are NOT care homes for watching dementia patients they are there for people who are sick and require medical treatment.

I’m thinking it’s a calculated move as if she falls hospital won’t send her home as she isn’t suitably housed so she becomes someone else’s problem.

I think you should absolutely contact adult social care. You sound kind and caring, and of course one should try to be a good neighbour, but you need to be careful not to end up being responsible for her. If she does not want/need any help from social care then they can assess the situation as such, but they need to know about her. I think it is very unlikely that 91-year-old person with no internet, bank account or phone and who does not know how to work the heating as winter approaches is not going to be assessed as in need of some help at least.

The mention she made of a "green card" suggests strongly that she does not understand her own situation (and may be being exploited in some way by someone). Is she maybe British and thinks she is still in the US? Or has someone her a line to say if her presence is questioned, not realising that there is no such thing as a green card in the UK?

*fed her a line

That is unfair. Most of them are not abandoned but need a care package that can't be provided at the moment as there is a shortage of care home places/care workers.

@NoFrills01 - morning OP, just checking in find out your latest thinking. Hopefully this thread has given you enough confirmation that raising your concerns with the authorities, Age Concern or even the local church or GP is definitely the right thing to do.

Please keep us updated op

Put a referral in to adult social care. It's not a safeguarding just a standard referral.

Another call for raising a safeguarding concern with social services. It won't take long to do, and you can relax, knowing that she is on their radar.

@GreenEggsAndBabycham @countrygirl99
There wasn't an arrow on MY popup!🙄
But I managed to read all about this by googling other sources.
But thanks for your help ladies

Very dodgy, she clearly seems incapable of doing the travelling/rental stuff herself, so it does seem like granny dumping. Maybe the remote and big house is part of the plan so SS would put her in a care home etc, bingo no bills for the family. What despicable bastards people must be to treat their elderly like that. Does make you think though that our entire benefits/welfare/ss/healthcare system needs completely overhauling, as it should really be for the use of UK citizens rather than open to the world.

Speak to Age Concern and see what they suggest.

It's a really worrying situation and one I would be concerned about too. I would glean what info you can and either speak to gp or social services.

Sounds like there is a lot of information that you don't know. You might be probably jumping to rather extreme conclusions!!

That's seen as a 'social issue' though the hospital has no medical tasks to carry out, relevant tasks could safely be undertaken by homecare or care home staff, they don't need active presence of doctor once declared 'medically fit' for discharge.

@NoFrills01

She's very lucky your looking out for her but I would make a referral to adult social care and get her some help. It's very randome she's moved here with no support system

There was a man I used to live near who had learning difficulties all of a sudden moved into a rental - he had no issues telling me he was on witness protection had moved from down south - we are in Notts - and told me his life story

I referred him and then he was moved as he'd told me and another lady his real name I was very sad but it's a lot to take on board.

I agree.
If you’re concerned for her welfare then ring police non emergency - simple, sorted.

Just be careful that you don’t end up being her carer OP. That happened to a couple of my neighbours when an old lady moved in and couldn’t look after herself. She didn’t have any immediate family.

But the non-immediate family turned up soon enough after she died…

Police welfare checks are to check if someone is dead/injured/harmed etc it’s not appropriate for an elderly person OP knows is not.

Seems massively unlikely she has come from USA!
Sounds like Possible Dementia?
Just call Social Services.
How did she buy the house??
all very strange as others have said.

I can’t imagine the police will listen to the details then say “oh no sorry this 91 year old vulnerable woman doesn’t fall into any correct category” - then hang up/walk away - they have a duty of care to many more citizens than you’ve grouped there 🙄

This is simply not true. Either massive hyperbole or you have no idea what you're talking about.