EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT NEIGHBOUR! What to do???!

[BabyBentleyBlonde]

so this lady lived in my building for years, we’d say hi to each other

then she started acting very strange.

she for a year now

1. knocks/touches my door and leaves
2. has this like weird/crazy/scared/confused look in her face. sometimes, I walk outside and she stands and stares at me
3. she is everyday wearing nothing but tank top and short shorts in this freezing cold weather
4. is digging through rubbish bins for hours everyday. Or Checking bin like 30 times a day
5. Walks out at 3am and also digs through rubbish bins
6. keeps asking people for cigarette despite never smoking

she looks older than 50 and always walked with cane

is it possible this is like dementia? I’m worried about her. Should I report her and try to get her help?? I’m worried she is not getting the help/care she needs?

I mean she is outside is very cold weather in tiny shorts and tank top. Digging through rubbish

we live in this big building and I don’t know what flat she lives in.

my question is should I report, and who do I report to? And how do I find out which building she lives in?

Do you ever say hi back? have you tried having a conversation with her?

Yes we would say hi to each other for years.

then she stopped replying and started acting like this

yes I tried but she is not talking to me

just mumbles something or stares in this confused weird look in her face

Correction *which flat, not building she lives in

I have photo of her

Police advice:

If she is at immediate risk of harming herself i would call the police otherwise call for medical support on 111 for advice.

If you're concerned about someone who is experiencing emotional distress, contact the Samaritans.
Shout Crisis is a 24/7 text messaging service for mental health support.
The Hub of Hope has a directory of mental health support services.
Mind are a mental health charity providing advice and support.

Definitely do not post any photo of her!

Maybe have a chat to the police about a welfare check? She might be known to them or other people locally.

Maybe adult social care might also be aware of her?

You could speak to the police about a welfare check as above and / or google your county council's contact number for adult social care and give them a call in the morning

It's good that you're looking out for her

Look up your local authority adult safeguarding number. You can ring or report online. See if someone else in the building knows her name.

You can get various dementias in 50s, or it could be that she is not on appropriate medication, but the main thing is it sounds like neglect : you can see she is inappropriately dressed for the weather, youve seen a decline in her behaviour, and is she digging in bins because she is hungry? Are there other neighbours who have seen her and could help you raise concerns?

Is there any kind of concierge service in your building? Are flats individually owned or are they council or housing association? Does postie deliver to individual flats or to a communal area? Just trying to think of anyone who might have more knowledge of who lives where which would be useful if you're contacting social care or police.

Follow her( discretely) back to her flat, if possible. And as suggested above give adult social services a call.

I would contact police 101 with all you’ve said here, plus the photo and precise location and your contact details.They should be able to identify which flat is hers and then do a welfare check. She is most likely known to some sort of govt organisation already.

Having worked in old age psychiatry, it sounds like schizophrenia but I suppose it could be a dementia presentation.

Contact your local social work team, ask for Adult Support and Protection (or whatever the equivalent is where you live). Just do an online search for your local council's contact details.

Can you follow her back to her flat? Then ring adult social care.

Call your local authority adult social care service and ask for advice.

Ring Adult Social care at your local council and tell them that you want to report a safeguarding concern.
You could alternatively ring the Police and ask for a concern for welfare check but they will pass it over to social services to sort any issues out.
Well done for acting on your concerns.

I came to say it could be low functioning schizophrenia.

This. And well done for looking after your neighbour.

I would contact the police. She possibly has dementia and isn't being looked after by anybody if dressed scantily in winter.
If you want to try and help you could give her something to put on, even a shawl of blanket or a warm jumper or coat or hat if you happen to have one to spare.
She may searching for food, I'd try and offer her a snack if you spot her again.
Is she barefoot?
I feel so much worry for the homeless or helpless persons outside eating trash. 😩

Good idea!

You are right to be very worried for her wellbeing. (Especially in the cold in inadequate clothing.) I think you should call adult social services and potentially the police and request a welfare check. She sounds very ill, poor thing. (If she doesn’t live alone, she may be being abused, too - the knocking thing may be her reaching out for help.)

If you can do so safely, try to work out what her flat is and her name. Then report your concerns to social services and the police. It sounds more a release of mental health condition to me. Sadly there are many people who should really be receiving treatment in hospital who are left languishing ‘in the community’. I had a neighbour who was clearly very unwell, screaming and shouting at imagined intruders, mice caused by rubbish but no one would do anything for him until he was very unwell for a physical reason and he was admitted to hospital. But he was still soon out again. I still think of him now I’ve moved and hope he is doing better.

I think this is best idea.

It’s always best to ask people if they need any help rather than report them to authorities. But if you’ve tried several times and she won’t talk to you, adult social care at your local authority.

If it’s a council or housing association block you could also inform your landlord that you’re concerned for her welfare.

I would also say adult social care. I know someone with dementia who is obsessed with bins, but they are much older and it’s obvious in other ways too. The knocking and leaving may be because she remembers knocking but can’t remember why perhaps. Do you think she would let you put a jumper round her?

Any chance she has picked up bad habits? Alot of the behaviour sounds like my elderly neighbour, who is an alcoholic drug addict. His behaviour gets alot worse when he is really off the rails.