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Brother living in squalor, trying to help- an update

1 reply

whataboutbob · 14/12/2017 12:04

A couple of weeks ago I posted about my brother, who lives alone in the old family house after Dad's death. He has lifelong mental health problems and is something of a hoarder. his cooker had all but stopped working, his kitchen was falling to pieces and I wanted to help him get a new one. Previously he had procrastinated/ outright resisted. Anyway, just reporting that DH and i finally managed it. We went over there, and ripped out the old rotten units. At a crucial moment where bro could have got overstressed (DH was going at it with the claw hammer) I took him out for a meal . DH has fitted a new Ikea kitchen and bro has ordered a new cooker. I think the key was working with DH who by chance has just about the best skill set for the situation. He has the patience of a saint, an instinctive understanding of anything DIY (unlike my family), and has worked with people with challenging behaviour/ autism ( I believe DH is quite possibly undiagnosed autistic- that's another story).
For me, the learning outcome has been patience, not projecting judgement (even though his environment stresses me out), and making him feel he's making his own decisions.

OP posts:
whataboutbob · 14/12/2017 12:05

Sorry that's bro who's possibly autistic, not DH!

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