Is there any way we can help my aunt?
My aunt (70s) hasn’t left her house in 10-15 years unless she desperately needs to go to the hospital, like she needs to this week. I don’t think she’s been formally diagnosed with anything, but my family assumes she is agoraphobic, schizophrenic, and has OCD.
She’s been needing to go to the hospital ( she’s sick and has lung problems) since Saturday, but she refuses to go until “she cleans and gets herself ready” which takes an indefinite amount of days. So my mom has been doing her best to try and come out of her apartment so they can go to the hospital. Last time this happened it took her about three days to come out of her apartment. Apparently she looked very thin, had messy hair and extremely long fingernails.
She lives alone and does not let ANYBODY into her apartment, I don’t think my mom or her siblings have even been inside. My mom drops off groceries for her (she barely eats and only likes certain basic foods like nuts and dates) and the most she’ll do is open the door and talk to you through the door. She won’t come outside or let you see her so I haven’t physically seen my aunt in years. Based on what i can see when the door is slightly open, her apartment is empty, covered in plastic, and the calendar on the wall is from 2006. According to my mom, she’s too scared to leave the house because she believes the mafia is out to get her and is trying to break into her apartment.
Apparently my aunt just yells and gets upset with my mom if she tries to suggest getting mental help, so my mom just tries to work with her to try and help her as much as she can. I know she’s an adult, but is there any chance my aunt can be involuntarily put into care? My mom is scared she’s going to die in her apartment one day because she refuses to take care of herself.