My neighbor is a very nice lady. She is going through the same thing I am with her husband as I am with mine. Mobility issues, health issues, etc.
She has come to my door several times in the 2 or 3 years they’ve been here to ask for a ride to the local grocery. It doesn’t seem she can take the hint that it’s an inconvenient time or I just plain don’t feel like going out. Once when I told her I had to fix lunch for my husband, she actually sat on our front steps and waited. Now, she is living with her daughter and daughters man friend. There are three cars in their drive. I don’t understand why she doesn’t ask one of them to borrow their car or drive her. It’s never an emergency. Yesterday it was unshelled pistachios for her husband, who is intubated and can’t eat. (???). A few days before, there was no reason given, but she had a quart of Vodka in her bag. Yesterday, she reeked of alcohol. Hubby and I wondered if she wanted alcohol but didn’t want to get pulled over.
How do I kindly tell her I am not running a taxi service? She claims her car is not running. What about the other two cars? I now try to remember to leave my garage door down and the lights off, and not answer the door, but that’s silly—hiding in my own house!
Do you think she might have a bit of dementia creeping in?
I know the last thing you need is somebody else to worry about (Heaven forbid) but maybe a quick call to APS to ask if a kind, sensible social worker can drop in and give her a friendly look over?
As Barney Fife would say, "Nip it, nip it in the bud!" It's very sad that the woman doesn't have someone she can ask, but that's her problem, not yours. She could probably get a delivery service like SnoopyLove recommends or ask her children to take her. But again, that's for her to figure out. Just be careful - if she has dementia and gets fixated on you, she could make your life h*ll.
I will definitely give that a try. Thanks!
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