Last week’s news reports about a man in La Prairie whose mother was found in the deep freeze of their “filthy” bungalow put me in mind of a case my team worked this winter in Saint Lazare.
No, there was no one locally found in a freezer. The situation in La Prairie got me reminiscing because of the reportedly “unhealthy” and “neglected” condition of the bungalow and its inhabitants.
Our call happened on a typical day in our winter of snow. When they arrived, the medical team couldn’t find a path cleared to the house. It looked as if there hadn’t been a path for days. The medics hiked through snow that was above my hips, making it to the door of what appeared from the exterior as an otherwise unremarkable house.
Although it was a bright day, little light penetrated to the inside of this house. The first medic in found the light switch, but when he flicked it nothing happened. There was no electricity. The room was icy cold. Walls were bare, surfaces covered in dust, floors in dirt.
There was no denying that the individual who lived here did not tend to some major aspects of running a household, at least the way I run mine.
In my reflections about that cold day’s work, I’ve discovered that the kind of neglect we found in that household is considered by health authorities as a kind of self-inflicted abuse.
“Self-neglect” is a problem recognized by the Public Health Agency of Canada. In an overview paper published in 1999, the Public Health Agency of Canada indicated that disregard for one’s own health or safety is responsible for two thirds of American neglect cases investigated by authorities.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, self-neglect can include such specific signs as:
* Dehydration
* Malnutrition
* Hypothermia/hyperthermia (exceptionally low/high temperature)
* Excessive dirt or odour, hazardous, unsafe or unclean living conditions
* Inadequate or inappropriate clothing
* Absence of needed eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures or prostheses
* Unexpected or unexplained deterioration of health
* Bedsores
* Signs of excessive drugging, refusal to take medication or other drug misuse
In the La Prairie bungalow, the local CLSC and municipal inspectors were all aware of, and concerrned about, the mother and son’s living conditions. The CLSC is reported to have maintained regular contact with the family, and alerted police that something might be amiss. Of course, the mother still ended up in the freezer, the how and why of which are unclear at this point.
Where I grew up, there was a man who kept hundreds of pigeons in his house. While his health deteriorated because of the bird droppings stifling the air throughout his home, he refused to move either himself or the birds. It was only when the Town condemned his dwelling that the Bird Man of Yarmouth moved. It was a dreary, sad spring day when the RCMP dragged the Bird Man from his own home.
Short of having a self-neglectful person declared incompetent, which is both a medical and legal process, the legal remedies are sparse. In the Bird Man’s case, as in the La Prairie bungalow, condemning the deteriorated house forced the inhabitants out. In cases where a person is endangering others or violating the criminal code, you need to consult legal authorities.
Disregard for one’s health or home is challenging for many of us. If you know of a person in this situation, you likely want to do all you can to help.
Family and friends of a self-neglecting person face the most difficult of choices in these situations. At the cold, dark house where we answered the call for help, we found a family who for years had faced feelings of helplessness and frustration as to how to help someone who was self-neglectful.
Despite the difficulty that self-neglect presents there is an unquestionable right in this country for a person who is mentally competent to choose how they will live. The certainty of this right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies no less in situations of self-neglect.
Even though you are trying to help, your offers of assistance and care can rightfully be refused. Unless an individual is found to be incompetent, help can be offered, but it cannot be forced upon another person.
We have a moral obligation to try to help those who are neglecting their own health and care. At the same time, as long as a person is acting lawfully and remains competent – even if they are living in conditions you think are objectionable – you must respect their rights.
Self-neglect is a difficult, emotionally-riveting situation. In the end, whatever the consequences, our right to make our own choices prevails.
This article is presented by the Saint Lazare Medical Response Unit as information only and is not intended as medical or legal advice. For more information on your situation, consult a doctor and/or a lawyer. In an emergency, call 911. www.saintlazare911.com.
