Post # 46

Member
648 posts
Busy bee
DeniseSecunda : We have seriously considered it, however there is no guarantee they would keep her, or force her into treatment against her will. We’ve had a bad experience with the hospital psychiatric ward, we know someone who was brought in after a suicide attempt for a 24hr hold, but they were realeased after 4 hours with absolutely no follow up or resources provided. Two months later they attempted suicide again, and were successful. So we don’t have a lot of faith that having her held would amount to anything, but we may have no other option.
In terms of her living with us, she has refused. She prefers not to acknowledge my existence unless she wants somerhing from us, so living with us would make it very hard to pretend I’m not there.
I’m going to contact the social worker again, and get some resources from them. She may well end up on the street, previous posters have said she didn’t choose to become homeless, and that may be true originally, but she is choosing it now despite our attempts to prevent it.
Post # 47

Member
1332 posts
Bumble bee
What it seems a lot of PP don’t understand is that since she is an adult even if she was diagnosed with multiple psychiatric conditions that were known to doctors, local hospitals and her family there really is nothing you can do. Unless she is a danger to herself or society they are going to release her. If she voluntarily goes to a psych ward she can voluntarily check out, if she was held, which she wouldn’t be, after 24 hours she can leave. They can’t force her to do any type of treatment or evaluations or to take her meds if she was prescribed them. That’s IF she had a diagnoses. Now if she voluntarily went and got evaluated and diagnosed and received meds and started taking them, she could do that, but that’s on her. No one can make her do that.
She’s an adult. Following up with a social worker is really all you can do. No one can force her to accept help. She is homeless she has been evicted but if there are no womens shelters avalible or she won’t acceot the resources avalible there is nothing you can do. She can’t be forced to move or get a job, or to live with her son which is a terrible idea.
Personally if you do end up offering her assistance in the form of money or groceries I would say, we will help you by giving this amount per month to your landlord and x amount for groceries, but if we are helping you we need you to do xyz. For instance be under the care of a doctor, go have an psych evaluation, meet with a counselor once a week. Accept the help the social worker is offering. Have stipulations that are in her best interest to get help and cut off support if she doesn’t meet them.
Post # 48

Member
364 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: November 2018 - City Hall
evilqueenkarly : getting her into treatment could be an uphill battle indeed.
Apartments are much more expensive than renting a room. Could she look into renting a room only instead? I’ve known many people in Canada who have (with shared kitchen and bathroom).
Post # 49

Member
828 posts
Busy bee
evilqueenkarly : are you in Ontario? If so, contact CAMH to see if there are other options for your Mother-In-Law