I have a dear friend, who is about 70-80. He has had his legs broken in a car accident (he was a pedestrian) and now walks with a cane. He is still working in his own business, although I would assume not very well, due to his mobility problems and the fact that he is often quite broke.

I used to drop by and bring him food, but unfortunately cannot do so anymore, since I have fallen on hard times myself.

His home is very unsanitary and is piled high with boxes. He himself realizes that it is a fire hazard, thank god, and uses only a bathroom heater for heat, because he is afraid the other heater would catch the house on fire.

His roof has had a major leak and he now has mold throughout the house. It is bad enough that it is making my fiance and his mother both very sick even to walk to the porch. They have asthma and allergies.

He has roaches so bad that they even crawl on you when you come in.

His kitchen is so filthy, he has trash everywhere and dishes are dirty. I’m not even sure he eats in there anymore.

He also recently told me that he had been “hit” (by thieves) three times in one week. The first night (and I was there that night, and left before he got home, as I was taking care of his cats while he was out of town), I saw a suspicious looking truck park outside his house. I waited to see if they were going to his house, and when they got out and went across the street, I left. Apparently, later that night, they stole things off his trailer.

He has been sleeping in his van since that happened, and then last night, he was going to go to the bathroom, and his cats ran off all of a sudden, at the same time he heard people. He went back, and a truck was backing quickly through the alleyway.

Tonight, they stole things from his house WHILE HE WAS THERE!!!!

I am at my wit’s end as to what can be done to protect him. Please give me some advice or referrals? I’m afraid to call DHS or someone, because I’m afraid his house will be condemned, or he will have everything taken away and be institutionalized. He isn’t senile, he is just physically disabled and unable to fix these problems, and unfortunately, I am just about the only person he can count on, and I am unable to fix this enormous of a problem.

I think he should be in a “Independent Living” type situation, where there is someone to check on him, but not watch his every move, and where he can come and go freely, as long as someone knows where he is for extended absences. Someplace where he can keep his cats, but has to downsize his “THINGS”, which are proving to be very dangerous for him!!! He does still work, which requires travel, but he is unable to clean his house, fix the problems with it, or protect himself.