Hello! Firstly, thanks for your time to anyone reading. I have something on my mind which I don't want to just ignore, but also don't want to cause trouble.
At the end of our road, where I go to get the bus to work, lives an older chap (P) who used to work at a large engineer works where my husband also worked (very different departments), so they knew each other but not close friends. This chap retired a few years ago and over the years I've often met him and his wife (who he seemed to be carer for) out and about and said hello in passing, as S's wife and nodding acquaintance as it were. Over the last couple of years I've noticed that P's health had obviously started to fail him a little, he seemed increasingly frail and slower (aren't we all!!), but recently he's obviously also been getting increasingly confused and I've seen other passers by and neighbours stopping and talking to him.
This morning I met him across the road from his block on his own, in the rain, looking like he was trying to get back - our road is quiet during the day but a bit of a rat run mornings and afternoon rush hours. So I stopped and had a chat and asked if he was OK and he was very very confused. He told me all that was going on, none of which made any sense whatsoever. Lots of different ideas, flying off on tangents. However he wasn't upset, knew how to get back home and was well turned out. I suggested that he might want to go back in out of the rain, and he took my hand and we walked back to the outer door to his block. He opened it and went inside, then popped out again for another couple of minutes to talk and to ask me in a couple of times. I said I had to go to work, but kept an eye on him to make sure he went back into his flat.
It sounds silly as I don't really know him, but am concerned for his welfare. Easy for people to say don't get involved, and I wouldn't wish to interfere or upset him in any way, but I also want him to be safe and happy in his later life.
As I say, he seems fairly content in himself and looked like he can still take care of himself. I hope he has family, friends, agencies who look out for him, but I don't know. I would very much hope he is comfortable and able to lead an independent life in his own home, and would never wish to disrupt or take that away from him. But it doesn't stop me being concerned that something bad might happen to him.
So as you can see. I'm definitely down as one of The Don't Knows!!
Any advice would be most welcome.
Thank you for having the patience in reading my mega long post.
Best wishes
CJ
At the end of our road, where I go to get the bus to work, lives an older chap (P) who used to work at a large engineer works where my husband also worked (very different departments), so they knew each other but not close friends. This chap retired a few years ago and over the years I've often met him and his wife (who he seemed to be carer for) out and about and said hello in passing, as S's wife and nodding acquaintance as it were. Over the last couple of years I've noticed that P's health had obviously started to fail him a little, he seemed increasingly frail and slower (aren't we all!!), but recently he's obviously also been getting increasingly confused and I've seen other passers by and neighbours stopping and talking to him.
This morning I met him across the road from his block on his own, in the rain, looking like he was trying to get back - our road is quiet during the day but a bit of a rat run mornings and afternoon rush hours. So I stopped and had a chat and asked if he was OK and he was very very confused. He told me all that was going on, none of which made any sense whatsoever. Lots of different ideas, flying off on tangents. However he wasn't upset, knew how to get back home and was well turned out. I suggested that he might want to go back in out of the rain, and he took my hand and we walked back to the outer door to his block. He opened it and went inside, then popped out again for another couple of minutes to talk and to ask me in a couple of times. I said I had to go to work, but kept an eye on him to make sure he went back into his flat.
It sounds silly as I don't really know him, but am concerned for his welfare. Easy for people to say don't get involved, and I wouldn't wish to interfere or upset him in any way, but I also want him to be safe and happy in his later life.
As I say, he seems fairly content in himself and looked like he can still take care of himself. I hope he has family, friends, agencies who look out for him, but I don't know. I would very much hope he is comfortable and able to lead an independent life in his own home, and would never wish to disrupt or take that away from him. But it doesn't stop me being concerned that something bad might happen to him.
So as you can see. I'm definitely down as one of The Don't Knows!!
Any advice would be most welcome.
Thank you for having the patience in reading my mega long post.
Best wishes
CJ
