I just sent the following email to my mom’s friend in Florida who has been helping us:
Hey [name redacted],
I sincerely appreciate it. Thank you.
Unfortunately at this point there is no way mom can live by herself any longer. I have personally heard her making veiled threats to kill herself, and you have told me that you have heard her talking about both suicide and about wanting to kill [name redacted] and [name redacted]. She has not been able to reliably identify the day of the week for months, and she has been (according to you) having hallucinations. (If she thinks — or thought — that [name redacted] or my sister were in her apartment last week, and — as you said — she is accusing [name redacted] of stealing things from her apartment, that qualifies as having hallucinations to me. If you don’t want to consider them full blown hallucinations, then you must at the least consider them manifestations of a massive inability to comprehend reality.)
My mom is never going to live alone again, and she is certainly never going to go back to that apartment. I am doing everything I can to find — at best — an assisted living facility for her. Until we can find someplace for her, though, it is up to Stewart Marchman to monitor and care for her. Because she has provided multiple examples of being a danger to herself or others, they are legally required to keep her safe.
I am trying to find someone who can take Paprika, and we are working to find a new home for Mocha. (Obviously we cannot — CANNOT — let my mom know that.)
I am horribly, terribly, inconceivably distraught about this; but we do not have many options or alternatives at this point.
I cannot tell you how thankful I am for all of the help you continue to give us. You are a dear friend to my mother and my family.
David Vincent Gagne