My husband and I have lived in our duplex for the past 10 years. Our 97 year old landlady lives above us. She doesn't have any children or close relatives, just some second cousins twice removed (grandkids of her cousins) who don't seem very reliable or honest. She doesn't like or trust any of them. My landlady is housebound and has a live-in caregiver.
Anyway, last month she decided to sell the place because she said she had run out of money. She had taken a reverse mortgage out years ago and was no longer getting any money from it. I guess our rent we paid her every month was no longer cutting it. I'm not sure if she found this realtor or one of her family members did but we didn't find out about her selling the place until a buyer had already placed an offer. Maybe if she would have told us her financial problems we could have helped her so she didn't have to sell her place.
The realtor seemed really unscrupulous (my landlady has dementia and didn't know what she was signing). In fact, during this whole process I called APS twice to tell them my concerns but as far as I know no one followed up with it. Also, when we went up to see my landlady she told me someone from the bank had called her to tell her there was another person on her account. I am worried this person may be one of her shady family members who may be bilking her account, especially now that she sold the place and has $300,000 in the bank. But I don't know what to believe because she has dementia. She once told us that her cousin's grandson stole $60,000 in cash that she had kept in a closet. She keeps telling us the same stories over and over again.
The new owner of the duplex is a real estate investor who wants to tear down the building, so our ex-landlady and my husband and I have to move out within the next few months. My landlady's caregiver came down to see my husband the other day and asked him if he could help her and my landlady find a new apartment. The caregiver doesn't speak much English, doesn't drive or have internet. I'm not really sure how much I trust her either. Yikes!
First of all, this is so wrong on so many levels! My landlady is 97, never leaves the house, is bed bound and has dementia. She can't just go rent an apartment! She is completely delusional because of her dementia. She doesn't want to go to assisted living but that seems to be her only option. I don't know what do to. We're just her tenants and we have our own problems to worry about with packing and finding a new place. We can't do the same for her. I feel like she needs a conservator to handle this but it shouldn't be any of her family.
Like I've said, I've contacted APS and the Center for Aging here in Los Angeles, but no one has helped me. I don't know what else to do, other than just let her be the problem of the new landlord. She needs a social worker to come out and access the situation. I'm so stressed out as it is having to find a new place for myself. Help!
I would call the police and tell them what is gping on; you need to tell them that your ex's landlady needs a wellness check. If the police tell you to call APS tell them you did--twice! Just tell the police that you are worry about her safety. Remember you just need one person to poke around to find out if something is shady going on!
I wish you the best of luck!
Secondly. You have called APS. Make sure you document. Call also the police division of financial crimes. Often, the APS load is so high, they pipeline to police. And you can can call local media.
Thank you for your concern for this apparent vulnerable elder.
BTW, when I called the Center for Aging they told me if APS comes out and the elderly person says that everything is ok there is nothing they can do. I'm afraid that maybe if APS did come out my landlady or her caregiver would tell them that, even though that's not the case. They don't trust anyone. Ugh, this system here in the US is so broken! It's just so sad that no one seems to care. I never want to wind up in this position when I'm that age!