In all seriousness, there are elder-care agencies, but it's hard to tell an older person that you think that they might need some help. There's almost no way around making it sound like a complete lack of faith in them, when all you're worried about is them falling, breaking a hip, and falling prey to their favorite cat.

The idea of breaking a hip and dying of dehydration in your own house is far more freaky to a young person than an old person. Not that an old person wants to go out like that, but it's not something they obsess over. More often than not, they want to live out their life in their own house, and when the time comes to die, they are ready.

Plus, if she really is that alone, -someone- needs to inherit that Capitol Hill mansion.

Just sayin'.

And who knows--maybe there's something you're supposed to learn from her. I find that the most bizarre, unlikely associations are thrown at me by whoever runs the universe to teach me something.

Like--ok, me, a big ol' homo, being bestest buddies with a NUN?!? No. Way.

But yeah, I am. She's 82 now, retired and almost totally deaf, but we've been in each others' lives for twenty years now, and although we both started our relationship not really liking each other much (she was my boss at an AIDS organization--we've both since moved on to other jobs) but we both came around and I absolutely adore her and have learned much about compassion from her. I guess you could say I worship the water on which she walks ;-)

And I'm with #1 and #11. Give it a chance. Get to know her. Make her your new grandma. Check in, talk to her. I'd bet she's lonely.

Anyway, much of an asshole as I usually am here, I gotta say: Good job, Kiddo. You get a gold star and a smiley face.

I always assumed it was a given that one helped the elderly. It's an unspoken societal contract. Help the old people now, so when you're old some young kiddo will help you.

This is especially true for all the young childless urban dwellers. No kids = dependence on a stranger walking by to help you. Or even worse, the government.

Depends.

I don't care to find out.

The unconsinable approach is to do nothing. And this woman was trying to attract ANYONE'S attention.

It just happened to be a reporter that responded, and I say bravo to that. Thanks again, Adrian, for this post.

My own dear Mother Vel-DuRay lives alone now, and we have several dear neighbors who regularly come to visit her, and take her garbage out when the driveway is slick.

http://www.uwkc.org/ourcommunity/211.asp

www.lifealert.com