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What can I do when my parent needs help - Portland, Oregon.

March 30, 2010

We advise people to start with something less drastic than taking legal action.

In the case of physical problems, perhaps you can have a housekeeper come in once a week or have someone come in every morning to prepare meals and dispense medication. There are a lot of professional social workers and home health care agencies that can assist in solving the problem. We often help our clients find resources.

When those kinds of things aren’t working anymore and the behavior is getting worse, we might look at a guardianship.

If the problem is financial, first see is there is an obvious solution—like pulling the plug on the television when home shopping networks are the problem.

Spending money to excess is often a symptom of loneliness or depression. There is often a lot of isolation as you get older. Shopping fills a void of some sort. If the person who is on a buying spree doesn’t even open the boxes that she receives, that is a clear sign that the shopping is more about the experience than about the goods. When you are spending significant mounts of money, you get a lot of attention from sales people.

Look for other activities might fill the void and provide the person with a sense of purpose and self esteem.

If the financial situation is serious, we will look at a conservatorship.

If a family member is showing signs of being a danger to themself, don't hesitate to contact the Guardianship attorneys at Nay & Friedenberg in Portland, Oregon at (503) 245-0894 to set an appointment.