Referral to social services!

[chaosqueenParticipant]

I am not thinking clearly today. Did I understand you correctly? You got reported to social services, the only action taken was referring you further to the mental health team and chances are low they will work with you as they are busy with other patients?

[OddsocksParticipant]

chaosqueen wrote:

I am not thinking clearly today. Did I understand you correctly? You got reported to social services, the only action taken was referring you further to the mental health team and chances are low they will work with you as they are busy with other patients?

Many thanks for thinking of replying when you arent thinking clearly!

Yes, the only action social services did after assessment was refer on. Her assessment was about whether I had any social care needs (help bathing or shopping kind of things). So I did avert any risk of major action by them (she mentioned ‘blitz cleans’ which do involve chucking out stuff, but sounds like things have to be really bad for them to consider that.)

l am fortunate that I dont need that kind of help!

I’m also lucky that things arent bad enough for mental health services to see me as a priority, although that is a bit frustrating! I cant see them doing much anyway- there isnt some wonder drug for hoarding! I will be having the course for hoarders anyway (separately- I will tell them). Its likely to be a while till I actually get an appointment, so I may have done the course by then (if it gets funding).

And of course posting here is wonderful! Wise and supportive messages from people who know what its like!

So I have been gradually realising that and calmed down! It was such a huge shock to have a call like that out of the blue!

No hurry at all with a reply, particularly if you’re not thinking clearly!

[arielsmelody]

I’d try to see it as a positive thing – someone has recognised that you might need some extra support, and you have been contacted to see if there is anything they can offer you. I’ve had contact with adult social services for my elderly parents and parents-in-law, and my experience has been that they have been very helpful. Of course, budgets and all the rest of it means that they can’t always do as much as they might like, but the social workers I’ve spoken to have been trying to help rather than rushing in to take over.

I hope the mental health team can help – at least the possibility is there now, and if things take a down turn in the future you are on their books that should hopefully mean you can access care more easily. It does sound as if you are turning things around by yourself so sending you good wishes to keep moving on forward!

[Daisy]

Hi Oddsocks,

I’m not thinking too clearly today as well but wanted to reply as I have had help from the council. I’m sorry to hear you were upset about being referred to social services.

I havn’t had a fire worker visit me but I asked for help with hoarding and other housing things after I met someone else who had had help from a support worker.

The help I had wasn’t from social services but from support workers whose role is to support people with mental health problems with their housing. I had support for five years and it was a big help.

I can post more details if you would like any or want to talk about this more.

[Daisy]

Hi again Oddsocks,

I had another look at your post and wanted to say that I have heard of the mental health team offering support workers as well so maybe that is why you have been referred.

[chaosqueenParticipant]

Looks like I was thinking more clearly than I gave myself credit for! :lol: You could turn this into a contest. Have a little bet going with yourself. How much can you clear before MH contacts you? :lol:

[OddsocksParticipant]

chaosqueen wrote:

Looks like I was thinking more clearly than I gave myself credit for! :lol: You could turn this into a contest. Have a little bet going with yourself. How much can you clear before MH contacts you? :lol:

Wonderful! Lots of chuckling going on!

[OddsocksParticipant]

I am so grateful for those replies! I hadnt thought about seeing a positive side to it! I’ve been assuming they wouldnt offer me any help, but they might. And they are on my side!

Daisy: pleased to hear about your experience from a support worker! I will see how I get on with the mental health people, but will certainly get back to you for more details if I am having problems (I dont want to put you to the trouble of giving me the details now!)

I decided to drop in now as putting off off chucking more clutter and it seeming overwhelming. But I am about to log off and get clearing!

There’s some urgency, as rat man is coming back on Wednesday. He criticises the clutter. He also had the nerve to put ‘bad hygiene’ in his report! No dirty dishes or food or anything! Not at all sqaulid or dirty! So I may do some cleaning anyway to bring things more to the standard he expects…..!

I’m so disappointed that the rat poison from his last visit has gone, as that means a rat has been around, so more work required. I have wondered about just removing the poison as soon as he goes, putting it back just before he arrives next time! But I wont.

And has been wisely pointed out to me in previous posts its nothing personal- just his job.

[kaizenParticipant]

arielsmelody wrote:

I’d try to see it as a positive thing – someone has recognised that you might need some extra support, and you have been contacted to see if there is anything they can offer you.

Oh, good thought, arielsmelody! I admit that looking at things as “someone might be trying to help me” is not my first, go-to thought! :shock: :oops:

Thank you for sharing your ongoing saga, Oddsocks! You’re making huge steps in taking all these risks. It’s scary for many of us to have others see our space & judge us. Good job!

~kai

[NanaParticipant]

Unfortunately, if rats can get in, they will keep on getting in, as they follow the scent trails previous visitors have left, and until the route is blocked, the problem will continue. Sometimes just closing a hole is not enough, as the newcomers will gnaw at it until they get through – we had that when the terrace we lived in was invaded – it took a long time to clear and several court orders to gain entry to the houses where people swore they did not have rats. They do such a lot of damage, so I do urge you to let the man set the bait and not interfere with it.

At one house the wiring was chewed through and the main fuse blew, leaving the people without power for ages. When the men came to do the repair they were togged up like spacemen.

[bluesyjayParticipant]

dear Oddsocks

sending you all of my empathy with the stress of all these people coming in and checking and “judging” your house

it seems like a lot of us are not thinking straight these days

I am at a low point so have a hard time participating but will try for all my 2 cents are worth

I can imagine that these people may not necessarily have the most sensitive way of putting things

I can imagine them being very down-to-earth-get-the-job-done-seen-it-all in a sort of repetitive way so they may not again necessarily mince their words and think about your feelings and what this all entails for you

not because they are bad people but because they have a different perspective on things

most people do not have an idea of how much pain stress suffering is connected to the clutter in our homes

they only see the “mess” side of things

it must be extremely proving

but I feel you are taking this in a positive way

it feels like many prompts to keep moving in the right direction

remember they do not want to hurt you but in their own rugged way to do their job and/or help

I do not want to offend anybody but in my mind someone who exterminates rats (who as much as they are not welcome are still creatures) may not necessarily be the most delicate guy??

I would try to see all of this as life giving you prompts

forcing you to move at a different pace

I have a story with a little city mouse that came to stay at my place for a while

granted he was not a rat…but…

years ago at one point they were doing some major street work on my street, for quite some time, digging up the street etc.

I live on the ground floor and have a yard

so unbeknownst to me this little guy was thrown out of wherever he was living and came to live at my place

I found out because at some point I noticed a weird noise whenever I would be quiet on my couch

but when I was moving around – silence (he was a very clever fellow)

until one day I moved some of my clothes and we met eye to eye!

I screamed he ran to hide

he had made a nest! out of two fabulous vintage hollywood diva stoles I had from mum, munching BOTH colours away and mixing them! :lol: (he did have quite some style) and adding some old bills to it…I am making it sound funny but I really loved those scarves

I had to figure out how to catch him!

at night he would munch away …and I discovered it was a neck pillow I had filled with apricot kernels ha was feasting on! :lol:

while I was looking for the right kind of trap I was living with him so I would talk to him a lot, especially at night,

telling him that whatever he did please not to come having a walk in my bed!! I called him Geronimo

I did not want to kill him and had the hardest time finding a trap, that would not kill, people thought I was crazy

I managed to find a little trap cage in which I put some parmesan crust and went to my mother’s place for a few days

when I came back there he was!

tiny, literally terrorised, his little nose bruised by trying to get out (the cheese gone :lol: )

so I had a friend give me a lift with his car to a park far away from my house, because my friend said that he would find a way back and tell all his friends of this fabulous place :lol:

in the car I spoke to him trying to calm him…he was sooo scared and looked so tiny

I put some rescue remedy flower drops on his snout (through the cage)

when I got to the park, I opened the cage in the opposite direction from me

instead of running away he came towards me!!! I think he wanted to say goodbye and thank you

I just thought of sharing this little story with you

not to undermine the stress but to try seeing things in a lighter way possibly

have you read Firmin? it is a wonderful story of a rat who lives in a bookshop and reads

please do not mess with the poison though, unfortunately you may not have a cute little mouse like Geronimo he may be a fat ugly illiterate guy with bad breath!!

all that being said apart from the romantic part I had to throw out all the food that could have possibly been touched

and I washed EVERYTHING

and it was extremely stressful to do that – plus those retro stoles….uggh I really like those!

still…I think that moths are the worst there can be and not as cute I have no empathy whatsoever for that clan

sending you strength and lightness

[OddsocksParticipant]

kaizen wrote:

arielsmelody wrote:

I’d try to see it as a positive thing – someone has recognised that you might need some extra support, and you have been contacted to see if there is anything they can offer you.

Oh, good thought, arielsmelody! I admit that looking at things as “someone might be trying to help me” is not my first, go-to thought! :shock: :oops:

Thank you for sharing your ongoing saga, Oddsocks! You’re making huge steps in taking all these risks. It’s scary for many of us to have others see our space & judge us. Good job!

~kai

Dont be too impressed!! I had to get pest control in as I know that rats are a serious risk.

Talking of which…. I have had 2 visits from them up to today. Its great that there was no sign of them after the first visit. The second visit check found that the poison had gone, so put down more. That got eaten. The third visit, from someone else today, he said that they woulndt do any more treatment until they could see round all the walls! I had thought that at least he could put down more poison! But there was no discussion. Maybe if there was actually a rat running across the kitchen he might of, so its again good news there hasnt been more damage.

So that’s the 4th time since all this started of being advised strongly to declutter! And they have persisted. I always say I realise that its bad and that I am working on it, and that it was even worse, but they dont stop. After that has gone on a bit I do tell them that I have hoarding problems and will be having treatment, but that makes no difference at all.

It hate feeling that I have had to say something that personal. And its my house, not somewhere communal.

I do now realise, as people have said already, importantly, that this is all to benefit me.

At least I wont have a 5th time of being told off/advised as the rat man has signed off the work and wont be coming back!

[OddsocksParticipant]

PS

He has just copied me into his report. Last time it had hygeine bad, this time its good! I really appreciate that! Horrible to think that someone thinks your homes is unhygienic.

I moved stuff temporarily out of the way- this afternoon I will move them back! So I can get to my bed and my chair! If there’s anything easy to chuck I will chuck it out.

[chaosqueenParticipant]

Yeah! Your efforts have been recognized! How much work would it take form you so they can get to the walls? Keep your eyes peeled for signs of rats. Personally I have had no experience with them but of what others wrote it can take a bit to be rid of them for good. Fingers crossed that you can don#t see them anymore!

[OddsocksParticipant]

Daisy wrote:

Hi Oddsocks,

…I have had help from the council. I’m sorry to hear you were upset about being referred to social services.

I havn’t had a fire worker visit me but I asked for help with hoarding and other housing things after I met someone else who had had help from a support worker.

The help I had wasn’t from social services but from support workers whose role is to support people with mental health problems with their housing. I had support for five years and it was a big help.

.

Thanks again for both of your posts!

I have just found out the the hoarder treatment programme I am on a waiting list for may not happen till May! The social worker did tell me that there is a scheme where you can have a support worker come for a few sessions to help. Not with any particular knowledge about hoarding. I had been planning to leave that until after the course, as getting started with specialist support sounded good. But that is rather a long way off!

I dont know how much experience and support I will get from the mental health team. It will be great if there is someone who can visit and help. I never expect the NHS to be able to afford things! But I am looking forward to talking to a doctor there. I dont know how long it will take to get an appointment. Hopefully not several months.

[Author]

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