Unless the elderly couple is suffering from an early stage dementia or some other form of mental debilitation -- which case the humane and proper thing to do is to the Dept for the Aging, which sends social and medical professionals in to do evaluation, at no cost to anyone -- then, barring that, that couple has the same responsibilities to the building's and the other residents welfare as anyone else would have.

Making excuses for them only prolongs the problem. "They are frightened, etc." ... again, unless there is mental debilitation taking place, that is a patronizing way of treating older citizens. They need to cooperate, just as a younger resident would. Be polite and caring, but be firm and take responsibility. Indeed, this may be a crucial if coincidental moment in time where their need for Dept. of Aging help, which might not otherwise have been noticed, has been.

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JB - just to clarify my posting...

I agree with you that the elderly have the same responsibilities to their building and neighbors as any other residents. But I wasn't making excuses for them, and I don't think showing them a little more sensitivity prolongs or exacerbates problems.

The elderly can be mentally sound but still worry about losing control over their lives or fear some situations. How we think, for example, when we're 45 is quite different from when we're 85. The elderly in Barb's building must have their apts cleared of bedbugs, but Barb said she hopes to do it without force if possible. In any case, it must be done but I don't think it's patronizing to treat them with more understanding of their "position" in life or to see if a relative or someone close to them may be able to help elicit their cooperation. Try to see it from their perspective. If they were not frightened or unsure of what this issue is all about, I would think that they would have cooperated already.

Just my opinion.

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I've got several uncles and aunts in their 80s who behave like they're in the 50s and 60s, and a friend in his 70s who acts like he's still in his 20s. With normal health, an older person isn't any different from you or me. What's being described here is either phobic behavior -- unreasonable fear of neighbors or minor elected representatives (the board) coupled with the clutter you describe. All told, this isn't normal behavior for ordinary, healthy people in their 80s.

Just because we get old doesn't men we stop behaving like responsible adults, and, seriously, it's patronizing to treat them otherwise. (They especially hate to be called "hon" or "sweetie" or other infantilizing terms.)

Judging from what I've read here, these are people suffering what I hope at this point is a still a mild case of dementia. They need help. You can't count on family -- there may be some reason they've been left alone this way. The longer it goes on, the less able this couple will be able to fend for themselves.

The first, most human step, is to have the city evaluate the need for a guardian. If they're well enough not to need one, that's great -- then you treat them like anyone else. If they do need a guardian, and I suspect from the stubbornness and the hoarding that they might, then you would be HELPING them. Dancing around the issue and making halfhearted, ultimately pointless non-decisions and "well-meaning" plans are time-wasters that do this couple no good. If they need help, get it ... it's free and easy. If they don't need help, treat them with the respect you'd give any other adult.

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JB, the original post about the elderly and bedbugs isn't mine. It was from "barb"' on Dec 15. If you read it again, she says they're elderly residents in two rent-controlled units - not an elderly couple. Barb also asks if the sponsor who owns their units can be "forced" to exterminate them. I saw nothing in her post on whether the sponsor has, or hasn't, agreed to the extermination. That should be settled first, and the answer is yes.

The sponsor is responsible for the units. If he AND the elderly residents won't agree to have the units treated, Barb's Board has to act. Barb also said the residents aren't capable of doing the extermination prep work. I assume they can't move furniture and all the clutter they have because of advanced age and inability to physically do it.

Barb also didn't say that these elderly have been, as you said, "left alone" by their families. Maybe they're able to live and function on their own, and the families stay in touch and check on them. We don't know that here. If so, maybe they can help in getting the elderly residents to cooperate and in preping the units for extermination. That was my point. I'm far from being elderly, but I can't move big or heavy furniture by myself either!

JB, I have aunts/uncles in their 80s too who behave younger than their years. You say that "with normal health, an older person isn't any different from you or me." I disagree. What may be "normal" for someone 85 and still spry and mentally sound isn't "normal" for someone 40-50-60. People are healthier and live longer today than ever, but with some exceptions - elderly is elderly, and just because someone may not need a guardian or health care aide doesn't mean they can move sofas, beds and heavy boxes.

As for the clutter and "hoarding" these residents have, that's very typical of elderly people, and as healthy as they may be, that still doesn't mean they don't worry about falling ill, losing control of their lives, or wondering how many more years they have if they're already 80 or 85. I don't know many healthy 40 year olds who focus on things like that.

We didn't get all the facts from Barb and it's easy to make suppositions, but one fact I see is that Barb's Board should get this situation resolved, one way or other, asap for the good of those elderly residents and everyone else in their building.

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I just wanted to thank everyone for their helpful responses, especially BP.

The head of our Management Company had a long talk with one of the two tenants and I think he now understands that we have to do this, he also came away from the meeting with the phone number of local family and the tenant's permission to contact them. I'm not sure if the tenant is totally clear on exactly what is going on as there is a language issue as well but now that we have involved the family it may be under control.

Thanks so much for turning me on to "baking". It is hugely expensive and we are going with traditional extermination because of cost .........OTOH, if *I* were to get infested I would pay for a thermal treatment out of pocket.

The other tenant is a still a problem apparently he doesn't open his door for anyone ------ frankly we aren't sure he has bugs but because of his location in the building he probably does, and they will need to send a demand letter in order to get access to check.

Our board has decided to proactively treat about 20 units based on their location in the building, I will be very interested in seeing what kind of cooperation and/or resistance we get in general.

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