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I got a picture through messenger today that a former colleague of my ex has taken and forwarded to my son, of his father sleeping in the mall. I am estimating he has been homeless since November.
I have formulated an email and sent to my son of what he might want to say and send to him , encouraging him to go seek help, but I don’t think he has send it to him.( I don’t have Exs email address and he wouldn’t care about what I say anyway). I am off on Monday and will try to reach someone in Mental Health in AB , find out if they have street workers.( which they likely don’t have in Banff) Because it is somewhat in his nature that if a social worker would make contact and suggests some solutions to him, he would likely go along with it.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
I got a picture through messenger today that a former colleague of my ex has taken and forwarded to my son, of his father sleeping in the mall. I am estimating he has been homeless since November.
I have formulated an email and sent to my son of what he might want to say and send to him , encouraging him to go seek help, but I don’t think he has send it to him.( I don’t have Exs email address and he wouldn’t care about what I say anyway). I am off on Monday and will try to reach someone in Mental Health in AB , find out if they have street workers.( which they likely don’t have in Banff) Because it is somewhat in his nature that if a social worker would make contact and suggests some solutions to him, he would likely go along with it.
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I would hope he could qualify for some of the mental health resources, even if one needs to have at minimum a moderate severity of mental illness. To me sleeping in a mall should qualify for that.
I wish you luck with figuring out the system, not a pleasant situation to attempt to manage.
 
ChemGal said:
I would hope he could qualify for some of the mental health resources, even if one needs to have at minimum a moderate severity of mental illness. To me sleeping in a mall should qualify for that.
I wish you luck with figuring out the system, not a pleasant situation to attempt to manage.
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Thanks Chemgal. I am afraid if he was living in NS, he would not qualify, but I am hoping he would in Alberta or at least they would have more resources.
 
BetteTheRed said:
There's a lot more homeless people around than many realize. A mall is warm. Not a "mentally ill" decision. Hugs, Mrs A. Not easy.
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Many of the homeless aren't directly visible though - they couch surf, they use shelters, etc. If things have degraded to sleeping in a mall I think getting social supports are likely easier, as long as the willingness to work with them is there.
 
I met a former colleague and friend of my ex ( though he never made contact after he moved away) who is a devout conservative Catholic, and told him about my ex’ situation. He said he would pray for him ( any good vibes into his direction can’t hurt) and that “in every bad situation there is something good in it”.
I am not sure about the last one. While I think that certainly if we hadn’t married we would not have had such a wonderful son, but he also would not be in Canada, because he would have never been able to do the application for immigration and qualify and still in Germany, there would have been a significant better social net and better health care with regards to mental health. I would think in every situation there is the possibility to turn it into something good ( despite the situation), but I question that “ it all will turn out good” or “God has a positive meaning behind all sh **t”.
 
Someone, somewhere will learn how to do or not to do well if observing from a safe distance!

There are implications if you get too close to the situation ...
 
so my boarder announced she is leaving May 30th and moving in with her boyfriend. I predicted this just not so soon.
Then a former housemate texted. (I had actually deleted her contact) Her boyfriend has a new job here and was looking for accommodation like she had when she was here. Her room is actually empty.
She was (and still is) an engineering student -who was on a work term.
Her boyfriend was a frequent guest and they had the house to themselves while I was in India.

It may all work out as I prefer someone with my son as I drive to and fro ONT this summer.
 
Made some calls to Alberta this morning. First was given a phone number that nobody answered and which hung up after ringing for a while. Then just called the Banff hospital and spoke to someone who is seeing people in crisis. She said that he will have to come to either hospital and request urgent mental health help. He would be seen even without a diagnosis. They do not have street workers in Banff.
Talked to Junior, if he would send a message encouraging dad to go there. He hesitates. I am not sure why. He promised to think about it. He hasn’t seen him in two years, and only two weeks a year the ten years before that.
I don’t know what’s going on in him, he doesn’t talk, never has.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
Made some calls to Alberta this morning. First was given a phone number that nobody answered and which hung up after ringing for a while. Then just called the Banff hospital and spoke to someone who is seeing people in crisis. She said that he will have to come to either hospital and request urgent mental health help. He would be seen even without a diagnosis. They do not have street workers in Banff.
Talked to Junior, if he would send a message encouraging dad to go there. He hesitates. I am not sure why. He promised to think about it. He hasn’t seen him in two years, and only two weeks a year the ten years before that.
I don’t know what’s going on in him, he doesn’t talk, never has.
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Most people with mental health problems are immobilized and depressed...it's unlikely they will find their own way or even have the strength to get there.....good on you for trying to help......family and friends are so essential as part of the team.
 
Tis an ongoing discussion w/i a Facebook group I joined ... basically we are a down and broken people because of excess dependency on some isolated factors that really are not that aware of the larger difficulties ... avarice?
 
I was a Special Education teacher for a number of years, and some of the individuals I met broke my heart and also gave me great joy. One was a young boy who had dealt drugs in the school bathroom (Grade 7), and tried to beat up the kids who couldn't pay. He came back to Grade 8 getting some of the mental health help he needed. He came to my room for 1/4 of each day, and we had some great discussions. I really liked him and I think he respected me. He started writing poetry and playing the guitar, and ended up being a kind and gentle young man. But I remember him telling me that he knew that if he got in with the wrong crowd again, he would become a follower --- He had no strength in resisting them. And I said: But look at the great year you have had. You are loved and respected, and your life is going well. If you fell in with the wrong crowd, that would change. He just sadly shook his head and said that he knew what would happen. This week I read his obituary in the paper. I am heartbroken. I don't know how he died, just that he was young -- only 28. And the obituary said that he was an organ donor who helped 5 other people live. That shows me that the kindness in him lived on. I haven't explained this loss to anyone else in my family. But it is weighing heavy on my heart.
 
Oh Nancy - that is so sad. I can see how it would weigh heavy on your heart. I'm glad he had the opportunity to have you in his life - even for a while, to know that life could be different.
 
Gosh - I've noticed it's very quiet in this room lately - perhaps since Crazyheart died. She was certainly one of the principals here in the Cafe. I see some folks are busy over in LAST thread - so I pop in there now and then to see what's up.

This week I was at Five Oaks for three days. @Pinga organized a terrific women's gardening event there - there were 8 or 9 of us who came together. Some knew each other, but for others it was a first meeting. We all stayed together in the House on the Hill & Friendship House - so we got to know each other quickly. Some worship & spirituality elements, lots of work daily to renovate some neglected gardens, prune some overgrown shrubs etc. We put in lots of new plants - many brought from people's home gardens & lots were native species, and split & transplanted many others. Boy do they have a lot of hostas there!! LOL The weather mostly cooperated. Five Oaks is such a beautiful and sacred place - it's wonderful to see it coming to life again. Felt good to be there, to meet new people who share a love of gardening, and to engage in spiritual practice together.
 
Carolla said:
Boy do they have a lot of hostas there!!
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Better than having a lot of hostiles, I guess. o_O:D

Yeah, the Room seems to be rather quiet now. Maybe if we get some fresh goodies spread out and some new coffee and tea options. Here's some David's teas. Try Forever Nuts. Herbal tea with dried fruit and almonds. Discovered it through the David's sampler Little M sent me for my b-day.
 
Mendalla said:
Better than having a lot of hostiles, I guess. o_O:D

Yeah, the Room seems to be rather quiet now. Maybe if we get some fresh goodies spread out and some new coffee and tea options. Here's some David's teas. Try Forever Nuts. Herbal tea with dried fruit and almonds. Discovered it through the David's sampler Little M sent me for my b-day.
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It seems to me that its a matter of coffee being served by @Redbaron in last post thread, versus tea in Room for all....competition going on?
 
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