An elderly Portsmouth man who has repeatedly called police believing people were breaking into his home or stealing from him is once again drawing concern from officers — but this time, the calls ended with him asking for help because he had no food and could not find the keys to his house or cars.
Portsmouth Police have responded repeatedly to the Blue Rock Drive home in recent months, with officers previously documenting concerns about the man’s confusion, his ability to live safely on his own and, during earlier calls, his access to firearms.
The latest series of calls began around 8 a.m. when the man flagged down a city employee and said someone had broken into his house.
When an officer arrived, there was no sign of a break-in.
Instead, police said the man had lost his keys again.
He told the officer he could not get into his cars or lock his house. The officer searched the area but was unable to locate the keys and told the man he would make calls in an effort to find him some assistance.
Neighbors Call Police
About an hour later, officers were called back after neighbors reported the man pounding on their doors and windows.
Police advised him not to disturb the neighbors.
But instead of simply clearing the call, the officer contacted the Area Agency on Aging and made a referral.
The agency spoke with the man by phone while the officer was still there and said a case would be opened in hopes of getting him additional help.
Two days later, police heard from him again.
He called 911 and reported that his keys had been stolen.
A friend who had been helping look after him was at the house and told police he was already trying to connect the man with Shawnee Family Health.
Police determined once again that the keys appeared to have been lost rather than stolen.
Repeated 911 Calls Bring Crisis Worker
About an hour later, the man continued calling 911 and insisting that his car keys had been stolen.
This time, police completed a crisis form and contacted Shawnee Family Health.
It took some coordination to get a crisis worker to the house, but a representative eventually arrived and evaluated the man.
After consulting supervisors, Shawnee Family Health decided not to issue an emergency involuntary hospitalization order at that time.
The agency instead chose what the crisis worker described as the least restrictive approach, with plans to get the man into its facility the following day for an intake and assignment to a case manager.
The crisis worker told police that if the man continued calling officers that night, he would return and reconsider an emergency hospitalization.
“In Desperate Need of Help”
The following morning brought another call from a neighbor.
The man was once again knocking on doors and windows.
But when an officer spoke with him, the problem became clearer.
He said he had run out of food, could not find the keys to his cars or his house and was “in desperate need of help.”
This time, he agreed to go with the officer to the hospital.
Police transported him so he could speak with a social worker and potentially be connected with services.
Officers told hospital staff about the repeated calls, his overall condition and their concerns that he could be experiencing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Those concerns are observations recorded by police and do not establish a medical diagnosis.
Hospital social workers were expected to evaluate the situation and try to connect him with appropriate assistance.
Police Have Been Here Before
The problems at the Blue Rock Drive home are not new.
SCDN previously reported that police had repeatedly responded after the man believed people were breaking into his house, stealing possessions or moving things.
During one September call, officers documented that money and debit cards he believed had been stolen were still in his possession.
In another incident, an officer saw him searching his basement with a revolver after he believed an intruder was inside.
That raised the stakes considerably.
Police documented concerns about multiple firearms in the home and recommended that two officers respond to future calls because of the potential danger.
Adult Protective Services and Shawnee Family Health were contacted repeatedly.
Then, in October, the man called 911 and told dispatchers he believed he was somewhere in the Columbus area when he was actually still in Portsmouth.
That call ultimately ended with him being transported to Southern Ohio Medical Center for an emergency mental-health evaluation.
When 911 Calls Become Something Else
These calls also show a problem police encounter that doesn’t fit neatly into the category of crime.
There was apparently no burglar to arrest.
There were no stolen keys to recover.
And repeatedly telling a confused elderly person that nothing was stolen does not solve the larger problem.
Instead, officers found themselves doing something increasingly familiar in calls involving vulnerable adults: contacting social-service agencies, mental-health providers, friends and medical professionals in an attempt to find longer-term help.
This time, that effort included the Area Agency on Aging, Shawnee Family Health, a friend who had been helping care for the man and, finally, hospital social workers.
The most recent call may have been the clearest indication yet of how serious the situation has become.
The man who once called police because he believed someone was breaking into his home was now telling an officer something much simpler.
He couldn’t find his keys.
He had no food.
And he needed help.