Our Neighbourhood Housing Lead, Ian Henderson, supports a resident in need

Neighbourhood Housing Lead, Ian Henderson, was alerted by a resident who had concerns about the welfare of his neighbour. Ian talks to us about the steps he took to help the resident in need:

“As I began handing out my introductory letters and meeting residents in my area, a resident highlighted concerns over a neighbour’s living conditions.

I immediately attempted to contact the resident and arranged a visit in the evening. I was concerned to see his living conditions, which indicated the resident was hoarding.

I knew I had to build a relationship and brought some milk and biscuits round. We spent time sitting together and chatting about his interests - cricket and reading the Times.

I was open about my concerns and asked whether we could arrange for support. Building trust is so important, and I knew I had to get the resident's agreement. As a result, we were able to arrange for Emergency Crisis Care for five days.

Having discovered the resident's cultural and religious interests, I researched a Hindu temple near their property. I drove the resident there and to see their face light up was magical! We arranged for him to visit every day, and the staff at the temple offered to provide food if needed.

I arranged for the resident to move to a new home that better met his needs. On the moving day, his new neighbour discovered they shared the same interests – he was on the road to making new friends.

The resident now has a 24-hour care package in place and says we have changed his life.

There is a real sense of community with his new neighbours, and we have since received thanks and appreciation for going over and above”.

If you have concerns about the wellbeing of your neighbours, it’s important to encourage people to seek help. The difference can be life-changing. For more information on hoarding disorder, visit the Mind website.