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I feel dejected. If I've made mistakes in my actions, please be gentle with criticisms. I'm alone in this and doing my best for my mom. No one is as hard on me as I am. Here is what happened.

My car was being serviced yesterday because the brakes were bad. From there, I went directly to Albertson's to pick up some groceries for mom. I got to her house at about 3:30 or 4:00 pm. She met me at the door in a heightened state of anxiety: crying with no tears, speaking in a shrill, rushed way, making no sense. All I could get out of her was: "There's been trouble here in the house." "There were people in the house"
As I put her groceries away for her and prepared her medications, I tried to calm her down enough to tell me (as best she could) what had happened. I went back to her bedroom to put her meds in her adjoining bathroom and saw a pink slip of paper sticking out of the circuit breaker box. The paper was from an electrical company, and said something about a permit at our address. I called every number on that paper, but got no one on the line. Ultimately, I went next door to talk to the neighbor. When my mom heard me say that I was going to do this, she confessed that she had gone over there earlier. (She hadn't wanted to tell me this. Then told me when she realized I was going to find out anyway.)

I went next door, was warmly invited in, and told that Mom told them she had no heat or power, They sent their teenage son over to check it out. He couldn't figure out what to do, so they called his father who's in his mid-60's and not living there anymore. He couldn't figure out what to do either, so HE called an electrician. As I'm listening to this, I still have no idea, really, what they've done, I only know money has been involved. I ask to see the bill. I was thinking I would be handed a bill for about $200, tops, (and that being an over-inflated amount). I was wrong. The bill was for replacement of a Siemen's 200 amp main breaker, a permit, a trip fee of $160, and 3 hours labor. All totaled, the amount came to almost $800. The neighbor paid it by check. I took the receipt, and to say I was stunned would have to be the understatement of the century. I told the neighbor I couldn't pay him right away. Had to at least call the bank and juggle funds or something. Honestly, I was in shock. I got to the computer repair shop that my husband and I own by 5:00 pm and told him everything I've just told you. Showed him the bill. He went through the roof. My husband was a roofer/construction worker for over 20 years and has experience in all facets of home repair. He holds degrees in related areas, (don't ask me which, I can't think right now.) He said that it was outrageous, that the work performed did not need to be done in the first place and the prices charged were exorbitant He said I was not to pay a penny of it.
We contacted the electrician on the emergency number and left a message. He phoned back about an hour later, and got extremely offended and fought with my husband. My husband also phoned the neighbor to request that they stop payment on that check because we dispute the entire thing. They in turn yelled at both my husband and then me. I was told that I am abusive to my elderly mother. Upon hearing this, my temper flared. They do not talk to my mom (until that day) or me. To call me "abusive" is the ultimate insult and hurt me enormously. I have my mom on my mind 24/7 and for 20 years now I have done everything I possibly can to help her. The neighbor and electrician had no right to enter that house much less make any kind of decisions about what was to be done in there. I have Durable Power of Attorney for my mom for the past twenty years because she is incapable of making most decisions on matters like this. The neighbor knew she was "not all there" (his words to me yesterday.)
I must have missed them by no more than an hour. I appreciate that they tried to help, and I am sorry that they could not reach me on my phone (reception goes in and out). But had they waited for me, I would have handled this, and would not have laid out that much money. My husband would have done the repairs, or one of our associates (a certified electrician).

(Continued in post below)

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I'm quite surprised that the electrician was happy to go ahead with the work without first quoting for it and then being authorised to proceed by somebody whose authority he was happy to rely on. Retrace the steps from call-out to estimate to authorisation to invoice, check that you're happy people were acting properly, and if you are then it's your mother's bill and you, as her POA, should pay it with her money.

Then sit back and take stock and, please please, will you stop beating yourself up for two minutes?

You are doing a MOUNTAIN of work for your mother. I know how awful you think this looks - ohmygod her neighbours think I leave her to freeze to death in the middle of January in a house with no electricity and that she has no one in the world to call on - but, honestly? It's a fleeting embarrassment, but that's all it is. Everybody in this scenario was out to help your mother - not necessarily with a due sense of proportion, but they were. Nobody is the enemy. Chalk it up to experience, use it as an opportunity to make friends with your mother's helpful neighbour (take her flowers or something) and let her know what to do in an emergency (e.g. swap phone numbers), the neighbour might also have some important tales to tell about previous unreported events (maybe she "didn't like to interfere" and has been bottling worry up) - good things can come of this incident if you make it happen. Good luck x
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I try to think about what I would have done in that situation if I was a neighbor. There's NO WAY in h*ll I'd have authorized $800 worth of work for a neighbor without some kind of approval from a person with authority. I think the neighbors overstepped their bounds. I think they did it with good intentions, so I wouldn't be too harsh on them. If I was them, I'd have brought mom to my house until I could contact you.

One of the lessons for others on here is if your loved one has diminished mental capacity and is alone in their house, make sure the neighbors have a clear understanding of what to do in an emergency and a couple or three or four back-up numbers to call.

I'd try to get the neighbors to stop payment on the check and be nice about it. They did what they thought was right in the heat (or lack of heat) of the moment, trying to help their elderly neighbor. You can fight it out with the electrician, but don't be too hard on the neighbors. And set up a bulletproof emergency plan if your mom is going to continue to live by herself there. Lesson learned...
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Hopefully they stopped the check. I think they overstepped their bounds big time. Obviously they see you coming and going and could have contacted you first or at the very least stayed with mom, got an estimate first ESPECIALLY since the bill was going to be over $150 and said, we'll get back to you. And agree with Pam, could've taken her in if it was dark or too cold for her to remain in the house.

You've told them to stop the check, and told them you were disputing the charge. You should tell neighbor you are not reimbursing them since they shouldn't have authorized the work knowing your mom is impaired and has you.

Hope the doctor visit goes well. You have many options, in-home care, memory care facility, etc. I hope mom can be encouraged and doesn't think that because of this last mishap she's being punished and sent to a facility. Do your homework and visit some places without mom first. Then narrow down to 1-2 and take her to visit and for lunch, maybe some welcome activities and enlist her opinion. Reassure her you will visit often and you will still have lots of quality time together and she will be able to relax and not worry about maintaining a home but enjoying life like she deserves.

Good luck
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P.S. You said the neighbors didn't know your mom, so not knowing her mental state, she may have "authorized" the work when they told her what the electrician said. I would also think that might be true since she seemed afraid to tell you she'd called them. If they weren't too sharp, they might have figured she knew enough to say OK. Or she might be able to mask her mental state with strangers, which a lot of folks with early Alzheimers or dementia can do. My mom can for example. So again, I'd be kind to the neighbors, they just were "too" helpful in this case.
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The neighbors thought they were doing the only thing possible for you Mom who had approached them about her problem. Many people go to neighbors and friends when they are in trouble. Clearly they could not know your husband was available and capable of making the necessary repairs. Whether the repairs were necessary or overpriced only you can judge from a detailed invoice whether the price was fair. Just the permit itself could have been $100 or more. then the labor at $80 an hour for each man. It was certainly the right decision to stop the check until you are satisfied with the value of the work. The neighbors may have tried to call you from a number provided by your Mom and with her dementia and anxiety about the lack of heat she may have provided an incorrect number.
I am sure you can sort this out when tempers have cooled. If you feel your mother should no longer live alone follow the advice given above and find a suitable care facility for your mother.
You did not do anything stupid and I see no reason why anyone should yell at you. All things have conspired to create a difficult situation. Hopefully everything can be sorted out with the neighbors and your husband calms down. Mom's money if she has any can be used to pay this necessary bill
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If it were me, and I'm famous as a wimp, I would give a half-assed apology to the neighbor when you have calmed down. I think it got all heated because everyone was upset. They certainly weren't trying to screw you when they authorized the work, even though they were wrong to do it.

If the estimates you get come close to the $800, then give them the full $800 to reduce hard feelings. It's worth $100 to have good relations with people who are in a position to safeguard your mother.

They were wrong but they meant well.
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WOW! In thier defence they were trying to help, but this is way out of line. Could they not have taken her in until they could reach you? It seems like they must know OF you if they tried to call? You are in a bind, and they helped put you there
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Pay the bill. Your neighbor's did the right thing. The electrician did the right thing. He had to pull a permit. Obviously the power was out for 14 hours, you are lucky the place didn't freeze up. You were unreachable. Check with your electrician buddy, the price for an emergency call and fast repair seems in line with current market rates.
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Unless Mom does not know how or is otherwise not capable of calling you, this was well intentioned but out of line. A 14 hour power outage could be dangerous for an elderly person, sure, but they didn't realize how often you were over there? My mom did the same thing to a degree, she did not want to let on to me how much help a very kind neighbor was giving her the last few years she was at home. And it is hard to say if repairs were needed or the power just went out and the company took advantage of the situation to rip you all off!!
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You know, the neighbors' belligerence probably comes out of their embarrassment at having been suckered. Your mom probably had the idea that asking the neighbor for help instead of bothering you would somehow be a good idea. This story makes me remember how many handouts with every single number and way to reach me I left EVERYWHERE when my mom lived in Pgh instead of Little Rock nearer to me. Not that it ALWAYS worked, and it would tear me up when Mom claimed she could not get me on the phone until I realized she was losing the ability to dial correctly...man, I really feel for you. Maybe when things cool off those "good" - well no, they really are good people to at least care as much as they did - neighbors will talk it over with you a little more reasonably and can be reassured that anyone might have made the same mistake. It could well be also that Mom is not going to be safe to live alone a whole lot longer, possibly the neighbor watching and helping in a more appropriate way will let that be an extra year or two...my mom's good neighbor actually saved her life, but then I was still living 15 hours away and that's another story.
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