Seattle Woman Finds a Senior Whose Water Has Been Cut For Two Years. What She Finds Inside His Home Breaks Her Heart: ‘We Are Failing Our Seniors’

Seniors are some of the most vulnerable populations in a society. Many languish without neighbors even noticing. But Caitlin (@tootall2function) on TikTok arrived just in time to aid a senior, who has been living without water for nearly two years.

Caitlin, who’s from Seattle, posted a clip about a struggling, elderly, deaf man, whom she considers to be a grandfather figure. She doesn’t show his face, but she records the interaction as she stands outside of his porch. Catilin revealed that the man has been left without water service and garbage service for over two years. Inside, the man’s home is cluttered with three-foot-tall garbage.

There’s so much garbage in the home that Caitlin could only interact with the man through his window. Despite the fact, the circumstance didn’t deter her from helping the man.

In the clip, it was evident that the man needed constant reminders. He didn’t even know what day tomorrow was. Worst of all, he’s already a diabetic, and he seems to be forgetting to take his medication on time. Thankfully, Caitlin was there to remind him.

The elderly man had no family or friends to care for him, which is why Caitlin took the initiative to care for him. She visits him daily, makes his meals, reminds him to take his medicine, and chats with him. But Caitlin isn’t alone in the rescue. She also enlisted the help of Tanika (@rvlivingwitht), a famous TikTok cleaner, to clear the man’s home of hazards. The older man has two cats, and he will be temporarily relocated with them as the house gets cleaned up.

Senior and elderly people are being left behind

Caitlin, in an initial video, said, “We are failing our seniors.” She explained that many no longer know how to navigate the system, even if programs exist. And yet, many elderly people in the United States languish and struggle alone. She urged people to check on their neighbors and family.

TikTok felt touched by Caitlin. The man is a stranger to her, and yet she’s going out of her way to connect and help him out. Technically, help is what a community is supposed to provide for people. People are interconnected in more ways than one, but it’s a choice to reach out. If this senior has been struggling on his own for two years, it’s heartbreaking to think that nobody else in his neighborhood bothered to check up on him.

Thankfully, after Caitlin’s post, many on TikTok wanted to extend help. Some are asking for the senior man’s Amazon wishlist, and others are offering practical advice.

One commenter wrote, “We volunteer for Meals on Wheels in our area! Help him get signed up. They deliver daily hot lunches.” To this comment, Caitlin said she’ll be looking to enlist her senior once he moves back home.

Another TikTok social media comment reads, “You should definitely see if he qualifies for long-term care services. You may even be able to train to be an independent provider for him.” Caitlin told this commenter that she’s thinking about putting the man in longterm care once his living situation is sorted. Because he’s already struggling with memory, it seems that the man will need professional help as well.

But if there’s any major takeaway here, it’s that people ought to care beyond their immediate circles.

(featured images: Pascal Bronsert, tootall2function, Ashish Chavan)

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