JB, the original post about the elderly and bedbugs isn't mine. It was from "barb"' on Dec 15. If you read it again, she says they're elderly residents in two rent-controlled units - not an elderly couple. Barb also asks if the sponsor who owns their units can be "forced" to exterminate them. I saw nothing in her post on whether the sponsor has, or hasn't, agreed to the extermination. That should be settled first, and the answer is yes.

The sponsor is responsible for the units. If he AND the elderly residents won't agree to have the units treated, Barb's Board has to act. Barb also said the residents aren't capable of doing the extermination prep work. I assume they can't move furniture and all the clutter they have because of advanced age and inability to physically do it.

Barb also didn't say that these elderly have been, as you said, "left alone" by their families. Maybe they're able to live and function on their own, and the families stay in touch and check on them. We don't know that here. If so, maybe they can help in getting the elderly residents to cooperate and in preping the units for extermination. That was my point. I'm far from being elderly, but I can't move big or heavy furniture by myself either!

JB, I have aunts/uncles in their 80s too who behave younger than their years. You say that "with normal health, an older person isn't any different from you or me." I disagree. What may be "normal" for someone 85 and still spry and mentally sound isn't "normal" for someone 40-50-60. People are healthier and live longer today than ever, but with some exceptions - elderly is elderly, and just because someone may not need a guardian or health care aide doesn't mean they can move sofas, beds and heavy boxes.

As for the clutter and "hoarding" these residents have, that's very typical of elderly people, and as healthy as they may be, that still doesn't mean they don't worry about falling ill, losing control of their lives, or wondering how many more years they have if they're already 80 or 85. I don't know many healthy 40 year olds who focus on things like that.

We didn't get all the facts from Barb and it's easy to make suppositions, but one fact I see is that Barb's Board should get this situation resolved, one way or other, asap for the good of those elderly residents and everyone else in their building.