Stroke survivor without passport struggles in trash-filled flat

Piles of garbage, an acrid stench from a dump that makes your eyes water, the crunch of dried cockroaches underfoot. And huge mountains of books. No, this isn«t footage from a horror film; it»s an apartment in central Chelyabinsk where 56-year-old Anton Vyacheslavovich lives. By legislative standards, he«s not yet a pensioner, but several years ago he suffered a stroke, and now even leaving the apartment is a major problem for him, let alone finding work. The disabled man passes his days reading on a collapsed bed, in warm weather he scavenges for food at the nearest dump, and when it gets dark, he simply waits for the new dawn, because the electricity and gas were cut off long ago due to debts. To not starve to death in the cold, the man is helped by neighbors who pity him, despite the fact that he causes them a lot of trouble (the cockroaches alone are worth it).

The Unlucky Apartment

— This apartment — it«s somehow cursed, — Anton»s neighbor says emotionally. — An old couple lived here before, they died on the same day: he had a heart attack, and she was sobbing over him and died too. They lay there for a week until the smell reached the stairwell, and we called 112.

After the death of his father and his wife, the apartment went to two sons, but only Anton moved in first.

— Several years ago, he had a stroke. He speaks very poorly and walks with difficulty, — a second neighbor recounts. — He has no pension, no disability status; no one dealt with it because after the stroke he lost his passport, says he left it in the hospital. His brother picked him up from there, lived with him for a month or two and moved out. Now he hardly appears, brings no food, no money, they don«t pay for utilities. We wrote to the local police officer, called social services twice, they came, asked: »Do you need help?« He stands there, nodding his head, he asks for help, but no one helps. They looked at all this and said: »It stinks here, what are we supposed to do here? Let the relatives deal with this issue.« But the man is without food, without anything, and he»s practically dying!

The neighbors tried several times to talk to Anton«s brother, but it didn»t change the situation.

— In the summer, he still talked to us. I said: «Take care of your brother.» I gave him the contacts for social services, explained what needs to be done to apply for disability, where to start. He nodded his head. But now he avoids us. But this is abandonment in danger! — another neighbor is indignant. — Meanwhile, his own brother doesn«t look marginal; he»s always dressed cleanly like a normal person, but he doesn«t help at all.

Anton

We stand at Anton«s door with the neighbors. Of course, many are outraged by the stench and cockroaches, but even more so — by the helplessness and indifference. They don»t understand how to help the man, so many, when preparing dinner, put some of the food in a bag and hang it on the door for the sick man.

After a knock on the door, a few minutes later, a bearded man in a hat and two sweaters appears from behind the door, the outer one — greasy, with dirty stains. It«s clear that Anton moves with difficulty indeed, but he answers questions. He says that before him, his father and stepmother lived in the apartment (their portraits are preserved among the junk in the room), and he himself lived in another apartment in Severny.

— Did you work somewhere? — I ask.

— Of course, I worked. Until I had the stroke, — he answers, stuttering and with long pauses. — First as a lathe operator for 20 years. And then as an installer — installing doors, windows.

Anton adds that he has a higher education in humanities, he once graduated from Chelyabinsk State University, and although he never worked in his field, this at least explains the mountains of books in the room.

— I constantly read books, — he says. — I have a TV, and even a laptop, but there«s no light.

— And you can«t tidy up, put everything away neatly?

— I«m slowly putting things away, — he justifies himself.

Anton admits that after the stroke he remembered nothing, and every movement was difficult.

— I wanted to get to the local police officer, to get some help, but I feel I won«t make it. And to get to the passport office, I have to go to Monakova Street [it»s far].

— And you don«t receive any benefits at all?

— Nothing.

— Did you talk to your brother about needing to restore your passport?

— Yes, he knows all about it. He«s also sick, he»s in poor condition.

Brother

The neighbors begin to reproach Anton for covering up for his brother.

— Why are you protecting him? He can«t even help you get a passport! — the women are indignant. — He promised. We talked to him. He said: »I«ll go get the passport and call social services.» But he didn«t do it. And he hardly ever comes to see you!

But then it turns out that the brother lives in the adjacent room, and he is home. Behind the closed door, indeed, a man is sleeping on a mattress. By the way, he has relative order; on the table — jars and containers with food. Naturally, we wake him up to ask why he won«t help his brother at least restore his documents and apply for disability.

— It«s difficult, — the man mutters and asks not to photograph him.

— I can«t go [to the passport office] now, — Anton says, as if in justification. — I wanted to go today, but I couldn»t. Now, in this weather [winter, cold], it«s hard. In summer, it»s easier.

When asked if he is willing to go to a nursing home, Anton agrees: he realizes that alone he can«t change anything in his life, and it turns out there»s no one to help. His brother has children, but Anton hasn«t seen his nephews for a long time, nor his sister-in-law.

Sudden Help

A journalist from 74.RU sent inquiries to the city police department and to the Minister of Social Relations of the Chelyabinsk Region, Natalya Lugachyova, to understand what help can be provided to a lonely person.

The police reported that to restore a passport, one needs to apply not to the local officer but to the migration department, and added that in such situations, they can even visit the person at home; the only thing is, someone needs to take a photo and pay the state fee. While we were figuring out how to meet these conditions, employees from the social protection department of the Sovetsky District went to Anton and… immediately took him away from the unlucky apartment.

According to Natalya Lugachyova, the man had not previously applied for help or social services.

«There have been no appeals, according to information from the social protection department, regarding this person or on his behalf, — the minister explained. — As a result of the specialists» visit, he has been placed in a comprehensive social center for assistance to persons without a fixed place of residence. At the institution, they will assist him in restoring his passport and consider other options for help, taking into account his health condition.«

The option may be debatable; after all, Anton — is not homeless, he has a home. But at the center, they can help him restore his documents, and that«s the main thing now, because with a passport, he will be able to receive medical help, apply for disability, pension, and other support measures. After that, the man can decide for himself whether he wants to return home or go to a nursing home, where he won»t be abandoned.