Testimonial: in Liège, a report handled within days
The anonymised account of a case getting under way — and in need of extra hands
Out of respect for the person concerned, this testimonial is entirely anonymised: no real name, no precise address is disclosed. Only the city — Liège — is mentioned, to ground our action where it is actually taking place.
The report
We will call this man Mr. Julien. A report reached us, forwarded with the support of his social worker, who is already handling his file at the CPAS. As is often the case, the situation was not discovered overnight: it built up quietly, behind a door bearing an unambiguous message — do not disturb.
The assessment: a Stage 1
After analysing the information received, the Cœur Historique team was able to classify this situation as Stage 1 on our Diogenes syndrome assessment scale: the home is not yet marked by pronounced insanitary conditions, but the clutter is already severe, to the point of making the living space difficult to use day to day. It is precisely at this stage that swift intervention changes the course of a case — before the situation deteriorates toward squalor or the biological fluids of the later stages.
What comes next: a case forwarded, not a case closed
The very same day Stage 1 was confirmed, Mr. Julien’s case was forwarded to our contact at the CPAS, who now oversees its follow-up. The purpose of this coordination: to let him cover the cost of the intervention in one go, while giving the CPAS the option of granting him a payment plan against his social integration income — so we can move forward together, without the financial side becoming a new obstacle.
🤝 Call for volunteers on this case
A Stage 1 intervention remains a physical one: sorting, clearing, thorough cleaning — always carried out with the person’s agreement and at their own pace, never in haste or judgement. We need extra hands in the Liège province to support this case over the coming weeks.
Want to join the team for this case or the next ones? Visit our volunteering page, or discover our full intervention protocol on the SOS Diogenes page.
