Reply To: Mom is a slob.

You can’t help someone who doesn’t want help. You and your sister are going to have to face the awful reality that at some point, there is a real possibility that your mother gets evicted from her house if the local government determines that her home is unlivable (either due to neglecting upkeep of the house until things like indoor plumbing are not functioning or due to causing a health hazard to neighbors because she’s overrun with pests like rats).

If that happens, she may need to go to elder care where they will not allow such behavior or live with one of you (not recommended).

All you can do is tell her you love her but refuse to visit and she knows why and she knows what she needs to do. There are several different mental disorders that can be at the root – try the book Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Gail Steketee & Randy Frost.