EPPIA Update December 2010

TOO MUCH STUFF!

COMPULSIVE HOARDING OF OLDER ADULTS

From the outside, the 1900s-era Victorian home was hardly recognizable due to the peeling paint and broken windows. As we entered, I caught glimpses through the clutter of beautiful hardwood floors, mahogany stained pillars and a grand fireplace. She told us to follow her, stepping exactly where she stepped and that we may have to hop over a few things. We passed bins, boxes, bags and furniture piled waist high. Delicate glassware lined the edges of the path to the rear of the house. Assisting each other over and around the piles, we arrived at the kitchen. The electricity supplying a lone light bulb was strung across the room on a black wire hanging about two feet from the ceiling. This was not my first entry into a hoarder’s house, but it had to be one of the worst I had seen. I asked myself, how did this happen?

Although each case is different, many therapists agree that hoarding is a cognitive problem in which the hoarder has difficulty making decisions or that traumatic life events may have caused the hoarder to be more attached to possessions than people. The reasons for people to hoard can be various and unique to each individual. Some may view their possessions as valuable, or that the items give them a sense of security. Many may fear forgetting or losing things. As defined by David Donaldson, clinical social worker at the Council for Jewish Elderly in Chicago, Illinois, “Hoarding is the excessive collection and retention of any materials to the point it impedes day- to- day functioning and creates a hazard or potential hazard for the individual.”[i][1]

Why be concerned about older adults who hoard? Why not live and let live? It can be a dangerous way to live causing a threat to the hoarder and anyone involved with the situation.

According to Sanjaya Saxena, M.D., who works as Director of the Obsessive –Compulsive Disorders Program at the University of California, San Diego, “ Compulsive hoarding in its worst forms can cause fires, unclean conditions (rat and roach infestations), injuries from tripping on clutter and other health and safety hazards.[2]

What is the answer to this problem? How can we help elderly hoarders? First, is the difficult task of getting a hoarder to agree that there is a problem. Some may not even allow anyone in their home because they are afraid they will be forced to move or lose their home. Some family members find the task of helping Mom or Dad is just too overwhelming. Dealing with the emotional issues can be so traumatic for the son or daughter, they may not be able to take on the task. As one family member describes, “When my family had to address the problem of my parents’ house and the condition in which they were living (due to a path amongst the volume of material), my mother’s plaintive cry to me was, ‘These things are my treasures and I don’t want you to touch them or throw them away.’ My mother absolutely believed that the old newspapers, magazines, coupons, recipes and bits and pieces cut from a many different sources

[1] Dimensions, Vol.6, No.4, winter, 1999, Newsletter of the Mental Health and Aging Network of the American Society on Aging

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were all something that she had to handle, read and resolve herself. But she could never get it done, not for even one piece.”

If a hoarder does accept that he or she has a problem, resources are available to help her/him outside of family members. Professional organizers have become popular recently, but they can be expensive as the process is slow and tedious. One organizer views herself as a “personal trainer,” stating that she keeps them focused and motivated until the job gets done. She asks the clients, “Do you love this item? Have you used it in the past year? Do you have another one that is better? Should you really keep two? and more.” She helps them to make those tough decisions.

Although professional organizers are great at sorting and organizing, most realize that hoarders need more help. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is recommended by a majority of therapists. Medication and support groups can also be helpful. If the hoarder is a part of the major clean-up process and continues therapy, results can be very rewarding. Recovery of self-esteem and a sense of pride are two important qualities regained. Family members will also be relieved that their loved one is living in a safe and healthy environment.

RESOURCES:

Mental Health Professionals

Sharon Kehle, PhD. LP Vernon T. Devine, PhD.

Nath Bldg. 900 American Blvd. Suite 201 4500 Park Glen Road #360

Bloomington, MN 55420 Minneapolis, MN 55416

Phone: 612-839-9722 952-929-9478

Support Groups

Clutters/Hoarders and their Support COH online

Family and Friends www.childrenofhoarders

Call Kathy Green at: 952-887-5043

Or Kathleen McGonagall at 651-373-1323