Hoarding Behaviors in Elders
How to help seniors who are hoarders?
Hoarding is the compulsive need to find and keep objects, animals, or trash regardless of their value. In order to help an older adult with hoarding, one first needs to understand what hoarding is and what it looks like. Hoarding is not having a few collectibles within the home. Hoarding is when individuals, in this case seniors, have a compulsive need to find and keep objects, animals, or trash regardless of their value.
There are 5 increasingly problematic levels of hoarding and to help your loved one, you must first understand their level of hoarding as well as their diagnosis related to hoarding.
As you think back to your childhood, perhaps there was a time you noticed your parent’s collectibles and thought it was sentimental. As you got older, you noticed that the collectibles seemed to take over the home and there were additional items, such as old newspapers, items from shopping sprees online, and other various items, to include animals.
Perhaps you also observed that your parent(s) have not been taking care of the several items within the home and now you have noticed rodents as well as their droppings. This situation is described as level 5 hoarding. People with level 5 hoarding have homes with clutter filled bathrooms, kitchens, several pets, human feces, rotting food on surfaces and in the refrigerator.
What should you do if you have noticed your parent(s) have become hoarders?
With any addiction, one needs to ask for help, but they cannot be pushed too hard. With some hoarders, authorities become involved due to a 911 call for help. Once this happens, the secret is out. In the event of an emergency if First Responders are unable to enter the home, it could be deemed condemned by code enforcement. In this situation, the individual will be placed in a safe environment.
As you might imagine, older adults who hoard tend to refuse home health or will delay their medical needs, to include surgeries, to prevent someone from seeing their home out of fear. This self-neglect and diminished quality of life exemplifies their lack of “independence” and increases their need for stable living conditions, to include Senior Living or living with family members.
Why does my elderly parent hoard items?
There is no clear reason as to why seniors hoard. It could possibly be due to a traumatic event, dementia, OCD, or depression. It is best to talk with your loved one and help them understand that you care about their wellbeing and would like them to be safe. Let them know you are there and willing to work at their pace; never rush a hoarder into making a decision. They will “shut down” and retreat to their hoard and in some cases begin to spiral and order more items or gather more items because that is their coping mechanism.
Hoarding Statistics:
Around 75% of individuals who have hoarding as a diagnosis also have a co-occurring mental health condition. The most common co-occurring disorders are major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder/social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder.
A study by researchers at Johns Hopkins revealed that about 4% of the population shows hoarding behavior, but that percentage goes up to 6.2% in people over 55.
Not only can hoarding cause physical danger as previously stated, it also increases the risk of falls in the home, creates hazardous or unsanitary conditions, and sometimes indicates the presence of Alzheimer’s disease or other mental illness.
Compulsive hoarding includes ALL three of the following:
1. A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people, and
2. These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended, and
3. These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.
How can I get my parent to clean up?
For a senior to combat this diagnosis, they need to first be willing to accept the help. Once they have agreed to receiving help, follow the steps below and remember to never rush a hoarder during this process.
1. Enlist a cleaning crew: family, professionals, etc. and start the process. Find a JUNK collecting organization.
2. Set a date to start: procrastination is the enemy. A date must be set, and you must follow through with your selected date(s).
3. Select one room and work room by room: Set a time, 3 hours, 4 hours, etc., and stick to that time for each room. If it takes more than one day to complete a room, finish the room before starting on the next room. This is important - you'll need to finish one project before starting the next. This process will help the hoarder see their progress and help them to continue.
4. Find a restoration company depending on how bad the situation in the home is. Also find a professional cleaning company to clean the home once the decluttering process has ended.
5. Donation: during the process, think about donating items in good condition. Items with rodent droppings or urine and in bad condition should be discarded.
6. New Home: it would be best to reach out to a family friend, Senior Living Consultant, or Care Management group to find placement for your loved one if the home cannot be salvaged. Unless the authorities are already involved and looking for a place for your loved one, it is best to remove them from the home and get them counseling for their hoarding behaviors and any associated disorders.
Compulsive hoarding includes ALL three of the following:
1. A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people, and
2. These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended, and
3. These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.
How can I get my parent to clean up?
For a senior to combat this diagnosis, they need to first be willing to accept the help. Once they have agreed to receiving help, follow the steps below and remember to never rush a hoarder during this process.
1. Enlist a cleaning crew: family, professionals, etc. and start the process. Find a JUNK collecting organization.
2. Set a date to start: procrastination is the enemy. A date must be set, and you must follow through with your selected date(s).
3. Select one room and work room by room: Set a time, 3 hours, 4 hours, etc., and stick to that time for each room. If it takes more than one day to complete a room, finish the room before starting on the next room. This is important - you'll need to finish one project before starting the next. This process will help the hoarder see their progress and help them to continue.
4. Find a restoration company depending on how bad the situation in the home is. Also find a professional cleaning company to clean the home once the decluttering process has ended.
5. Donation: during the process, think about donating items in good condition. Items with rodent droppings or urine and in bad condition should be discarded.
6. New Home: it would be best to reach out to a family friend, Senior Living Consultant, or Care Management group to find placement for your loved one if the home cannot be salvaged. Unless the authorities are already involved and looking for a place for your loved one, it is best to remove them from the home and get them counseling for their hoarding behaviors and any associated disorders.
With compassion and the use of these strategies and tips, you can start to address the hoarding behavior of your loved one.
— Chandis Black, BSW, Senior Care Manager
