Help with Hoarding

Do you find piles of papers stacking up in your loved one’s home? Maybe expired food in the fridge, or rooms or closets filled with items? These can be signs of hoarding.

Hoarding is, according to experts, actually very common in the elderly and can become hazardous to their safety if not recognized or controlled. Some safety hazards include slipping or falling on loose papers, fire concerns and unclear passage ways in case of emergency.

But how do you know if it is clutter or hoarding? How do you approach the topic with your loved one? Where to start when intervening? There are many resources in our community that can help with questions like this as well as offer support for your loved one dealing with this challenging condition.

Visit the Support Group page here on Caregiving MetroWest to find hoarding support.

Also join Debbie Gitner, LCSW and Linda Sullivan, from ElderCare Resource Center, this November to discuss hoarding and treatment interventions. Find the flyer for this event here.

There are also many articles on the web that offer great advice and support for and their loved one. Visit CaregiverStress.com for a few that I found helpful.