Elderly Hoarders: Beyond Reality Elderly Hoarders: Beyond Reality TelevisionTelevision

Georgia J. Anetzberger, PhD, ACSW, LISW

Definition of HoardingDefinition of Hoarding

a pattern of excessively collecting and saving useless things that

results in an inability to use living spaces for their intended purpose,

interferes with daily functioning, andcreates risk for the individual

Hoarding vs. Collecting vs. ClutteringHoarding vs. Collecting vs. Cluttering

Profile of Elderly HoardersProfile of Elderly Hoarders

femalemedian age mid-70sunmarriedhomeownerlives alonesocially isolated

Hoarder TraitsHoarder Traits

long term behavior lifestyle choice mentally competent indecisive perfectionist avoidance disorganized procrastination sentimental lacking insight

Commonly Hoarded ThingsCommonly Hoarded Things

printed informationcontainersclothingfooditems from someone’s trashanimals

Common Hoarding PlacesCommon Hoarding Places

living roomdining roombedroomhallwaybathroom

Potential Consequences of Potential Consequences of Hoarding for HoardersHoarding for Hoarders

embarrassment or shame avoiding having others into the home difficulty finding things conflict with family or neighbors over clutter limitations of movement or use of home health or safety risk eviction premature institutionalization

Hoarding TruthsHoarding Truths

It often runs in families.It may be associated with certain

mental disorders.It may be triggered by a traumatic

event.It isn’t common.It’s rarely reported.

Local Newspaper Headlines on Local Newspaper Headlines on Elderly HoardingElderly Hoarding

Loner’s death brings guilt pangsEast Cleveland police rescue woman,

85Woman found in condemned homeWoman living without electricity is

hurt in fire

A Focus on Animal HoardingA Focus on Animal Hoarding

Key Statistics

700-2,000 cases per year

46% age 60+

39 median number of animals

Distinct Features of Animal HoardingDistinct Features of Animal Hoardingmore than the usual number of companion

animals inability to provide even minimal

standards of:nutritionsanitationshelterveterinary care

denial of care inadequacies and their consequences

Commonly Hoarded AnimalsCommonly Hoarded Animals(in hierarchal order)(in hierarchal order)

catsdogsbirdssmall mammalsreptileshorsescattle, goats, or sheep

Recent Local Newspaper Articles on Recent Local Newspaper Articles on Elderly Animal HoardersElderly Animal Hoarders

Number and Type of Animal

30 miniature Dobermans 20 cats 92 cats 21 cats 30 dogs 18 cats 53 cats 50 cats

Age of Hoarder

74 72 74 80 86 64 90 71

Types of Animal HoardersTypes of Animal Hoarders

overwhelmed caregiverrescuer/saviorbreeder-hoarderexploiter-hoarder

Those Most Likely to Encounter Those Most Likely to Encounter Animal Hoarding SituationsAnimal Hoarding Situations

animal control officersadult protective services workerspolice officerssocial services workersmunicipal agency staffothers

Approaches for Addressing Approaches for Addressing HoardingHoarding

public health issuesocial problemself-neglect situationanimal rights concernmental health disordermedical syndrome

Barriers to Effective Intervention Barriers to Effective Intervention with Hoarderswith Hoarders

high hoarding recidivism rate hoarders refusing or restricting entry or help hoarders denying that they or their animals are suffering

due to hoarding no single agency responsible for hoarding lack of mandatory reporting of hoarding situations laws protecting residents from being ousted from their

homes clutter interfering with service delivery difficulty in getting the public to take hoarding cases

seriously

Legal Interventions with Legal Interventions with Hoarding: Various IntentsHoarding: Various Intents

protecting the hoarder adult protective services civil commitment guardianship

protecting the public health, safety, and housing codes

preventing cruelty humane treatment of animals

preserving the rights of hoarders fair housing

criminalizing hoarding no state law

Clinical Interventions with Clinical Interventions with Hoarders: What Has Been Found Hoarders: What Has Been Found

UsefulUseful

early recognition and introducing alternative behaviors

peer support groupsservice coordinationhoarding-specific community task

forcespartial hospitalization

medicationsbehavioral techniquescarefully defined successful outcomesuse of before and after photos

Scales for Assessing HoardingScales for Assessing Hoarding

Hoarding ScaleSavings Inventory RevisedSavings Cognition InventoryYale-Brown Compulsive Scale

Suggestions for Working with Suggestions for Working with HoardersHoarders

use a gentle approach let the person tell her/his own story treat the person with respect and dignityunderstand the meaning and attachment to

possessionsremain calm and factualoffer specific assistancegive the person a sense of control

refer for medical and mental health evaluation and other community resources

focus first on organizing possessions and very little on discarding them

later address more threatening issuesbe reassuring and go slowly involve the person in seeking solutionswork with other agencies and the person’s

family and friendsmaintain realistic expectations about the

hoarder’s ability to change