It can be hard letting go of valuable items, especially when they hold so much meaning. However, there is a limit to how many items an individual can keep in their possession until it becomes an issue. “Hoarding” is a term for when a person collects or keeps items to the point of cluttering their living space and preventing them from freely moving around their own home. Hoarding is a mental health issue that can affect not only the individual, but their family and friends as well; it’s an issue that many people in the older population face. Older people may hoard for many reasons such as believing the items are valuable, feeling a sense of security with the items, or fearing the loss of the items. However, hoarding can affect an older individual’s health and safety by increasing their chances of falls and accidents, exposure to diseases, and infestations within their home. This behavior can also affect an older individual’s relationships with their loved ones by causing them feelings of stress, anxiety, and frustration. It’s important for people to recognize when an older loved one is showing these hoarding behaviors. Here are a few steps a person can take in order to address this issue with their older loved one:
- First, understand what hoarding is.
- Before talking to an older person about their hoarding behavior, it’s important to understand why an individual may hoard and how it can affect them.
- Try to listen to the individual and understand their behavior.
- When speaking to an older person, it’s important to ask them about their feelings and thought process when collecting these items in order to understand why they hoard.
- Inform the individual about the health and safety concerns associated with hoarding.
- After carefully listening and understanding the older individual, try to inform them about health and safety concerns, as well as any personal concerns for their overall well-being.
- Offer to help and support them.
- Some older individuals may not know where to seek help or even how to begin, so it’s important to offer them help or show them support throughout this process.
- Encourage them to seek professional help.
- Inform them about professional resources that can help them overcome their hoarding behavior in cases where the situation is extreme.
It can be difficult trying to get an older loved one to change their behavior, but it’s not impossible. With the right knowledge, care, and help, an older individual’s hoarding behavior can be further prevented.
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By: Eren Alvarez
Senior Care Advising Intern at WellPath Partners
Health Science Student, California State University, Long Beach
