Although many people are very organized when it comes to keeping their house in order, others may have a real struggle when it comes to tidiness. If you are a caregiver of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), you may wonder how to differentiate between normal clutter and a genuine hoarding problem. As seniors age, many become less and less organized, but if you notice an unusual amount of clutter (particularly in those with dementia), the issue should be addressed.
The formal definition of hoarding is as follows:
“Hoarding is the excessive collection and retention of things or animals until they interfere with day-to-day functions such as home, health, family, work and social life. Severe hoarding causes safety and health hazards,” says beachpsych.com.
Statistics indicate that older adults represent the biggest population of those who are diagnosed with hoarding.
Reasons that older adults tend to have hoarding problems include:
Misperception of the value of property (particularly when dementia is present)
Material possessions represent a source of security
Fear of losing or forgetting where items are located
An unhealthy need to collect and keep material items
Substituting items hoarded for the love of people (particularly when the individual hoards pets)
Inability to organize the home due to physical limitations or diminished mental capacity
Stressful life events such as the loss of a loved one
To summarize, hoarding is an abnormal compulsion to collect a large number of material items (or pets) despite the fact that the items are causing excessive clutter, and impairment of daily activities-like being able to cook meals, sleep, bathe or move around the home easily. Unlike those who have normal clutter around the home, hoarders display a high level of anxiety pertaining to the loss of belongings. In addition they don’t usually realize hoarding is a problem.
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