What to Do if Your Senior is a Hoarder

By Zandrea Durham | October 4, 2021 | Comments Off on What to Do if Your Senior is a Hoarder

Hoarding is a very common problem among the elderly. It occurs when someone has so much stuff that they lose their ability to function normally. The first thing to do is to get the senior to agree to get help. Explain that it is hard to live with this problem. If this is not possible, then you may want to find some help yourself. There are professionals who specialize in this problem and they know how to address the situation. Consider home care assistance when you have some solutions to treat the problem.

What to Consider When a Senior is a Hoarder

Home Care Thomaston GA - What to Do if Your Senior is a Hoarder
Home Care Thomaston GA – What to Do if Your Senior is a Hoarder

First, you need to find out why your senior is hoarding. Sometimes, seniors are under the misconception that they are saving things. They may think that by saving things they are helping themselves.

Sometimes, seniors hoard things because they are trying to recapture their youth. They might have had a difficult childhood, and they are trying to have a sense of ownership over their things. Sometimes, seniors have an attachment to their things. They might have had the item for a long time. If they have items that are broken or unusable, then they might be hoarding them because they are afraid of getting rid of them.

What to Do When Your Senior is a Hoarder

Every once in a while, we all find ourselves with too much stuff. This is especially true for seniors, who may have been accumulating possessions for many years and may not have the physical or financial resources to handle the amount of stuff they have.

If you find yourself as a family member of a senior who is a hoarder, here are some tips on what to do.

  1. Have a Conversation

As with any difficult situation, you should start by having a conversation. If your senior is a hoarder, they may be embarrassed, and may not want to talk about it. However, if you are able to talk to them about it, you may be able to find out why they are hoarding, and how you can help them to get rid of their stuff.

  1. Get Professional Help

If you are not able to have a conversation with your senior about their hoarding habits, or if they are unwilling to talk to you, you may need to get professional help. A professional organizer can help you to identify the clutter issues and can assist you in working with your senior to sort through their stuff.

  1. Reduce the Amount of Clutter

The senior may be able to reduce the amount of stuff that they have. You can do this by storing some of the items that they have in storage, or by giving some of the items away.

  1. Organize

Another option is to get help with their daily tasks and help to organize the house. This may be a good option for seniors who do not have the physical capacity to clean and organize their homes.

Seek Help from Home Care Providers

It is important to remember that hoarding is a mental health issue and that it may be present in your senior, or may have been present in their family for generations. If you are struggling with a hoarder, you should remember that it is not your fault and that there are steps that you can take to help your senior.

Give us a call today and learn more about the home care services available to your senior.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care Services in Thomaston GA please contact the caring staff at Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services, Inc. today at 478-745-5111.

Zandrea Durham
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