Women’s Independent Press

 

Breaking Point: Decoding the Problems of Seniors and Hoarding

 

Hello again!  For fifteen years, the Home Instead Senior Care^® franchise network has been devoted to providing seniors with the highest quality care in their own homes, and to arming families with the information they need to make the best decisions about caring for aging loved ones.

 

In this issue of the Women’s Independent Press, Home Instead Senior Care would like to remind you that caring for a senior includes being attentive to your loved-one’s surroundings.   In a three-part series, we will detail the causes, signs, and solutions for senior hoarding.  For more information, please visit www.homeinstead.com.  Until next time…

 

“A lifetime accumulation of possessions combined with a daily influx of junk mail, bills, and newspapers can quickly overwhelm seniors who may already be struggling physically or emotionally, “ said Home Instead Senior Care Co-Founder Paul Hogan. 

 

Experts say that seniors are prone to cluttering for a variety of reasons, including anxiety, depression, not knowing how to get rid of possessions, or even memories associated with specific items that hold no intrinsic value. 

 

“It’s sort of the elephant in the room,” added Dr. Catherine Roster, a University of New Mexico clutter researcher.  “People don’t want to acknowledge there is a problem, which creates an underlying anxiety, stress, guilt, or embarrassment that can have a negative effect on their mental health and productivity.  There are a lot of issues including economics.  When there is a general disorganization, people lose important documents and can’t find bills and then miss payments.  So some serious issues start affecting them.  All the research shows that people are slow to recognize the problem.” 

 

For seniors, the risks of living in clutter are many, from slipping on loose papers to the threat of fire to the health effects of mold and mildew.  Clutter can also interfere with family relationships and leave adult children wondering if the only inheritance awaiting them is a big mess. 

 

In order to identify potential trouble, the Home Instead Senior Care network is alerting family caregivers to watch for the signs in a senior’s home that indicate clutter creep could become a problem including:

·         Piles of mail and unpaid bills.

·         Difficulty walking safely through a home.

·         Frustration trying to organize.

·         Difficulty managing activities of daily living.

·         Expired food in the refrigerator.

·         Jammed closets and drawers.

·         Compulsive shopping.

·         Difficulty deciding whether to discard items.

·         A health episode such as a stroke or dementia.

·         Loneliness.

 

 

 

If you, or any organization of which you are a part, is interested in learning more, please contact our office.  We would be happy to speak to your group free of charge about this subject, our services, and even employment opportunities. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Rebecca Champagne, Human Resource Coordinator

Home Instead Senior Care

1102 S Braddock Ave

Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Phone: (412) 731-0733

Rebecca.Champagne@HomeInstead.com