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Senior In Home Care Research Paper

Decent Essays

Senior In Home Care: How to Help With Senior Hoarding

According to a study conducted by researchers at John Hopkins University, four percent of the American population qualify as "hoarders". By age 55, that number jumps to over six percent.

Hoarding is not just collecting items or having a house full of clutter, hoarding behavior comes with a specific set of criteria and, especially in seniors, creates harmful situations. One of the increased dangers with seniors is the risk of falling and the greatly increased risk that the behavior is linked to dementia or mental illness.

Psychology Today notes that there are new criteria for what constitutes hoarding behavior in seniors. The new criteria include a difficulty releasing possessions even if they have no value, overwhelming urges to save items and distress at …show more content…

Your loved one is attached to everything – they have a disorder – you are attached to your loved one and may be inclined to keep things that don't need to be saved in order to appease them. An impartial party can often help by giving unbiased reviews of an item's importance or worth since they do not have any emotional equity tied up in the goods.

Having lots of family help can be very beneficial. Not only does the large family turnout provide emotional support for your loved one, but it confirms their worth goes beyond clutter and collections. Further, items can be gifted to family instead of thrown away or donated. Many times knowing that items will be safe and cared for allow a hoarder to release them.

It is important to remember that hoarding is not simply collecting, and hoarders are obsessive about their things. The first step in helping your loved one with senior hoarding is usually a consultation with a professional. Once your loved one is ready, senior in home care can help with the light housework and support your loved one while you go about the task of deciding what stays and what

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