When Does a Hoarder Need Help? How to Identify the Level of Support Your Family Member Needs

The time has come, and your mom has finally accepted that she needs to move.  The problem is that you don’t know where to begin clearing the clutter, and, quite honestly, you are concerned that she has tendencies toward hoarding.

You know she won’t be able to sort and clear out her home on her own, but you are sure that between you, you will manage. As Johannesburg-based senior move managers, we are often called in to help with this.

The question is, how do you know when your mom needs help and what level of help she needs?

The Institute for Challenging Disorganisation has identified 5 levels of hoarding, and the level you identify will depend on how much assistance your mom and you will need.

The Four Areas We Assess

When Clear Path assesses a home in Johannesburg, we look at four key areas as guided by The Institute for Challenging Disorganisation. These areas are…

Structure and zoning

We will start by inspecting the home’s structure.  Are all doors, stairways and windows functional and accessible?  Are the plumbing and electricity in full working order? Is the home adequately heated in winter and adequately ventilated? Is the building generally structurally sound?

Animals and pests

If there are pets, we will assess if the behaviour and sanitation are appropriate.  Is there visible or odorous pet waste, and is the pet population appropriate? We will also assess for pest infestation, whether insect, rodent, or any other, and ascertain at what level this infestation occurs.

Household functions

Next, we will look at the household’s overall functioning.  Are there areas or rooms that are not used for their intended purposes, e.g. using the bath to store things or not being able to access the study because of clutter?  Is there a regular housekeeping and maintenance routine, and are the appliances in working order and used for their intended purposes?

Health and safety

Finally, we will look at the home’s health and safety.  Is the general sanitation of the home sufficient?  Are there any odours related to food or food preparation, laundry or toilets?  We consider food and food preparation areas here, as well as laundry and bathrooms.  Is the bed made up, and is it regularly slept in, or is it inaccessible due to clutter, etc.? Are all hazardous materials stored in an appropriate and safe manner?

The level identified will determine whether this is a project you can tackle with your mom. Whether you should consider bringing in a speciality moving manager or professional organiser, such as ourselves, to assist. Or whether your mom’s psychological conditions are too severe, and this process needs to be done in conjunction with a psychologist.  Either way, what your mom needs from you is support, patience and understanding, and together you can take the necessary steps to help her through this process.

For more information to help a hoarder, visit Spaulding Decon’s site. Spaulding is a hoarding specialist based in the U.S.

Click here for an article describing a collector, a clutterer, and a hoarder.