Hoarding or collecting clutter is a mental health problem that could be complex to understand and thus hard to treat. People develop the habit of excessively collecting items and soon after it becomes difficult for them to discard and part ways with the possessions as they may feel a perceived need to save them. Objects and items which may seem useless and trash to others, to compulsive hoarders these items hold a hollow value and are not willing to part with the stockpile they tend to create. Such hoarding behaviors gradually becomes worse with age and are early symptoms of dementia.
The condition where there is a decline in mental ability is often described as Dementia. It results in the impairment of more than one brain function, like memory loss and lack of judgment. People with dementia may also experience various behavioral changes.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, hoarding disorders is a common reaction of dementia and is often associated with a fear of losing control. The need to accumulate and hoard things instigates from the anxiety that you might be losing something. There is also the chance that mere presence of things around you bring a sense of comfort and solace.
The condition acts like a double-ended sword as while it can bring relief, hoarding is also at times a response of isolation, wherein the focus shifts from social interactions to material things or loss of control over memory, friends and a meaningful life.
Items which are frequently hoarded
People with a hoarding problem view the things as “priced possessions” and experience feelings of distress at the thought of getting rid of it. Items usually hoarded include:
- Papers like newspapers and old documents.
- Old Clothing
- Food items
- Plastic bags
The relationship between hoarding and dementia ranges from mild to severe. In some cases, hoarding may not be as harmful, while in others it might disrupt your normal functioning on a day-to-day basis.
Why addressing hoarding in dementia necessary?
Hoarding becomes a concern for someone with dementia in scenarios where it jeopardizes the person and people around them. Intervention is necessary at times like:
- When clutter, stacks and piles of different things create tripping hazards around the house.
- Losing something becomes a trigger of stress for that someone.
- Food storage/overload attracting pests, molds and other sanitary hazards.
- Conflict with those trying to reduce or remove the unnecessary items.
- The need to “save” everything reaches an overdrive and results in cognitive interruption.
Helping someone with dementia and their need to hoard things
People with hoarding patterns and behaviors may not be able to recognize the problem, making the treatment challenging and difficult to manage. But one can help with certain coping mechanism techniques and ways to manage the debilitating condition.
- It’s better to reorganize the things than throwing everything away all at once. Since hoarders develop an attachment to the objects, discarding them without warning could be upsetting for the person.
- Try not to be a pushover. Being patient and compassionate during the process is important. One should be mindful of the condition that could have lasting repercussions like Alzheimer’s.
- Excessive storage of food, especially rotten foods must be discarded right away. Hoarders have the tendency of getting things back out which is not ideal. These habits could create sanitary issues and health problems.
- Differentiate between a hoarder and a collector. Inspect separating dubious trash from rather useful collections. Collectors usually take pride in their vast collections which have neat organization as well, while hoarders are often embarrassed and hide what they’ve accumulated.
When it comes to caring and looking out for someone with a hoarding problem, it is important to act with calm and adopt a supportive approach. Handling temptations for future hoarding is a significant step in assisting someone dealing with dementia. Keep an open mind and remain empathetic. In rare cases, help from medical professional might also be needed.
