Help for Hoarding in Rhode Island
Newspapers. Empty food packaging or free items like sugar packets. Broken appliances or other items in disrepair. These are all items that people experiencing hoarding disorder may accumulate compulsively, to the point that their living conditions are unsafe and pose a threat to their health.
Hoarding has come into the spotlight in recent years, thanks to TV programs like TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive. If you have a loved one who hoards, you know it can be frustrating, heartbreaking and frightening all at once.
Rhode Island’s Hoarding Task Force describes compulsive hoarding as:
- “A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people.
- These items clutter living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended.
- These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.”
According to Butler Hospital in Providence, the average age for people seeking treatment for hoarding is about 50, but they may have struggled with it all their lives. People who hoard tend to live alone, and the problem can further alienate and isolate them from others. And the Rhode Island Hoarding Task Force notes that “hoarding symptoms appear to be almost three times more common in older adults (ages 55-94 years) compared to younger adults (ages 34–44 years).”
For seniors who hoard, the disorder poses extra risks. In the event of an emergency, it can be difficult for EMTs to reach them through all the clutter. It can also make them more prone to falls, or having stacks topple onto them. Hoarded items can become a fire hazard and attract pests.
Hoarding can be a red flag for other health conditions. While researchers don’t know exactly what causes hoarding, it can be a symptom of dementia or other cognitive disorders or mental illness. Extreme cases of hoarding involving garbage or animals may actually be diagnosed as Diogenes Syndrome (also known as senile squalor syndrome).
If your loved one hoards, there is help. Since 2017, Butler Hospital has been hosting workshops called “Buried in Treasures” that help individuals with hoarding difficulties. The workshops are reasonably priced at $20.
Though it does not offer services itself, the Task Force responds to requests for help with hoarding situations, sharing its expertise and connections to determine options. All details shared are kept confidential. They also provide a list of of helpful books, articles and online resources.