Understanding about "Hoarding Disorders"

1/28/2021 (Permalink)

A cheerful picture but in reality hoarding issues can be a very sensitive situation

According to The American Psychiatric Association "People with hoarding disorder excessively save items that others may view as worthless. They have persistent difficulty getting rid of or parting with possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts their ability to use their living or workspaces. Hoarding is not the same as collecting. Collectors look for specific items, such as model cars or stamps, and may organize or display them. People with hoarding disorder often save random items and store them haphazardly. In most cases, they save items that they feel they may need in the future, are valuable, or have sentimental value. Some may also feel safer surrounded by the things they save. Hoarding disorder occurs in an estimated 2 to 6 percent of the population and often leads to substantial distress and problems functioning. Some research show hoarding disorder is more common in males than females. It is also more common among older adults--three times as many adults 55 to 94 years are affected by hoarding disorder compared to adults 34 to 44 years old.

What is Hoarding?

Hoarded items are often things others would throw away or look at as junk or garbage such as old newspapers, junk mail, or packaging. Hoarding can lead to homes filled with extreme clutter to full capacity from years of accumulation, making living conditions unsanitary and crowded. Bugs, fleas, rats, and other vermin may be present, at which point an exterminator would need to be called. At times, hoarding may spread outside the home as well, to storage facilities, or even the garage or yard.

How can SERVPRO of Tupelo Help?

SERVPRO of Tupelo and SERVPRO of Amory/Aberdeen & West Point can encounter hoarding situations in several different ways. We may be called for a fire or water loss and find the hoarding situation when we arrive on-site. We will communicate with the insurance company regarding the customer's contents coverage and after approval, contents can be packed out and possibly cleaned, dried, and stored in our temporary storage in our warehouse so work on the fire or water loss can begin. Another way SERVPRO of Tupelo and SERVPRO of Amory/Aberdeen & West Point encounter hoarding jobs is through calls from landlords, caseworkers, real estate agents, or family members. These phone calls normally take place after a death has occurred. In these situations, the crew will see if they should look for any items of importance while they clean the job. Sometimes, family members will come and try to help the hoarder sort through their contents as well. Each case is very different, and hoarding jobs are often sensitive situations, but SERVPRO of Tupelo and SERVPRO of Amory/Aberdeen & West Point is here to help make the situation “Like it never even happened.”