For Hoarders, The Mess Begins In The Mind

by Patti Neighmond

We've all seen the TV shows and heard the stories: people who collect so much stuff they can hardly move in their own home. Some even sleep in the car or yard because their homes are so crammed.

Researchers now believe these people have always been hoarders, and that compulsive hoarding is an anxiety disorder that gets worse with time. Frequently, the problem first emerges in childhood or adolescence. But people often aren't "found out" until they're older, often when their homes present fire hazards or neighbors complain. Unfortunately, there aren't any proven treatments to help them.

Therapy Aims To Cut The Hoarding Habit
At the University of California, San Diego Department of Psychiatry, psychologist Catherine Ayers specializes in anxiety disorders and late-life hoarding. She's researching treatments for older hoarders. Right now, she's using a form of behavior therapy and cognitive remediation that focuses on building concrete skills.

Ayers says classic cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) — therapy based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors — doesn't work well with older adults who hoard. In large part, that's because CBT relies on abstract thinking, which can be difficult for seniors, especially those with certain mental deficits. So in therapy, Ayers focuses on concrete skill building. "We're teaching people how to plan, how to prioritize, how to do basic to-do lists, how to use a calendar, do problem solving," she says..." More

No Charges in Puppy Mill Case

There may not be charges filed against two Kankakee County women accused of running a puppy mill.

One of the accused women, Karen Brownfield, appeared in court Friday morning only to learn that no charges had been filed, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported.

Brownfield's sister and business partner, Pat Gorecki, has not been charged, arrested or ticketed.

According to Assistant State's Attorney Ed Pentuic, the case is "still under review."

But while Pentuic says that prosecutors have 18 months to file misdemeanor charges and up to three years to file criminal charges, WLS-TV reported that the case will be dropped altogether. A statement is expected Monday, the station reports.

Fifty-two dogs, many of them suffering from hair loss, urine burns, sores, eye issues and flea dermatitis, were rescued last month from a shed after authorities executed a search warrant. One dog, a female Yorkshire Terrier, had to have a broken leg amputated.

Humane investigators working with law enforcement said the dogs were living in cruel and neglectful conditions..." More

Feb 12, 2010: 50 dogs rescued from puppy mill

Judge: No selling, adopting of alleged mill pups

Alleged puppy mill owners speak out

St. Anne puppies with animal control

53 puppies rescued from St. Anne trailer park

Grayslake shelter helps rescue 18 dogs from puppy mill

Animal Hoarding: New Insights on Old Behaviors

By Jen Blood

Their stories are among the most bizarre and horrific in the news today: families living with dozens, even hundreds of animals in circumstances beyond imagination. Animal waste covering every surface, appliances no longer in working order, wasted corpses stored away or lying exposed..." More

BURIED ALIVE: Recognizing the Warning Signs of Extreme Hoarding

By: Asher Kade

One of my two favorite books as a child was Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk Ends". It is now my older son's favorite book too. We both like "Sarah Cynthia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out." It seems fitting

or the article I decided to write after being inspired by ashow I watched the other day about extreme hoarders.

Do you throw everything away and only live with the minimalism motto in mind-like my baby sister? Most of keep some things we simply don't need anymore but can't depart with the junked treasure. But, a few of us can't throw anything away. That's extreme hoarding.

SEE VIDEO

Their purses, their houses, their cars, they all have trash piled to the ceiling or bursting at the seams with old, unusable receipts, paper waste, human waste, and sometimes dead animals. These animals often keep these people company, as their social life begins to suffer understandably. Many are compulsive shoppers. Others fear throwing something away because they think something bad will happen. Most people that are hoarders suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. ..." More

143 animals seized from "deplorable conditions" in Lee Co.

Animal control seized 143 animals from a Lee County home Friday, rescuing several different species from the worst conditions one official said he's ever seen.

A little dog's nose sniffed the air after being freed, having never known air could smell so fresh. He's one of 61 dogs being nursed back to health at the animal shelter in Lee County after being rescued from the Bishopville house Friday morning.

Lee Co. Animal Control's John Muldrow went to the house after getting an anonymous tip about a strong odor. When Muldrow arrived, he found the animals locked up in "deplorable conditions." "It was the worst thing I had ever seen as far as a home," said Muldrow.

Animal control seized 61 dogs, 26 of which were being kept inside on the filthiest floor imaginable. Eight of the dogs were puppies, anywhere from two days to 12 weeks old. All were kept inside, and all are Shih Tzus.

"Absolutely just terrible conditions," described Muldrow. "Feces, urine."

Authorities also seized ten cats which were also being kept inside. On top of that, they also seized 26 chickens, 45 pigeons and a rabbit.

There were high levels of methane and ammonia gases, and feces everywhere. Muldrow said they was the worst conditions he's ever seen, with much less food and water than the animals needed.

Muldrow says many of these animals would have died from the fumes.

"You couldn't stay in that home no more than 15 minutes before you had to come out for air," he said.

Animal control says the homeowner was there when they arrived. He explained he lives there part time, and wanted to breed puppies to sell. The homeowner said the situation got overwhelming, admitting he should have called for help much earlier.

The puppies have been taken to the Lee County Animal Shelter in Bishopville, and Muldrow said authorities want people to adopt the puppies. In addition to the Shih Tzu puppies, there were also poodles, Chihuahuas and Pekingese..." More

Hoarding Inverview

by BARBARA E. FRIESNE

Last year I interviewed Susan Siroto, Program Director at Search and Care, Inc., and one of the founding members of the New York City Hoarding Task Force. Here is part one of my interview with her.

What is hoarding?

According to Dr. Randy Frost (whose definition of hoarding has become the accepted standard), clinically significant hoarding can be characterized by three criteria:

• The acquisition of and failure to discard possessions which appear to be useless or of limited value
• Living spaces so cluttered, their use is impaired or impossible, and
• Significant distress or impairment in functioning as a result of the clutter

What are the differences between clutter and hoarding?

Cluttered conditions in a senior’s home can result from a variety of causes including, but not limited to, physical frailty, disability, dementia, and can look like “minor hoarding” behavior. In my experience, clutter seems to be identified by lack of surface space and “piles” (of paper, magazines, clothes, etc.).

Hoarding involves much more mass or volume and can appear significantly more overwhelming – a lot more is involved than just surfaces. We’re talking more “floor to ceiling”. Hoarding can be identified by collecting items that often don’t serve a purpose, collecting but not discarding, and such attachment to objects that there’s a huge amount of anxiety and stress caused by parting with them.

What are some reasons people hoard?

It’s hard to provide any one reason or answer. The most widely held thought comes from the cognitive behavioral model of hoarding. This suggests that individuals who hoard have problems with information processing, emotional attachments to possessions, strong beliefs about the nature of possessions, motivational issues, and behavioral avoidance. Individuals experience fear of getting rid of something that might be important or necessary later on, something that might be irretrievable, the fear of making a mistake (hoarders are often perfectionists).

“Depression-era mentality” is another commonly held belief. Individuals who grew up in the depression are thrifty, frugal and fearful of wasting anything that they might later need. Physical infirmity (arthritis, deteriorating vision, etc.) can also play a role. Individuals who live in walkup buildings or who need to negotiate stairs and live alone can also find it difficult to get rid of things – usually because it’s hard to take the garbage out.

Other contributors: it can become a spiral – things pile up, become messy; there’s a sense of shame, fear of being found out, all of which serve to isolate the person further. Depression also contributes to hoarding behavior and the literature suggests that this may be a more significant cause than initially thought. Dementia can play a role, too, with the person not being able to distinguish between useful and non-useful things and the fear of getting rid of something they shouldn’t have...." More on part 1 of the interview

Last week we looked at what hoarding is, why people hoard, and how to approach a hoarder. This week we’re going to look at how to help someone who hoards. Before we begin, however, it’s important to know that hoarding doesn’t have to be to the proportions seen on TV for it to be a problem. It really doesn’t matter if the situation you’re facing is hoarding or just clutter that’s gotten out of hand. Now is the time to address it so please read on.

What’s the best way to engage a person who hoards?

It’s a good idea to convey interest, be open, have a non-judgmental attitude, and express concern, if appropriate. Ask them how they view their situation; what can they see themselves accepting in the way of help, curiosity, how do they plan to use any available space. It’s generally not helpful to come across as overly professional or controlling as this won’t get you very far. It’s better to be flexible and patient.

What if they refuse to allow a cleaning of their apartment or house?

It’s first important to determine their level of capacity or awareness of their situation. Do they have the ability to make an informed decision; are they aware of the consequences or ramifications of their actions? Are they aware there might be legal repercussions… It’s helpful to take inventory of their support network – who is available to help, family, friends? Unfortunately, sometimes cleaning up only comes after a mandate or legal action that comes from the outside or is externally imposed. What one can do until that time is to explore options available to them, provide alternatives, and review the need for adherence to minimum safety guidelines.

If they do allow cleaning, what’s the best way to go about this task?

• Engage the hoarder, confer with them, let them have some degree of control over the clean-up, if possible.
• Allow them to be present and determine who else will be present.
• Try to do as much organizing and sorting beforehand as this tends to save both time and money. (If the client is not in a position to assume the cost of cleaning, oftentimes Adult Protective Services or the Triple A’s may help out. Sometimes social service agencies have access to charitable grants for financial assistance.)
• Determine whether the presence of friends and/or family will be helpful or will deter the process. (Sometimes their presence feels too intimate or personal. Often it’s better to have an impartial crew along with a professional organizer.)..." More on part 2 of the interview

Hoarding now Homeless

Mar 31, 2010: Report looks at causes of hoarding

By: Wendy Leung

The story of Guillermo Reyes, who was evicted this month after years of extreme pack-rat behavior, shines a light on a condition that medical experts have been researching since the 1990s.

As much as 5 percent of the population are believed to be hoarders, and researchers continue to learn more about this behavior.

Randy Frost, whose book "Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things" will be published this month, defines hoarding as excessive buying or acquiring of free things. Hoarders also have difficulty throwing things away and are generally disorganized.

"People who hoard look at possessions differently than most," Frost said. "When we look at a bottle cap, for instance, we think it's useless, it's trash. But those who hoard may focus on the texture or think about putting it in a collage. That object then takes a different hue."
Frost, who teaches at Smith College in Massachusetts, started studying hoarding when a student asked whether the behavior was associated with obsessive- compulsive disorder.

"We put an ad in the newspaper looking for pack rats," Frost said. "We got 100 calls."
The research of Frost and Gail Steketee of Boston University can now be read on a Web site through the International OCD Foundation, a sort of clearinghouse on hoarding.

Jack Samuels, an assistant professor at John Hopkins University, said hoarding was considered uncommon before Frost's research..." More



Mar 31, 2010: Hoarder now homeless


By: Wendy Leung


Eight years ago, Guillermo Reyes was considered a nuisance - a pack rat whose junk and recyclable items spilled out of his three-bedroom home and into the driveway.
Today, he is homeless.

Reyes, 78, a soft-spoken man with a kind face and a slight frame, was evicted this month from a home he purchased with cash in 1976. The eviction came after years of involvement by the city, courts, a court-appointed receiver and lender - agencies that tried to get Reyes to clean up a property that had become a major public safety concern for him and the neighborhood.

But when Reyes' pat-rack behavior didn't change, a loan was taken out on his property for maintenance. Last year, that loan matured and the eviction process began..." More