HOARDING

A PLAN!!

PATIENCE

EMPATHY

RESPECT

SUPPORT

COACHES

CLEAR GOALS

FLEXIBILITY

RESOURCES

Grundy County's Hoarding Outreach Program

• Collaboration - with individuals, families, municipalities, agencies and groups to coordinate efforts
• Educate - to increase awareness, promote best practice and decrease stigma associated with hoarding
• Support - those involved by providing therapy and/or emotional supports.

- Includes the weekly Caged by Clutter group for those who hoard or are affected by it.

WHAT IS NEEDED

Hoarding Outreach Program

Helping people regain control of their homes and their lives

For more information on hoarding or how the Hoarding Assistance Team of Grundy County may be able to help you, contact Melissa Wasko at the Grundy County Health Department

815-941-3144

Why do people hoard?

Difficulty Managing

Emotions

Information Processing Problems

• Avoid negative feelings
• Immediate positive reinforcement - impulse control problems

• Categorization
• Decision making
• Organization
• Attention
• Focus on visual details

Why do people hoard?

Emotional Attachment

Thoughts

• It's who I am
• It's a part of me
• I can't tolerate getting rid of it
• It means something to me

• I might need it
• I can do something with this
• I have a responsibility for this
• It's mine
• No one else can take care of this as well
• It helps me remember

75% have co-occurring mood or anxiety disorder

(Dr. McGrath, Alexian Brothers Hospital 2015)

• Depression
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder

Hoarding is not often the main reason people seek help!

Also:

• ADHD
• OCD

HOARDING

Clutter & Chronic Disorganization

Clutter/Collecting

Disorganization

Able to maintain safe environment

Other areas similar

Value of select items

Functionality

Emotional attachment

(pride v. shame/distress)

Displayed more organized

What is hoarding?

(DSM-5)

The Basics

• Persistent difficulty discarding/parting with possessions, regardless of value.
• This difficulty is due to a perceived need to save the items and distress associated with discarding them.
• The difficulty discarding results in the accumulation of items that clutter active living spaces and compromise their intended use.
• Causes significant distress or impairment in functioning (social, occupational, safety)
• Not attributed to other medical conditions