Hoarding might be a symptom of insecurity, depression or mild dementia, New Taipei City Counseling Psychologists Association president Lo Hui-chun (羅惠群) said, advising that failing to resolve such behavior might worsen the situation.
Those aged 65 or older might hoard for two reasons, the first of which stems from their lack of material goods or wealth in early life, Lo said.
Many older people in Taiwan lived through a time of material insufficiency and still have deep-rooted anxiety about those early years, resulting in habitual hoarding of tissue paper and dry rations, or a tendency to keep the refrigerator fully stocked, he said.
Photo courtesy of the North District Office
The other type stems from personal values and social roles, Lo said, adding that some older people might collect recyclables as the act forms a basis for their existence or serves as a focus of their lives.
Hoarders of the second type usually inhabit a very haphazard environment, which increases risks such as trip or fire hazards, Lo added.
For many, the items they hoard are not just physical; they also serve as vessels that carry emotions and memories, he said.
For many older people, the home is an important symbol of self-worth, which is violated when family members try to clean out the house without prior negotiation, resulting in worsening familial tension, Lo said.
Lo said that hoarding is an issue that should be addressed indirectly and handled in a nonconfrontational manner.
One idea is to clean up while a loved one is out of the house, such as during a doctor’s appointment, he said.
This method would reduce the risk of confrontation, Lo said, adding that if the person returns and does not become distressed, the hoarding might also be due to mild dementia.
However, such methods offer only an interim solution, and ultimately, the loved one’s living habits and psychological well-being should be addressed, Lo said.
Lo said that clinical experience and studies showed that expanding a person’s social network would help, as hoarding often starts as a means to reduce loneliness, alleviate depression or as a reaction to reduced social interaction.
Family should arrange for regular visits or outdoor activities, or contact local borough wardens, social care centers or local social welfare units, Lo said.
Talking with older loved ones daily and encouraging them to take up activities would help reduce anxiety and depression, and would also delay the regression of cognitive functions, he added.
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