At present it is generally agreed that the best strategy for managing Hoarding Disorder is a collaborative effort between an appropriate mental health professional and in home service providers. The mental health clinician generally uses cognitive behavioural therapy to change the client’s behaviour and thinking while a professional organiser or similar works with the client in the home to teach new skills to manage the clutter. This strategy requires time and patience.
Motivation will wax and wane through the process and backsliding is common. Specialist cleaning services in the form of the Clean Around and the Graded Clean may be required on an ongoing basis and there may be a need for long term maintenance cleaning support.
In this module, you learned the pros and cons of four specific techniques for decluttering and cleaning.
MFB research has identified that people who hoard aged 50+ are at particular risk, and account for 24% of all preventable fire deaths between 1999 and 2009.