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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
Help an Aging, Hoarding Parent
BY JIM MILLER
(SAVVY SENIOR) Clutter addiction
is a problem that affects up to five
percent of Americans, many of whom
are seniors. The problems can range
anywhere from moderate messi-
ness to hoarding so severe it may be
related to a mental health disorder,
like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Here’s what you should know, along
with some tips and resources that can
help a hoarding parent.
WHY PEOPLE HOARD
The reasons most people hoard
is they have an extreme sentimental
attachment to their possessions, or
they believe they might need their
items at a later date. Hoarding can
also be a sign that an older person is
depressed or showing early symptoms
of dementia. © lenm, Bigstock.com.
Common problems for seniors who
live in excessive clutter are tripping,
falling and breaking a bone, overlooking
bills and missing medications that are
hidden in the clutter, and suffering from
the environmental effects of mold, mildew
and dust, and even living among insects
and rodents.
WHAt tO DO
To get a handle on a parent’s problem, the
Institute for Challenging Disorganization
Enjoy Life at
Eagles Manor
e Eagles Manor is now under new
management and has a completely
new Board of Directors.
New activities and events will be added,
and the building is currently being
renovated and updated!
Eagles Manor | 20 3rd Street West, Havre | 406-265-5531 TTY 711
offers a free “Clutter Hoarding Scale”
that you can download off their website at
ChallengingDisorganization.org.
If you find that your parent has a moder-
ate cluttering problem, you can do a number
of things to help.
Start by having a talk with your parent,
respectfully expressing your concern for
health and safety and offering your assis-
tance to help them declutter.
• Full service beauty salon
• Meal program
• Church services for various denominations
• 2 minute walk from the senior’s center
• Holidays, BBQ's & birthday celebrations
• Rec room (cookies & coffee all day everyday)
• Bingo on Fridays & Sundays
• Weekly foot care & blood pressure clinic
• Pet friendly
• Labeled, personal parking
• On site laundry • Housekeeping
• Cable TV
• Walk in showers
• Exercise room
• Craft room
HOME & LIFEStYLE PAGE 17
If your parent takes you up on it,
most organizers recommend declut-
tering in small steps. Take one room at
a time or even a portion of a room at a
time. This will help prevent your parent
from getting overwhelmed.
Before you start, designate three
piles or boxes for your parent’s
belongings—one pile is for items to
keep and put away, another is the
donate pile, and the last is the throw-
away pile.
If your parent struggles with
sentimental items that don’t get
used, like her old tools or china for
example, suggest keeping only one
item for memory sake, and donate
the rest to family members who will
use them.
You will also need to help set up
a system for organizing kept items
and new possessions.
FIND HELP
If you need some help with the
decluttering and organizing, consider
hiring a professional organizer who can
come to your parent’s home to help you
prioritize, organize, and remove the clutter.
The nonprofit group National Association of
Productivity and Organizing Professionals
has a directory on the website at NAPO.net
to help you locate a professional in your area.
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