educational programs
RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO CLUTTER ADDICTION AND COMPULSIVE HOARDING IN OLDER ADULTS
Select presenter materials now available (click to download)!
Patrick
Arbore — Workshop I: A Closer Look at Hoarding Behavior
[PowerPoint — 113
KB]
Emily Saltz — Hidden World of Hoarders — Bibliography
March 13, 2008, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Many older adults acquire excessive amounts of seemingly
useless items, then have trouble letting go of them. When does collecting
turn into pathological hoarding? What can be done when an older person
lives amongst so much stuff that it interferes with activities of daily
living and creates a safety hazard? Presenters will discuss phenomenology,
risk assessment, use of community resources, planning and executing cleanouts,
other alternatives, and the inherent ethical dilemmas.
MORNING PLENARY SESSION, 8:30 AM TO NOON
Moderator: Tessa ten Tusscher, PhD, Vice President, Clinical
Services, Institute on Aging
Hidden World of Hoarders
This session will present an overview of hoarding behavior in the older population.
Ms. Saltz will discuss the prevalence and demographics of hoarding and
will present the latest research findings on hoarding and elders. Also
included will be a discussion of the clinical issues and symptoms associated
with hoarding behavior, including the relationship between hoarding and
dementia, and specific intervention and treatment strategies. Case studies
will be used to illustrate the complex ethical dilemmas that arise in
serving this “hidden” population.
— Emily B. Saltz, LICSW, CMC, Director, Elder Resources, Newton, MA
Addiction to Clutter: A Practical Approach to Working with Hoarders and Pack Rats
While scientists try to understand what lies within the brain of those who hoard and clutter, thousands of people move into their older years carrying hundreds of pounds of unnecessary possessions with them triggering a variety of concerns from family members, neighbors, mental health professionals, Adult Protective Services staff, public health officials and many others ranging from serious concern to outrage. This older adult who has been slowly and methodically collecting "things" for decades without conscious awareness regarding the motivation for the hoarding behavior may now be confronted by a variety of people who tell them that they must rid themselves of these possessions quickly or face negative consequences. A cycle of quick fixes may occur followed by promises that are not kept and sooner or later the addiction to "stuff" will rear its ugly head again. As with the alcoholic, the problem gambler, or the food addict, the clutter addict needs help in order to realize that it will take time to change this behavior. A practical approach to help clutter addicts face their fear, guilt, shame and denial will be discussed.
— Patrick Arbore, EdD, Director, Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief-Related Services,
Institute on Aging
LUNCHEON ROUNDTABLES, NOON TO 1:00 PM
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS, 1:00 TO 2:30 PM
** A Closer Look at Hoarding Behavior
In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to view a film
entitled “Packrat”, which is an informative video that will help
us identify and better understand hoarding behavior. Not only does the
clutter take a toll on the individual hoarder but this addictive behavior
also affects family members, community members and professionals as well.
For some reason, hoarding behavior elicits intense feelings on the part
of others. What professionals should and should not do will be addressed.
Communication skills will be identified to help professionals address
the underlying feelings of guilt and shame that be part of the hiding
behavior of older hoarders and clutter addicts.
— Patrick Arbore, EdD, Director, Center for Elderly
Suicide Prevention and Grief-Related Services, Institute on Aging
** Dangerous Fire, Health and Safety Issues
Related to Hoarding/Cluttering: What to Do?
This workshop will address the complex challenges of dealing with severe
hoarding and cluttering clients in the community, with special focus on
at-risk clients living in public housing, SRO's, or low-income housing
units. The panel will discuss the role of each department and program,
how clients are referred for services, and how various City agencies coordinate
efforts on behalf of clients to prevent eviction and subsequent homelessness.
Real case examples and vignettes will be presented and discussed.
— Cindy E. Bircher-Rasmussen, MSW, LCSW, Supervisor,
Adult Protective Services, San Francisco City and County Department of
Aging and Adult Services; Neils Tangherlini, Paramedic
Captain and Leader, Homeless Outreach and Medical Emergency (HOME) Team,
San Francisco Fire Department; Rosemary V. Bosque, JD,
Chief Housing Inspector, Department of Building Inspection, City &
County of San Francisco
** Clinical Supervision Workshop: Share Your
Most Difficult Hoarding Cases
Emily Saltz will facilitate a group supervision session on hoarding. Bring
your “worst case scenarios” and get advice from your colleagues.
Learn which intervention strategies have worked (and which have not!).
Get support from your peers in what promises to be a lively and informative
group discussion.
— Emily B. Saltz,
LICSW, CMC, Director, Elder Resources, Newton, MA
** Coordinated Community Response to Hoarding:
Collaborative Efforts Produce the Most Effective Intervention
The Hoarding Alliance of Marin will present a panel discussion of various community members and providers to demonstrate how a community can come together to address the issue of hoarding and cluttering. We will discuss the formulation of our Alliance, procedures and responses we are developing and the importance of including a variety of people for the most effective response.
— Kim Denn, Consumer Client Advocate; Catherine Kritzer, Consumer/Hoarder; Carol
Lucchese, MS, Social Worker, Adult Services, County of Marin;
Patty Lyons, MA, MFT, Supervisor, The HOPE Program, Community
Mental Health, County of Marin; Captain Cindy Machado,
Animal Services Director, Marin Humane Society; Michele McCabe,
Public Guardian's Office, County of Marin; Joanne Merjano,
BSN, RN, PHN, Adult Protective Services/In Home Support Services, County
of Marin; Gail Mosconi, MSW, LCSW, Program Coordinator,
Shelter Plus Care, Marin Housing Authority; Catherine Ross-Perry,
JD, Staff Attorney, Fair Housing of Marin; Tom Sabido,
Police Officer, San Rafael Police Department; Mark Vanderscoff, Deputy Public Guardian, Public Guardian's Office, County of Marin - all members of The Hoarding
Alliance of Marin
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS, 2:45 TO 4:15 PM
** First-Hand Accounts: Sharing Results of Interviews
With Older Adults Who Hoard
In this session you will hear first-hand accounts of what it is like to
live in a severely cluttered home. These elders provide insights into
their struggle and give us ideas on what type of help they would like
to receive. Join a discussion on how we can better serve these individuals
by understanding their perspective on the problem.
— Monika
Eckfield, RN, MSN, John A. Hartford Scholar, PhD Student, School
of Nursing, University of California San Francisco
** Animal Hoarding — The Unfortunate Reality
The world of animal hoarding is often misunderstood and brings with it
many extreme challenges, especially for older adults. Intervention can
often be difficult. At what point are too many animals too many? This
workshop will give participants an overview of the problem and solutions
to help solve these dilemmas.
— Captain Cindy Machado, Animal Services Director, Marin
Humane Society
** Grey Gardens Meets Adult Protective Services:
Compulsive Hoarding as a Form of Self-Neglect
Self-neglect and hoarding have been shown in the literature and now on
stage in the ruined mansion of Grey Gardens, inhabited by self-neglecting
hoarders who were cousins of Jacqueline Kennedy. This workshop will explore
the characteristics of Diogenes Syndrome, cover the populations most affected
by it focusing on the elderly, review the signs of self-neglect and hoarding
including syllogomania, discuss whether it is a mental disorder or a hostile
attitude towards the world in the work of Dr. Carlos Reys-Ortiz, as well
as explore whether it is a full-on geriatric syndrome. The workshop will
also cover mandatory reporting guidelines and treatment options.
— Cathy Cress, MSW, Faculty, Gerontology Program,
San Francisco State University and Author, Handbook of Geriatric Care
Management
— Cindy E. Bircher-Rasmussen, MSW, LCSW, Supervisor,
Adult Protective Services, San Francisco City and County Department of
Aging and Adult Services
** Conservatorship and the Role of the Conservator
in Clutter Addiction and Compulsive Hoarding
Decision making can be difficult, if not impossible, for people trapped
in clutter addiction and compulsive hoarding situations. In 2000, 17%
of all petitions for conservatorship granted in San Francisco Probate
Court involved hoarding and cluttering. Under court supervision, a conservator
is authorized to make decisions and carry out actions that are in the
best interests of the person including making their residence safe, healthy
and habitable so the person can continue living at home. What are some
challenges involved with carrying out this mandate?
— Mary
Joy Quinn, MA, Director, Probate, San Francisco Superior Court;
Debra Dolch, Private Professional Conservator; and Eileen
Goldman, LCSW, Principal, Aging Associates
Download
a flyer of this seminar series.
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