Ongoing support for low income hoarders

1. Ongoing support for low income hoarders Amy Rognlien California State University Long Beach May 2012

2. Introduction • It is estimated that hoarding effects 2 million people in the United States (Collingwood, 2006). • Collingwood (2006) stated that hoarding has been linked to indecisiveness, disorganization and procrastination, in addition anorexia, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias. • Compulsive hoarding has been noted in 40% of people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (MedicineNet Inc. 2011). • Hoarding can be dangerous for the individuals living in the home as well as neighbors and the community at large. • Frost, Steketee and Williams (2000) suggested that hoarding can lead to violation of laws, such as local health, housing, and sanitation laws.

3. Social Work Relevance • Bratitotis (2009) stated that in hoarding cases, social workers should approach the cases from a “person nested in environment orientation” (p. 129). • Chapin et al. (2010) stated “Social workers bring a badly needed focus on prevention and effective intervention strategies, which justify continues funding for MAHTs (multiagency hoarding teams)” (p. 726). • Social workers are able to provide the public and individuals with the information needed to understand the reasons individuals hoard, and this can help reduce the stigma associated with hoarding.

4. Cross-cultural Relevance • There was was little information located about ethnic differences in hoarding • Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC; 2000) suggested that animal hoarding does not distinguish among social or economic groups. • Animal hoarding is typicallyfound among unemployed and socially isolated individuals, however it has also been identified to affect physicians, veterinarians, nurses, teachers, and college professors, to name a few occupations (Arluke et al., 2002).

5. Methods • The target population for this proposed program was older adults in Los Angeles County. • When looking for a funding source this grant writer googled keywords, which included “grant,”“funding,”“older adults,” and “low income” • This grant writer selected the Archstone Foundation for the funding source. • The Archstone Foundation was formed in 1985. Over the course of two decades, they have awarded more than 800 grants, totaling more than $73 million (Archstone Foundation, 2012a). • This grant writer selected the “Responsive grantmaking” which addresses issues such as, “Access to Care, Adult Day Services, Caregiving Support, Disability Services, Healthy Aging, Housing, Medication Management, Mental Health/Substance Abuse, Profession Education and Training, Promoting Aging in Place and Transportation” (Archstone Foundation, 2012b).

6. Methods Continued • Grisham and Barlow (2005) suggest that hoarding “appears to run a chronic, progressive course” (p. 46). • Some research indicates that compulsive hoarding is visibally a familial condition, with the majority of sufferers reporting at least one “first degree relative” with a hoarding problem (Petrusa et al., 2008; Samuals et al., 2007; Seedat & Stein, 2002’ Winsberg et al., 1999). • The excess clutter in the homes of older adults can hinder them from performing their activities of daily living, such as bathing, and cooking (Chapin et al., 2010). They are at a greater risk for fires as exits and doors can be blocked by flammable material, including newspapers and magazines. • The budget for the grant was $172,740. It covered the salaries for the LCSW and Professional Organizer; pay for the Program Evaluator; as well as supplies needed when working with the clients.

7. Grant Proposal • The purpose of this project is to provide ongoing support, both therapeutically and organizationally, for individuals who hoard. • The Long Beach Senior Center, which is the host agency, will recruit individuals who have been identified as having hoarding tendencies. The individual’s chosen must be willing to work on de-cluttering their living space. • The population that was selected was older adults in the Long Beach area. Older adults are more susceptible to falls when their home is cluttered. • The sustainability depends on the funding received from the grants.

8. Grant Proposal Continued • There are three goals that the grant aims to meet. Individuals who participate in the support from the therapist and orgnaizer will… • Decrease their hoarding • Show a decrease in their depression • Decrease their isolation • The program will be evaluated in two different ways. • Many individuals who hoard, have some depression. The LCSW will administer the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS; Poon, 1986), at the beginning of the intervention and at the end of the intervention to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy. • The Professional Organizer will evaluate the client’s home using the Clutter-Hoarding Scale (NSGCD Fact Sheet, 2004) prior to working with the client and at the end to see the progress that was made through having a Professional Organizer come to the clients home.

9. Lessons Learned • This grant writer now has increased knowledge regarding a variety of topics because of this thesis… • Hoarding knowledge has increased since working on this thesis • The lack of affordable resources for low income individuals who hoard. • The time and energy it takes to write a grant, as well as what it takes to locate an appropriate grant. • The needs of older adults in the community.

10. References Archstone Foundation. (2012a). About Archstone: Foundation history and mission. Retrieved on February 5, 2012, from http://www.archstone.org/info-url_nocat2288/info-url_nocat_show.htm?doc_id=237956  Archstone Foundation. (2012b). Grants & projects: Responsive grantmaking. Retrieved on February 3, 2012, from http://www.archstone.org/info-url_nocat2293/info-url_nocat_show.htm?doc_id=260749 Arluke, A., Frost, R., Luke, C., Messner, E., Nathanson, J., Patronek, G. J., & Steketee, G. (2002). Health implications of animal hoarding. Health & Social Work, 27(2), 125. Bratiotis, C. (2009). Task force community response to compulsive hoarding cases. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Boston University, Boston, MA. Chapin, R. K., Sergeant, J. F., Landry, S. T., Koenig, T., Leiste, M., & Reynolds, K. (2010). Hoarding cases involving older adults: The transition from a private matter to the public sector, Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 53 (8), 723-742. Collingwood, J. (2006). Paroextine may help treat compulsive hoarding. Psych Central. Retrieved on October 2, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/paroextine-may-help-treat-compulsive-hoarding/ Frost, R. O., Steketee, G., & Williams, L. (2000). Hoarding: A community health problem. Health & Social Care in the Community, 8(4), 229 Grisham, J. R., & Barlow, D. (2005). Compulsive hoarding: Current research and theory. Journal of Psychopathology & Behavioral Assessment, 27(1), 45-52. Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium. (2000). People who hoard animals. Psychiatric Times, 17(4), 25-29. MedicineNet, Inc. (2011). Definition of pathological hoarding. Retrieved September 20, 2011, from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=32923&pf=3  National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. (2004). The NSGCD Clutter-Hoarding Scale. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://www. mckeeorganizingservices.com/resources/.../hoardingscale.pdf Pertusa, A., Fullana, M. A., Singh, S., Alonso, P., Menchon, J. M., & Mataix-Cols, D. (2008). Complusive hoarding: OCD Syndrome, distinct clinical syndrome, or both? American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 1289-1298 Poon, L. (Ed.). (1986). Clincial memory assessment of older adults. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Samuels, J. F.,Bienvenu, O. J., Pinto, A., Fyer, A. J., McCracken J. T., Rauch, S. L., . . . Nestadt, G. (2008). Hoarding in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Results from the OCD collaborative genetics study. Behaviour Research and Theory, 45, 673-686 Seedat, S., & Stein, D. J., (2002). Hoarding in obsessive compulsive disorder and related disorders: A preliminary report of 15 cases. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 56, 17-23 Winsberg, M. E., Cassic, K. S., & Koran, L. M. (1999). Hoarding in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A report of 20 cases. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60, 591-597