Blog

Ask the Care Manager: About Hoarding

November 16, 2016 — Two to five percent of the population is thought to have hoarding behaviors, with the prevalence increasing with the aging population. The above examples are typical of what families and professionals face with hoarding behavior. The individual who hoards tends to be single or divorced, and has hereditary factors with first-degree relatives who were hoarders. A stressful life event, such as a car accident or a death of a loved one, can often precede the behavior. Co-morbidities such as depression and anxiety, social phobias, schizophrenia, dementia, mental retardation and OCD can also be present.