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The Institute for Challenging Disorganization, or ICD, created the Clutter-Hoarding Scale to be used as a tool to assess residential environments in regard to the level or extent of hoarding that may exist in the premises. The Clutter-Hoarding Scale is designed for residential assessments only. Five Levels of the Clutter-Hoarding Scale The Clutter-Hoarding Scale is organized into…
DetailsHoarding is defined by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic as a disorder exemplified by a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions. The difficulty in discarding arises from a perceived need to save these items, even if they have no real value or purpose. A person suffering from hoarding disorder experiences what can be significant distress at the…
DetailsHoarding, or hoarding disorder, is defined as a persistent or profound difficulty in discarding, eliminating, or parting with possessions, according to the Mayo Clinic. A person is unable to part with certain possessions, even those with no value because they strongly feel a perceived need to keep and maintain these items. Over time, an excessive accumulation…
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If you desire to assist a chronically disorganized person in effecting change, you must understand that direct and honest communication between that individual and yourself is fundamental. In this regard, there are some specific communication strategies that work well when dealing with and supporting a chronically disorganized person. In addition, in order to maintain proper, effective…
DetailsChronic hoarding is defined as the persistent difficulty or inability to discard or part with possessions of different types. In many cases, items which are hoarded can have no value and may even be no more than what otherwise might be classified as garbage. How Many People Hoard? The reality is that no precise measurement…
DetailsApproximately 4,500 people are killed in construction site accidents annually, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. This equates to over a dozen deaths each day. Thousand more are injured in construction site accidents and oftentimes seriously so according to OSHA.
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Introduction to the World of a Cat Hoarder Margaret is a 60-something-year-old woman who lives in an affluent neighborhood in suburban Denver, Colorado. Her house sits on an acre lot in a tiny part if the metro area called Cherry Hills. Residences in the area easily go for a minimum selling price of $1 million.…
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If you have come to realize a person in your life suffers from hoarding disorder, you are well ahead of many individuals who have a family member or close friend who hoards. One of the realities associated with hoarding is that majority of people afflicted with this disorder hide their situation from others, including family…
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One of the challenges you face in the aftermath of organizing a deceased person’s usable property after death is trying to figure out what to do with it. You may want or be able to use some of the items you discover in the process of cleaning up after a person’s resident after he or…
DetailsIn Los Angeles County, and elsewhere in Southern California, there has been a considerable amount of debate and discussion about homeless encampments. A few years ago, the City of Los Angeles appeared ready to take firm action designed to eliminate homeless encampments. At that time, a slim majority of the City Council maintained that homeless encampments…
DetailsHomeless encampments are found throughout the city and county of Los Angeles. They can be found from downtown Los Angeles to a multitude of suburban neighborhoods in the greater LA area. The City of Los Angeles has been embroiled in debates and negotiations with citizens from across the community as well as with advocates for…
DetailsIn the final analysis, the best place for homeless people to sleep is in affordable, safe housing units of their own. In Los Angeles, affordable and safe housing is becoming more challenging to find. Rent rates in LA have been on a steep increase in recent times, a situation that is not expected to abate any time…
DetailsLife in a homeless shelter does depend on what specific location a person lands in. With that noted, there are many common factors associated with living in a homeless shelter, common elements that frequently are found at these types of facilities. Check-In Time at a Typical Homeless Shelter Most homeless shelters maintain a specific check-in time for individuals…
DetailsLos Angeles is the least affordable rental market in the United States, according to the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies. The homeless rate in California is the highest of any state in the union, with a majority of those people living in Los Angeles County and elsewhere in Southern California. With so many…
DetailsLos Angeles tops the nation when it comes to chronic homelessness. This has been the case for a number of years. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, one-third of the homes people in the United States live in California. A considerable percentage of that population is located in Los Angeles. Another reality associated…
DetailsThe homeless rate in the state of California is the highest in the country. A majority of the homeless population in the state live in Los Angeles County and in surrounding counties in Southern California. There are a number of primary reasons why Los Angeles has a high number of homeless individuals and families. The…
DetailsHomeless encampments are appearing across Los Angeles County. Indeed, the head of the Union Rescue Mission recently noted that they are found not only in more economically deprived parts of the county but in affluent neighborhoods as well. He noted that the fact that you can see homeless encampments in the Palisades underscores the breadth of the…
DetailsThe debate about the causes of homelessness in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States includes a contention by some people that part of the homeless population is on the streets by choice. There are some key facts that need to be considered when it comes to analyzing whether being homeless is a choice,…
DetailsRev. Andy J. Bales, the Chief Executive Officer of the Union Rescue Mission, unequivocally maintains that the manner in which Los Angelinos, and people across the United States, respond to the issues surrounding homelessness at this juncture in time is not sufficient. Bales describes homelessness as “a disaster of epic proportions.” Bales makes clear that…
DetailsIf you are an adult whose parent has passed on, in addition to grieving your loss, you likely find yourself wondering what comes next. You find yourself wondering what you need to do now that your parent has died. There are a number of different tasks that need to be tended to when a parent…
DetailsDeath and dying is the one thing that all people, from all walks of life, have in common. While the exact manner in which individuals die differs, what happens after death is quite similar for all people. An overview of what happens to a person just after death can provide understanding and perspective on dying…
DetailsOne of the toughest types of death to encounter is one in which a loved one has died in an unattended manner. What this means is that someone you care about has died alone, from one of these causes: Accident Illness Disease Homicide Suicide Moreover, the person succumbed to death with no one around and…
DetailsAn unattended death is defined as one that occurs when a person is alone, and the passing is not immediately discovered. In fact, days, weeks, or even longer can pass before the remains of a person who died an unattended death are discovered. In this type of situation, the process of decomposition cleanup after an…
DetailsAs of 2016, accidents have become the number three cause of death in the United States, according to the National Safety Council. 2016 is the last year in which a full set of reliable statistics is available for accidental deaths in the country. Over 160,000 accidental deaths occur in the United States every year, an…
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“Even death is not to be feared by one who lives wisely.” – Buddha Discussing Death Is Unsettling There is so much uncertainty about death and what follows. As a result, discussing death is unsettling and even frightening for most people. Most people strive to keep the subject of death out of their minds on…
DetailsOne the most daunting and traumatic experiences a person can face in life is discovering the unattended death of a family member or other loved one. There are also situations in which a landlord discovers the remains of a tenant who suffered an unattended death. An unattended death is a situation in which a person…
DetailsA decaying body emits a distinctly foul, repulsive odor. The odor of a decaying body is so invasive and profound that many people find it difficult to forget. You may wonder what exactly causes a decaying body to have such an intense, nauseating odor. The Decomposition Process and the Smell of Death The decomposition process…
DetailsWithout exception, decomposition odors are some of the most horrifically foul smells imaginable. Decomposition odors can be so overpowering that they can cause a person to wretch. Decomposition odors can arise when dies an unattended death and his or her remains are not immediately discovered. The decomposition process commences the minute a person dies. Overview…
DetailsRoman philosopher Cicero once stated that “the life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” Life and death are wholly intertwined. In our hearts, we all hope that our lives will at least be memorialized in the minds and hearts of those people near and dear to us. If we ponder…
DetailsDespite the adage that death and taxes are the only two things in life that absolutely are certain, most people really are never fully prepared for death. One of the most challenging situations when it comes to a loved one passing away is when a death is unattended. An unattended death is one in which…
DetailsHuman decomposition can be a troubling thing to contemplate. Nonetheless, life and death intimately are intertwined. Having at least a basic understanding of what happens to a body after death aids in understanding the entire cycle of life and death, and how we are all connected to the world around us in a very basic…
DetailsMany experts believe that smell is the most primal of all senses, according to the American Psychology Association. Certain smells can leave a lasting imprint on a person. Oftentimes, these smells are pleasant and bring back fond memories. For example, holiday decorations, or even the sound of seasonal carols, might bring back the smell of…
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California law requires the coroner to determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of sudden deaths where an attending physician is not able to ascertain this information. A coroner also makes an inquiry and does an autopsy in cases of deaths resulting from homicide, suicide, certain accidents, and when deaths are unattended. California law also has…
DetailsUpon death, a human body nearly immediately begins the process of decomposing or breaking down. While this biological reality is unpleasant, understanding the essential elements of this process is helpful. This includes having a basic appreciation of why a body begins to smell in the aftermath of a death. The Biological Processes After Death When…
DetailsThe loss of a loved one by suicide truly can be a positively devastating occurrence. In the aftermath of a loved one’s suicide, your life nearly certainly feels positively upended. There are some vital, healthy strategies that can assist you in embarking on a healthy, healing course of grieving. Expect Powerful Emotions One of the most important…
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By Mike Over the course of the past couple of months, I have read quite a number of essays, blog posts, and other pieces written by friends, colleagues, and strangers on the subject of suicide. Just this morning I read a post on Facebook by a priest who made mention of the death by suicide…
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Dr. Karl Menninger, the founder of the world-renowned Menninger Foundation, once stated that “hope is a necessity for normal life and the major weapon against the suicide impulse.” Every day, men, women, and even children across the United States and around the world end their own lives. The stark reality is that the suicide of a…
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Headlines from the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets in Southern California convey the grim reality that suicide impacts the lives of many different types of people. Man Throws Wife to Street, Kills Self Slaying Suspect Barricades Self, Commits Suicide Man, 35, Dies in Leap From Downtown Courthouse Actor Jerry Van Dyke’s Daughter Found Hanged Studio…
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Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services established the Survivors After Suicide program in 1980. A former participant in the program explained the mission of the program. Ben agreed to an interview and asked that only his first name be used. He explained that Survivors After Suicide is to provide support for people bereaving the suicide of…
DetailsAn unattended death occurs when an individual dies alone. Typically, the remains of a person who dies from an unattended death are not immediately discovered. This type of death often means a relatively considerable amount of time lapses between the death and the discovery of the deceased person’s body. The most common types of situations…
DetailsHoarding is defined as a mental health disorder, according to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. Hoarding is exemplified by persistent difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions. A hoarder has some powerful perceived need to maintain possession of these items. Indeed, a hoarder experiences profound distress when thinking about parting with possessions. Ultimately, excessive accumulation of…
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The world-renowned Mayo Clinic defines hoarding as a disorder in which a person has a persistent difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions, even items of no real value, because of some perceived need to save them. A person suffering from this affliction experiences extreme stress at the thought of parting with these items. Ultimately,…
DetailsThe American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that about 250,000 animals fall victim to hoarding in the United States each year. At the present time, there is an active debate as to whether animal hoarding should be set apart as its own, uniquely classified mental disorder. The History of Hoarding as…
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Numerous Animals at a Residence The most significant warning sign that animal hoarding is occurring is the fact that there are numerous animals at or in a residence. If asked, the person thought to be hoarding pets will be unable to provide an answer to the question of how many animals are at the premises.…
DetailsAnimal hoarding is a hidden problem in many cases. Animal hoarding is a common practice of many hoarders. Almost half of all hoarders end up hoarding animals at some juncture. Understanding the onset and progress or development of animal hoarding can assist in coming to a better understanding of the issue. What Is Animal Hoarding? The Hoarding…
DetailsThe world-renowned Mayo Clinic defines pet hoarding as a disorder illustrated by a pervasive, persistent accumulation of animals accompanied by an inability to part with them. Pet hoarding currently is considered to be a subtype of hoarding. Some experts maintain that pet hoarding should be set aside as a disorder in its own right. The American Society…
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Due to the very nature of hoarding, you must have a comprehensive hoarding cleanup strategy. The hoarding checklist presented to you here is not only comprehensive, but it also provides you with a coordinated strategy to ensure that the task of restoring a residence to a livable condition is accomplished in a thorough and safe…
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Finding yourself as the victim of any type of crime is challenging. The aftermath can be even more daunting when the crime itself was violent. The aftermath of a violent crime, including a homicide, necessitates the cleanup of the scene. Facing the prospect of having to clean up a crime scene, including a homicide scene,…
DetailsThe death of a family member is a challenging event. The sadness associated with a family member’s death combines with questions and even confusion about what happens next. If you are like most people, you likely have questions about what happens when a family dies at home. For example, you may wonder who removes a…
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One of the most challenging things that a person can experience during the course of a lifetime is the aftermath of a violent crime scene. This type of situation typically results in the presence of blood, other bodily fluids, and other types of biological material. These biological materials, including the blood, potentially can be contaminated with…
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