Downey, California has a population of about 115,000 residents. Downey has a variety of interesting “claims to fame.” For example, the city is the birthplace of the Apollo Space Program. The city is the birthplace of musicians Karen and Richard Carpenter.

Experts estimate that there are approximately 2,000 to 5,000 people in Downey suffering from hoarding disorder. Hoarding is defined as “a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. A person with hoarding disorder experiences distresses at the thought of getting rid of the items. Excessive accumulation of items, regardless of actual value, occurs.”

Downey Hoarding Case

An example of a Downey hoarding case involved a woman in her 60s that lived alone. She had worked as a receptionist in a local dentist’s office, although she retired just after her 60^th birthday. Sadly, a year after she retired, her husband of over 40 years passed away. The couple had one child, a son who lived half a continent away in Kansas City.

After her husband’s funeral, the woman’s son had not been to Downey for a couple of years. She did make trips to Kansas City a couple of times a year to spend time with her son and his wife and children.

The woman did not have a great deal of social interaction with others in Downey after her husband’s death. Ultimately, she explained that although she had friends, she didn’t enjoy socializing after her husband died.

About a year after her husband died, the woman had started the process of collecting objects in a haphazard fashion. Within about a year, she had advanced through the levels of hoarding and had a severe case of hoarding disorder.

Eventually, her son wanted to pay a visit to his mother in Downey. The woman made an array of excuses to discourage her son from coming to Downey. (The typical hoarder makes excuses to prevent people from coming over to his or her home.)

Ultimately, the woman’s son insisted that he was coming to Downey – and he did. It was during this visit to Downey that the son discovered the hoarding situation at his mother’s home.

In this case, and because of the general solid relationship the woman had with her son, he was able to convince her that she needed professional assistance. This included a professional hoarder property cleanup up service as well as a Downey hoarder therapist.

In the case of this Downey resident with hoarding disorder, there was never a relapse. The reality is that nearly all hoarders relapse if they do not receive concerted therapy to address issues underlying hoarding. This woman undertook a comprehensive course of mental health treatment. In addition, her son proved to be highly supportive. He involved himself, in an appropriate manner, in working with his mother to obtain all of the services she needed to address the hoarding issue.

Animal Hoarding in Downey

In the case of the retired receptionist who hoarded, animals were not involved. Animal hoarding is a problem for some people in Downey. This adds an added level of complications when it comes to addressing a hoarding situation.

When it comes to animal hoarder property cleanup in Downey, the need for professional assistance is vital. When a hoarding situation involves animals, the need for a hoarder property cleanup specialist that is skilled in dealing with biohazard remediation is necessary.

In an animal hoarding situation, waste including feces and urine accumulates. This waste contains dangerous pathogens that can cause serious illness. Indeed, the possibility exists that animal waste that exists in this type of hoarding situation can even cause a fatal illness in some situations.

Assistance also needs to be procured to take care of the animals. SEAACA is an organization in Downey that can assist in dealing with the needs of animals rescued from a hoarding situation.

SEAACA
9777 Seaaca Street
Downey, California 90241
(562) 803-3301

 

Downey Mental Health Professionals Serving People With Hoarding Disorder

There are mental health professionals that serve the needs of people diagnosed with hoarding disorder. These professionals include:

Norma Huerta
10927 Downey Avenue, Suite C
Downey, California 90241
(323) 736-4953

Robert Lark
8301 Florence Avenue, Suite 315
Downey, California 90240
(562) 373-2606

Elias mind+Emotion Resolution
Downey, California 90241
(562) 444-1417

Myra Botello
Downey, California 90240
(562) 372-6386

These professionals provide individual, one on one counseling for individuals with hoarding disorder. They also can get a person with this condition involved in group therapy. In addition, there are situations in which a person with hoarding disorder can be best served through medication. These professionals can also arrange for a consultation with psychiatrists for medication purposes.