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According to the Mayo Clinic, hoarding is a psychological disorder. People who suffer from this disorder find it difficult to discard or part with their possessions. They feel that they need to save these items for the future. The pervasive need to save items results in an excessive accumulation of items. In Pomona, it is estimated that 4% of the population suffers from hoarding. Most experts believe that the number is higher since most hoarders are enigmatic.
What Leads To the Development of This Disorder?
According to research, hoarding is a result of different scenarios. Mostly, the hoarder, at one point in their life, might have been a victim of a traumatic event. The onset of such events leads the patient to depression or anxiety. The two psychological disorders lead the person to start accumulating, mostly valueless items. Over the collection period of the items, the premises of the hoarder become uninhabitable.
Professional Hoarder Property Cleanup in Pomona
To address hoarding, a wide array of professionals are required. The main reason is that the disorder has different aspects, and the path to recovery is a long one. Seasoned professionals such as therapists and counselors should be part of the hoarder property cleanup team. In Pomona, the hoarder property cleanup specialists have the necessary expertise to deal with the accumulated hoard. The professionals not only address the cleaning and the road to recovery, but they also take part in the remediation of all biohazards.
Top Signs of Hoarding
Is the clutter in your residence getting out of control? If so, you might be a compulsive hoarder. There is a set of signs that characterize hoarding. Each home gets messy often. However, if the mess is full of clutter that affects your health, you might be suffering from hoarding. Here are signs that help identify hoarding.
- Clutter is one thing. But when the furniture has been moved to the center to create room for more clutter, you might be suffering from hoarding.
- A hoarder lacks organization for their clutter. Valuable and valueless items are often stacked precariously or tossed in different rooms.
- Apart from having a lot of stuff, most of the items are valueless to the hoarder. Broken appliances and worn-out clothes contribute to much of the clutter.
- Some hoarders have too many pets, which makes the premises messy. Hoarding becomes a serious issue when the health of the pets and that of the occupant are at jeopardy.
- Hoarding evolves to embarrassment. A hoarder cannot invite family or friends over since the residence if cluttered and there is no place to sit comfortably.
- When confronted on the large amount of clutter in the room, hoarders become defensive and angry.
Levels of Hoarding
Hoarding is categorized into five levels. The Clutter-Hoarding scale has been used to delineate the five levels depending on the severity of the clutter accumulation.
Level I
On the Clutter-Hoarding scale, level I is a typical home environment where the stairways are accessible, and there is evidence of pet accidents. The house might have very few insects or rodents. Additionally, the residence might have a small amount of clutter. There are no odors in the premises since there is sanitization.
To address the clutter in the house, no professional assistance is required.
Level II
The main sign of this level is a residence with one blocked exit. Additionally, there might be an appliance that has not been working in the home for more than six months. There is evidence of limited care for pets. You can quickly identify pet odor and waste in the house.
Additionally, two rooms in the house cannot be used due to clutter. There is no evidence of sweeping or vacuuming the house. The garbage cans might overflow with trash. The kitchen is soiled and unhealthy.
Professionals with a background of disorganized rooms are required. Specialists who can easily organize items and those who can help others learn how to arrange things are needed.
Level III
Hoarders, at this level, only have a minimum of two functional appliances in their homes. Clutter can be identified from outside the house. From the outside, you can locate limited damage to the residence. As opposed to the Human Society animal limits, the home has one to three animals. Incase of aquariums or birdcages, they are unmaintained.
You can quickly identify rodent infestation on the premises. There is a modest amount of spider webs. There is an unusable bathroom that is unsafe due to clutter. Broken glass and spilled chemicals are hazardous materials on the premises.
The floors are soiled with dust, evidence that the house has not been cleaned for long. To remediate the hoard, you require experienced professionals. The professionals need to have a vast network of other specialists who can help. In this case, a mental health expert will suffice.
Level IV
The house, at this level, suffers from structural damage. Apart from electrical hazards, the sewer system is leaking. The residence might have up to four animals as opposed to the Human Society limits. Pet urine and feces are all over the place. Moreover, the home is also infested by wild animals such as squirrels.
Due to the increased amount of clutter, the occupants cannot use the bedrooms. Most likely, the bathrooms are not functional. The dishes are dirty, and there is rotting food everywhere.
To clean up the mess, a coordinated team of specialists is required. The occupant needs psychological, medical, and financial assistance. A professional hoarder cleanup expert should coordinate with the other specialists to make the property habitable. Family and friends should be brought along too.
Level V
It is the most extreme level of hoarding. The house is damaged and unlivable. The kitchen and bathroom cannot be used. Insect and rodent infestation are vividly seen. Animal waste lies all over the residence, and the occupant has nowhere to sleep.
Multiple sources of assistance are required for this hoarder. Before addressing the situation, a full team of specialists needs to be oriented on the problem. The family should be part of the team. Additionally, mental health experts and financial specialists should join the group.
Hoarders do not welcome people to their homes. To help hoarders at different levels in Pomona, CA, Eco Bear has all the required professionals. Contact us today for immediate help.
