Article: 87 year old hoarder facing eviction (warning: incredibly sad)

[Ultralight]

I don't have a family history of that sort by any means.
I think my urge for simplicity came from my summer of living in a army tent on a wood platform in the wilds of W. VA. in '84. 3 months with 2 jeans, 3 shirts, hiking shoes, tennis shoes, 1 skirt, 1 dress shirt, 1 pair of sandals, 1 notebook, 1 small bible, 2 pens. I collected memories but not stuff.

Often in cases of hoarding people have a "trigger." The death of a loved one, an illness, a traumatic event of some kind, and so forth.

I think that people who live simply have triggers too. This time in your life probably qualifies!

[Williamsmith]

I have seen a lot worse. Seems like the stuff she has is rather organized. It may be the place is attached to other rented property so that if a fire were to start it would create a hazard to other non hoarders and those non hoarders might be penalized by their insurers because of a known situation that makes fire more likely.

It is unfortunate nobody has been able to negotiate removal of some of the stuff to another location, provide some free storage, and solve the problem. No one wants to be known as the people who pushed the little old lady around. I think that's what private charities and some governmental agencies exist for, provide resources people don't have.

This lady has slipped through the cracks. There is a legitimate government concern and a legitimate privacy right also. Somewhere between handcuffing her and dragging her out while you put it all in the dumpster and standing back and begging her to do something about it...........is an answer.

[bae]

This lady has slipped through the cracks. There is a legitimate government concern and a legitimate privacy right also. Somewhere between handcuffing her and dragging her out while you put it all in the dumpster and standing back and begging her to do something about it...........is an answer.

I bet you were one of the good ones :-)

[Ultralight]

It is unfortunate nobody has been able to negotiate removal of some of the stuff to another location, provide some free storage, and solve the problem. No one wants to be known as the people who pushed the little old lady around. I think that's what private charities and some governmental agencies exist for, provide resources people don't have.

This lady has slipped through the cracks. There is a legitimate government concern and a legitimate privacy right also. Somewhere between handcuffing her and dragging her out while you put it all in the dumpster and standing back and begging her to do something about it...........is an answer.

It is possible that she would refuse to move the stuff somewhere else.

And it begs the question, if about 2% to 5% of people in the US (I know this woman is not from the US) have Compulsive Hoarding Disorder, then endlessly accommodating their equally endless hoarding would mean a lot of charities and governments dedicating funds and time to do so.

Can we afford to pay "Nanny G" to do that?

I think mental health services might be a good place to start, though those are pricey too.

[Ultralight]

I bet you were one of the good ones :-)

Agreed.

[peggy]

This poor old thing is 87 years old for heavens sake. I realize it is a delicate issue but i think the village counsel should take some time to really get it right. Say, 5 or 6 years to really think about it. KWIM?

[bae]

This poor old thing is 87 years old for heavens sake. I realize it is a delicate issue but i think the village counsel should take some time to really get it right. Say, 5 or 6 years to really think about it. KWIM?

Seems more prudent than using a take-down team and chemical restraints...

#Elderly_lives_matter

[rodeosweetheart]

Seems more prudent than using a take-down team and chemical restraints...

#Elderly_lives_matter

I always wonder why they do an article like this. Kind of a freak show for the pleasure of gawkers? "There but for the grace of God", or "Thank God I am not like other men?" Poor woman, and how cruel to take those pictures, and how cruel to end your life that way, the fodder for gawking.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I always wonder why they do an article like this. Kind of a freak show for the pleasure of gawkers? "There but for the grace of God", or "Thank God I am not like other men?"

+1

[ToomuchStuff]

Not really sure why Williamsmith thinks someone should provide free storage?
There are three people living there, and from what I caught of the article, ALL of them are collectors.
Move two out and their stuff and see how organized it could be.
Have the two sons pay for a climate controlled storage facility, as they are also going to be the one to transport her there, since her memories seem to be tactile, instead of a more normal memory function (in the head).