“Hoarding disorder is a heartbreaking condition that is posing challenges to older adults, their families, and their communities across the country,” said Casey, the chairman of the
Hoarding disorder can contribute to social isolation due to stigma, partially propagated by reality television shows featuring extreme examples of the condition. For older adults, the stigma around hoarding disorder can exacerbate existing problems of elderly residents lacking social connection.Not only can extreme hoarding lead to unsanitary environments, but it can also hinder mobility within the home.
The condition also dramatically risks the burden for community fire departments as cluttered environments often making rescuing people more hazardous and less likely. Hoarding tendencies also contribute to housing insecurity, as landlords of those with hoarding disorder struggle to comply with local safety standards.