Centre for Policy on Ageing



Reasons to accumulate excess — older adults who hoard possessions
Author(s)	Elizabeth Andersen, Shelley Raffin-Bouchal, Donna Marcy-Edwards
Journal title	Home Health Care Services Quarterly, vol 27, no 3, 2008
Pages	pp 187-216
Source	http://www.tandfonline.com
Keywords	Neglect [care] ; Self care capacity ; Case studies ; United States of America.
Annotation	This article is directed towards a deeper understanding of emotional issues that underpin hoarding behaviours by older people. A focused ethnographic research design was used as the method of exploration. The sample consisted of eight older adults who received home care and who were identified as exhibiting compulsive hoarding behaviours. The act of acquiring excess was found to be reassuring for older hoarders because stockpiled possessions relieved their anxieties and helped them to feel proud and productive, needed by others, connected, socially engaged, and in control. The hoarded possessions had value that was embedded but undeclared. Older hoarders were likely to have a positive view of themselves and their hoarding habits. For those who were not in imminent danger, hoarding constituted a certain quality of life. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-101116009 A
Classmark	QNR: CA: 69P: 7T
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.