THIS week is National Hoarding Awareness Week which aims to raise awareness of hoarding disorder and behaviour. It’s estimated that up to five percent of the UK population has hoarding disorder. Essex-based housing association, CHP, works with customers to support their wellbeing and one of the ways it does this is by providing specialist support to people who may have hoarding behaviours and tendencies.
CHP recently made a huge difference to the life of one of its customers, who had struggled with hoarding. Working closely with partner agencies including the fire service, CHP arranged for a clearance to be carried out at the customer’s home.
This was paid for by CHP’s support fund, which is there to help customers who are finding life particularly difficult.
There’s been a dramatic change in the condition of the customer’s home, and it’s had a really positive impact on her life.
Jon Routledge, Neighbourhood Team Leader at CHP, said, “We identified that this customer’s hoarding was likely due to loneliness and isolation, so we worked with partner agencies to help her declutter and clean her home. We’re continuing to support her and are looking at different options to help her maintain her tenancy. With her agreement, this includes a possible transfer to sheltered housing where she would be closer to other people, social events and it would be easier for our team to regularly check in and make sure her home doesn’t become hoarded again.”
