Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. I have noticed that my father has been accumulating a lot of “stuff” in his house. I was not concerned about it, but at my last visit to his home, I was somewhat alarmed as I saw the house in disarray. How do I encourage him to get rid of the clutter?
A. Our elderly parents can sometimes face challenges of managing a household. If your dad has clutter scattered about, he may just need a little direction and gentle help to bring order back to his home. If he accepts help in trying to organize and cleanup his space, it could be an “easy” challenge to address. If, however, he gets agitated or upset with any effort to get rid of things, it may be something a bit more serious. Most of us may be familiar with hoarding and it might be a good idea to take a look at some other things that may be going on in his life. Do you notice any changes in his self-care? How is his hygiene? Is he keeping to himself and being somewhat reclusive? Refusing help is another flag to examine. If he doesn’t have trust in you, it may signal concern. It is important to consider if any stressful events happened in his life, as quite often, this may trigger behavior that family members overlook. It is important to have a heart to heart talk with other family members to see if they have noticed the changes you are observing. Finally, speak to his doctor. A good doctor will explore all aspects of his health to help you guide him with dignity.
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
