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Page 22 Senior Times - March 2026A Trilogy Senior Living Community706 North Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017 theoakshc.com | We%u2019ll adapt to what every new day brings %u2013 all while stayingtrue to our mission of providingcompassionate care.We take a personalized approach to care. Our BFF Approach: our caregiverslearn the unique life story of eachperson that they serve.Our Daily Rhythms program:we provide our residents witha schedule that promotes comfort and fulfillment.Additional programs include:Living Arts, Campus in Color Gardening, Lifelong learning and more!Restaurant-style dining is providedby our four-star chefs and more!Contact us today andschedule a FREE assessment!269-964-4655Let us help you piece together the puzzle after sudden illness or injury. Let us help you piece together the puzzle after sudden illness or injury. For referrals call us at 269.365.6366879 E Michigan Ave, Marshall, MI 49068www.MedilodgeofMarshall.comFor referrals call us at 269.365.6366879 E Michigan Ave, Marshall, MI 49068Recover . Rejuvenate . Revitalize . Return Home .Sherii Sherban, Special to Senior TimesPUBLISHER From thelosing a loved one. That%u2019s why if someone forces a hoarder to get rid of these items, their anxiety can intensify to unimaginable levels.Hoarding issues have an emotional effect. People who have hoarding symptoms are also more likely to have experienced a traumatic event in life. It could be that hoarding is a coping mechanism to deal with grief or loss. This is important to consider if your older adult has only recently started the hoarding behavior. They could be trying to fill an emotional hole left by the trauma of losing a spouse, moving to an unfamiliar place, or a similarly significant life change. Even though hoarding can be a coping mechanism it doesn%u2019t provide real relief. Hoarding is a complex and layered behavior. A hoarder will likely need professional help to deal with their serious emotional issues before they can cope with cleaning up.Help your older adult see that hoarding is a problem. That doesn%u2019t mean shaming the person. Instead, an empathetic and rational discussion (or several discussions) will help them gain the courage to do what%u2019s best for themselves.Start by helping them see that a change needs to be made for their own safety.Even though it may seem like the most straightforward solution, do your best to not throw items away without permission or jump into a big cleanup without help from mental health professionals %u2013 it would be too emotionally distressing. And if you do get rid of things without their approval, it will likely make them see you as an untrustworthy person. That makes it harder for you to continue helping them. And they will immediately return to their hoarding ways and fill up the space again.For some, medications that treat anxiety and depression may also be able to help with hoarding disorder.Above all, be empathetic. Do your best not to judge and try to understand where they are coming from. Remember that they greatly value the items you see as junk. Listen to what they have to say as you gently guide them towards, or support, their recovery and reconnect with friends and loved ones. HOARDING SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT ISOLATIONHoarding issues are tough for caregivers to manage, both physically and emotionally. Hoarding is often accompanied by some degree of anxiety, which makes it difficult to treat %u2013 and tough for families to watch. And because hoarders tend to self-isolate, it makes their emotional well-being even more fragile.Hoarding behavior often comes with poor decision making, procrastination, and lack of organization. It is isolating with limited social interactions. Hoarders may even push you away or avoid you, damaging your relationship. When someone is hoarding, their daily life is negatively impacted. Hoarding issues could also indicate the presence of dementia, mental illness, or Diogenes Syndrome, a condition that affects some seniors near the end of life. Diogenes Syndrome is characterized by hoarding, self-neglect, social withdrawal, and a refusal to accept help.Hoarding is dangerous for aging adults. Fall hazards abound in a crowded home and their health will likely be harmed by unsanitary or hazardous living conditions. Access by emergency responders can also be challenged in case of emergency. Hoarders keep stacks of unnecessary items, like junk mail and old newspapers. A hoarder has an excessive attachment to many possessions and will be uncomfortable if somebody touches them or asks to borrow their items. They feel unable to get rid of any possessions. They might move things from pile to pile, but will never throw anything away, and will end up living in cluttered spaces.For many, the clutter provides comfort to the hoarder. Letting go of that comfort can feel excruciating especially when there%u2019s something in the person%u2019s life that is just too painful to face. In fact, hoarders can develop such strong attachments to their possessions that these items become more valuable to them than the people in their lives. Getting rid of something so valuable would feel similar to the extreme grief of