28-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) An elderly hoarder residing in a flat on Woodlands Drive has been living amidst a growing clutter for over 20 years. Her penchant for collecting items has reached a point where she can no longer enter her home, as reported by Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday (Sept 27). The situation has forced her to sleep on pieces of cardboard along the corridor outside her flat for more than a decade.
According to the report, the items she has amassed have not only sealed her wooden door shut but also prevented her front gate from closing. Her continuous acquisition of various objects has led to a situation where her living space has become unlivable. Among the items she has collected are clothes, disposable cutlery, plastic bottles, suitcases, and more. Some of the boxes lining the exterior of her flat even contained fresh oranges, according to the Chinese evening daily.
When reporters questioned the elderly woman about her hoarding habit and whether she was aware of its dangers, she remained silent. The hoard has reportedly caused a foul smell in the vicinity.
Neighbours who shared insights about the woman mentioned that she had purchased the four-room flat and held a job before succumbing to her hoarding tendencies. They noted that her older brother occasionally visits her, but she spends most of her time alone. She sometimes sells tin cans to recyclers but keeps most items for herself. Volunteers have taken the initiative to deliver food to her from time to time.
In the past, residents had extended their help by providing food after witnessing her struggles. Despite her hoarding, she is described as gentle and unobtrusive, leading residents to show understanding rather than hostility. Her personal hygiene is also attended to by her neighbours, with one resident mentioning that their mother helps cut her hair.
However, the hoard has attracted pests. The neighbour disclosed that they once spotted five or six cockroaches inside their home. Another neighbour, surnamed Zhang, recounted an incident from about 20 years ago when a fire was triggered due to the hoarder leaving items in the vicinity of lifts and stairwells. The fire led to a power outage in the block, resulting in charred corridors. Many residents joined forces to extinguish the fire.
Authorities have attempted to help the elderly hoarder on multiple occasions by clearing large amounts of hoarded objects from her home. Yet, after each intervention, she would retrieve the items, sometimes rummaging through trash cans in the middle of the night, according to Zhang.
Hoarders often suffer from hoarding disorder, a condition characterized by a compulsive urge to accumulate unusually large quantities of possessions, making it challenging for them to discard items. This condition is closely linked to anxiety and depression disorders. Early evaluation and intervention are advised, particularly in the elderly, as hoarding may be associated with dementia.
While psychotherapy can be utilized to treat the disorder, medication is sometimes prescribed to manage accompanying anxiety and depression disorders.
