Part of the natural course of aging may involve downsizing as aging adults move to a smaller home or anursing home. Downsizing can be very difficult as items that many would deem as clutter may holdsentimental value to their owners. In addition, many aging individuals may not want to downsize andleave the home they have lived in for decades so refusing to get rid of items can act as a way for them totry delay leaving their home. Clutter among the elderly is a real issue as one survey study revealed that30% of people over the age of 70 had not given away any items in the last year even though thesepossessions were no longer useful to them in their daily lives.  If you would like to help your loved one declutter their space it is important to follow some guidelines.  Have a plan: Walking through the property and seeing how much stuff you are likely going tothrow away, give away or keep will give you a good idea of how long the project will take andwhat resources you will need to complete the project.  Be sensitive: Do not come off as callous as you throw your loved one’s items away. Makingcomments like “why did you keep this” or “you have so much junk” can be invalidating andmake the person you’re trying to help upset.  Do not try to do it all in one day: Your loved one took a lifetime filling up their home with itemso do not expect it to take a few hours to declutter it. Breaking the project up into smaller taskswill make decluttering the home feel less overwhelming.  Get some helpers: Try to recruit family and friends to help you declutter the property. Doing theproject all by yourself could take days or even weeks. The more hands you have to help thefaster it will go.  Have fun and learn something: If you take the time you may find some treasures in your lovedones home. At the very least you may learn something about your family or loved one that youdid not know before as a result of an item you find. In addition, decluttering and cleaning yourloved one’s home can create a great opportunity to bond with your loved one and anyone elsehelping you with the project. When holding on to items becomes a serious issue for someone then their actions might be labeled ashoarding. Hoarding is when someone has difficulty getting rid of items regardless of the items values.This behavior often has negative emotional, physical, financial and even legal effects on those sufferingand their family. If you believe that someone you care about has a serious issue with hoarding than youshould contact a mental health professional to help them manage and treat their illness.This post is provided by Sprain Brook Manor Rehab which Provides unique opportunity to recover frommedical procedures that result in true satisfying results. Getting you stronger and better every day.Contact Us today to receive more information.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as health advice, norshould it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual medical counsel or consulting your physician.