Seminars offer support for those dealing with hoarding

Donalee Ping faced a daunting task in July after discovering a tenant in Sebring was hoarding at least 80 parrots.

She found more than 50 dead parrots in an unventilated room where rodents, snakes, cockroaches, spiders and other pests covered the floor. She wrapped her face with a T-shirt and tried to clean and rescue some of the remaining animals.

While Ping was just trying to help, jumping into a hoarding situation without proper training or resources can be unwise.

That's why experts are holding a series of free symposiums to raise awareness about hoarding and the proper ways to handle it. The first is Friday at Aston Gardens in Westchase.

The seminar, aimed at people who might come across hoarding cases – such as social workers, guardians and clergy -- is a first-of-its-kind in the area and badly needed because of the growing hoarding problem, said event organizer Dale Smrekar, an estate liquidator.

"This idea really came about because I saw so many church groups going in and cleaning up these hoarding situations, and they really shouldn't do that," he said. "They can be really dangerous."

Hoarding problems are becoming more common. Yet, much is not known about the disorder, and few resources are out there to help.

Clinical psychologist Kristi Weiner said it isn't clear how many cases go unreported.

"Some reports say one in 20 people may be affected by hoarding, while other studies cite one in 50," she said.

Hoarding, the excessive accumulation of items, comes in many forms. Some hoard animals; others hoard garbage, and some hoard information. Weiner said there is a distinct difference between an avid collector and a hoarder.

"Collectors take pride in their items and often have them organized and valued," she said. "Hoarders accumulate, and many don't even know why."

Some types of hoarding are forms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but not all cases, Weiner said.

"Some stem from mental illness or could be a product of dementia," Weiner said.

That's why many hoarding cases involve the elderly.

"An older person might live alone and get sick and start accumulating garbage and even hazardous materials, like medicine bottles and needles," Smrekar said. "And it's kept a secret until a family member comes by."

Because hoarders often keep biohazards, toxic chemicals and other dangerous items, people shouldn't try to handle the situations on their own, Smrekar said.

"People really don't have any idea what they are getting into and how dangerous this can be," said Laura Spaulding, whose Tampa company, Spaulding Decon, cleans up crime scenes and houses used for hoarding.

"When we go into a home, we are wearing protective suits."

Spaulding gets about two calls a week to handle hoarding cases.

In addition to safely dealing with dangerous materials, people also need to be aware of the emotional issues involved with hoarding.

"People often want to just go in and start tossing stuff and cleaning, but that is the worst possible thing you could do," Weiner said. "That often leads to anxiety and depression in the patient, and they will just start hoarding again."

Experts at Friday's symposium will explain the proper steps to take in dealing with a hoarding situation and what local resources are available.

Such events are needed because people are so secretive about the disorder, and help is scarce, Weiner said.

"I'm one of the few psychologists that handles hoarding issues, and I'm not one who will come out to the home," she said. "If the patient is willing to come to my office, I will see them. But finding someone to counsel on-site is more difficult."

Hoarding has gained more attention in recent years thanks to shows such as "Hoarders" on A&E and "Hoarding: Buried Alive" on TLC. But those shows can give a false impression, Smrekar said

"I really don't like how they treat the people on the show," he said. "Hoarders are usually intelligent people who simply have a medical or mental condition."

Friday's symposium is open to the public, but space is limited. It starts at noon and is at Aston Gardens of Tampa Bay, at 12951 Linebaugh Ave. To register, call (813) 855-2811.

A second seminar will be held Oct. 7 at Westminster Communities in St. Petersburg. To register, call (727) 432-0307.

Interest in the symposiums was so high that Smreaker added a third symposium at Westminster Suncoast on Dec. 9.