 back into old habits.
This calls for a community-based approach aimed at alleviating these factors.
To this end, Singapore has established a Hoarding Task Force that brings together the expertise and respective powers of multiple agencies such as the Ministry of National Development (MND), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Housing Development Board (HDB) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Other agencies like the National Environment Agency, People’s Association, Institute of Mental Health and the Singapore Police Force will also play a part in this task force.
Led by HDB, which will be coordinating responses from relevant agencies, the task force relies heavily on grassroots organisations and volunteers to tackle the problem of hoarding. While it serves as a useful first port of call to report cases of hoarding, greater awareness among members of the community must prevail to bring more cases to light.
We should also look at the Habitat for Humanity Singapore, a non-profit organisation, which runs Project HomeWorks. The initiative is aimed at improving the living conditions of the elderly, sick and disabled in one- and two-room rental flats in Singapore.
They deal with two to three cases of hoarding every month, going in to check up on hoarders regularly and respectfully helping them to clear clutter. More resources could be channelled into a similar volunteer-run group dedicated to the issue of hoarding alone.
Hoarders need compassion and understanding to thrive
Clearly, hoarders do not engage in such behaviour with the intention of causing harm to others.
Hence, to help seniors with this condition thrive, we need to approach them with greater understanding and compassion, especially in our attempts to alleviate the poverty, isolation and loneliness underpinning their hoarding tendencies.
The path to helping people overcome their hoarding behaviours is one paved with great care and sensitivity. We can all play a part.
This article has been adapted from an end-of-course assessment: “Ageing in Multicultural Contexts” by Lin Sng Hock, a PhD student in Gerontology with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).