Reddit reviews The Hoarding Handbook: A Guide for Human Service Professionals

> He's a hoarder and his house was hit hard by the hurricane. My sister and I can't let him go back there due to the risk of infection. We want to get the state involved for my dads house to condemn it. We absolutely cannot let him go back until he's in the clear with his open heart surgery....


These sorts of situations have come up a couple of times on the U.S. television show Hoarders (A&E). Someone still recovering from a serious illness is ready to be released, but their home environment is hoarded and not safe for the patient to return to.

On those episodes that I saw, in each case the patient's physician and the hospital's social worker were notified that releasing the patient would mean returning the patient to a hoarding environment. So they would make arrangements for the patient to stay in an appropriate facility until the house could be cleaned up.

That said, insurance wouldn't pay for it forever, so the pressure was on to clean up, and quickly, from building inspectors and social services.

That's the only solution I know of for your situation--involve the doctors and social services.

1. If possible, get photos and/or video of the home your dad will be returning to, then get in contact with the social worker at the hospital.
   
2. Make sure that the social worker understands that this is a hoarding situation that involves multiple family members who are hoarders themselves; if the social worker is not familiar with hoarding disorder, tell him that it's imperative that you speak with a social worker who is familiar with (and preferably has worked with) hoarders and hoarding situations.
   
3. There's also a great book, The Hoarding Handbook: A Guide for Human Service Professionals. It's written for social services professionals, but can be useful for family members looking to understand their options. It might be a good idea to get a copy for yourself, to help you formulate a plan to best leverage the available services.
   
   Given the situation with Hurricane Harvey, I don't know what--if anything--the local gov't can do about your dad's home right away. They have a lot of urgent stuff to take care of, so they may just refer you to your dad's insurance agent.
   
   Your best bet may be doc + social worker + Adult Protective Services, depending on how bad the hoard is.
   
   Be forewarned: be prepared for an absolute shit-storm of stubbornness, blame, threats, and pure unadulterated rage from your dad after you reveal the hoard. Hoarders typically don't give one red shit about health consequences--they'll fight to protect that hoard, because they genuinely believe that they can have both the hoard and a safe recovery environment for themselves.
   
   It is VERY common for compulsive hoarders to see a loved one's choice to reveal their hoarding to "outsiders" as the deepest possible betrayal, and it may permanently shatter their trust in you. They may start to regard you as an absolute enemy.
   
   That's a worst-case scenario, of course. The hope is that, thanks to the hurricane, your dad will see sense once the seriousness of his condition is impressed on them by medical and social services. I can only urge you to enlist help from the hospital, and be prepared to adjust as you deal with this situation.
   
   Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Hoarding-Handbook-Guide-Service-Professionals/dp/0195385519

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