Description
For your information:
The case study is based on a citizen Thomas (T) that I have worked with. T is a 68 year old man who lives alone and has hoarding disorder. There are many different causes of hoarding diss-order (please list). T had a happy early childhood living with his mother and father as an only child, until his mother passed away suddenly to cancer when T was 9 years old. T was then raised by his father who began to struggle with depression and developed hoarding dis-order. T believes it was the sudden and death of his mother that triggered his father’s hoarding disorder. T now as an adult also has hoarding disorder. T admits that he has been hoarding all of his life however believes it got worse following the death of his father 14 years ago. I spent a lot of time over a period of months getting to know TL through telephone conversation and eventually conversations at his front door. I had already been briefed that his hoarding was soo sever that he could not access upstairs because the stairs were blocked by clutter/household items. Only after 3 months of getting to engage with TL did I begin to talk to him about ‘organising’ items within his home and ‘setting goals’ The language we use when engaging with hoarders is crucial. If we were to talk about throwing items in the bin or tidying up mess they are likely to disengage.
Themes must include:
Multi agency practice (I carried out joint assessment with greater Manchester fire and rescue team to carry out fire risk safety inspection). I carried out a joint visit with an occupational therapist. Also referred T for CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) an liaised with his GP to inform of my involvement and ascertain if GP had any concerns. Why is self-neglect important in the context of safeguarding of persons at risk?
Legislation must be included:
Care Act 2014 (Hoarding is a part of self-neglect and self-neglect is a part of safeguarding)
Mental capacity Act 2005 (A capacity assessment carried out a year early)
Mental Health Act 1983 – Hoarding dis-order has been listed as a mental health problem.
Human rights Act – right to private and family life in contrast to Safeguarding (main ones that underpin my work with TL)
Theories that informed my practice when working with TL
Empowerment theory (empowered TL to be able to continue living in his own home safely)
Psychodynamic theory (through talking and CBT TL was able to explore and understand his emotions and unconscious patterns of behaviour in order to know one self-better and make better decisions
