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Did you know that 2-5% of the population have hoarding habits? Or that hoarding was only recognised as a mental health disorder in 2018?

It’s one thing to have a bit too much stuff, but it’s another thing entirely for the number of things you own to negatively impact your life.

Lynn Howells, our Company Secretarial Administrator, runs our Bracknell hoarding support group. She describes herself as "a hoarder who's continuously dealing with a work in progress" and has shared her experiences to help others who may be suffering from a hoarding disorder.

 

What is hoarding?

Lynn: “Hoarding is a compulsive desire to keep things that may or may not have financial or sentimental value. Sometimes the number of items can get out of control and take over the hoarder’s home and life entirely.

"It often creates such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Virtually all surfaces are usually piled with all sorts of items. When there's no more room inside, the clutter spreads to the garage, vehicles, outside spaces and other places."

 

What causes hoarding? 

Lynn: “While hoarding can be linked to genetics, the most common cause is trauma. It's used by some as a coping mechanism to deal with traumatic life events, usually involving a loss of some kind. Bereavement is a very common reason, or it can be something like losing your job or a relationship, or a combination of loss. When too many things happen at once and you can't cope with them, you can turn to coping strategies like hoarding.

"I’ve found that you're often not aware of it until it becomes overwhelming, and that's why hoarding is such an issue – as it’s not a conscious choice. We all acquire things, and we've all got special things we want to hold on to. That's what makes it so difficult as you don't realise until you are unable to deal with it.”

 

How can you tackle hoarding?

Lynn: "Hoarding should be tackled sensitively and individually. Have a support network, work with people you trust, make sure the person with hoarding behaviours is at the centre and nothing is done without their permission. Getting them to make the decisions ultimately helps them cope in the long-term. Clearing everything out and making things 'better' often results in a more hoarded home very quickly.

“There are many organisations and support networks you can approach. These include Clouds End, Hoarding UK and Hoarding Disorders UK. You can also search Facebook for the 'LifePodUK' and 'Stay In and Sort Out' groups.”

 

Have you got any tips for dealing with a hoarding disorder while in lockdown?

Lynn: "A lot of people deal with a hoarded home by going out and avoiding it, but it's not possible to do that in the current climate. The current difficulty is in moving the items on, whether it's to a charity shop or to a recycling centre. My advice is to label things so you don't end up sorting through them again, and as soon as possible, get the labelled items to wherever you've decided it's acceptable for them to go."

 

In the news

Lynn's advice around hoarding has been featured in the Daily Express.

This interview has also appeared in:

• The Belfast Telegraph
• The Basingstoke Gazette
• Bridlington Free Press
• Barry & District News
• Lancaster Guardian
• Penarth Times
• Helensburgh Advertiser
• Somerset County Gazette
• Newmarket Journal
• Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News
• Southend Echo
• Daily Gazette
• Evening Express (Aberdeen)
• Leamington Spa Courier
• Camborne & Redruth Packet
• Northern Echo
• Argus (Brighton)
• Monmouthshire Free Press
• Falmouth Packet
• Gazette (Johnstone & Renfrewshire)
• Whitby Gazette
• Scarborough News
• York Press
• Telegraph & Argus (Bradford)
• Wigan Observer
• Reading Midweek

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With more than 2,000 customers aged 65 and over, many of whom are self-isolating, we are doing everything we can to help keep loneliness at bay.

 

Each week, over twenty Silva colleagues make a total of 200 calls to customers who have requested this service because they are living in isolation.

 

They chat about anything and everything and it gives our customers a chance to have an informal and friendly conversation with someone who they wouldn’t usually interact with.

 

Our new ‘phone pals’ service is in huge demand and we have had over 1000 people already sign up to receive these calls!

 

One elderly woman, who lives on her own in one of our independent living homes commented on this programme: “I’d just like tell you how much I appreciate the great phone calls I’ve been having from the Silva phone pals. They really do make my day, especially as they’re from such a diverse crowd.”

 

Dasos Christou, our executive director (customer relations) commented: “As a housing association, we are in a position to help improve the lives of over 14,000 people.

 

“As soon as it became clear that coronavirus would impact our customers, we acted to ensure that as many services as possible were available for those who were isolating.

 

“We wanted to make sure that everyone could access our support, not just those people with a phone or the internet, so we’ve introduced a range of schemes to ensure all our customers get the help they need.

 

“Our approach so far has had really positive feedback and I’m extremely proud of how hard our teams have worked in the face of this unprecedented challenge, especially those on the frontline.”

 

In addition to the phone pals scheme, we have recently introduced an essential supplies and food delivery service for all our isolating customers and we have continued to deliver personalised entertainment and support for elderly customers, such as this birthday surprise for 100-year-old Winnie.

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To celebrate, our Silva colleagues at the independent living scheme surprised her with her family and friends. 

 

Silva colleagues, other customers and members of Winnie's family gathered in the scheme's garden, staying, two metres apart, to sing happy birthday to Winnie who watched and danced from her flat window.

 

A colourful banner was held up which read: "Happy 100th Birthday lovely Winnie! From all of us at Broadway House xx."

 

A big birthday party had been planned for Winnie before the coronavirus outbreak but sadly had to be cancelled to keep everyone safe. 

 

Karen Thomas, the scheme's manager, said: "We didn’t want her day to go without some sort of fanfare, it’s not every day you’re 100!"

 

Karen described Winnie as "a real pleasure to have" as a customer.

 

She said: "She’s so happy, she’s always positive and her family have said they are just delighted she moved here when she did.”

 

 

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As Silva’s Aids & Adaptations Administrator (previously Health & Wellbeing Coordinator) Lynette usually organises fun weekly activities and events at the housing association’ independent living homes.

But when coronavirus was declared a pandemic Lynette changed her role at Silva, to ensure that the housing association’s vulnerable independent living customers not only have vital supplies brought to their doorsteps – but that they also have someone to talk to.

Lynette worked with her manager to swap roles in mid-March as COVID-19 took a grip of the country, but well before PM Boris Johnson announced a lockdown. It was a swift response to government advice against visits to older residents in the independent living schemes.

Now, working from home, Lynette is busier than ever, running a team of Silva Homes colleagues, who have also volunteered to make sure people in the organisation’s independent living homes do not go without food.

On a daily basis, Lynette calls up residents in self-isolation, as they are most at risk from coronavirus, to check on their well-being and to take shopping orders.

Her team of volunteers then spring into action, picking up shopping and delivering vital items, safe in the knowledge they will not spread the virus thanks to face masks, gloves and hand sanitiser.

They knock on residents’ doors, leave the shopping on the floor and take a step back to ensure they follow social distancing guidelines.

They do not enter customers’ homes and follow government advice closely but still have time and space for a quick chat – which is proving a pick-me-up for Silva Homes customers.

While Lynette may have changed her job role, her team of volunteers need to fit this service around their usual jobs at Silva. On Wednesday, one volunteer spent three hours doing three shops and deliveries, before going home to carry on working. All Silva colleagues, other than key frontline workers, are now working from home, following the government’s advice.

Lynette said: “I’m really pleased to be involved with this project as it is an important service and a lovely thing to do.

“I speak to a lot of our vulnerable customers on the phone who are not just scared, but also quite lonely and I know they are having a hard time adjusting.

“This scheme not only gives them their essential shopping, but it also gives them the chance to speak to someone - and a conversation can go a long way!”

Silva colleagues have been working round the clock to support their 14,000 customers across the South East of England and 230 colleagues in the face of the global pandemic.

Dasos Christou, Silva Homes Executive Director (Customer Relations) added: “I’m so proud of Lynette and her volunteers because they epitomise everything that is good about Silva.

“Lynette is adapting to the challenging circumstances and is bringing a lovely human touch to customers who are in self-isolation at our independent living homes.

“She’s catering to their everyday needs and, with her newly created team, they are also putting a smile on people’s faces which is priceless.

“Whilst this may continue for many more weeks, we are confident in our response. We will continue to show leadership and respond together.”

Find out more about Silva Homes' approach to coronavirus: https://www.silvahomes.co.uk/coronavirus-update

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We are welcoming in 2020 with a new customer-led policy that will please animal-loving renters across the region.

We will now be allowing pets into most of our affordable homes, providing they are well-looked after and do not cause a nuisance to others.

 One Silva Homes customer has said:

“I think it’s a great improvement. This is a much more humanitarian approach, and it’s good of this landlord to allow pets, because not all do. Having a pet is very important to a lot of people and a great asset, especially for those who live on their own. I think this is really great news.”

Dasos Christou, our Executive Director for Customer Relations explains:

“We are committed to listening to our tenants and responding to their needs.  The decision to update our pet policy was instigated after a survey of our customers saw the majority favoring a more flexible approach to pet ownership.

“Our Customer Partnership Board, which in made up of tenants from across our different types of properties, were involved to ensure that all customer voices were heard.”

Only customers from our independent living schemes voted to reject this new policy, so they will continue to live pet-free.

The news comes as Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick MP, has called on landlords to make it easier for responsible tenants to have well behaved pets in their homes.

Dasos continues:

"When people are looking for a new home the thought of not being able to have a pet, or even bring their current pet to their new home, can be extremely traumatic.

“We have reshaped our pet policy so that it works with, rather than against, the needs of our customers. As soon as it became clear that there was majority demand for a new pet policy, we began to plan how we could go about implementing the change.

“Now, every application for a pet will be looked at on its own merit and so long as there are no major issues which would impact on the animal or surrounding residents, we will happily give the go-ahead.”

Enjoyed this article? You can read Dasos Christou's full comment in Inside Housing here: https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/why-silva-homes-changed-our-pet-policy-64699

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