Is My Loved One a Hoarder?

Use This Checklist to Help You Decide

Although at Clutter&Hoarding Pros™ we work with families, friends, and fiduciaries in clearing and remediating the hoarded estates of deceased or re-homed hoarders, we also get many calls from worried relatives asking us how they can tell whether a friend or loved one is a truly hoarder or just has a bit too much "stuff." ​

If you suspect that a friend or family member is a hoarder, you can take this simple questionnaire to be sure. [We have reformatted it to fit into the blog space.]

The HOMES® Multi-disciplinary Hoarding Risk Assessment was developed by Christiana Bratiotis, PhD, MSW, who has worked in the field of help for hoarders for well over a decade and has co-authored The Hoarding Handbook, A Guide for Human Service Professionals.

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​HOMES® Multi-disciplinary Hoarding Risk Assessment 

Health
Cannot use bathtub/shower  Cannot prepare food
Presence of spoiled food   Presence of insects/rodents
Cannot access toilet   Cannot sleep in bed
Presence of feces/urine (human or animal)
Presence of mold or chronic dampness
Garbage/trash overflow  Cannot use stove/fridge/sink
Cannot locate medications or equipment       

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Obstacles 
Cannot move freely/safely in home
Unstable piles/avalanche risk
Inability for EMT to enter/gain access
Egresses, exits or vents blocked or unusable

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Mental health  (Note that this is not a clinical diagnosis; use only to identify risk factors) 
Does not seem to understand seriousness of problem
Defensive or angry  Unaware, not alert, or confused
Does not seem to accept likely consequence of problem
Anxious or apprehensive   

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Endangerment (evaluate threat based on other sections with attention to specific populations listed below)
Threat to health or safety of child/minor
Threat to health or safety of person with disability
Threat to health or safety of older adult
Threat to health or safety of animal 

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Structure & Safety 
Unstable floorboards/stairs/porch
Leaking roof     Electrical wires/cords exposed
No running water/plumbing problems
Flammable items beside heat source     Caving walls
No heat/electricity        Blocked/unsafe electric heater or vents
Storage of hazardous materials/weapons 

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Household Composition  
# of Adults _____________
# of  Children __________   
# and kinds of Pets ________________________________________________     
Ages of adults: __________________________       
Ages of children: ______________________       
Person who smokes in home  Yes     No
​Person(s) with physical disability____________________________________
Language(s) spoken in home________________________________________ 
 
Assessment Notes:__________________________________________________  _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
 
Risk Measurements
 Imminent Harm to self, family, animals, public:___________________
_____________________________________________________________________
 Threat of Eviction: _________________________________________
 Threat of Condemnation:_____________________________________ 
 
Capacity Measurements Instructions: 
Place a check mark by the items that represent the strengths and capacity to address the hoarding problem 
 Awareness of clutter
 Willingness to acknowledge clutter and risks to health, safety
    and ability to remain in home/impact on daily life
 Physical ability to clear clutter
 Psychological ability to tolerate intervention
 Willingness to accept intervention assistance 
 
Capacity Notes: __________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ 
 
Post-Assessment Plan/Referral  _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ 
 
Date: _________________     Client Name: _____________________________

Assessor: ___________________________________________ 
 
© Bratiotis, 2009 

We hope this helps identify a hoarding loved one

If you find yourself need to clear the estate of a hoarding loved one, please Contact us for ethical, trustworthy, and non-judgmental hoarding remediation services, including clearing and cleaning a hoarded estate and remediating the home for living or sale.