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VOL.17, NO.4
F O R
P E O P L E
O V E R
APRIL 2020
More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore
‘Retirees’ are busier than ever PHOTO BY AARON LEVIN
I N S I D E … BALTIMORE BEACON — APRIL 2020
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Clutter and hoarding: not the same thing By Margaret Foster and Harvard Women’s Health Watch As a professional organizer in Baltimore, Amy Bloom, founder of Let Your Space Bloom LLC, said that accumulation of possessions is a natural part of life. “There are a lot of people who live with a lot of clutter. Even if you’re very cognizant of editing your stuff, if you’re in a space for a long time, you’re going to accumulate a lot of clutter,” said Bloom, who works with empty nesters who are preparing to sell their houses. It can feel overwhelming to own too much. “Clutter is pervasive, physically and mentally,” she said. But sometimes a person’s accumulation of stuff grows to the point that it signifies a deeper problem. Since Bloom started her organization company in 2016, she has encountered about a dozen people who meet the definition of a hoarder. Hoarding disorder, according to the American Psychological association, is “a persistent difficulty getting rid of or parting with possessions.” It’s a widespread problem that affects between 2% and 6% of the population.
What’s behind hoarding? Television shows such as “Hoarders” and “Hoarding: Buried Alive” increased public awareness of the issue by presenting a vivid picture of hoarding to millions of viewers. But TV shows — particularly those that
emphasize cleanup services rather than therapy — can present a distorted picture of the serious work involved. Cleanup alone is almost never a long-term solution. It’s unclear where compulsive hoarding comes from; research has shown that it isn’t correlated with material or emotional deprivation earlier in life. Psychologists have identified a pattern of cognitive and emotional difficulties that underlie hoarding symptoms. These are as follows: • Indecisiveness and fear of making mistakes. By never choosing to throw anything out and constantly accumulating things “just in case,” the hoarder tries to avoid making wrong decisions or having regrets. • Difficulty categorizing. A person who has a hard time sorting objects into categories can find it difficult to decide which drawer something belongs in. For a person who has difficulty distinguishing between valuable and worthless items, keeping old supermarket flyers may seem as sensible as keeping last year’s tax return. • Concerns about memory. A hoarder may have unjustified doubts about the reliability of her memory and therefore avoid putting things away for fear of not being able to find them again. Dresser drawers remain empty while clothes pile up on furniture and the floor. Old newspapers and magazines are saved for fear the information in them will be forgotten if they’re not kept on hand. • Emotional attachment to objects.
How to help a hoarder 1. Listen. Let the person tell his/her story. Respect the person’s perspective and attachment to the possessions. Don’t tease or criticize. 2. Go slow. There’s no need to rush changes unless the person’s living situation is unsafe or it is necessary to move to smaller quarters or a nursing facility. 3. Engage. Involve the hoarder in decisions about where to put things and what to throw out. 4. Notice other changes. If there are signs of other cognitive or emotional problems, arrange for a professional evaluation. For example, hiding belongings or spending a lot of time rummaging
through stuff can be a sign of dementia. 5. Provide structure and emotional support. During the de-cluttering process, keep the person company and help him/her stay focused on one area at a time. 6. Lift and tote. An older hoarder may need family, friends, professional cleaners or movers to help with handling the clutter. 7. Work with others. More than 75 communities have hoarding task forces that address psychiatric, legal, geriatric and housing concerns. One possible source of information is your local Area Agency on Aging. — Harvard Women’s Health Watch
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By Simone Ellin As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Older adults in Baltimore and beyond are more active than ever, and some are devoting their later years to giving back to their communities. Studies confirm that Americans over 62 are waiting longer than previous generations to retire. What’s more, many who do retire aren’t doing so in order to slow down; they’re simply leaving their jobs to pursue other passions. Some even continue to work 40 hours a week at volunteer jobs. That volunteer work is valued at $75 billion, according to the federal Corporation for National and Community Service. In the Baltimore area, many retired and semi-retired people are volunteering to help others and to improve their communities. Here are a few of their stories.
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Too much clutter can be a sign of a mental illness known as hoarding, which can lead to dangerous conditions in a home.
A hoarder often comes to see beauty and value in clutter and develops a sentimental attachment to it. This heightens his or her enthusiasm for acquiring things and reluctance to discard them. • Need for control. The hoarder usually doesn’t want anyone else to make decisions about her possessions, so it can be difficult for the family to help.
Medication and therapy may help There are no specific anti-hoarding medications. Drugs that are used to treat OCD may help, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants or tricyclic antidepressants. But compulsive hoarders often don’t respond to these medications. Studies show that people with OCD are less likely to respond to SSRIs if hoarding is one of their symptoms. On the other hand, these drugs may be useful for treating the depression and anxiety that often accompany hoarding. Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can work, but hasn’t worked well either, often because patients are reluctant to participate. To find a therapist with experience in the
treatment of hoarding, check the treatment provider listing in the hoarding section of the International OCD Foundation website.
An escalating problem Over the years, compulsive hoarding takes an increasing emotional, financial and sometimes physical toll. The home becomes unsafe. Guests may be forbidden. “Family members are much more likely to seek help than the hoarder. Hoarders are reluctant to change. And they’re usually upset about their hoarding only if people are putting lots of pressure on them to change,” said Dr. Michael Jenike, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and founder of the hoarding clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital. Family interventions don’t always help. The hoarder may resist to hiring a professional cleaner. Extra storage units may simply be filled up. Relatives or friends may try to strongarm a hoarder into getting rid of her stuff, but that tactic often ends disastrously, causing lifelong resentments. “You need someone to negotiate for See HOARDING, page B-3
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Retired, but still on the job By the time many of us retire, we’re ready to pursue something entirely new. That’s not the case for Towson resident Susan Nestler, 73. After working in banking for 30 years, she left the corporate world six years ago to work as a major gifts officer for a nonprofit. Although she officially retired from that group recently, she continues to work for the organization in a volunteer capacity. “Last year, I volunteered in the development office three times a week, doing my own job,” Nestler said. “Once you’ve done fundraising, you can’t really escape it. You’re called upon to do it, and you can’t say no. But also, I really enjoy it,” she admitted. In addition to fundraising, Nestler volunteers for political campaigns, fundraises for other nonprofits she cares about, and helps older residents in her neighborhood by driving them to appointments. In between volunteering gigs, Nestler has time to travel, garden and spend time with family. “I thought I was just going to keep working,” Nestler said. “But when I turned 70, I realized I’m on the short end. I’m not going to live as long as I have lived already. “I knew I had a lot of things I wanted to do. I still like doing [the work I used to do], but it’s really nice not having a schedule, not commuting and not having people
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Baltimore County resident Marty Sitnick, 72, has always loved animals. So, after he retired as a travel agent, he volunteered as an animal trainer at several rescue shelters. Many retirees fulfill lifelong dreams by working overtime as volunteers.
rely on me in the same way. I’m so thrilled to be retired.”
The dog whisperer Owings Mills entrepreneur Marty Sitnick, 72, sold his discount travel company in 2010. With more time on his hands, he decided to spend the rest of his life helping pets. “I always loved animals,” Sitnick said. “My parents always had dogs, and my mother encouraged me to have snakes, hamsters, guinea pigs, lizards… “When I was 7 or 8, I used to walk home from school and I discovered that if I saved some of my lunch, I could get dogs to follow me home. It drove my parents crazy.”
Sitnick wanted to become a veterinarian, but he became disillusioned during an anatomy class at the University of Maryland, when a teacher provided a live demonstration of a chicken running around with its head cut off. Instead, Sitnick graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history and went on to own a variety of successful businesses. Yet, caring for pets — his own and other people’s — was never far from his heart. “I spent as much time as I could reading about animal training, studying techniques and different breeds. I became the kind of See VOLUNTEERS, page 5
At the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, three actors pay homage to the Bard’s complete works in two hilarious hours; plus, an adopted son’s success story page 23 FITNESS & HEALTH k CDC’s coronavirus advice k Foods that help fend off colds
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