Increasing Housing Security for Individuals with Hoarding Disorder

Hoarding is a mental health disorder that sees the build-up of possessions that clutter living areas. It causes problems in social, work and other areas of day-to-day living. People living with this disorder have trouble parting with things due to a perceived need.

Housing associations are often the first line of engagement. Research has yet to explore the impact of hoarding on housing insecurity. This research aims to provide valuable insights into how community-based organizations, municipalities and housing agencies can work together effectively. It can help to improve our understanding of the impact of hoarding behaviour on housing insecurity.

Project scope and expected outcomes

This research explores the best way to help keep people with hoarding disorders housed. Hoarding behaviour may be up to 3 times more common in older populations than younger ones.

Working with agencies that have experience with residential hoarding situations, data collection and analysis will help to inform decisions. The project will be done in 2 parts:

• data collection and analysis
• a literature review and quantitative data collection and analysis

Researchers will conduct a literature review and collect data in 3 ways:

• administrative data from local agencies
• targeted survey to professionals within the Edmonton Hoarding Coalition network
• semi-structured interviews with front-line staff and professionals

Data collection and analysis

The project team will analyze secondary data collected from participants from several agencies working with the Edmonton Hoarding Coalition. This is to determine how many low-resourced seniors living with hoarding behaviour are experiencing housing insecurity. The data will examine the relationship between hoarding behaviour and housing insecurity on the individual level. It will also uncover the:

• types of referrals being made
• types of tenant notices issued
• additional services accessed by individuals

The research team will identify the impacts of the data.

A targeted survey will be circulated to organizations within the Edmonton Hoarding Coalition’s professional network. This will allow more data to be collected from organizations unable to share their administrative data. Self-reported data from the survey will also allow for comparison with the data gathered from the agencies.

Literature review and quantitative data collection and analysis

The literature review results will form the basis for the semi-structured interview questions. Interviews targeted to established hoarding teams in western provinces and Ontario will contribute to more data and insights. The goal is to investigate the types of service responses given by frontline practitioners and other professionals with expertise in hoarding cases. Ideally, this will help determine which service responses were found to be effective in keeping residents in their homes.

Agencies and networks to be contacted for interview participation are:

• Toronto Hoarding Support Services Network
• Edmonton Hoarding Coalition
• Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
• A&O Support Services for Older Adults
• The OCD Centre Manitoba
• The Hoarding Action Response Team (Vancouver)
• University of British Columbia’s Centre for Collaborative Research on Hoarding.

Besides being asked to participate in the interviews, these agencies will be asked to encourage other appropriate people to participate.

Results of the research project will be shared:

• with the agencies and participating staff
• in selected journals
• through promotion on social media

Information gathered through this project will help impact frontline practice to keep residents in their homes.

See more examples of projects funded through the National Housing Strategy Research and Planning Fund.