Senate report calls for national action against hoarding disorder

Hoarding disorder, a mental health condition characterized by difficulty parting with possessions, affects approximately 2% of the general U.S. population and 6% of adults over the age of 70. (Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — A new Senate report warns that hoarding disorder among older Americans is on the rise, calling for urgent national action.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Aging, released the report, marking the first time Congress has addressed the condition.

“My report is a first step toward raising awareness about hoarding disorder,” Casey told Axios.

Hoarding disorder, a mental health condition characterized by difficulty parting with possessions, affects approximately 2% of the general U.S. population and 6% of adults over the age of 70. As the U.S. population ages, experts predict that prevalence will increase.

This disorder can create dangerous living conditions, leading to health problems, social isolation, and difficulties for first responders in an emergency. It can also affect public health through mold or infestation problems that spread to neighboring spaces.

The report criticizes federal agencies for their lack of action. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Administration for Community Living lack specific programs to combat hoarding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers no recent online resources on the topic.

To address this growing concern, the report recommends:

1. Improving data collection on the impact of hoarding on older adults and first responders
2. Public awareness campaigns
3. Federal Training and Assistance for Local Service Providers
4. Expanded Medicare and Medicaid Coverage for Hoarding Treatments
5. Direct engagement with those affected and their families

The report says the aging of the U.S. population will force the federal government to prioritize previously neglected problems, including hoarding disorder.