{
  "id": 7956676,
  "title": "Long-term community support key to preventing return to hoarding: Charities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/long-term-community-support-key-to-preventing-return-to-hoarding-7956676",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-17T05:14:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Singapore",
    "slug": "cna-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/hoarding-long-term-community-support-key-charities-6388331"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Long-term community support is essential to prevent individuals from returning to hoarding behavior, according to charities and experts. In Singapore, about 60% of hoarding cases seen by Montfort Care experience re-hoarding. Clearing a severely cluttered home can take days, but maintaining a clutter-free environment requires ongoing support and regular follow-ups.\n\nEstablishing trust and patience is crucial, as well as gradually decluttering a person's home. Simply clearing out possessions is not enough, as the contrast can create a strong sense of loss and potentially trigger the hoarder to accumulate more items. Clinical psychologist Sarah Ann Lee explains that possessions often hold significant emotional value, providing a sense of permanence and security. Addressing the underlying emotions, such as anxiety or grief, is an important aspect of helping hoarders maintain a clutter-free home.\n\nBuilding rapport and understanding a hoarder's perspective is also vital. People who hoard may feel anxious about being judged or have strained relationships with loved ones. Engaging in open conversations and showing empathy can help create a trusting relationship, making the hoarder more receptive to decluttering assistance. Community involvement and a gradual, step-by-step approach have proven effective for AMKSS Social Move, which now sees a recurrence rate of less than 5% compared to the previous 50%.",
  "summary": "Experts say patience, building trust and gradual decluttering can be crucial.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Long-term community support key to preventing return to hoarding: Charities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/long-term-community-support-key-to-preventing-return-to-hoarding",
        "published": "2026-09-17T05:14:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}