A comparison of the neuropsychological profiles of people living in squalor without hoarding to those living in squalor associated with hoarding

Abstract

Objective: Squalor affects 1 in 1000 older people and is regarded as a secondary condition to other primary disorders such as dementia, intellectual impairment and alcohol abuse. Squalor frequently is associated with hoarding behaviour. We compared the neuropsychological profile of people living in squalor associated with hoarding to those presenting with squalor only. Methods: This study is a retrospective case series of hospital inpatient and community healthcare services of 69 people living in squalor (49 from aged care, 16 from aged psychiatry, 3 from acute medical and 1 from a memory clinic). Forty per cent had co-morbid hoarding behaviours. The main outcomes were neuropsychologists' op..