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Social care responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people: What works in practice?

Aims

The overall aim of this exploratory study is to improve practice understanding of what works in responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people.

Funding

NIHR School for Social Care Research (Research Project P156)

Methods

The study is using a mixed-methods approach. The literature and policy review phase involves: 1. Analysis of research literature on hoarding and self-neglect. 2. Review of national and local policy on hoarding and self-neglect. 3. Review of published literature on the perceptions/experiences of practitioners and of service users/those with personal experience/clients of hoarding and self-neglect. We will also conduct an analysis of Safeguarding Adults Reviews in this field.

Working with six sites in England, we are conducting interviews with safeguarding managers, practitioners and service users and family members. Finally, Michela Tinelli (LSE) is leading on an exploratory evaluation of the economic impact of self-neglect and hoarding among older people.

We are working with Age UK London on this project.

Ethics approval for this project

NHS Health Research Authority, West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee Ref: 21/WM/0109

Note on research team

Nicole Steils replaced John Woolham as co-Principal Investigator of this project on 1 January 2022. John was co-Principal Investigator from the project's inception until his retirement at the end of 2021. John became a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King's in February 2022. 

Martin Stevens was a member of the research team until his death in March 2022.

Summary of findings

Findings from the early phases of the project have been published in two reports and two articles (see under Outputs below). We are in the dissemination phase of the study. The final report is currently under review.

Related work in adult safeguarding

See also the Unit's parallel project: Opening the "too difficult box": Strengthening adult safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect.

Other related studies

  • Decluttering the homes of people with hoarding behaviours: Local authority commissioning, professional practices, and user experiences (Project page)
  • Understanding and improving training offers for professionals working with people with hoarding behaviours (Project page)

And see

 

Publications

Our final report is currently under review

Reports

Steils, N., Woolham, J., Manthorpe, J., Martineau, S., Owen, J., Stevens, M., & Tinelli, M. (2022) What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people? A thematic review, London: NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King's College London. https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-083

Martineau, S., Manthorpe, J., Woolham, J., Steils, N., Stevens, M., Owen, J., and Tinelli, M. (2021) Social care responses to self-neglect among older people: an evidence review of what works in practice, London: NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King’s College London.  https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-047 

Articles

Owen, J., Woolham, J., Manthorpe, J., Steils, N., Martineau, S., Stevens, M., Tinelli, M. (2022) Adult safeguarding managers' understandings of self-neglect and hoarding. Health & Social Care in the Community. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13841

Manthorpe, J., Woolham, J., Steils, N., Stevens, M., Martineau, S., Owen, J., & Tinelli, M. (2022) Experiences of adult social work addressing self-neglect during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Social Workhttps://doi.org/10.1177/14680173221083446

Blog posts

Martineau, S. (2022) ‘…items and belongings…’ – a hoarding case at the Court of Protection, (blog post), Health & Social Care Workforce, 27 September.

Martineau, S. (2022) On best interests: values and participation in mental capacity law, (blog post), Health & Social Care Workforce, 26 June.

Conferences

Owen, J., Manthorpe, J., Steils, N., Woolham, J., Martineau, S., Stevens, M., & Tinelli, M. (2022) Social care responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people: Emerging findings of what works in practice. Annual Conference of the British Society of Gerontology 2022, Bristol/online, 8th July.

Presentation to GPs and Practice Managers in London, 20th January 2022.

We have made a number of presentations of our findings in those sites which took part in our study.

News

Green and yellow graphic

Reporting findings of the self-neglect and hoarding behaviour among older people study

Nicole Steils and Michela Tinelli were at the 5 Five Nations Conference Series

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

Showcasing King's work on self-neglect

Nicole Steils and Jess Harris discussed two recent research projects on the topic

Abstract pattern

Self-neglect and hoarding behaviour among older people study

Nicole Steils and Michela Tinelli were feeding back study findings to participants

Green and yellow graphic

Reporting findings from Unit self-neglect and hoarding study back to participants

Nicole Steils presented findings from our NIHR School for Social Care Research funded study

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

Current thinking on hoarding behaviour

Over 320 people attended a webinar focusing on psychological and legal perspectives

Abstract pattern

King's researchers facilitated two workshops on self-neglect and hoarding behaviour in Greenwich

Nicole Steils and Jen Owen were sharing findings from a NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Green and yellow graphic

Self-neglect, hoarding behaviour and the Fire & Rescue Service

Nicole Steils and Michela Tinelli (LSE) discussed harm prevention, services, and costs

Green and yellow graphic

Self-neglect and hoarding behaviour study reports back to study site

Nicole Steils discusses findings with Safeguarding Adults Board

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people?

New evidence review from our NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Green and yellow graphic

Self-neglect among older people: an evidence review

How should Adult Social Care best respond?

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

Publications

Our final report is currently under review

Reports

Steils, N., Woolham, J., Manthorpe, J., Martineau, S., Owen, J., Stevens, M., & Tinelli, M. (2022) What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people? A thematic review, London: NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King's College London. https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-083

Martineau, S., Manthorpe, J., Woolham, J., Steils, N., Stevens, M., Owen, J., and Tinelli, M. (2021) Social care responses to self-neglect among older people: an evidence review of what works in practice, London: NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King’s College London.  https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-047 

Articles

Owen, J., Woolham, J., Manthorpe, J., Steils, N., Martineau, S., Stevens, M., Tinelli, M. (2022) Adult safeguarding managers' understandings of self-neglect and hoarding. Health & Social Care in the Community. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13841

Manthorpe, J., Woolham, J., Steils, N., Stevens, M., Martineau, S., Owen, J., & Tinelli, M. (2022) Experiences of adult social work addressing self-neglect during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Social Workhttps://doi.org/10.1177/14680173221083446

Blog posts

Martineau, S. (2022) ‘…items and belongings…’ – a hoarding case at the Court of Protection, (blog post), Health & Social Care Workforce, 27 September.

Martineau, S. (2022) On best interests: values and participation in mental capacity law, (blog post), Health & Social Care Workforce, 26 June.

Conferences

Owen, J., Manthorpe, J., Steils, N., Woolham, J., Martineau, S., Stevens, M., & Tinelli, M. (2022) Social care responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people: Emerging findings of what works in practice. Annual Conference of the British Society of Gerontology 2022, Bristol/online, 8th July.

Presentation to GPs and Practice Managers in London, 20th January 2022.

We have made a number of presentations of our findings in those sites which took part in our study.

News

Green and yellow graphic

Reporting findings of the self-neglect and hoarding behaviour among older people study

Nicole Steils and Michela Tinelli were at the 5 Five Nations Conference Series

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

Showcasing King's work on self-neglect

Nicole Steils and Jess Harris discussed two recent research projects on the topic

Abstract pattern

Self-neglect and hoarding behaviour among older people study

Nicole Steils and Michela Tinelli were feeding back study findings to participants

Green and yellow graphic

Reporting findings from Unit self-neglect and hoarding study back to participants

Nicole Steils presented findings from our NIHR School for Social Care Research funded study

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

Current thinking on hoarding behaviour

Over 320 people attended a webinar focusing on psychological and legal perspectives

Abstract pattern

King's researchers facilitated two workshops on self-neglect and hoarding behaviour in Greenwich

Nicole Steils and Jen Owen were sharing findings from a NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Green and yellow graphic

Self-neglect, hoarding behaviour and the Fire & Rescue Service

Nicole Steils and Michela Tinelli (LSE) discussed harm prevention, services, and costs

Green and yellow graphic

Self-neglect and hoarding behaviour study reports back to study site

Nicole Steils discusses findings with Safeguarding Adults Board

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people?

New evidence review from our NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Green and yellow graphic

Self-neglect among older people: an evidence review

How should Adult Social Care best respond?

Image of part of cover of new report by Martineau et al 2021 Social care responses to self-neglect

Our Partners

NIHR SSCR

NIHR School for Social Care Research

London School of Economics LSE logo

London School of Economics

Project status: Ongoing
HSCWRU logo

Principal Investigator

Keywords

HOARDINGSELF-NEGLECTOLDERSAFEGUARDING