'Portland Press Herald' interviews Tom McLaughlin on hoarding problem in Maine

On April 26, 2014, the Portland Press Herald published an article on the problem of hoarding in Maine, discussing research by Thomas Chalmers McLaughlin, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Social Work and co-director of the Social Work Center for Research and Evaluation, on this issue.

The article explains that hoarding, a compulsive acquisition of things and inability to get rid of them, causes of personal and public safety hazards.  It is a disorder that affects Mainers at a higher rate than residents in other states, primarily because it is most common among the elderly, and Maine has one of the highest proportions of older people in the country.

McLaughlin discussed his research on hoarding in Maine, noting that he “was surprised by how big the problem appears to be.”  “I don’t think we know what the extent of it is,” he continued, “because we haven’t delved into it yet.”

McLaughlin’s study will involve interviews with housing officials, code officers, social workers, first responders, property managers, and health officers, among others, to gain insight into the problem.  He expects to issue a final report in by June.

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