A Day in the Life of an Academic Geriatric Nurse
Monika Eckfield, RN, MSN
Doctoral Candidate
University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing
San Francisco, California
Pre-doctoral Scholar 2004-2006
Research: Onset, experience, and effect of hoarding behaviors in older adults
While working as a geriatric care manager, Monika Eckfield, RN, MSN, began to notice hoarding behaviors in some of her elderly clients. “They were reluctant to get rid of things and it was complicating their ability to receive health care services in their home,” she says. One woman had fallen and gone to the hospital. She wanted to return home and there was no medical reason to prevent this, but the excessive clutter in her home made it unsafe.
Ms. Monika Eckfield
This experience planted the seed for what would become Ms. Eckfield’s research focus when she decided to pursue a doctoral degree. At that time there was very little information about hoarding behaviors in general and even less on older adults. She began by conducting interviews with eight older adults to better understand the behavior and help her to plan a larger study.
“I learned that a lot of people struggle with this and want help,” says Ms. Eckfield. “However, when they seek help they often are met with such negative reactions they worry they might lose control over their home if they allow anyone in. So they shy away from asking.”
“I learned that a lot of people struggle with this and want help.”Through her research, Ms. Eckfield is beginning to understand hoarding behaviors and how best to support these older adults. She has expanded her study to include 22 older adults, most of whom live alone. Most had hoarding behaviors to some degree all their lives. Ms. Eckfield noticed a big change often occurred after a divorce or death of a spouse, when they no longer had another person to provide a check on the clutter. Health changes, retirement, and other factors related to aging can complicate or exacerbate hoarding behaviors that might have been manageable in the past.
Ms. Eckfield has become an expert in this area and as a result, gives talks on hoarding behaviors, advises community groups, and has written a journal article on the effectiveness of current interventions.
Ms. Eckfield in the San Francisco apartment of a participant in her study on hoarding behaviors. When she began recruiting study participants she received calls from all over the country, highlighting the need for research on this topic.
Ms. Eckfield visits a participant in her study on hoarding behaviors.
Ms. Eckfield gives a presentation on hoarding behaviors in older adults to health care workers at the San Leandro Marina Community Center in San Leandro, CA.
Heather Young, PhD, RN ›