Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support

Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support at VHA Home HealthCare

For people experiencing hoarding disorder, home can become an unsafe living space and present serious health risks. Individuals may withdraw from social interactions with family and friends, straining relationships and amplifying feelings of isolation. Many are reluctant to seek help due to shame, denial, or fear of judgment. This can delay intervention and treatment, allowing the disorder to worsen.

The good news is that hoarding disorder is a condition that can be managed. VHA provides non-judgmental, compassionate support for those experiencing hoarding tendencies. Our Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support service helps individuals regain control of their homes and their lives.

I wanted to reduce the size of my hoard. I’ve managed to do a lot thanks to the hoarding classes provided by VHA. I've met like-minded people, gained insight into strategies that can help and learned valuable lessons. The classes have been very helpful.
- Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support client

How we can help

Providing supportive, hands-on decluttering sessions
Teaching life skills such as coping strategies, organization and problem solving
Increasing home stability for clients who may be facing eviction
Linking clients to other community services to help strengthen their support network
Developing a maintenance plan to assist with independent decluttering

Program Variations and Eligibility

Funding may be available for this service depending on an individual’s situation, age and location.

Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support, Durham Region focuses on helping individuals with hoarding behaviour remain housed and safe in Durham Region. We provide in-home sorting/organizing sessions to help reduce the amount of items in the home using a harm reduction approach. We work with our clients to choose their own goals and incorporate their personal motivations for change. Our program is free to individuals that meet the criteria.

Program Service Area: Durham Region

Program Eligibility Criteria:

You must meet the low-income criteria (listed on our referral form below)
You must be over the age of 18 years old
You must provide a willingness to make changes and ability to learn new skills
You must be willing to let go of items
You must consent to service

Program Cost: Our program is funded by the Region of Durham and is FREE for clients who are eligible.

For more information, contact our Intake Social Worker at 416-489-2500 and select option 2. You may need to fill out the Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support and Restored Home: Extreme Cleaning (Durham HOME) referral form (Download PDF) before or after you speak with our Intake Social Worker about Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support services in Durham Region.

Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support, Toronto offers service-specific case management support designed to assist individuals facing challenges in maintaining stable housing due to collecting behaviors. Our goal is to support individuals in achieving housing sustainability through personalized services delivered with a person-centered and harm reduction approach. Referrals to this program must go through City of Toronto’s Coordinated Access. Our program is free to individuals that meet the criteria.

Program Service Area: Across the City of Toronto

Program Eligibility Criteria:

People with a history of homelessness and/or receive a housing subsidy
People at imminent risk of eviction (Have received a Warning Letter from Landlord or Formal Notice)
Clients must have a caseworker (ongoing) for the long term
You must demonstrate a willingness to make changes and ability to learn new skills
You must be willing to let go of items
You must consent to service

Program Cost: Our program is funded by the City of Toronto and is FREE for clients who are eligible.

For more information, contact our Intake Social Worker at 416-489-2500 and select option 2.

VHA Home HealthCare's Toronto Volunteer Safer Spaces Program is a short-term early intervention program that assists motivated individuals struggling with hoarding or hoarding tendencies to regain control of their homes by providing support to reduce clutter. The program utilizes trained volunteers who provide hands-on help using a client-centered approach. Volunteers work side by side with clients to help them actively address clutter, encouraging them to learn strategies to sort and let go of items to improve living conditions and overall quality of life.

Program Service Area: City of Toronto

Program Eligibility Criteria:

Individual self-identifies as a hoarder or as living with hoarding tendencies
No infestations (mice, bedbugs, roaches)
No risk of eviction, no warning letters issued
Individual must demonstrate a willingness to make changes and the ability to learn new skills and communicate effectively

Program Costs: Our program is funded by United Way Greater Toronto and is FREE for clients who are eligible.

For more information, contact our Intake Social Worker at 416-489-2500 and select option 2.

Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support, City of London provides a combination of in-home sorting/organizing sessions and support to help reduce the amount of clutter in the home using a harm reduction approach. We work with our clients to choose their own goals and incorporate their personal motivations for change.

Program Service Area: City of London

Program Eligibility Criteria:

You must be over the age of 18 years old
You must be at risk of homelessness due to excessive clutter
You must demonstrate a willingness to make changes and ability to learn new skills
You must be willing to let go of items
You must consent to service

Program Cost: Our program is funded by the City of London and is FREE for clients who are eligible.

Referrals to this program go directly to the City of London, Coordinated Access. To make a referral please call 519-661-HOME (4663). Our program is free to individuals that meet the criteria.

For more information, please call VHA Home HealthCare at 519-645-8758.

Restored Home: Extreme Cleaning (formerly known as Rebound and Reclaim), York Region focuses on helping individuals with hoarding behaviour remain housed and safe in York Region. We provide a combination of in-home sorting/organizing sessions to help reduce the amount of items in the home using a harm reduction approach. We work with our clients to choose their own goals and incorporate their personal motivations for change. Our program is free to individuals that meet the criteria.

Program Service Area: York Region

Program Eligibility Criteria:

You must be living in York Region
You must meet the low-income criteria
You must be over the age of 18 years old
You must demonstrate a willingness to make changes and ability to learn new skills
You must be willing to let go of items
You must consent to the service

Program Cost: Our program is funded by the Regional Municipality of York and is FREE for clients who are eligible.

For more information, contact VHA Home HealthCare at 416-489-2500 and select option 2.

For years, VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) has been a leader in providing support to those experiencing hoarding tendencies. The Buried in Treasures Support Group has become an important space for clients receiving Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support, Toronto services to receive support, providing an opportunity to connect with others with similar challenges and discuss their experiences and goals.

Clients who are part of VHA's Buried in Treasures Support Group will have access to regular meetings to discuss the challenges and successes they are going through in a group setting to provide support to one another. They will be able to form bonds with other members of the group and feel less isolated in their situations. Clients who are part of the Buried in Treasures Support Group will be asked to complete tasks and homework between each session to help better understand why hoarding occurs and strategies to make positive changes to live more comfortably.

Support Group Service Area: City of Toronto

Support Group Eligibility Criteria:

You must be receiving VHA's Safer Spaces: Hoarding Support, Toronto services
You must attend the group sessions on a regular basis
You must be willing to connect with others and discuss your experiences and goals during the group sessions
You must be willing to provide and receive support from others during the group sessions
You must complete tasks and homework between each session

To learn more about other community support services and programs offered by VHA Home HealthCare, please visit our Responsive Community Care page.