Clearing Out Clutter In Elderly Home

I remember going through my father-in-laws "stuff" when he moved into an assisted living facility. He had decades of receipts and papers, including every pay stub since 1955! Old type-writer ribbons; yellowing envelopes; screws of every size. My wife and I were aware that these were more than just documents, that they represented his life, his work. But at some point you have to clear out the clutter. Ours was not as difficult a task as if he were still living in the home. This excerpt from www.AgingCare.Com addresses how to handle that gentle situation. 

"....make the de-cluttering about the result, not the process. Focus on your Mom's benefit. Speak of the results you are looking for in terms that matter to HER ie: it will be safer (eliminate tripping hazards, etc), her things will be carefully quantified and arranged so she will be sure her treasures have not gone astray. It is okay to remind her that she will not live forever, and you want to help her have control of what happens to her lifelong collection of stuff. Tell her you have nightmares worrying that after she passes, you might do the "wrong thing" with her things and would rather do it "with her" than "to her" or "for her". In other words, turn her fears against her, and use them for good. Hoarding is about fear and control, so use that to your advantage.

And, most importantly, take photos before you start. Print them and give them to her in a little album. Leave every other page blank. As you complete an area (even if its only the table top), take another photo and put opposite the "before". She will be able to appreciate the improvement, together with having the assurance that nothing significant was "lost"."

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