![]() W was a 78-year-old white woman, who was a retired office clerk with no previous psychiatric history until after the death of her husband 7 years earlier. By increasing awareness of DS, it is the objective of this article to improve the outcome for this at-risk population. This article examines various possible etiologies of DS, including the complex interaction of environmental and psychopathological factors, and reviews treatment options, including behavioral, social, and pharmacological interventions. These case presentations call attention to this seemingly forgotten population of individuals who are deemed not only risks to themselves, primarily due to chronic untreated medical conditions or acute incidents such as falls, but also to the public, because of the hazards that the hoarding and unsanitary living conditions present. In this article, we will engage in a critical discussion of DS based on three actual case examples. DS is characterized by an extreme self-neglect of environment, health, and hygiene, combined with a compulsive hoarding of refuse and the patient’s complete denial of his or her surroundings or symptoms. ![]() Senile squalor syndrome, otherwise known as Diogenes syndrome (DS), is a complex spectrum of behaviors found in persons who are living reclusively, and is becoming a growing concern as the elderly population increases. However, is it not a prerequisite to have sound judgment in order to make a lifestyle choice? Some may argue that these conditions are a personal choice and are at the heart of being a free and independent adult. Additionally, many older persons do not have adequate social networks and are apathetic about their living conditions. Unfortunately, over the most recent decades, an increasing number of elderly individuals in the United States have been found to be living in squalor without access to medical assistance. In this regard, additional strides have been made to ensure that our nation’s elderly population not only receive the healthcare that they need, but are reserved the right to live their lives independently with dignity. ![]() 1 As older persons are living longer, expectations about their health and quality of life are increasing. Medical advances and public health strategies have led to a 30-year increase in life expectancy since the dawn of the 20th century.
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