Conference Evaluations "Knee Deep in Clutter" Conference held on June 19th at Beverly COA

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to return the conference evaluations. We obtained some very good information.

The demographics of our attendees were as follows: There were social workers, protective services workers, case managers, public health personnel, nurses, elder services, housing, fire and ambulance personnel. Most worked for local municipalities or non-profits, with several people from state agencies, hospitals, and private businesses. People had worked an average of 12 years in their field. The vast majority attended because they had a personal interest in the topic and/or wanted to address the issue in their town.

Most respondents felt that they had learned something useful about hoarding, and that the presentations were relevant to their work. People were particularly interested in the research into the clinical and treatment aspects of the condition.

The most useful parts of the evaluations were the suggestions on the need for more information and work on the problem. These suggestions included: a list of specific resources/referrals for Essex County, more networking workshops, more information on treatment approaches/cognitive behavioral therapy, information on motivational interviewing, discussion on how to overcome resistance to treatment, and many other thought-provoking ideas. It is the hope of the City of Beverly Hoarding Task Force that we can use this blog as one forum to address some of these issues.