20 JANUARY 2018 Arc A d A News By Michelle Donati-Grayman From pedal extensions to seat cushions, older drivers have a number of options available to make their vehicles safer and enable them to stay behind the wheel longer. Unfortunately, nearly 90 percent of senior driver in a recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study report not making these adaptions to their vehicles. AAA urges drivers older than 65 – who are 17 times more likely than younger ones to be injured or killed when involved in a crash – to consider these options. “Crash prevention is critical for this population, and this research suggests that most are not taking advantage of simple and inexpensive devices,” said Dr. David Yang, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety executive director. The report is the first phase in the AAA Foundation’s groundbreaking Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project gathering data on drivers 65 and older. Vehicle adaptions can benefit seniors’ mental health by extending the time they are able to remain licensed drivers. Previous AAA Foundation research shows that older people who have stopped driving are almost twice as likely to suffer from depression and nearly five times more likely to enter a long-term care facility than those who remain behind the wheel. Conditions impacting a driver’s muscles or bones are of particular concern. In the LongROAD study, more than 70 percent of senior drivers had experienced health conditions impacting muscles and bones such as arthritis, hip/knee replacement, and joint pain conditions. The installation of products such as steering wheel covers can help lessen the impact of arthritis. Larger mirrors and assistive devices on seats, meanwhile, can help reduce the impact of limited neck mobility. In collaboration with the American Society on Aging, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, AAA developed CarFit, which trains professionals to conduct a comprehensive, 12-point check of a senior’s vehicle and make recommendations for needed adjustments. You can sign up for an event online at www. car-fit.org. AAA also offers the Smart Features for Older Drivers tool, which can help aging drivers identify inexpensive devices and vehicle features to optimize comfort and safety. This tool and other helpful resources for seniors and their families can be found at seniordriving.aaa.com. Options for senior drivers that assist with safety, well-being CHECK OUT OUR SPECIALS NOW SERVING ON OUR PATIO WARMED BY A COZ Y FIRE BOOK YOUR PRIVATE HOLIDAY PART Y ON ONE OF OUR PATIOS OR WE C AN PROVIDE FULL C ATERING SERVICE C ALL K ATHY AT 602-300 -7133 FOR RESERVATIONS OR C ATERING BOOK YOUR PRIVATE HOLIDAY PART Y ON ONE OF OUR PATIOS BOOK YOUR PRIVATE HOLIDAY PART Y ON ONE OF OUR PATIOS 602-956-0178 | 4144 E. Indian School Rd. HAPPY NEW YEAR ARCADIA! THE TEEPEE FAMILY OPEN NEW YEARS Where every day is

21 JANUARY 2018 ArcAd A News By Jeff Pearson, Tom Helms and Jonell Sloekers My mother loved my father very much. They wed in the mid-1960s and aside from work, I don’t think they were ever apart. November 12, 1988 was a day that changed my mother forever. In addition to being the day that my father passed away, it also marked the start of the disease that would take my mother 25 years later. That disease – hoarding – affects more than 250,000 of our fellow Arizonans. Following my father’s passing, we downsized from our two-story, four-bedroom, 1888 wood- framed home to a newly remodeled apartment over the flower shop my father had purchased eight years prior. It was smaller but newer, and a new experience with just my mother and I. The new place felt crowded initially. Although time typically makes a place feel more familiar and comfortable, as years passed and rooms began to slowly disappear, the crowded feeling morphed into something much, much worse. Mother started by hoarding simple items including newspapers, “Woman’s World” magazines, and anything printed or literature-related that should have been disposed of after being read. Before we knew it, three years had passed, and I felt as if I worked in a printing factory. We had no coffee table, no table on which to dine, nor did we have access to mother’s closet. If just one magazine was moved, the mountain of paper it was supporting would instantly become a cascade of literary chaos. After about four years of living in the apartment, I realized we did not have a washer and dryer anymore. Well, we physically possessed the machines, but the clothing mom wanted to keep and sort got to be so much I almost forgot there was a selection of headlines and gossip columns underneath the array of pastel and holiday sweatshirts and never- before used denim jeans. Thanksgiving feasts became a thing of the past as the stove shrunk from four burners and an oven, to three burners, to two burners and eventually no cooking and baking capabilities whatsoever due to the pile of random rubbish piled high in the middle of the kitchen. I did not want to attempt any kind of holiday feast, which was a shame. My mother was a wonderful cook. Mother passed away in 2013 from respiratory problems due to black mold, mildew and “giving up”. She was 69. The house was the monster. It was a week before a holiday and the last words I remember saying to her was “I love you” in a phone conversation. “I love you too” was the last of her voice. For some, especially with the New Year, it is a chore to purge and get organized; however, for others it becomes impossible. Pieces of the past accumulate year after year, and some do not know how to, or want to, get rid the mountains of stuff. It becomes overwhelming. When possessions accumulate to the point that they impede the regular function of areas of one’s house, it is a “hoarding” situation. I encountered it first-hand growing up, and still do with family members who have the same disease and, occasionally, as an appraiser. Helping loved ones who may be hoarding begins with understanding how the disease, which affects more than 22 million people nationwide, is defined. It is categorized in five levels: Level 1 : Clutter is not excessive; all doors and stairways are accessible with one room/ garage that is no longer usable for its original purpose. Level 2 : Excessive clutter, two rooms unusable, light mildew in kitchen and bathrooms, limited evidence of housekeeping. Level 3 : Extensive clutter, three rooms including one-bathroom unusable, unsanitary kitchen, strong odors; visible clutter outdoors. Level 4: Hazardous clutter with bug and rodent infestation; most of the house is unusable; dangerous electrical, sanitary and living conditions; noticeable outside neglect. Level 5: Severe clutter with dangerous levels of rodent and bug waste; house is uninhabitable with no utilities; this level makes the news due to animal hoarding. Which level was my mother? Believe it or not, in two years (1989-1991) she went from Level 1 to Level 3. Any attempt to help, clean or organize would make her angry. I tried, but I could not tame the behavior. She would say, “How can I find anything as it is already in its rightful place?” Everything had a place and purpose in her mind, and that was her organization. After I graduated from high school, her hoarding progressed (or regressed) to Level 5 and by 2013, led to her death. Do you recognize yourself or others in this situation? It is estimated that 2.5 percent of the world’s population are hoarders. TV shows have helped cast light on this phenomenon. As appraisers, we know we have worked in every hoarder level listed. We also have the desire, answers and resources to help. Please feel encouraged to reach out to us. — Do you have an appraisal question or would you like more information on hoarding? Email us at editor@arcadianews.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Hoarding can be deadly ASK THE APPRAISERS