Abstract
The so-called “house of squalor” is a term that refers to any building, room or land left in a state where garbage has been strewn and stacked up over the years, although it was never originally meant to be a dumping ground. It is a particularly difficult situation because one must respond to the needs of the residents themselves while also having to physically carry out garbage to appropriate collection sites, amongst other things that need to be handled. Many of the people who have resided in such “houses of squalor” are often found to be suffering from states of self-neglect. Based on a review of literature and research results, authors define self-neglect to be “the condition whereby a person has abandoned personal hygiene habits and the overall upkeep of their health and living conditions to a level where they are no longer maintaining a healthy and balanced personal and social life”. In many such cases giving support to those in this situation can be very difficult to deal with, but in fact, they are in urgent need. More important than trying to clean up the mess, it is necessary to recognize that the person lacks the emotional ability to ask for support. A friendship of trust and respect must be established so that the individual’s own self determination can strengthen, which will allow them to move toward a safe and healthy lifestyle.
