Hoarding Behind Closed Doors

Ms Pethke lived in a small one-room flat; the kitchen and toilet were located in the corridor of the house, and the rent was 80.00 €. She walked around the neighbourhood using a walking frame, dressed like a homeless person, and lived on food from bins and expired products.

Because of serious hygiene problems and a high fire risk, the public health department recommended appointing a legal guardian. Over decades she had filled her living room from floor to ceiling with collected items and found objects, making it unusable. She slept on a narrow camp bed in the kitchen. After a fall she was temporarily admitted to a nursing home, but she clearly expressed the wish to die at home.

Together with the property owner it was agreed to completely clear out the flat and install a new bathroom in the rear part of the large kitchen at a cost of 14,000.00 €. A nursing service and student helpers were commissioned to declutter and thoroughly clean the apartment. This allowed Ms Pethke to return home, even though she hardly recognised her flat in its new condition.

During the administration of her affairs, bank accounts were set up for the legal guardianship and it emerged that she owned assets of around one million euros. She was therefore able to pay the nursing home costs without state support. After her death, her daughter presumably rejected the inheritance. A new rental contract was negotiated with the landlord, and all organisational and financial questions regarding care, housing, and estate management were handled professionally.