Dear Eric, I'm at a loss for how to handle the situation with my brother and his hoarding. My mother and late father sold vintage and secondhand items online for years to support our household. I taught them how to list items online, and I've been working two jobs and freelancing since my 50s. I live a half-hour drive away from the family home and commute an hour each way during the week. My brother, who lives with Mom, has been unemployed since just before the pandemic and suffers from hoarding disorder. He refuses to clear his items from the house, making some rooms unusable. I've tried to help by suggesting storage, the dump, or simply clearing out the space, but my pleas have been met with anger. I fear the hoarding is dangerous and have considered involving social services, which upsets Mom, so I've stopped bringing it up. Mom keeps asking me to teach her digital photography and online auction listing, skills my father used to have. However, my brother, who is 58, can use the computer when he wants to find something he's interested in. I feel overwhelmed by the requests for help, especially since Mom seems to ignore my explanation that I'm working. I'm at a loss for how to explain to Mom that I can't easily help with the auctions and how to convince my brother to assist Mom. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
