I am very sorry to hear about your parents. It is very difficult to help people that say they want help, but just can't handle the help once it is there. Can you see if they are willing to get help with the disorder rather than the cleanup? Until they can fully understand their disorder and fully comprehend why they do what they do it will continue down this same path. They need to have the mental tools to be able to first stop acquiring, then to let go of what they have. The purging just can't happen until they are in a better place mentally. There are several resources out there to help if they are willing. We also have our free online hoarding support group on this website every Sunday evening if they are willing to log in. I will help in any way possible if they want it.
Cory Chalmers
1800HOARDERS.com

My parents desperately need their house cleared out and sterilized. It's always been a hoarding mess and they have blamed it on my brother, sister and I until now. This year the last of us had moved out and the house just became worst. They both hoard different things and my mom is known for buying the same thing twice and three times because she doesn't realize it's under a pile of junk somewhere. I have tried to help and both parents become defensive and change the topic. For every Christmas and birthday my mother has said she wants her house cleaned but when it comes time to get it done my father and her become paranoid and refuse to let me throw away anything. My father would go through the garbage after anything was thrown out and yell at me for tossing out perfectly good stuff. It's getting ridiculous and they don't see any issue and/or refuse to do anything about it. I don't want to embarrass them but I fear their safety and health living in this filth. Please help. I need to know how to clean out this mess without them stopping me.