ServiceMaster Restore and “Hoarders” TV Personality Partner to Train Industry Professionals

ServiceMaster Restore, the leader in residential and commercial services, expands their service offering to include hoarding and extreme cleanup. ServiceMaster Restore has partnered with hoarding cleanup expert and television personality Matt Paxton to create a specialized training program to teach its global network on how to understand and properly work with people who hoard.

Stephan Roy, National Director of ServiceMaster Restore has been working with Matt and their US team to bring the program to Canada. The company is hosting industry training seminars to stakeholders who are exposed to people that live with the difficult conditions of hoarding. Roy comments, “The training is timely as awareness of hoarding increases due to popular TV shows and the disease recently being added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by psychiatrists to diagnosis mental illness.”

“Hoarding is more common than you might think,” says Matt Paxton, one of the stars of A&E’s “Hoarders” series. “Dealing with hoarding cleanup requires specialized training, and I’ve teamed up with ServiceMaster Restore to assess hoarding situations, develop action plans and help clients comfortably return to healthy living environments.”

While extreme clutter is a symptom of hoarding, dealing with hoarding cleanup requires expert help from both cleaning and mental health professionals. Clutter created by hoarding can result in serious threats to the well-being and safety of the person suffering from this disorder, as well as those close to them.

“Together with ServiceMaster Restore, we’ll be able to help more of those in need and have a real impact on the lives of those suffering from this mental health disorder,” said Paxton.

For more than 60 years, ServiceMaster Restore has provided professional cleaning and disaster restoration services. Paxton, one of the top hoarding cleanup experts in the United States, is also the founder of Clutter Cleaner, author of The Secret Lives of Hoarders and featured expert on the television show “Hoarders.” As the in-house expert for ServiceMaster Restore, he’ll be providing specialized hands-on training to participating franchisees across the country. The company will also host a seminar for local therapists, organizers, care managers, senior move managers, and other professionals who work or care for hoarders and their families.

Cleaning the home of a hoarder is a difficult task that requires effective planning, detailed execution and the right equipment. Not only does a hoarding situation require experts who can navigate the issues, but also people who treat each client with compassion and respect.

Roy explains that the company has a comprehensive approach to how each of its local franchisees handle restoration and extreme cleanup jobs. “Most people who hoard have experienced a traumatic event in their life, causing them to hold onto things. There are different levels of complexity and they come from all walks of life.  You may know someone that needs special assistance and we are here to help.”  ServiceMaster Restore’s approach ensures the focus is on the individual person who needs help – understanding the emotional impact and providing support to help them cope. “We’re not just removing clutter and debris; we’re helping families regain their lives.”

About ServiceMaster Restore

With over 60 years of experience, ServiceMaster Restore is your trusted source for full service and restoration services in Canada.  Our experts are ready to respond to your needs big or small, day or night. We mitigate damages quickly to reduce loss severity for residential and commercial properties following fire, water, vandalism, natural disasters and more. With over 4,500 franchises around the world, you can feel confident knowing that wherever you are, we’re available to provide professional, high quality disaster restoration services during your customer’s time of need. ServiceMaster Restore specialists are part of the ServiceMaster family, one of the world’s largest and most versatile service networks. For more information about ServiceMaster Restore please visit www.ServiceMasterRestore.ca or for immediate service call 1-800-RESPOND.