We picture the elderly as independent
and self sufficient, but that is not always the case. Most of the elderly
living in America today are dependent on pension and social security
checks. Neither of these are able to provide a very comfortable
lifestyle, never mind a luxurious one. Although most of the elderly have
some source of income and a roof over their head, nearly 4 million do not.
It is not surprising that the
number of elderly adults who have become homeless has increased around the
county. An example of this increase has occurred in Massachusetts, where from
1999 to 2002, the number of people over 55 using shelters increased by 60%.
Increased homelessness among
elderly people is largely the result of poverty and the declining availability
of affordable housing among certain segments of the aging. Throughout the
nation, there are at least 9 seniors waiting for every occupied unit of
affordable elderly housing. Among households with very low incomes, households
headed by an elderly person have almost a one-in-three chance of having worst
case needs, despite the fact that housing assistance has been heavily directed
toward elderly people.
Studies show that elderly
homeless persons are more prone to victimization and more likely to be ignored
by law enforcement. In 2006, 27% of the homeless victims of violent crimes were
between 50-59 years of age. Individuals 62 and older constituted only 2% of the
country’s sheltered homeless population from February to April 2005, compared
with 15% of the housed population. In addition to the worsening of physical
health caused by homelessness, the homeless elderly are also more likely to
suffer from depression or dementia.
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