According to a survey conducted by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, over 15% of 634,000 homeless individuals were 50 years or older, and the number of homeless people aged over 65 has been projected to double by 2050.
Research from Simon Fraser University highlights how better support is desperately needed for this vulnerable group. The research builds on a pilot study that examined the impact of interventions targeted at people over 50 in a number of Canadian cities that have experienced a significant rise in homelessness among older people.
“This trend is expected to continue as Canada faces an aging population, increasing urbanization and an ongoing shortage of affordable housing,” the researchers explain. “Younger baby boomers are particularly at-risk for homelessness due to life course disadvantages associated with competitive job and housing markets and resulting challenges in accumulating assets to protect against housing insecurity.”
Best practice
The researchers plan to conduct further evaluations of 11 shelters to understand which approaches are most effective in supporting Aging in the Right Place (AIRP), with a particular focus on four programs in Vancouver and Calgary, and a further three in Montreal.
They hope that their findings will better inform policymakers on issues such as homelessness and housing, while also informing the design and delivery of support from service providers. They argue that older adults often have very unique challenges, not least of which involve mobility and health issues that require particular support in order to help them live alone. There are also often issues involving bullying in homeless shelters from younger people.
Being able to age in place may also be impossible and the researchers believe that an emphasis should be placed on being able to age in the right place. This requires the right support to be in place to help the complex needs of this group.
The pilot study identified several categories of shelter/housing for older persons with experiences of homelessness including:
- Emergency, temporary, or transitional shelter/housing with supports
- Independent housing with offsite supports
- Supported independent housing with onsite non-medical supports
- Permanent supportive housing (PSH) with onsite medical support and/or specialized services
- Long- term care
- Palliative care/hospice
