Over 50 and Homeless

Homelessness is a serious problem. For elders, it may be even more so.  Statistics in a recent article are sobering; nearly 1/3 of those who are homeless are over 50.  A recent article in Vox highlighted this problem. “Elderly homelessness is on the rise. A combination of slow economic recovery from the recession and an aging baby boomer population has contributed to the rise of the 51 and older homeless population. The percentage has spiked by almost 10 points since 2007 — in 2014, the 51-and-older group represented nearly a third of the national homeless population.”  The story is told in the first person to a free lance reporter, the woman, 66, explaining how she came to this point in her life.

Everywhere in our country, people are having a hard time finding affordable places to live. The housing crash and its chilling effect on mortgage lending have hit the poor the hardest. Affordable housing rates, defined as a unit that costs less than $800 a month, dropped by 12 percent in the past few years. Homeowners are being replaced by renters, as the American dream of owning your own property is becoming increasingly a luxury for the rich and upper middle class…I used to be middle class. Now I’m nouveau poor.

In the story she details her health problems, loneliness, the lack of privacy and loss of dignity and how her dog is her one bright spot in her life.

On some days, I’ll drive to the beach. I’ll walk my dog in the parking lot, then sit in my car and watch the waves and listen to the birds. The sounds of the ocean are calming and soothing. The sun on my face warms me… I try to remember what’s important in life. I try to remember that there’s beauty everywhere and good people in the world. I try to remember my previous life, filled with interesting characters, connections, wondrous places I have lived and visited… If I’m lucky, I’ll fall asleep and dream about living in a home again during a short, heavenly nap.