Report: By 2020, more senior citizens to be homeless

[babylonsister]

snip//

A report released Monday by the National Alliance to End Homelessness projects a 33 percent increase over the next decade in elderly people who are homeless.

That would mean that today's estimate of 44,172 homeless over age 62 would climb to 58,772.

Officials last year counted only nine homeless people over age 65 in Sedgwick County. But 39 people ages 55 to 64 reported being homeless, hinting at the potential for an increase.

The growth could have "huge implications" for everyone and should be seen as evidence that a more expansive safety net of social services will soon be needed, said Nan Roman, president of the alliance.

The nonprofit group recommends more subsidized housing for the elderly, more permanent housing for all ages and more research to better assess needs.

more...

http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/30/1247226/report-more-seniors-to-be-homeless.html

[Hannah Bell]

1. bankrupt pensions + "reformed" social security = homelessness.

[Double T]

2. I believe these numbers are hugely underestimated.

The outsourced jobs must be brought back to this country otherwise government revenues will continue to decline and services to groups like the elderly will be drastically cut.

[liberal N proud]

3. Means we as a nation learned nothing from the great depression

NOTHING!

[Boxcar Johnson]

4. Wow

That's appalling.

Plenty of housing and plenty of money, this is unacceptable.

The cruelty of this is an outrage.

[bullwinkle428]

5. Prior to the advent of the New Deal, the biggest killers of the elderly

were malnutrition (starving to death) and hypothermia (freezing to death)! :cry:

All this talk about "reforming" Social Security makes me feel we've learned nothing, and brings to mind the old expression about being doomed to repeat history that we have failed to learn.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Is the estimated increase above or below the estimated growth in the # of elderly?