[caption id="attachment_10938" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Homeless on Bench"]
[/caption]MOORPARK, Calif., July 21 /PRN-USN - GHN -- Statistics show 45,000 seniors are homeless in 2010 and this number is expected to increase by 1/3 in ten years, raising issues of individual and national planning for a growing segment of the population.
Not only is the aging population growing among the homeless, experts tell us by the year 2050 those numbers will double.
Part of the problem is the fact the Baby Boomer Generation is hitting 65. Already 45 million Americans are senior citizens according to Census statistics.
The increasing growth of this population of seniors is expected to put pressure on products and services in the coming years and need to be figured in both individual and national planning.
The number of seniors is expected to grow to 60 million. Estimated numbers by 2050 are at 90 million. by the year 2050. These numbers mean that added services such as housing, health care, and nutrition will greatly be needed.
"A significant percentage of the seniors that enter into the homeless population will be veterans and many VA facilities are anticipating this," states Mary Jo Leste, Chief Executive Officer of Senior Smart, Inc., a marketing company specializing in assisted living and home hospice referrals.
Already some organizations are beginning to build special housing arrangements. Some VA sites are building multi-story complexes to house their homeless veteran population, along with plans to expand their nursing facilities. Building "cottages" that function as assisted living homes are one of the many ways VA facilities across the country are preparing for the coming senior boom.
At a typical VA facility, a homeless domiciliary program houses about 50 seniors and sponsors an additional 30 or so beds at the local Salvation Army shelter. .
Traditionally, homelessness has been a trend that has inflicted younger adults, according to the study. These new statistics are show the critical need to provide affordable housing and other types of assistance to all age groups.
In conclusion, the National Alliance to End Homelessness says, "increasing the availability of affordable housing would make a giant leap towards reducing the amount of homelessness among seniors. However, additional research and studies are going to be needed to understand how to best serve the growing population of seniors that now find themselves on the streets."
