Report: Homelessness set to surge among US elderly (33% increase by 2020)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

WASHINGTON -- The number of homeless senior citizens will likely soar by one third over the next decade as the US population ages, a report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness warned Monday.

The projection is based on the record number of so-called Baby Boomers turning 65 in the United States and current levels of poverty among the elderly.

According to data from the Census Bureau used in the report, one in 10 people over the age over 65 (9.9 percent) was living under the poverty level in 2008 and had annual resources of under 10,326 dollars a year.

And nearly one million people, about 2.6 percent of Americans over 65, live in live extreme poverty.

In 2010, over 44,000 elderly Americans were homeless, the study found.

It projected that figure would increase by 33 percent by 2020, and more than double between 2010 and 2050, to 95,000.

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0329/homelessness-surge-elderly-report/

[mike_c]

1. that would be me-- the SO and I are already talking about how to retire...

...and live in a camper because Sallie Mae and William Ford will consume the better part of my pension. For those who don't know them, that's student loan repayments continuing into retirement after a LIFETIME of debt servitude. I will not live long enough to pay them off.

[gateley]

2. This is so wrong. The richest country in the world? Have we no shame? nt

[Amerigo Vespucci]

18. Raw story also had a feature today about Action Comics #1 selling for $1.5 million

The first comic to feature Superman, and someone ponied up $1.5 million for it:

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Superman_comic_sells_for_record_1_5_03292010.html

So yes, when I read two stories like that back to back, I have to wonder.

A year or so ago, I posted a thread about having to run into Trader Joe's for some one-item purchase...don't even remember what it was. The woman in the line next to me had a full cart...right up to the top...which, I know, Trader Joe's carts are smaller, but a full cart is a full cart. She was buying all kinds of "personal pizzas" and stuff like that, yuppie comfort food. I heard the clerk when he have her the total...it was like 350 bucks.

Some woman on DU went ballistic...don't remember who it was, and I don't think I ever had a reply from them in one of my threads after that (maybe she put me on ignore).

"WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO, LIVE LIKE A PAUPER AND WEAR SACK CLOTH???"

I very politely told her that I was pointing out the gap between people losing their jobs and homes and those whou could afford $350 shopping carts filled with yuppie comfort food. I told her that what she does with her life is of no interest or concern to me, and it's none of my business. Just like the woman in Trader Joe's...I made an observation, that's it, who cares.

But yes, elderly people are living on the streets while someone is buying a $1.5 million comic book. Such is life.

[G_j]

19. this is what was coming

all along, too bad we didn't pay attention.

[Duer 157099]

29. Paying attention didn't matter.

In fact, I can argue that it was probably better to be ignorant of it coming, that way one can always feel that if only they had known, they could change it.

Those who saw and were still helpless are the most cursed, because we suffered while knowing it was coming, and we will suffer further later on.

[G_j]

32. kick

[gateley]

20. That's interesting about the DUer going ballistic. If I were in her position, I

would HOPE your post would serve to remind me that my comfy lifestyle isn't shared by all.

I think it's like the people in DC -- they say "people are worrying about how they're going to pay their bills, go to the doctor" but they have no real understanding of what living like that means.

I posted a thread about the Sally Jesse Raphael Syndrome (named by me). Leslie Marshall (progressive radio host) was subbing for someone and told a story about when she was first beginning in radio, she was called to fill in for SJR. She was thrilled. The station told her that they wouldn't be renewing SJR's contract. When Leslie asked why they said that when Sally Jesse started, she was a 'real' person, drove herself to work, her kids to school, picked up her dry cleaning, etc. After she got her TV gig she had a driving service, personal assistants -- she had "lost touch with the real world".

I don't begrudge someone being able to pony up $1.5 mil for a comic book, but it just breaks my heart when some have so much, and others don't even have a place to live.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

21. I was shocked, and yes, it's just a matter of perspective.

I don't begrudge the $1.5 million comic book any more than I begrudge the $350 shopping cart full of Trader Joe's items. And in that DU thread, I made the observation pretty much the way I did here, and I guess it rubbed this woman the wrong way at the wring time and she went off. It was if she felt that I was attacking her personally...a woman I've never met, knew nothing about, and encountered for the first time ever when she responded to that post.

[truedelphi]

24. And sadly the guy or guys who created Superman didn't

Get squat either.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

25. They got a "stipend" decades later after DC Comics got bad press

The media picked up and ran with the story about how Siegel & Shuster never had a piece of the action, and to make amends and stem the bad publicity, DC set them up with a regular stipend to "make amends."

[inna]

3. OMG. How obscene.

How do we put up with all this crap? No other civilized country treats its citizens this way.

:mad:

[ChicagoSuz219]

4. Well, that gives us 10 years to get our act together.

I'm betting we can.

[bobbolink]

5. Finally, I am a statistic. Living in my car, and ...oh wait, I am only 64.

Doesn't count, then.

:(

[laughingliberal]

8. One more year, my Precious, and you too can be a statistic

Something to look forward to!

You always count with me.

:pals:

[Desertrose]

12. You count with me too!!

:hug:

[maryf]

31. You always count Bobbo!

:hi:

[readmoreoften]

6. K&R.

This is awful!

[maryf]

7. K&R

Shameful, shame on US...

[leftstreet]

9. Good God

:cry:

[NashVegas]

10. It Makes Sense

There are tons of average-earning baby boomers and gen-xers out there (ie, $30k-$50k) who won't be able to afford homes or apartments. There won't be enough SS and subsidized housing to match, I expect.

[laughingliberal]

15. Yep. And there's a big push to start cutting the SS benefits and/or raising the age we can access it

Just great for those of us older Americans who lost jobs and businesses in this economy and are unlikely to find employers willing to hire us. Meanwhile, the benefits we were on track to receive are decreasing in our now low or no income years. While we continue to funnel more to the top. After all, the ruling class is running low on yachts and Gulfstreams. Welcome to Reagan's dream for America.

[Desertrose]

11. There is just no excuse for this...and I think their numbers are too low.

"In 2010, over 44,000 elderly Americans were homeless, the study found."



Seriously, they estimate a 33% increase by 2020....???? There is no reason this cannot and should not be fixed long before that date.....they still expect homelessness to still be a problem by 2050?

:wtf: is wrong with this picture?

[laughingliberal]

13. Of course the estimates of poverty are always too low. It's about the way they define poverty

I've known quite a few people who can not afford housing who have incomes too high to qualify as 'poverty.'

[Desertrose]

23. Exactly who defines poverty?

Bet they'd quickly redraw the lines & re-define it if they had to live within those lines.

[flvegan]

14. Mr. President...Congress...are you listening?

[laughingliberal]

16. They are listening. But not to us. nt

[Nikki Stone1]

27. +10,000

.

[L0oniX]

17. ..BUT KEEP SPENDING 700+ BILLION A FUCKING YEAR ON OUR FUCKING MILITARY!

...while Russia spends 50 billion on their military this year ...and let's keep being nice to the rich asscarrots too cause trickle down (like pissing down your leg) economics works so well.

[G_j]

22. K&R

Reality Check

[eridani]

26. And the Debt Commission hasn't evn slashed Social Security benefits yet

Look for more than a 33% increase if that happens.

[earth mom]

28. We want to be retired by 2020. I'm beyond pissed that there's a good chance we could be homeless.

:grr:

:mad:

:argh:

[caseycoon]

30. K&R n/t

[dajoki]

33. This is a disgrace...

for the so called richest country in the world. Usually these numbers are kept under wraps because it is such an embarrasment to the government, well I guess they don't even care anymore. Sorry I am too late to recommend, but here is a kick.

[happy_liberal]

34. First of all we need to help people stay in their homes(which isn't working out all that well)

This group is trying to raise awareness and help by finding local reporters write about local stories of real families with problems...and just maybe by putting them on the spot, some people will actually get help with their mortgages.

Are you a homeowner who's struggling to pay your mortgage?Seeking a govt program loan modification?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8078807


We need to DEMAND a program for low income housing. It is ridiculous that there are so many empty homes while people are sleeping in their cars and dying on sidewalks like the recent story in SF.

We just had a homeless man die in Anchorage...

Homeless man found dead in trash bin
http://www.adn.com/2010/03/26/1200372/body-found-in-mall-trash-bin.html

"A homeless man who apparently crawled inside a trash bin at the Dimond Center was crushed to death when a mall employee, not knowing the man was inside, turned on the bin's compactor, according to Anchorage police."




This is how we treat human beings in this country? This is not how a civilized country behaves!

There is something terribly wrong here and we, the progressives are the only ones who will care enough to do something. What are we going to do about this. The problem is growing, and it is affecting our children as well. We have 50 homeless youth in our small town alone.

[happy_liberal]

35. kick

:kick:

[rcrush]

36. Average cost for Nursing Home stay is about $4000 a month

That will eat up your savings and then if you don't qualify for medicaid the Nursing Home threatens to dump you in a homeless shelter.