The homeless crisis in the making hits home for grandma and grandpa

Homelessness in America might soon have a new face -- a much older one. The US is facing a potentially devastating homeless crisis among our seniors as the nation ages.

Currently, there are 650,000 homeless individuals in America. Although President Joe Biden plans to cut homelessness numbers, his plan looks likely to fail. That’s because The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is an absolute mess.   John Mac Ghlionn is a researcher and essayist. He covers psychology and social relations. His writing appears in the New York Post and Newsweek. @ghlionn 

Historically, senior homelessness has not been a major concern for the government due to the relatively shorter lifespan of homeless individuals. The average life expectancy in the United States is 76.4 years. Studies on homeless mortality often reveal an average age in the early 50s. 

Consequently, as the report notes, many unsheltered homeless individuals in their forties can be considered as functionally "seniors." Nevertheless, if the number of seniors increases, particularly those with characteristics that make them more susceptible to homelessness, the government may face a larger population of homeless senior citizens. Several "risk factors" contribute to homelessness, one of which is social isolation, a troubling phenomenon that is spreading like wildfire.