Beyond the typical statistical manipulation of homelessness trends and the differing methods of data collection from state-state, city-city, etc I figured I would share a thought I had, before I discovered this place. Also, I say “housing insecurity” because a nursing home/assisted-living technically isn’t considered “homeless”. Wording, I suppose.
I did maintenance at a few nursing homes. A lot of these nursing homes would have quite a few people with disabilities that had their entire support structure abandoned. A sort of “last-stop” for those who didn’t want to help or continue helping their children, family, friends, etc. Some of these people were actually relatively functional…just had nowhere to go and obviously unable to navigate the world by themselves.
In a facility of 120, there were at least 12 I remember at a single time. Shit really took me for a whirl because really; how common is this shit specifically? Three years I worked there and during COVID it only got worse.
Rant over.
How long could you pay your rent and other bare necessity bills if you lost your job? How long would it take you to find a new job with comparable pay?
If the answer to the last question is more than the answer to the first, I’d say you’re housing insecure.
I agree. I was teetering on the semantics because I suppose I’m not sure how to count someone who is functional, yet disabled; forced into private care homes and left in permanent “property” of the facility, basically. Nearly impossible to get out without losing every benefit you have; and the nursing home takes everything else.
Insecurity? Homeless? Slavery? Not sure what it is other than ruthless exploitation