Hunger And Homelessness
As part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week on November 14-22, 2015, I'm writing as a constituent dedicated to improving the lives of older Americans to urge you to reauthorize and invest in the Older Americans Act (OAA), so that it can continue to provide critical services for older adults to keep them healthy, independent, and housed.
According to the following facts taken from creditable organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Feeding America, and the National Coalition for the Homeless, senior hunger and homelessness is an issue that will only deepen in the coming years. The number of seniors will double by 2050 from 57 million to 112 million, which will make seniors 26% of the population.
In 2014, 9% of households that include …show more content…
This upward trend is predicted to continue as the Baby Boomers all reach the ages of 65 and up. Homeless persons aged 50 to 62 oftentimes face the same health conditions suffered by housed adults who are 10-20 years older. Older homeless persons have increased rates of geriatric syndromes, including problems walking, falls, and frailty. They also face increased rates of cognitive impairments, including depression and dementia. Due to a lack of affordable housing, there are at least nine seniors on the waiting list for every occupied unit of inexpensive elderly housing across the nation, making the wait for housing around 3-5 years.
Since 1965, the OAA has provided services and supports that improve seniors' lives. These include meals, health programs, help with managing benefits, job training programs and employment services, senior centers, transportation, and protection against neglect and abuse.
The Senate has approved an OAA reauthorization by passing S. 192 in July 2015. I ask you to support the OAA programs in our community and vote to complete the OAA reauthorization process by making needed investments, and protecting existing funding. This will benefit our local seniors by enabling them to stay out of nursing homes or shelters, preventing hunger and malnutrition, managing chronic health conditions, and by helping them to remain in the workforce.
Thank you for your consideration of this important issue. I look forward to your
According to the following facts taken from creditable organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Feeding America, and the National Coalition for the Homeless, senior hunger and homelessness is an issue that will only deepen in the coming years. The number of seniors will double by 2050 from 57 million to 112 million, which will make seniors 26% of the population.
In 2014, 9% of households that include …show more content…
This upward trend is predicted to continue as the Baby Boomers all reach the ages of 65 and up. Homeless persons aged 50 to 62 oftentimes face the same health conditions suffered by housed adults who are 10-20 years older. Older homeless persons have increased rates of geriatric syndromes, including problems walking, falls, and frailty. They also face increased rates of cognitive impairments, including depression and dementia. Due to a lack of affordable housing, there are at least nine seniors on the waiting list for every occupied unit of inexpensive elderly housing across the nation, making the wait for housing around 3-5 years.
Since 1965, the OAA has provided services and supports that improve seniors' lives. These include meals, health programs, help with managing benefits, job training programs and employment services, senior centers, transportation, and protection against neglect and abuse.
The Senate has approved an OAA reauthorization by passing S. 192 in July 2015. I ask you to support the OAA programs in our community and vote to complete the OAA reauthorization process by making needed investments, and protecting existing funding. This will benefit our local seniors by enabling them to stay out of nursing homes or shelters, preventing hunger and malnutrition, managing chronic health conditions, and by helping them to remain in the workforce.
Thank you for your consideration of this important issue. I look forward to your