30 Simon Communities of Ireland 3.2 Health Issues 3.2.1 The Relationship between Homelessness and Health Some interviewees identified low mood, depression and schizophrenia as both a contributory factor and a consequence of their periods of homelessness, for others it was problematic alcohol use. The interviewees who had spent long periods of time sleeping rough believed that these experiences had a very negative impact on their health. For the majority however it was a complex combination of factors that included problematic alcohol use, mental health issues, stress, leading to mental health issues as well as physical health problems. KATE Kate was brought up in south west of England. She left school at 15 to go to work. Kate married in her mid-twenties and had two children a boy and a girl. This was a happy time in her life. Kate’s husband left the family some time later. Kate remained in the family home to rear her two children. It was during this time Kate’s nerves began to give her trouble and she was ultimately diagnosed with schizophrenia. After the children had left home Kate slept rough for a time in London often in a British Telecom’s van. When her nerves improved she began to sign on and stay in hostels. Kate eventually decided to move to Ireland (her dad had Irish roots) for a better, quieter life. When she first arrived she stayed in a convent for a while. Kate moved from the convent into Simon services and has lived in a variety of types of accommodation since. She has lived in the current hostel for years and years. She can no longer remember exactly how long she is there. She says she is sometimes happy there and sometimes not. It is the noise and the comings and goings of other residents that bother her most. She would love a house of her own. Kate receives regular medication for her schizophrenia. Her mobility has also been affected by a broken ankle that never healed properly as well as arthritis and rheumatism. Kate also has a number of serious chest complaints. Kate has used both alcohol and drugs over the years to help her cope with life. She no longer uses drugs but she continues to drink. Kate watches a lot of TV and listens to the radio to block out the noise. She used to read but has not been able to find her glasses for some time now. Kate says she used to feel scared about dying and death, but has gradually got more used to the idea of going to sleep and not waking up. Kate is very clear she would not want to go into a nursing home. She worked in a home for a while when she was younger and saw older people treated badly. She is clear that if she were ill she would rather go to hospital and die there than anywhere else. 3.2.1 Physical and Mental Health issues The interviewees were living with serious physical and mental health conditions. Six interviewees had mobility issues, while four interviewees were unable to get around unaided.85 Others had more serious life threatening conditions. Derek ‘for example’ has a very serious degenerative condition that affects both his mobility and his speech, while Liam had a number of strokes, a tumour and a brain haemorrhage. Many interviewees have emphysema and other serious chest complaints as well as a variety of heart complaints, several interviewees have had heart attacks and a significant number had cirrhosis of the liver and diabetes. Dental issues were a concern for a number of interviewees, which in turn limited what they were able to eat. Type II diabetes was also an issue for a number of interviewees who struggled to manage their condition, particularly when they continued to use alcohol. 85 These interviewees used walking frames and rollators to get about
Homelessness, Ageing and Dying
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