50 Simon Communities of Ireland 12. Early intervention and negotiation by staff working with people who are homeless where there is prospect of increasing care needs necessitating an individual’s move to residential care. Where it looks likely that an individual living in homeless accommodation facilities or precarious/ poor quality housing situations will require more personal care and clinical support, this needs to be identified and discussed with the individual as soon as possible. The individual should be encouraged by the staff working with them to articulate their fears and concerns about any potential move and be involved in the decision making in relation to the final choice of the facility. It must be recognised that this process can take a considerable amount of time but that this is necessary to ensure a smooth transition.94 95 The implementation of these recommendations would meet some of the policy objectives identified in the: • Various regional Homeless Action Plans. • The National Health Strategy – which identifies a number of initiatives to improve the well- being of people who are homeless. • National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability. 4.6 Information and research This research challenges the stereotypical image of a person who is homeless. It introduces interviewees who have worked, been in relationships and had children and grandchildren, individuals no different to other people of their generation, except for the particular mix of life events and characteristics that led them to drift into a precarious housing situation/s. It shows the variety of accommodation types people who have been homeless find themselves in and highlights the fact that people who are homeless (again no different to the general population) regardless of their age or health continue to aspire to a home of their own. Information and Research Recommendations 13. Develop a better understanding of the causes of death Investigate the feasibility of collecting data on numbers and causes and locations of deaths as part of the health information to be collected using the PASS system. This information ‘once collected’ could provide useful information of the most frequently occurring cases of death in an Irish context. 14. Develop a better understanding of the Older Peoples Pathways into and out of homelessness Undertake a longitudinal study of older people who are homeless (similar to the 2008 Study on Young People’s Homeless Pathways) in order to provide a better understanding of the process of homelessness among the older generation, with a particular focus on movements into, through and out of homelessness. This information ‘once collected’ could then be used to develop more appropriate responses to older homelessness. The implementation of this recommendation would contribute to the achievement of two of the core objectives of ‘The Way Home’ the National Strategy to address Adult Homelessness in Ireland (2008 – 2013); elimination of the long-term occupation of emergency homeless facilities and the prevention of the homelessness respectively. 94 In an acute hospital setting this process is facilitated by the primary care social worker (community based) or medical social worker who organises and provides the psycho-social support for individuals referred to them where the clinical decision is made that residential care is required. Their role is to focus on ensuring the smooth transition for the individuals to long term residential care. 95 In Galway three individuals were very successfully relocated from various communal houses where they had been for some considerable time to preretirement facilities. The individuals in question were adamant they did not want to go to a nursing home. It should be noted that his move was facilitated by the existence of Fair Deal scheme, the future of which is currently uncertain.
Homelessness, Ageing and Dying
To see the actual publication please follow the link above