In January 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development counted approximately 771,480 individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night—the highest number ever recorded in a point-in-time count. While homelessness is rising nationwide, older adults are particularly vulnerable, now comprising about one quarter of the homeless population nationally. Black, Latinx, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations face disproportionately high rates of homelessness, reflecting the enduring impacts of inequitable housing, employment, and health care policies. Catastrophic medical events and medical debt increase the risk of homelessness. Once homeless, people experience worse health, including increased serious illnesses, chronic conditions, infectious diseases, and mental health and substance use disorders. It has also been shown that many of the barriers to care presented by homelessness—mobility, access, and financial, among others—can be reduced with palliative care.
Link: CAPC (10/2025)
