(RightIsRight.co) – In a bombshell revelation, a stunning report disclosed that thousands of elderly people have died “incredibly alone” while homeless on Los Angeles’ streets over the past decade.
A common misconception about California’s homelessness crisis is that the majority of people on the streets are young adults who came from out-of-state, drawn to warm weather and homeless services.
However, the Guardian found that over 3,000 of the 11,500 homeless deaths in L.A. County between 2014 and 2023 were seniors, showing just how vulnerable older people are in one of America’s priciest places to live.
According to a Guardian analysis, ‘they’re incredibly alone’ on the LA streets and alleys due to several reasons such as high housing costs, incarceration, mental health issues, substance abuse, and past trauma.
Things have been getting worse as last year, the county’s medical examiner reported 496 deaths among homeless seniors, nearly four times more than a decade ago.
Moreover, the records also reveal that more than 1,700 seniors who died were probably unsheltered. They were found in places like alleys, tents, bus stops, and sidewalks, suggesting they lived outdoors.
About 1,500 of these deaths were ruled “natural” due to things like heart failure, liver disease, and COVID-19. Meanwhile, 1,355 deaths were “accidental,” such as drug overdoses and traffic accidents; 74 were homicides, and 44 were suicides.
Additionally, some very elderly people died on the streets and in shelters. Since 2014, 221 people aged 75 and older have died while homeless, including several in their 80s and two who were 92.
Black Angelenos were overrepresented in these deaths, making up 33% of deceased homeless seniors, even though only 9% of the county’s population is Black.
This data gives a glimpse of a growing crisis in a region where the cost of living keeps rising. There is not enough affordable housing or access to essential healthcare and mental health services.
Furthermore, a study by UCSF found that 90% of homeless individuals in California were already living in the state before they lost their homes.
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