...Homeless Veterans a Vulnerable Population Vulnerable populations are often used to characterize groups whose needs are not fully addressed by traditional service providers (Blue-Howells, J., McGuire, J., & Nakashima, J., 2008). These people believe they cannot comfortably or safely access and use the standard resources offered. They include physical or mental disabilities, limited or non-English speaking, geographic or cultural isolation, medical or chemical dependent, homeless, frail/elderly and children. Homeless veterans are examples of a vulnerable population. In this paper, the demographics and the present state of homeless veterans will be explored. Learning that veterans are considered part of a vulnerable population was not necessarily surprising given the physical and mental condition along with advanced age of many veterans. However, what is alarming is there are far too many veterans who are homeless. What makes this knowledge alarming is most Americans including myself believe veterans should be living a healthy and successful life as compensation for their sacrifice for our country (Wills, 2008). Many people in the United States think the needs of veterans are the responsibility of the government (Wills, 2008). In an ideal situation, the federal government would provide veterans with access to employment, housing, retirement or a pension, and free health care. These services are needed because of many health risks, physical or mental placed upon soldiers...
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...Homeless Veterans in America Name Institution Part 1 Statistics show that there are between 130,000 and 200,000 homeless veterans in America. Homeless veterans amount to about one-fourth and one-fifth of the entire homeless population in America. Homeless veterans are a population of Americans who have at one time or the other served their country in war. An estimated 131,000 veterans spend a night homeless, and this population doubles if one considers the population of homeless veterans over the course of the year. An approximate of 40% homeless men are veterans that are a significant considering 34% of the general adult male population is composed of veterans. Besides being homeless, this population faces other problems which include; social, economic, and psychological problems (Alker, 2009). Homeless veterans are more likely to suffer addiction as compared to the general population. According to Alker (2009), 76% of homeless veterans are alcohol or drug addicts. Because of the painful memories and the new reality of homelessness that dawn on them they turn to alcohol and drugs. Coupled with all the problems these homeless veterans experience social problems such as isolation. For this reason, they have no one to share their pains with and, therefore, they rarely receive help for treatable conditions such as addiction (Center for American Progress, 2008). Economic stressors are a root cause of homelessness for American veterans. The skills acquired from their military...
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...My vulnerable population is war veterans. Veterans have many issues after coming home from war that makes them vulnerable. Some have difficulty adjusting to civilian life. My paper will discuss the risk factors that make them vulnerable. Risk factors 1) War 2) Drugs/Alcohol 3) Combat zone 4) Depression 5) PTSD 6 ) sexual assault 7) Traumatic Brain Injury 8) low-income 9) Mental Illness 10)Combat injury 11) Chronic Illness 12) Lack of Family Support Questions to ask Marcie Platt regarding Homeless Veterans 1) The CDC has veterans listed under vulnerable populations? Do you agree and Why? 2) What do you think is the single most risk factor associated with homeless veterans? 3) Have you seen any type of pattern in homelessness based on what branch of service they were in? 4) Can you tell me some contributing factors to homelessness? 5) What kind of services does the VA offer? 6) How many veterans do you see are homeless? 7) Do they want help? 8) Are homeless veterans addicted to drugs? 9) I read that veterans are 3x more likely to become homeless if they live in poverty or minority? Do you agree? And why? 10) What are some of the things you do for homeless veterans? Questions to ask veteran? 1) What branch of service where you in? 2) Did you enlist or get drafted? If enlisted, why did you choose that branch? 3) Did you serve in a war? Which one? 4) What was your job? 5) Did you see combat? 6) Did you get injured? 7) Did anyone in your unit get injured...
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...NUR471 | Homeless Veterans | A Vulnerable Population | | Tina Sampers | 4/29/12 | Description of the selected population The assumption that all veterans receive free health care and supported by the United States government is a sad misconception and unrealistic dream. Homeless veterans by definition are a group of individuals who have served in the United States military and do not have shelter, or home at night. The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act offers a detailed definition of homeless to include no shelter as defined as nights spent in a car, abandoned building or on the streets, in a homeless shelter, transitional housing, or with family members or friends without paying rent (O'Toole, 2010). Vulnerable population risk factors Homeless veterans are a vulnerable population group by definition, because they are a subgroup of the population more likely to develop health problems or have worse problems from health problems due to exposures to risks not experienced by the rest of the population (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008, p. 712). According to the Veterans Affairs (VA), an estimated 194,000 veterans nationwide were homeless on any given night during the fiscal year 2005 (GAO, 2006, p.2). The VA admits it is difficult to obtain accurate numbers and fear the actual numbers are much higher (GAO, 2006, p.2). Researchers completed numerous studies to differentiate the health problems associated with homeless veterans compared to...
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...Vulnerable Populations BSHS/301 October 29, 2013 Vulnerable Populations Introduction Have you ever looked at a panhandler on a street corner and thought to yourself “get a job” or “druggie.” If you have, you are not alone. There is a negative stigma surrounding the homeless is hard pressed to be changed. Each year between 2 to 3 million people in the United States experience a period of homelessness (Families with Children & Homelessness, 2013). There are many reasons for one to become homeless and there are many different people who through unpreventable circumstances find themselves losing their grip on the very foundation of their lives. This can a be a terrifying time and may eventually lead to mental illnesses such as depression and substance abuse as a means to cope with losing all one has known. To fully understand this vulnerable population one needs to know the history, the root causes of homelessness, social issues, the different demographics, and intervention strategies (Martin, 2007). History During the fourteenth century to the seventieth century the poor were taken care of by the church. During this time period the church and monasteries believed the poor to be blessed and it was a blessing to provide for them. The English Poor Laws throughout the Middle Ages added a negative stigma with the poor. The undeserving poor and the homeless were sent to almshouses or work camps were they were made to do demeaning work for long hours. This treatment stripped...
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...Vulnerable Populations Homeless Persons Margaret A. Stewart BSHS 302 July 18, 2011 Karen Miner Abstract Most Americans have heard the term hobo, which is defined as a vagrant or transient among other definitions. The term is well known because a large number of Americans have been named such who lived on the streets, or “skid rows” of this country. Homeless individuals have existed throughout history; however, more recently, a larger number and many categories of homeless individuals occur. In this paper the subject to examine is the history of homeless persons in America, the nature of the social problems and issues experienced by the homeless, demography of the homeless, common clinical issues and intervention strategies, and a discussion of future interventions. Vulnerable Populations Homeless Persons Homelessness has been a phenomenon in America beginning in the late 1700s according to author Kenneth Kusmer. “Kusmer begins with an examination of homelessness from the late seventeenth century through the early nineteenth century. Although the number of homeless fluctuated somewhat in this period (rising in the late eighteenth century and in the 1820s), concern about the homeless was not widespread. The homeless were also largely an urban phenomenon; rural residents rarely encountered homeless persons. The Civil War introduced soldiers to railroad travel and to foraging, and after the war, some veterans continued...
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...Vulnerable Populations: The Homeless JLG BSHS302 April 7, 2012 KT Vulnerable Populations: The Homeless The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25(1) states: “Everyone has the right to… food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services” (Donohoe, 2004). Although it is everyone’s right to have access to those necessities, it is not always the case for many, who for whatever reasons, have no means to afford them. Here in the United States, the current unemployment situation as well as record foreclosures has forced many people to become homeless. “The term homelessness refers to the condition of individuals without a regular dwelling and that term is used to describe people who do not have a home and whom sleep on the street but it is also commonly used to refer to individuals whose primary night-time residence is a homeless shelter, a warming center or another ad hoc type of housing” (NPACH, 2011). The homeless face many problems in day-to-day living and this paper will focus on this group as a vulnerable population will discuss the history of the homeless, the nature of homelessness as a social problem, what issues they experience, their demographic, their common clinical issues, intervention strategies used for this particular group, and finally, what interventions are planned for the future. History of the Homeless Population For years, homelessness has been an ongoing problem in countries around...
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...Epidemiology: Hepatitis C in the Veteran Population NUR / 408 July 7, 2014 Deborah Nallo Introduction Hepatitis C (HCV) is highly prevalent within the Veteran population. HCV is a major public health concern because of the debilitating effects associated with the virus. HCV results in increased mortality and morbidity rates resulting from the acute and chronic effects of the virus. The most common transmission of HCV occurs through injection drug use, injuries resulting from needle sticks and the lack of infection control in healthcare facilities. The transmission of HCV can also occur through sexual contact between individuals who have the human immunodeficiency virus, and HCV virus, tattoos that were not professionally done and HCV infected mothers who have transmitted the virus to their newborn babies. The hepatitis C virus is the most common blood-borne virus in the United States. An estimated 3.2 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C. Most are unaware of their infection. Each year, about 17,000 Americans become infected with hepatitis C ("Centers for Disease Control and Prevention", n.d.). The veteran population has a higher rate of HCV exposure and infection when compared to the general population. Many of the individuals who are infected with the HCV virus are unaware of their infection and therefore they do not receive the necessary treatment. Individuals with HCV are at increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinomas and other...
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...“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” – Mother Teresa (Mother Teresa, 2001). Many people have difficulties in their lives that make them more susceptible to becoming homeless. When these complications become reinforced they can initiate a downward spiral that almost seems impossible to get out of. Approximately 3.5 million people are likely to experience homelessness in a given year (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2007). Not receiving the help needed in time can result in living on the streets. Some of these complications include mental illness, lack of affordable healthcare, drug addiction, domestic violence, decreasing work opportunities and housing, decline in public assistance, and poverty. It has become so common to see a homeless person sleeping on the sidewalk. 43% of the homeless population are women, 36% are families with children, and 7% are unaccompanied minors. 50% are African-American, 35% white, 12% Hispanic, 2% Native American, and 1% Asian. 66% of the homeless have problems with alcohol, drug abuse, or mental illness and veterans constitute 40% of the homeless population (GrabStats, 2008). Having insufficient money does not help to cover the expenses of a home, a family, and bills. The typical lower class citizen has to deal with all types of financial issues. ...
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...Throughout the United States statistics show that there is evidence of an increase of persons that are in the state of being homeless. Conditions such as unemployment, low income, substance abuse, and mental disabilities are just to name a few. Some of these victims of being homeless are those that are least expected which include members of the military, the veterans, mainly those that have served during the time of the Vietnam War. As a direct result of Post Traumatic Syndrome and other mental/medical disabilities many in this group may not have a permanent home to call their own. To define homelessness according to the site for National Health Care for the Homeless Council (retrieved 2014), one of the official definitions for the state of being homeless or homelessness is presented as follows: A homeless individual is defined in section 330(h) (4)(A) as “an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family), including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility (e.g., shelters) that provides temporary living accommodations, and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing.” A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation. [Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., 254b)](National...
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...RUNNING HEAD: Mental Illness & the Homeless Mental Illness & the Homeless Shannon Nolen 7-21-11 I have lived in many cities and visited many cities where there are a lot of homeless people. I have sometimes wondered how these people get into the situation of not having anywhere to go. I also see a lot of these people talking to themselves and I have always thought they were just on drugs which a lot of them probably are but now that I have learned more about mental illness it is very difficult to determine whether mental illness is a cause or an effect of homelessness. There is research showing that “It is thought that approximately 25 to 33 percent of the homeless population suffers from some form of mental illness” (Townsend). This number is shocking to me and made me wonder why this is? Some of the following theories have been proposed: the deinstitutionalization movement of the 50’s and 60’s, the growing number of war veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, cuts in government entitlement programs for the mentally ill and substance abuse (Townsend). As nurses we have a very important role in treating the mentally ill homeless patient. We have to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness, evaluate whether or not they are taking medications and receiving the right kind of treatment, and if they aren’t we need to guide them in the right direction for getting treatment and provide resources...
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...America, as many as 3.5 million people will not have a safe place to go to sleep. The homeless will be sleeping out in the cold, on a park bench or in the gutter. The lucky ones may be sleeping in a shelter tonight. These so called shelters are sometimes even more dangerous because they are frequently over-crowded and understaffed. But the real question is, in the land of opportunity, where the typical family has more televisions than family members and an average of two cars, why are there so many citizens on the street, struggling to survive from day to day? How are so many people, fellow human beings, sleeping on sidewalks, begging for spare change, and digging through garbage cans just to find food to eat? While the general impression is that the homeless are primarily alcoholics and drug abusers, more than half the homeless are families with children. The vast majority of these have been thrust into homelessness by a life altering event or series of events that were unexpected and unplanned for. There are many reasons these unfortunate individuals are seen living on the streets of our cities. Homelessness is caused by tragic life occurrences like the loss of loved ones, job loss, domestic violence, and divorce. Other impairments such as depression, untreated mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and physical disabilities are also responsible for a large portion of the homeless. Many factors push people into living on the street. Acknowledging these can help bring...
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...Vulnerable Populations Christopher Holland University of Phoenix CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY: I certify that the attached paper, which was produced for the class identified above, is my original work and has not previously been submitted by me or by anyone else for any class. I further declare that I have cited all sources from which I used language, ideas and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, and that any and all assistance of any kind, which I received while producing this paper, has been acknowledged in the References section. This paper includes no trademarked material, logos, or images from the Internet, which I do not have written permission to include. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have the same validity as my handwritten signature. Student's signature (name typed here is equivalent to a signature): Christopher Holland Introduction The purpose of this paper is to explore the homeless population in the United States while thinking critically. The research for this paper shall detail the history of homeless from its first noticeable conception. The paper will examine the time line of homelessness stating contributing factors as well as detailing the homeless struggle. This paper shall research the nature of the social problems or issues experienced by homeless people meanwhile showing the stereotyping and discrimination of homeless people. This paper will explore the different demographic...
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...Previous attempts Do You Ignore Homeless People? We should not ignore homeless people on the street but to help them. Homeless people go unseen every day, as passersby ignore their existence on sidewalks, in parks, in subway stations. Based on the U.S. Conference of Mayors report from 2008, 19 of the 25 cities reported an increase in homelessness from 2007. More specifically, 16 cities reported an increase in the number of homeless families. Also, due to the recent foreclosures crisis, homelessness has been on the rise. In the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s 2008 Report, 12 of the 25 cities surveyed reported an increase in homelessness. There were some campaigns have been done after the increasing of the population of homelessness in America. Firstly, The National Center on Family Homelessness launched the Campaign to End Child Homelessness in 2009 to ensure that not one child in America goes to sleep for one night without a home. They believe it unacceptable for any child in the United States to be homeless. The Campaign's legacy will be that all children who are homeless will have stable housing, vital support services, and the same opportunities available to more fortunate children. The campaign plans to better address the needs of homeless children, improve programs and services to meet the unique needs of homeless children. Unfortunately, according to the America’s Youngest Outcasts 2010 State Report Card on Child Homelessness the numbers of homeless children increase by more than...
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...Veterans In Late Adulthood Brittany Albano NYU Part I I observed homeless veteran men within the late adulthood population at the Borden Avenue Veterans Shelter in Long Island City, NY. I watched the veterans first in a recreation room interacting socially with other clients, next, in a meeting with social workers, and lastly, outside of the shelter on the streets of New York. These observations were all made at the same time, at approximately 12 pm. I watched the veterans both interact with others and behave on their own for an hour in each setting. During this time, I saw and noted many different aspects of what it means to be a homeless veteran in late adulthood through a social work lens. In an entirely social setting, the recreation room, most clients interacted closely and comfortably. It was mealtime in the recreation room and they were gathered to eat lunch. Most of the clients were loud and spoke to each other often. They seemed ‘free’. Some were even making inappropriate jokes and it seemed as if their guards were down. I heard them making fun of other people, both staff members and clients. The clients sat in dyads or small groups; practically no one was alone in the room. However, the younger clients who were not part of the late adulthood population that engulfs most of the clients at the shelter seemed to be excluded and stuck together. The older clients did not interact with them at all. During this time, the clients were dressed casually, most in sweatpants...
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