Vulnerable Populations Anamarie Donegan BSHS/302 March 21, 2011 Monique Foster Vulnerable Populations There are many different populations in society today. Many of these populations face more challenges than others. One such population is the homeless population. “There are 671,859 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States” (National Alliance to End Homelessness). In this paper, the topic of discussion will be the vulnerable state of homeless people and how critical thinking is used to identify the causes of problems or issues for this population.
Barriers to obtaining services The barriers that the homeless population may prevent them from seeking help or services are many. One is the constant struggle for the homeless to find safer shelters or a place to stay along with finding food to sustain one’s life on a day-to-day basis. The homeless are not concerned with his or her health when his or her primary instinct is to stay alive one-day at a time. So this population tends to put his or her own health needs on the back burner, leaving his or her illness go undetected or injuries not treated, which could lead to further complication. Another barrier is the homeless does not know where to turn to receive the help they need because of lack
People are struggling to survive everyday because they have no food and shelter. These people may always dig through the trash to find something to eat for the day, not knowing if they will find anything. Families may always live in horrible conditions, having no other choice, because they do not have enough money. It’s extremely hard for them to find well paying jobs in these countries. For most of these people it’s nearly impossible to get out of poverty because they were born and raised in that culture, unless other people who aren’t in poverty help them out.
Sometimes even having that may not get you a good enough job to provide for your family. The way prices are for things now a day it’s hard for anyone to provide for their family living in poverty would only make things worse. I feel for the people who may not be able to read or write. It makes me want to help them because those are basic skills to even get a job in general and without those that’s not possible to obtain a job. The fact that they say if you grow up in poverty you are more than likely to stay in poverty when you get older makes me feel for them even more because that means the kids that grow up may not know the difference and may grow up thinking that’s how they are supposed to live, unless they have friends that are in the middle class or above they may never know what it’s like to not be in poverty.
Who are the homeless? The Armed Forces represent a large portion of the homeless population in America (roughly 20-25%). Most people don’t consider the factors that contribute to homelessness such as mental illness or armed forces veterans suffering from their own trauma etc. Far too many veterans are homeless in the united state a number that staggers around 130,000 to 200,000 on any given day representing between one fourth and one fifth of all homeless (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2007). Why negative stereotypes have been created for the homeless?
This could also make it difficult to access education and children may get excluded from school due to behaviour. Cultural: Personal Choice- Families may live in a way that is different from the 'normal' such as communal living. This may affect the child's schooling if they are part of a travelling community. Family expectation and encouragement- There are many different types of parenting. For example, cultural.
This will have caused from poor concentration, the child may also need specific help in their work and class before any sort of progress can be made. 2) Parental illness: a child may need to be looked after because their parents may be ill or cannot cope and as a result the child may have to leave the family home for a period. Throughout this time they may live in foster homes, residential schools or children’s homes. 3) Family breakdown: families break down for a number of reasons including the following substance like abuse, mental health problems, bereavement, parental illness and incapacity. The most dangerous cause of a child being removed from that situation for their own safety and well-being.
For instance, many have close ties to their communities and having resided there for many years. Since the elderly are most like to live home alone and less likely to own a car and be able to drive, they have found it most difficult to evacuate. According to 2000 Census data, among households owned by people age 65 or older who were likely displaced by the storm, 70% are estimated to have owned their own home. Among aged homeowners displaced by the storm, over 70% had lived in their homes for over 20 years, and 47% over 30 years, in the year 2000. An estimated 88,000 people aged 65 and older were likely displaced by Hurricane Katrina, or 12.4% of the population affected by storm damage.
Homelessness There are many reasons why a person can become homeless. In 2008 the survey on homelessness in the United States stated that 664,414 people lived in shelters, in transitional housing, and on the street on a single night in January. Also about 1.6 million people were homeless throughout the year of 2008. The government also suggests that at least 3 million people are homeless for at least one night a year. The majority of the people who are homeless admit to not working, but about 20% of homeless people have at least a part time job.
Although there is limited accurate data to the demographics of the homeless population, the federal, state and local governments must take immediate steps to come up with a solution to this growing problem. The 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress states that the federal government is currently promoting a 10-year plan to ending homelessness with pacific targets to those who are constantly homeless, meaning an individual that is unaccompanied with a disabling condition, been homeless for more than a year and has a history of homelessness, although this is a step in the right direction it is still not enough. Job creation and jobs that pay decent wages, permanent affordable housing, tackling the health care problem for people that are diagnosed with any form of mental illness and taking care of our children should be at the top of the list because our children are the future of our great