I just found out my dad has been sleeping rough for a couple weeks, and I am looking for next steps to help him find housing and stability. Do you know of resources for housing for people over 55+ who are functionally out of the system (but have a SSN)? My dad has been homeless off and on for about 30 years. He is an expert couchsurfer. He is an alcoholic, and is very manipulative - borrows money and moves himself in with anyone who allows it. He has no experience with shelters or dealing with the "system" - he has worked as a carpenter, paid under the table, his entire life and has been struggling as he ages out of the workforce. I have siblings who are much younger than I am and more vulnerable to his manipulations - I went no contact with him for 10 years until his dad died and keep a strong distance between us. I do, however, pay for his phone, which was stolen yesterday when he was asleep under a bush near a job site.
I don't know if he's ever paid into social security, he hasn't had a driver's license in almost twenty years, and I don't really know where to start to do my own research for what is available for him in the Wildomar/Elsinore/Temecula area of Southern California. He may have briefly had Medicare a couple years ago.
He lived with a relative and a friend for the past few years, rent-free, which predictably didn't end well. When it did end, he immediately started hitting up my siblings for a place to stay, which burned up any good will he'd earned during his brief period of stability, where a "visit" to see grandkids was in all actuality a real visit, where he paid his own way and left after a short duration. Recently he attempted another visit which cost my siblings several hundred dollars (that they can not afford) and which ended when I stepped in and had one of them buy him a bus pass back to the Wildomar area. My grandmother lives there and drives him to jobs and medical appointments, but is far beyond the point where she can care for him (and he absolutely cannot live with her).
I am sure he is dealing with untreated mental illness, and in fact you are witnessing the sole remaining shred of my sympathy toward him - I do want to help, but I also want to mitigate the damage to my grandmother and siblings. Should I be gathering info on homeless shelters? He is not quite old enough to apply for Social Security, but will be in the next few years (provided he's paid anything into it, and I don't believe he ever has). Are there programs available to homeless seniors, specifically? Rehab? Jobs he may be qualified for that provide housing? Long term camping? Any leads are very much appreciated.
I don't know if he's ever paid into social security, he hasn't had a driver's license in almost twenty years, and I don't really know where to start to do my own research for what is available for him in the Wildomar/Elsinore/Temecula area of Southern California. He may have briefly had Medicare a couple years ago.
He lived with a relative and a friend for the past few years, rent-free, which predictably didn't end well. When it did end, he immediately started hitting up my siblings for a place to stay, which burned up any good will he'd earned during his brief period of stability, where a "visit" to see grandkids was in all actuality a real visit, where he paid his own way and left after a short duration. Recently he attempted another visit which cost my siblings several hundred dollars (that they can not afford) and which ended when I stepped in and had one of them buy him a bus pass back to the Wildomar area. My grandmother lives there and drives him to jobs and medical appointments, but is far beyond the point where she can care for him (and he absolutely cannot live with her).
I am sure he is dealing with untreated mental illness, and in fact you are witnessing the sole remaining shred of my sympathy toward him - I do want to help, but I also want to mitigate the damage to my grandmother and siblings. Should I be gathering info on homeless shelters? He is not quite old enough to apply for Social Security, but will be in the next few years (provided he's paid anything into it, and I don't believe he ever has). Are there programs available to homeless seniors, specifically? Rehab? Jobs he may be qualified for that provide housing? Long term camping? Any leads are very much appreciated.