Imagine working all your life and then in your senior years, the only option for retirement is living in a park. When we recorded this interview, Dennis was a few months shy of turning 60 years old and had been experiencing homelessness for a little less than 5 months.
Dennis said, “I used to make fun of the homeless until I became one”, which should stand out as a reminder to all of us that homelessness can happen to anyone.
A divorce changed his living situation. Dennis then developed health issues and stayed in a board and care until the high cost forced him to transition to a winter shelter program. When the winter shelter closed, Dennis had no other options except to sleep outside.
We have a “Silver Tsunami” coming. Boomer generation is now entering into what should be their comfortable retirement years. Instead, because this last recession wiped out a lot more than hopes and dreams, seniors will enter into homelessness at an alarming rate.
