Housing instability complicates end-of-life care for aging unhoused populations

Research estimates that one-third or more of the unhoused population in the U.S. is age 50 or older.

Unhoused people of all ages face high rates of chronic and serious illness. They also die at younger ages compared with people who are not unhoused.

Yet, there are few options for palliative and end-of-life care for unhoused people.

Palliative care is a type of medical care that addresses pain, symptom management and the social and emotional needs for people with a serious illness,…