>>The most obvious response to homelessness is, well—homes. “That’s the first thing. You want to end homelessness? Build homes. That’s the bottom line,” says Martin. “If we get people off the street and get them to bed, get them to rest, and let them heal—they’ll find the solutions themselves. You can’t keep people out and expect them to be well.” Dwellings need not be large, fancy, or complicated—anything with a locking door, a place to store some stuff, a couch that turns into a bed, a toilet and a shower. “Give them some comfort, a place to use the toilet and take a shower, that’s it. It’s not that much to ask for, and it would save lives. Just get them out of the elements.” <<
*American Society for Engineering Education
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Tuesday, May 02, 2017 by Sarah Mann
An excerpt from the article in AAMC News
(Association of American Medical Colleges)
"A hospital patient describes what it’s like to be homeless while recovering from surgery.
In 2014, Washington, D.C., resident Ken Martin was discharged from the hospital two days after heart surgery. Martin was homeless, and with nowhere to go, he recovered on the streets. The day after being discharged, Martin was back in the emergency department with a possible heart attack. After another surgery, he was discharged one day later and returned to the streets. Unfortunately, Martin’s story is not unusual. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, on a given night in 2016, nearly 550,000 people in the United States were experiencing homelessness. These patients face unique barriers finding access to care, recovering after hospitalizations, attending follow-up appointments, and getting medications, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness."
For complete story and video:
https://news.aamc.org/patient-care/article/longest-night-discharged-and-homeless/
