Housing emergencies and the etiology of homelessness among the urban elderly.

This research examined factors that lead to homelessness and shelter placement of seniors. A purposive sample of 475 aged clients was selected randomly from the files of a citywide emergency service program, 45% of whom were found to have had serious housing-related problems. A subsample of 115 housing problem cases was investigated, including persons who had needed emergency shelter or temporary housing or been living in deteriorated housing. Assessment data from the OARS instrument and open-ended housing history questions were analyzed. Homelessness was found to be significantly associated with low income, dementia, living alone, and an unstable residential history.