Preventing the rise in homelessness among older adults
Lori Holleran, Arizona Housing, Inc. (AHI)
Research questions
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What impact does supportive, affordable housing have on the wellbeing of older adults?
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What long term impacts will this type of housing have on health, housing and food security among elders?
Methods and findings
Holleran piloted a supportive, affordable housing program that integrates digital literacy, social cohesion and health connectedness. She then developed recommendations related to nontraditional options for older adults entering the housing management system for the first time.
Impact
The elderly share of the population experiencing poverty and homelessness is expected to double in the next 15 years, 14% of older adults experienced food insecurity in 2019, and 50% have to cope with at least one impairment that impedes their ability to perform necessary daily activities. Integrated, supportive and affordable housing has the potential to reverse all of these trends, while creating a sense of community and belonging among residents.
Lori Holleran
Arizona Housing, Inc. (AHI)
Community Fellow, 2022
Lori currently manages special programs for Arizona Housing Inc., where she is focused on addressing chronic health issues, behavioral health concerns, and social determinants of health among extremely low-income Arizonans. She recently concluded her two-year service as a VA Quality Scholars Fellow, focusing on national healthcare improvement efforts within the VA. Prior to her work with the VA, she was the recipient of a Philanthropy Advisory Fellowship within the Effective Altruism Center at Harvard College, where she served on a cross-disciplinary team advising large foundations on how to maximize the impact of their charitable giving. Her previous research and publications have broadly focused on policies and programs aimed at improving health care among structurally marginalized and high-risk groups in a culturally competent manner.