Latest news with #Miami-DadeCountyHomelessTrust
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This Florida woman, 78, lives in her car — as more seniors in the Sunshine State suddenly face homelessness
South Florida resident Carolyn is 78 years old — and at a time in her life when she should be enjoying life's comforts, she's instead living in her car because she can't afford a home. 'I look at it as a journey. I've had many journeys in my life,' she told WSVN 7News in a story published May 13. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Carolyn isn't the only older American in that boat. A growing portion of seniors in parts of Florida are grappling with homelessness — and the problem is projected to keep getting worse. Carolyn had been living in her vehicle for two months at the time, and 7News reports she has only Social Security for income. She doesn't share her monthly benefit, but the average retired worker today collects about $2,000 a month. Carolyn has sold many of her possessions, but simply doesn't have enough money. In the absence of a bed, she sleeps upright in her car instead of lying down. 'I sleep here in this seat, scrunched down. My ankles and legs are swollen from having to sit all the time,' she said. 'I buy jug water, it's cheaper. And I eat one meal a day, for $2.02.' Thanks to her Medicare plan, Carolyn has free access to a gym where she can shower, per 7News. But she still needs a home. Cassandra Rhett, the Housing and Social Services Manager for the City of Pompano Beach, is trying to help find her one. Rhett was inspired to help knowing that anyone could end up in a situation like Carolyn's. 'It could be my aunt, it could be my mother. It just breaks my heart just how humble Carolyn is,' she told 7News with tears in her eyes. Rhett blames the situation on skyrocketing rents. Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, says that homeless seniors are incredibly vulnerable and in need of help. 'We know if you put vulnerable elderly on the street, they're going to die earlier,' he told 7News. 'The face of homelessness has changed. I want people in our community to think about their mothers, and their grandmothers, and their grandfathers being homeless for the first time.' In 2019, people aged 65 and older made up nearly 8% of the homeless population in Miami-Dade County, according to 7News, citing data from the Homeless Trust. By 2024, that number reached 14%, and it's projected to climb to 22% by 2030. Read more: This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Meanwhile, Carolyn's car recently started to leak following a period of rain. Rhett says the city has put Carolyn up in a hotel for now — while she works to find the senior permanent housing. Carolyn hopes sharing her story sheds light on the problem at hand. 'It can happen to anyone. Don't think it can't,' she warned. Americans aged 50 and over are the fastest growing group of people who are going homeless in the country, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The National Alliance to End Homelessness, meanwhile, reports that in 2023, roughly 138,000 Americans aged 55 and older experienced homelessness on a given night, representing 20% of all homeless individuals. Florida was among the states with the highest proportion of older adults. The organization also noted, in 2020, that 5 million Americans aged 65 and over lived below the poverty line, which at the time was $12,760 for a household of one, per HHS data. There are a few reasons why older Americans may not be able to afford housing. First, many people who reach retirement have only Social Security to live on. A 2024 AARP survey found that 20% of Americans aged 50 and over had no retirement savings. As noted earlier, the average retired worker Social Security benefit is about $2,000 a month. But Zillow puts the average U.S. rent for a one-bedroom unit at just under $1,600 per month. In addition to worrying about rent, health costs tend to rise with age. And those with limited incomes sometimes have to choose between paying for medical care and medication versus other bills. It's important that seniors at risk of homelessness know how to get access to the support they need. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, for example, has an online tool to help people seek out emergency shelter, as well as food pantries and health clinics. You can also use this list of resources to find homeless assistance programs in your state. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
See how these people are conquering their health challenges in Florida
South Florida See how these people are conquering their health challenges in Florida Florida residents are confronting serious health challenges with support from medical teams, community groups and new technology. Outreach workers from the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust provide water and cooling supplies to those most affected by the city's record heat, while WeCount! advocates for better protections for outdoor workers. Survivors of recent hurricanes in Miami face invisible mental health hurdles, as experts from virtual platforms like Nema Health teach people to recognize and treat PTSD through talk therapies such as cognitive processing therapy. Meanwhile, stroke survivors find renewed hope with Miami's first use of nerve stimulation devices, which help patients regain movement years after their initial injury. Across these tough situations, Miami's residents and organizations work to adapt, recover and support each other. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. NO. 1: A STROKE CHANGED A MIAMI TEACHER'S LIFE. HOW A NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICE IS HELPING HER MOVE What to know about how it works. | Published November 18, 2024 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante Jean Wilfred, 70, enjoys a bottle of water as the outreach team from the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust handed out bottles of water to individuals living on the street on Aug. 1, 2024, in Miami, Florida, during a period of sweltering heat. By Carl Juste NO. 2: 'WE NEED WATER.' HOW SOUTH FLORIDA GROUPS ARE HELPING THOSE HARDEST HIT BY EXTREME HEAT Miami-area nonprofits are helping those most vulnerable to the extreme heat South Florida is facing. | Published October 30, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mimi Whitefield Juan Jose Muñoz (left) and Elvin Antonio Urbina walk with her belongings through the flooded N 15th St in North Tampa, Thursday, October 10, 2024, a day after Hurricane Milton crossed Florida's Gulf Coast. By Pedro Portal NO. 3: FLORIDIAN HURRICANE SURVIVORS COULD BE SUFFERING FROM PTSD—BUT RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE After a tumultuous hurricane season, an expert says Floridians should look out for symptoms of PTSD. | Published November 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Denise Hruby The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
