Young homeless people as frail as 80-year-olds

Homeless people aged in their 40s or younger are so unwell they resemble people in their 80s, a study has found.

Homeless people aged in their 40s or younger are so unwell they resemble people in their 80s, a study of patients at a Dublin hospital has found.

The study found one in three young homeless patients was too frail to climb hospital stairs. Other signs of accelerated physical ageing included falling often, being frail, and needing support to walk.

Principal investigator and assistant professor, Discipline of Physiotherapy at Trinity College, Julie Broderick, said they found “visible evidence” of ageing.

“This study conducted by physiotherapy researcher Sinead Kiernan found that general physical and mobility levels of participants who were homeless in their 20s, 30s, and 40s were comparable to levels we would expect to see among stably housed people in their 70s or 80s,” said Dr Broderick. 

Most of the people lived in hostels for the homeless but 17% were rough sleepers, she said.

The study of 65 mostly male patients with a median age of 45 was carried out in St James’s Hospital. It was initiated by the Physiotherapy Department at Trinity College with the hospital’s inclusion health team.

Among the findings were that 83% of this group had mobility problems and just over half experienced at least one fall in the previous six months. Only one in three could attempt to climb one flight of stairs, and 38% could walk for six minutes.

The majority were classed by the medical team as frail or pre-frail, and 25% had poor balance.

Dr Broderick urged supports with mobility levels, strength, and fitness to be put in place.

“Falls prevention strategies are also necessary," said Dr Broderick. 

Accommodation services for people who are homeless need to be suitable and accessible for people with low mobility levels.” 

Based on these findings, the authors recommended that physical rehabilitation services be made a priority. They also recommended targeted community and outreach services to give support after leaving hospital.

“The research team recommends that housing policy should respond to the physical health needs of people who are homeless along with housing and accommodation services that are designed with accessibility in mind,” said the report.

The researchers acknowledged that homeless people face problems with addiction and mental health but called for a greater focus on physical health. They said it is known that homeless people require emergency care more often than people with homes but the physical impact of this is not as well-known.

“Some will need to be admitted to hospital for further care and this cohort can constitute a substantial proportion of inpatients in many acute hospitals at any one time. The physical characteristics of this vulnerable group were not well known," said the study.

The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.