Older people with alcohol-related brain injury and associated complex behaviors: a psychosocial model of residential care (the Wicking Project).

The increasing need for specialist residential aged care services to support older people with complex behaviors resulting from dementia and alcohol-related brain injury was the impetus for the development of an exploratory action research trial. Affected individuals are commonly characterized by a unique set of needs and life circumstances that are not adequately or appropriately supported by currently available mainstream services. We discuss the synthesis, design, and key features of the research trial's specialized model which commenced in 2008 in Wintringham, Australia. The trial was recently completed in November 2009. Through the development of a specialized residential care model we aim to move one step closer to providing appropriate support to one of the most needing yet highly marginalized group of people.

Supporting the long-term residential care needs of older homeless people with severe alcohol-related brain injury in Australia: the Wicking Project.

For years, community service providers have been frustrated with the lack in availability of long-term, specialized supported accommodation for older people, particularly older homeless people, with severe acquired brain injury (ABI) and challenging behaviors. Although the incidence of ABI (particularly alcohol-related brain injury) is far wider than being confined to the homeless population, it is frequently misdiagnosed and very often misunderstood Wintringham is an independent welfare company in Melbourne, Australia, that provides secure, affordable, long-term accommodation and high quality services to older homeless people. The high incidence of alcohol abuse among the resident population has led us to adapt our model ofcare to accommodate a complexity of need. However, there are some individuals with severely affected behaviors that continue to challenge Wintringham's capacity to provide adequate support. The deficiency in highly specialized, long-term supported accommodation for older people with severe alcohol-related brain injury (ARBI) is the driving force behind this project. We aim to further develop and improve the current Wintringham model of residential care to better support people with these complex care needs. We will report on the synthesis of this project which aims to test a specialized model that can be reproduced or adapted by other service providers to improve the life circumstances of these frequently forgotten people.

Causes of homelessness among older people in Melbourne, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: A comparative study of the causes of new episodes of homelessness among people aged 50 years and over has been undertaken in Australia, the United States and England. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect information on the circumstances and problems that contributed to homelessness. METHODS: This paper presents the findings from Australia, where information was obtained from 125 older homeless people (aged 50+ years) and their key workers in Melbourne. All three participating nations followed identical research methodologies. RESULTS: The factors most frequently reported by respondents as contributing to their homelessness were problems with people with whom they lived, followed by physical and mental ill-health and problems associated with the housing itself. The most frequently reported factors by case workers were problems with alcohol, followed by physical and mental health factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a significant under-utilisation of housing and support services among recently homeless older people and provides evidence that people who had previously been homeless appear to be more resigned to their homelessness than do those who had not experienced homelessness before. Significant issues relating to depression and gambling were also noted. The findings support the need for more targeted, specialised services to be developed or improved such that older homeless people can readily gain access to them and for improved collaboration or information exchange among housing providers and welfare agencies.

The causes of homelessness in later life: findings from a 3-nation study.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents findings from a study of the causes of homelessness among newly homeless older people in selected urban areas of the United States, England, and Australia. METHODS: Interviews were conducted in each country with > or =122 older people who had become homeless during the last 2 years. Information was also collected from the subjects' key workers about the circumstances and problems that contributed to homelessness. RESULT: Two-thirds of the subjects had never been homeless before. Antecedent causes were the accommodation was sold or needed repair, rent arrears, death of a close relative, relationship breakdown, and disputes with other tenants and neighbors. Contributory factors were physical and mental health problems, alcohol abuse, and gambling problems. DISCUSSION: Most subjects became homeless through a combination of personal problems and incapacities, welfare policy gaps, and service delivery deficiencies. Whereas there are nation-specific variations, across the three countries, the principal causes and their interactions are similar.

Providing housing and care to elderly homeless men and women in Australia.

People who are unemployed and who lack the resources to buy adequate food, shelter, or basic health care services face an endless struggle to survive. It is frequently a degrading and humiliating experience. The elderly homeless, who are often frail and sick, are particularly disadvantaged in this struggle. Yet resources are often available to welfare providers to care for the aged homeless. All that is needed is a willingness for providers and government agencies to acknowledge the existence of homelessness among the elderly and be prepared to alleviate the problem.