Vancouver IM LMR

Thanks to our Geri fellow Natanya Russek for this excellent teaching on an important and relevant topic.

Slides from the presentation can be found here.

Key takeaways:

1. Recognizing that the average older shelter user in Vancouver has been homeless for less than 6 months. Multiple contributors to becoming homeless in late life – system failures, fixed incomes, rising housing costs, frailty, social isolation, traumatic events, illness, abrupt social crisis
   • Geriatric syndromes are a risk factor for losing housing (eg cognitive impairment -> can’t navigate social supports, missed rent payments, etc)
2. Older people experiencing homelessness have health needs which more closely match housed-counterparts 10-20 years older
3. What we can do for these patients in hospital:
   • Ask our patients about housing status and recognize those at high risk
   • Ensure our patients have adequate supports at time of discharge and how those supports work in the patient’s living situation.
   • Communicate discharge plan with community health workers, primary caregivers/supports, GPs who need to take over care upon discharge