Weathering the Storm: Palliative Care and Elderly Homeless Persons

This article explores some of the issues involved in providing hospice care in the environments of homeless persons. Patients who receive hospice care typically reside in a stable setting, such as a home, nursing facility, or hospital. However, when a terminally ill individual resides in a non-traditional location (i.e., in a shelter, on the street, or in a car), hospice providers face several unique challenges. This article focuses on the many transitional settings occupied by homeless persons and the delivery of service to persons in those locations. The content also devotes special attention the unique circumstances of older adults who are homeless.