The wounds of my recent flesh-eating virus have mostly healed. I took my seasonl flu shot. I'm gobbling multi-vitamins and C. My heater is primed and ready for winter. I dug in my closet and washed the mothball smell out of my jackets and sweaters. The shorts and tank tops are stashed away. I'm a lucky man this winter...I'm housed.
There are still thousands of men, women and children right here in Salt Lake City who are not as lucky. Even with emergency shelters like The Road Home and The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake, a good portion of those people live---and sleep---outside, on the streets.
Fall and winter weather bring a chill not only to the air, but to the bones of homeless people. Being out side for most of the day, and/or night, waiting in line for services during intemperate weather are a daily dillemma for the unhoused. Even if you are in a shelter, you are required to be out of the building most days from around 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM or later.
This makes staying healthy a big challenge for homeless folks. In recent years there have even been cases of death by exposure in our city. Health care is another long wait in line with no guarantee of being treated. This often leaves seriously sick people no choice but to take an ambulance to an emergency room. Local hospitals have few funds for 'transient/indigent care.' Therefore, everyone's health care costs go up to subsidize the unrecouped costs.
This hurts everyone, but most of all it is a significant factor in people'w inability to recover from homelesness. A big part of the homeless population are people who have suffered a serious injury or accident, leaving them disabled while waiting years for help from Social Security.
So when people say we don't need an affordable public option health care plan, I tell them they are seriously out of touch with how bads things have become in this country.
Here's this week's links to news of interest to homeless people and their allies:
Utah
top story-Homeless clinic plans to open H1N1 wing "Plans are underway for an overnight ward for transient patients with H1N1. 'We don't have the ability to say, "Get in bed and rest for five days,"' said Jennifer Hyvonen, spokeswoman for the Fourth Street Clinic, a nonprofit clinic for the homeless."
by Erin Alberty Salt Lake Tribune
"The number of people who experienced homelessness in Utah in 2009 has risen, making it the third consecutive year to show an increase as the state felt the effects of a national recession, according to a new report by two state agencies." by Matthew D. LaPlante Salt Lake Tribune
Nation
Prosecutor: Beaten homeless men were 'easy prey' PONTIAC, Mich. — "Two homeless men beaten to death last year were "easy prey" for a group of teenagers, a prosecutor said Thursday as the murder trial for two of the teens began." by Ben Leubsdorf Associated Press
Philadelphia homeless man crushed in trash truck PHILADELPHIA (AP) — "Police in Philadelphia say a homeless man sleeping in a trash bin wound up in the back of a garbage truck and was killed by the vehicle's compactor." from Deseret News
She's homeless but for $95 she can go home with your princess "The newest American Girl doll is a honey-haired cutie named Gwen Thompson who wears a simple white eyelet dress with a pink ribbon at the empire waist. She's fresh-faced, sparkly eyed and, hmmmm, let's see, what else? Oh, yes! She's homeless." by Celia Rivenbark McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Wis. priest auctions family silver for homeless October 17 2009 Associated Press
World
Rags-to-riches tramp bags fortune in bottles reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman, editing by Paul Casciato Reuters
Personal Story of the Week:
South of Scotland - Homeless man's life-change honour . "Mr Kirkhope will find out later this month if he has won an award from homelessness charity Crisis." BBC News
Oxfordshire - Emergency help for young homeless . "A scheme is launched offering emergency accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness in parts of Oxfordshire." BBC News
Union Chapel, London-Gavin Bryars Ensemble "...concert in a series raising money for Margins, a charity for London's homeless..." by John Lewis Guardian
Stay healthy: eat regulalry, dress warmly, get out of the weather if you can, and if you get sick, seek treatment immediately-don't let something simple get worse.
until next week...
---your editor
JW
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