Boomers And Homelessness

Baby Boomers and Homelessness

Millions of baby boomers who had hoped to enjoy their retirement as an endless vacation are instead preparing for a new stage of work driven by the need to make ends meet. Consequently, a growing number of older boomers are experiencing financial hardship. And of those, many are either facing homelessness or are already homeless.

The United States experienced tremendous growth in births after the Second World War. In this period, nearly 80 million Americans were born, representing almost 30 percent of the country’s entire current population. This extraordinary and sudden birth increase became known as the baby boom generation.

Many Boomers can’t find work and have little or no retirement savings

In 2022, 552,830 people were homeless in America. Many of them were baby boomers. It is reported that as much as one-third of today’s homeless are baby boomers, with one in seven currently receiving some form of social assistance such as food stamps.

For those baby boomers fortunate enough to still own a home, nearly half of them are financially underwater, meaning they owe more than their home is worth. Many will require the need of homeless resources at some point in their senior years.

Employers prefer younger workers

Employers prefer younger work-to-you drop type of employees, and tech giants like Elon Musk’s Twitter won’t even hire young and talented people unless they are willing to drop dead trying.

Over 55 million baby boomers are currently approaching retirement and receiving social security benefits. But instead of planning for a life of leisure, millions found themselves unemployed and broke.

The major problem is that baby boomers are now out of work for much more extended periods than their younger counterparts.

While age discrimination is prohibited, it’s hard to prove that an employment hiring decision is age-based discrimination. Rather than legally fighting age discrimination, boomer job candidates often settle into a state of apathy and depression, resigning themselves emotionally to being old.

Boomers adjusting to the threat of homelessness

You might be surprised to learn how well some baby boomers adjust to homelessness. Many anticipating the worst in the economy have prepared for the eventuality by using technology and communication to stay connected, informed, forward-looking, and hopeful.

“There are more advantages to the homeless life than you might first think,” said Ben, a sixty-one-year-old baby boomer. Some baby boomers admit that while there is an element of grief and hardship in being homeless, some will tell you there is also an element of freedom and relief.

While clearly, most baby boomers today are homeless by circumstances, more and more of them remain homeless by choice. Many have taken to becoming digital nomads in countries they could actually afford and now cherish their freedom.

Easier to find part-time work

Some boomers find part-time work and create a work schedule that best fits their interests and desires. Some work a few weeks and then spend the next two months doing whatever they want, including pursuing their true interests. Some are even going back to school.

Some boomers have arranged their time, so their workweek is just two days, and their weekend is five days. Not quite the retirement schedule they hoped for years back, but many spend their time going to museums and libraries, volunteering, and just trying to find work.

Some boomers see the positive side of what could be a bad situation

One boomer said the freedom they experienced being homeless was genuinely liberating. One 60-year-old remarked, “Being homeless can sometimes be daunting. It can be hard to have so much time on your hands. In the end, the freedom to do as you please can be addictive.”

For those married boomers facing homelessness together, one man remarked, “I believe this crazy experience will create more depth and meaning to our marriage. I believe that this time will show us who we are and what we want, individually and together.

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