SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The operators at a Springfield shelter for unhoused women say they’re seeing an alarming trend.

Last week, five women over the age of 70 stayed at Safe to Sleep’s shelter. According to the National Institutes of Health, people 50 and older are the fastest-growing age group experiencing homelessness.

Their numbers are estimated to triple in the next five years. The program director at Safe to Sleep says aside from providing a warm bed, they try to help women get back on a path to independent stability.

With women who are in the later part of their lives, the options are more limited.

“If they’re in a walker or a wheelchair, obviously, we’re not going to tell them you need to get a full-time job,” said Kelly Harris of Safe to Sleep. “That’s not an option for them

See Full Page