Over 50 And Homeless: Recession Strikes Older Generation

The recession has hit the 50-and-over set particularly hard, The Sacramento Bee reports. Though people in over 50 age group traditionally make up a small part of the homeless population, midlife job loss and health problems have put more people on the street who would have never otherwise faced these issues.

People past 50 who have lost blue collar and service industry jobs have skills that may not translate into 21st century work - one reason that the AARP Public Policy Institute finds that older, unemployed job-seekers are likely to be on the job market longer.

Said Corinna Dewar, Women's Empowerment's program manager: "People who thought they were well-situated in life are experiencing that they need to start over again."

To learn more about how homelessness has touched just one couple near Sacramento and to view a slideshow of their homeless experience visit The Sacramento Bee.