August 24, 2017
Oshawa This Week
Reka Szekely
Seniors and homelessness: Durham’s emergency shelter system increasingly challenged by an aging population
When Durham police Sgt. Sheri Tate calls up a landlord, they’re often expecting to hear bad news.
But Tate is responsible for the senior supports program for the police department, specializing in cases of elder abuse, and increasingly she’s finding herself advocating for homeless seniors and helping them find a place to live including sometimes calling up potential landlords to talk to them about renting to a senior.
That’s because when a senior ends up on the streets, it’s often police who get the call to help with the situation.