Our Studies

HOPE HOME

Health Outcomes of People Experiencing Homelessness in Older Middle Age (HOPE HOME)

Since 2013, Dr. Margot Kushel has led the Health Outcomes of People Experiencing Homelessness in Older Middle Age (HOPE HOME) project, an NIA-funded longitudinal study involving hundreds of older adults (age 50 and older) experiencing homelessness.

Based in Oakland, the study includes semi-annual visits for structured interviews, cognitive and physical assessments, as well as qualitative interviews, and ethnographic observations. With more than 30 peer reviewed publications thus far, the study has produced numerous findings relevant to exploring the causes and consequences of homelessness among older adults.

For the next five years, the study will examine the relationship between medical mistrust, healthcare utilization and health in a cohort of 350 homeless (and recently homeless) older adults. A community advisory board informs the study.

By drawing attention to the plight of homelessness in older adults, HOPE HOME has received attention in multiple media outlets (including CBS and an in-depth feature in The New York Times), has informed clinical care, and inspired legislation and programs, such as HOME SAFE and Project RoomKey.

The National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health funds this study through grants awarded to Dr. Kushel.

Our Research

View All Related Research

Our Research

Loneliness Among Homeless-Experienced Older Adults With Cognitive or Functional Impairments: Qualitative Findings From the HOPE HOME Study

BMC Public Health

February 22, 2024

Loneliness is often more common in older adults and those who face structural vulnerabilities, including those who experience homelessness. In the United States, 48% of single homeless adults are 50 a...

Our Research

Sleep Quality Among Homeless-Experienced Older Adults: Exploratory Results from the HOPE HOME Study

Journal of General Internal Medicine

October 2, 2023

Sleep is essential to health and affected by environmental and clinical factors. There is limited longitudinal research examining sleep quality in homeless older adults. This exploratory study examine...

Our Research

"I Needed for You to See What I'm Talking About": Experiences With Telehealth Among Homeless-Experienced Older Adults

Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

May 6, 2023

Little is known how older adults with a current or recent experience of homelessness navigated the switch to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers examined the perceptions and use of te...

Our Research

Caregiving Needs Are Unmet for Many Older Homeless Adults: Findings from the HOPE HOME Study

Journal of General Internal Medicine

November 1, 2022

In this cohort study, UCSF BHHI researchers found that most older homeless-experienced adults needed caregiving assistance and few received such assistance. Interventions that increase caregiving acce...