Goal 6 Healthy Seniors

The transition from homeless to housing isn’t easy. Corvallis Housing First has been helping individuals experiencing homelessness with that transition since 2007, offering temporary housing and case management to these individuals as they reestablish their lives.

Corvallis Housing First owns three properties for temporary residence, including one specifically for seniors over 55 years of age. The organization also works with the homeless shelters in Corvallis to provide outreach and case management services.

“CHF values the use of best practices in the field such as trauma informed care, motivational interviewing, assertive case management, strengths-based and individualized approaches that value diversity, the whole person, and community-building to support the health and resilience of our clients and our organization,” said Andrea Myhre, executive director for Corvallis Housing First. “We work in a team environment to help clients in housing and other services live their best life, whatever that might be for them. We see our staff as key to the success of our clients and our organization. To that end, we strive to provide a supportive, strengths-based, trauma-informed environment for all.”

To help support their work, Samaritan has awarded Social Accountability grants to Corvallis Housing First for the past two years toward assistance for seniors experiencing homelessness. With this funding, the organization works directly with these individuals, helping them access health care and secure housing.

“Seniors who experience homelessness age faster, have more serious chronic health conditions and live significantly shorter lives as a result of their housing status,” Myhre said. “They also visit the ER more frequently and require more intensive care than if they were in housing. 

“Our program works to help make these individuals lives healthier while reducing costs to the system. And we would have a much harder time serving these vulnerable clients without Samaritan’s support.”