▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁found ▁that ▁while ▁general ▁hom eless ness ▁had ▁increased ▁by ▁ 3 % ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁for ▁those ▁over ▁ 5 5 ▁it ▁had ▁increased ▁by ▁ 1 4 %. ▁And ▁this ▁is ▁despite ▁Australia ▁having ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁social ▁safety ▁net . ▁The ▁main ▁reasons ▁were ▁Fin an cial ▁difficulties ▁( 2 2 %) ▁Dom estic ▁and ▁family ▁violence ▁( 1 5 %) ▁H ous ing ▁crisis ▁( 1 4 %). ▁ ▁The ▁differences ▁between ▁the ▁hous ed ▁and ▁hom eless ▁living ▁conditions ▁are ▁significant ▁to ▁life ▁expect ancy ▁of ▁the ▁older ▁population . ▁Under ▁the ▁conditions ▁of ▁hom eless ness , ▁it ▁is ▁typical ▁for ▁those ▁ 5 0 ▁and ▁older ▁to ▁res emble ▁similar ▁health ▁conditions ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁a ▁ 7 0 ▁year ▁old ▁hous ed ▁person . ▁Hom eless ness ▁has ▁been ▁found ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁factor ▁in ▁dram atically ▁short ening ▁a ▁person ' s ▁life ▁expect ancy . ▁Prem ature ▁death ▁is ▁most ▁often ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁combination ▁of ▁ac ute ▁and ▁chron ic ▁medical ▁conditions ▁ag gra v ated ▁by ▁situations ▁of ▁hom eless ness . ▁ ▁The ▁health ▁of ▁the ▁elder ly ▁hom eless ▁population ▁is ▁often ▁neglect ed ▁until ▁the ▁sever ity ▁of ▁an ▁ill ness ▁requires ▁emer gency ▁room ▁treatment . ▁Econom ic ▁factors ▁create ▁path ways ▁to ▁hom eless ness ▁for ▁an ▁increasing ▁population ▁of ▁elder ly . ▁The ▁elder ly ▁hom eless ▁face ▁difficulties ▁that ▁comp ound ▁with ▁age ▁such ▁as ▁lack