▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁ 5 0 ▁and ▁ 6 5 ▁are ▁at ▁greater ▁ris ks ▁because ▁they ▁fall ▁between ▁vi able ▁working ▁age ▁and ▁government al ▁safety ▁n ets . ▁This ▁age ▁group ▁typically ▁experiences ▁poor ▁physical ▁health , ▁poor ▁nut r ition ▁and ▁severe ▁living ▁conditions ▁that ▁put ▁them ▁in ▁a ▁greater ▁risk ▁category ▁than ▁those ▁who ▁are ▁younger ▁than ▁ 5 0 ▁and ▁older ▁than ▁ 6 5 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁Studies ▁consider ▁this ▁age ▁group ▁of ▁the ▁elder ly ▁hom eless ▁too ▁old ▁to ▁benefit ▁from ▁employ ment ▁services ▁and ▁too ▁young ▁for ▁social ▁safety ▁net ▁benefits . ▁ ▁A ▁University ▁of ▁California ▁study ▁has ▁followed ▁ 3 5 0 ▁participants ▁in ▁Oak land ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁Their ▁conclus ions ▁were ▁that ▁the ▁majority ▁had ▁worked ▁in ▁low - pa id ▁low - sk ill ▁occup ations . ▁ 8 0 % ▁were ▁African ▁American . ▁They ▁were ▁at ▁greater ▁risk ▁of ▁hom eless ness ▁because ▁they ▁spent ▁over ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁their ▁income ▁on ▁rent . ▁Most ▁were ▁s icker ▁to ▁begin ▁with ▁and ▁therefore ▁spent ▁more ▁on ▁medic ation . ▁Once ▁hom eless , ▁they ▁died ▁at ▁a ▁rate ▁four ▁to ▁five ▁times ▁what ▁would ▁be ▁expected ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁population , ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁causes ▁as ▁do ▁other ▁people ▁– ▁heart ▁disease ▁and ▁cancer ▁– ▁but ▁they ▁do ▁so ▁ 2 0 ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁earlier . ▁ ▁A ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁report ▁commission ed ▁by