Norma Johnson cracks a faint smile as she adjusts her stylish cat-eye glasses.

She’s at St. Mary’s Center’s cafeteria in West Oakland, where older adults in interim housing or living on the streets can drop by for a free meal. But Johnson’s mind is elsewhere. Her treasured red leather rocking chair, along with most of her belongings, sits in a storage unit. She’s afraid if she doesn’t pay her $500 balance soon, the storage unit operator will auction everything.

“I gotta pull a rabbit out of my hat,” Johnson, 65, said during a rainy January day. “I don’t want to lose the things I do have. I don’t have a house, and now I won’t have,” she hangs her head before finishing that sentence.

Unexpectedly, Johnson finds herself in the middle of a budding crisis: aging without a home.

California accounts for about a third of the nation’s homeless people, and among this population, seniors are estimated to be the fastest-growing group. One key indicator is the state’s tally of people accessing homelessness services. From 2017 to 2021, California’s overall senior population grew by 7% but the number of people 55 and over who sought homelessness services increased 84% — more than any other age group — according to the state’s Homeless Data Integration System.

For comparison, the number of people accessing homelessness services across all ages increased 43% during this time period.

Elderly people who are homeless include those who have been unhoused for a long time and are getting older. But they also include those who are part of a growing trend, research shows: people experiencing homelessness for the first time after age 50.

Those at increased risk of losing shelter tend to be older adults who live alone and on fixed incomes, with little to no savings. A main contributor, experts say, is that as California rents soar, seniors’ income streams, including Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income, have not kept up.

Black Californians have long been overrepresented in the unhoused population — representing about 6% of the state’s population but close to 30% of those accessing homelessness services, state data show.

“For many of us, there’s a picture in our mind connected to substance abuse or mental health issues. And for maybe a quarter of people who are currently unhoused, that is a cause. But most people becoming homeless today do so for economic reasons,” said Sharon Cornu, executive director at St. Mary’s Center, a nonprofit group that operates several services for older adults, including transitional housing.

“As someone in this age group, I can tell you, it’s remarkable to think about; you’ve kept yourself employed and housed and above water this whole time period, and in what ought to be golden years, here you are out on the street,” she said.

Respite at St. Mary’s Center

Just last summer, Johnson was living in a three-bedroom house she shared with a housemate and working at a COVID-19 testing site. But her situation changed suddenly. She had to stop working to undergo surgery for an old back injury. Then her housemate of almost three years moved out, leaving Johnson on the hook for the full $2,500 rent that she could not afford on her own. 

After she lost her place, Johnson was referred to St. Mary’s Center, where she currently shares a trailer with five other people. Everyone who stays at St. Mary’s transitional housing units is 55 or older and many have bounced from the streets to shelters to living in cars or staying with relatives. Here, they have access to a case manager. The goal is to link them to any health and social services they may need and help them find permanent affordable housing. 

Stories like Johnson’s are common among people who have been through St. Mary’s Center — barely making ends meet, an injury or stint of bad health having forced them to leave jobs sooner than they had hoped. In some cases, the death of a loved one, family conflicts or abusive relationships left people without a place to stay. 

Others, like Elbert Lee Jones Jr., spent decades on the streets. Born in Germany to a military family, he and his family moved to Oakland when he was 5 years old. As a young adult, he worked in fast-food restaurants, laundromats and convenience stores.

“I had jobs, had a life, until cocaine came knocking on the door. It came knocking on the door and really messed up a whole lot,” Jones said.

Strong and mostly healthy, he managed on the streets for a long time. Then about three years ago, he woke up in his tent to foot pain so unbearable he could barely stand. An ambulance took him to the closest emergency room, where doctors told him he had gangrene on his toes; they would have to amputate all of them.

“They said ‘If you hadn’t come in when you did, you’da been dead,’” Jones said. “That was the darkest part of my life right there.”

After some time healing at a nursing home, he was back on the streets. In a wheelchair and about to turn 60, his situation was getting more complicated. So when the clinical director at St. Mary’s Center approached Jones under a freeway overpass last year and offered him a place to stay, he accepted. He was reluctant at first, he said. It had been a long time since he’d trusted anyone.

On the streets, 50 is the new 70

Research has shown that living on the streets — eating and sleeping poorly, being exposed to the elements, not getting proper medical care and losing medication during encampment sweeps — will prematurely age, sicken and kill people. That is why when speaking about the homeless population, advocates and experts often refer to “seniors” as anyone 50 and above. 

By the time homeless people are in their 50s and early 60s, they look much more like other people in their 70s and 80s, said Dr. Margot Kushel, director of UC San Francisco’s Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

“Everything is shifted back about 20 years,” Kushel said. “The health problems that we normally associate with aging  — vision problems, hearing problems, cognitive impairments, difficulty bathing, difficulty walking — all of those things start much younger.”

Their situation could also trigger anxiety, depression and substance use.

Recently, the state launched incentives for Medi-Cal providers, who serve low-income patients, to start and grow street medicine programs. Historically, most of these programs have been funded by philanthropic groups and foundations. And perhaps now more than ever, these programs play a crucial role, but in limited numbers they can only do so much for this medically needy population. Routine care and timely diagnosis are more difficult when people are moving from one encampment or shelter to another.

And simply put, “There is no medicine as powerful as housing,” Kushel said. 

Researchers for one UCSF study published last summer followed homeless people 50 and older over eight years in Oakland and found they were 3.5 times more likely to die early compared to other seniors in the city. In the study, the median age of death was 64.6 years old, compared to 76.1 years for all Americans. The main causes of death for the unhoused were heart disease, cancer and drug overdose. 

“At this point, I feel like our shelters are slowly becoming de facto nursing facilities.”
— Sara Mirhadi, Chief Program Officer at Poverello House

The health needs of seniors can be complex. And most shelters are not equipped to serve a geriatric population. Programs that serve seniors specifically, like the one at St. Mary’s Center, are few and far between.

Across the state, shelters are being overwhelmed by unhoused people who need more than these facilities can provide. For example, ideally, shelters would have a nurse on site, but that could cost about $90,000 a year per nurse, which most facilities wouldn’t be able to afford, said Sara Mirhadi, chief program officer at Poverello House, which provides food, shelter and social services to homeless people in downtown Fresno. 

In the past several years, her shelter’s population has gotten older and their disabilities have increased. A number of those who come in regularly are in wheelchairs and need help using the bathroom. When you add conditions such as dementia and mental health issues, caring for this population becomes even more challenging, Mirhadi said.

“At this point, I feel like our shelters are slowly becoming de facto nursing facilities,” she said. “I’ve had to ask staff to do a lot of things that they normally wouldn’t do.”

The Fresno-Madera region has seen one of the biggest jumps in homelessness among the 55- and-older population, increasing 216% from 2017 to 2021, state data shows. Coincidentally or not, rents and home prices in the Fresno area have skyrocketed in recent years. Other areas that saw more than a two-fold increase in homelessness among this age group include the Yuba-Sutter area, and Yolo, San Francisco, Merced and Alameda counties. (Homeless data is tracked by regional agencies whose territories can include a single city or several counties.)

“I think we need to really take a hard look at what we’re doing for our elderly population, because they should not be in a shelter,” Mirhadi added. 

Making a dent in homelessness

In January 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom released California’s Master Plan for Aging, a 10-year blueprint on how to better prepare the state for a graying population — a quarter of the state’s residents will be 60 or older by 2030. The rollout of this plan also comes at a time when an estimated 2 million seniors are considered economically insecure, struggling to afford rising rents and health care costs. 

The No. 1 priority in that master plan is increasing affordable housing options for seniors, allowing them to age in place. The plan lays out goals and initiatives that legislators and the administration can pursue over time. 

“Once homeless, older individuals face really unique barriers that make it extremely difficult for them to get housed again, so putting the emphasis on homeless prevention and making that a front and center strategy of dealing with older adult homelessness is something that we are seeing more attention paid to,” said Patti Prunhuber, director of housing advocacy at Justice in Aging, a legal advocacy group focused on senior poverty.

One proposal Prunhuber and other advocates are pushing for this year is Senate Bill 37, carried by Sen. Anna Caballero, a Merced Democrat, that would create a state-run housing subsidy program for elderly people and those with disabilities at highest risk of becoming homeless. A similar bill died in the legislature last year after it failed to receive funding in the state budget. 

A state subsidy program would supplement federal assistance programs — such as Section 8 vouchers —  that help about 10.2 million Americans with “extremely low incomes” afford rent. With demand outpacing supply, only about 4 out of every 10 people eligible for a federal rental subsidy receive it, said Sharon Rapport, California policy director for the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a nonprofit organization that advocates for homelessness prevention and a sponsor of the bill. 

The goal of a state program would be to help people obtain federal rental vouchers, but in the meantime provide state-funded help. This way, more older adults will be able to stay in their current homes, she said.

“The state should be in this business too because the feds alone can’t solve homelessness and the state alone can’t solve homelessness,” Rapport said. “But they can make a big dent in it and eventually solve it if they’re both putting in resources toward programs that work.”  

With the help of housing navigators at St. Mary’s Center, Jones has spent the last eight months filling out applications for subsidized housing. If everything goes as planned, he expects to have his own studio apartment in Oakland by the end of this month.

It’ll be a far cry from his 20-plus years on the streets, he said. 

He has a vision for his place: “I want it to be homey, warm. A place you could be comfortable in,” he said. “I’m going to have pictures up on the walls. I’ve got a green thumb. I’m going to have plants. It’s gonna be nice.”

Johnson said she, too, dreams of having a place to call her own again. 

“I don’t want to have to worry about people leaving me behind with the whole amount of the rent,” she said. “I don’t want to do that anymore.” 

###

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Audrey Jennifer Wells
September 19, 1931, to December 1, 2022

Audrey Wells passed away peacefully at the age of 91 with her family by her side. As she desired, she was able to stay in her home in Myrtletown thanks to her loving family, caregivers, and the support of Hospice.

Audrey was born September 19, 1931, to Audley Maurer and Jennie Sandkulla Maurer. She was the younger sister to John (Marian) and Alan (Betty) Maurer. A lifetime resident of Humboldt County, Audrey attended Eureka City Schools, graduating from Eureka Senior High School.

She attended Humboldt State University while working for her father’s construction company, Fred J. Maurer & Sons, as a bookkeeper. It was during this time that Audrey met Carleton (Corky) Wells, and they married in 1951. They lived a life dedicated to their family, having three children Lindsay, David, and Tracey. There were frequent camping trips to Richardson’s Grove and to the Larson’s cabin in Willow Creek in the summers, but also bigger adventures such as to San Francisco, Tahoe and Disneyland. While Corky loved social outings such as Friday nights at the Elks Club, Audrey was just as happy curling up on the couch at home and reading a good book. (She recommends the Gamache series of books by Louise Penny and the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.) Audrey and Corky had been married 42 years when he prematurely passed away in 1993. Audrey spent the next 29 years supporting her family in ways big and small. The family home was the center of annual Christmas, Easter, July Fourth and family birthday celebrations; as well as hosting periodic events such as weddings, baby showers, and Super Bowl parties. While she had several types of fruit trees, she was best known for her lemon tree, which produced enough fruit for the entire neighborhood to stop by and pick when needed.

Audrey worked in the home as a bookkeeper when her children were young, waiting until all were asleep to pull out the receipts, paperwork and the clackety old adding machine. Later, she went to work for the Humboldt County Appraiser’s office, retiring after a lengthy and successful career. Some of her best friends came from her work world; Karen Templeton, Tiny Hershberger, and Mari Wilson among them. If your property tax bill was accurate in the 1980s and 1990s you can credit this hardworking gang.

Audrey loved all the Bay Area professional sporting teams; including the Giants and 49ers. But she saved her most passionate devotion for the Warriors, and her favorite player Steph Curry. Indeed, she had her Warriors blanket covering her on her bed at the time of her passing. Audrey is survived by son David (Kathy), daughter Lindsay (Fernando), daughter Tracey (Vince), her grandchildren Jamie (Deanna), Katy (Omid), Jessie and Christopher (Jessie), and numerous nieces and nephews and other family members.

The family would like to thank our mom’s caregivers Wendy, Brandie and Hazel for their care and dedication. We would also like to thank the exceptional staff at Hospice. Without these special people we could not have cared for Mom at home, fulfilling her one final wish.

At the time of her death, Audrey was looking forward to the birth of her first great grandchild. A celebration of life will be held when the new baby, Shyla Delara Talai, is able to join us in honoring and celebrating Audrey our mother, grandmother and friend.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Audrey Wells’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Harry Spurling finished his earthly course on Tuesday evening, January 31, 2023, at home in Willow Creek. He was 74 years old.

He was born in Southern California in 1948. However, he was fond of saying he was made in Japan, where his parents, R. Wayne and Ellen Spurling, met after WWII.

The family moved to Sunny Brae, Arcata, where Harry eventually became the oldest of six children. As a young boy, the neighborhood was his playground. He loved riding bikes and playing in the woods with his friends and brothers.

As he reached adulthood, he searched for the purpose of life. That journey took him back to the book his mother had read to him as a child. Recognizing the Bible as the truth, Harry began to associate with the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and made it his life’s work to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

On January 3, 1976, he married Patricia, his faithful wife for 47 years. During their early years, they traveled to the Sioux and Navajo reservations where they shared their hope that God’s Kingdom will restore peace on earth among every nation, tribe and language. (Revelation 7:9, 14) Later, they settled in Willow Creek.

During their 42 years living in Willow Creek, Harry and Patricia loved hiking and have been to many of the lakes in the Trinity Alps. In the past several years, they also took yearly trips with Patricia’s sister and brother-in-law to such places as Lassen and Yosemite, where Harry enjoyed seeing evidence of Jehovah God’s handiwork.

All along, Harry worked diligently to provide for his family. He was well known as a jack-of-all-trades in the Trinity River area. He could clean it, unlock it, replace it, mow it, paint it — all while being the best neighbor he could be.

Remembering his roots, Harry took on the job of preserving his father’s photographs taken in post-war Japan. He painstakingly digitized hundreds of images and then curated gallery showings at Humboldt State University and in Weaverville.

Harry has been described as a helpful and generous friend, a true brother when there was a need. Countless friends and family received his help on a moment’s notice. He was willing to travel hundreds of miles when needed to assist a friend in distress. For those who knew him, the name Harry Spurling will bring to mind a man who gave thoughtful advice rooted in Scripture. His comments, his public discourses, and his prayers revealed the depth of his spirituality.

Harry was preceded in death by his parents, R. Wayne and Ellen Spurling and his brother William Spurling.

He is survived by Patricia, his wife, by his brother, Patrick Spurling of Zurich, Switzerland, sister-in-law, Jo Anne Spurling, sisters and their husbands, Joy and Mark Smelser of Independence, Mo, C. Michelle and Ron Pontoni of Bayside, and Melody and Troy Poff of Redwood Valley. And he left behind his loved ones in the Willow Creek Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The family wishes to sincerely thank Kathryn Stollmeyer PA-C, for her compassionate care of Harry.

A memorial service will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 65 Blue Jay Lane, Willow Creek, on February 18th, at 2 p.m. It will also be streamed via Zoom. ID: 878 1554 8254. Passcode: 692952

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Harry Spurling’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Lyn Edward Bagley was tragically taken from this earth on December 21, 2022 at the age of 53 from a hit and run accident on Highway 299. He was born February 3, 1969 to Carl and Frances Bagley in Fortuna.

Lyn — a.k.a “the Legend” and a.k.a “The Bags” — was a friend and brother to many. He was a larger-than-life kind of guy, literally and metaphorically. His height measuring in at 6 foot 6 inches, he stood out in a crowd. Lyn loved playing baseball (catcher) as a young man. His favorite sports teams were the San Francisco Giants, Las Vegas Raiders or as he was growing up the Oakland Raiders, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Lyn was the kind of guy that would give the clothes he was wearing for a person in need and he would do anything for any of his friends or family. He was a big guy with a bigger heart. He lit up the room with his smile and sense of humor. He was the protector of many. He will be missed tremendously by so many.

Lyn had worked for different lumber companies in Humboldt County for many years. He also worked for Professional Tree Services, where he met and made many friends.

Lyn is survived by his brothers, Eddie Shields, and Dale Bagley; nieces and nephews, Shayla Verbich (Mike), Shaun Bagley, Skylur Bagley, and Ryan Shields; his many aunts, uncles and cousins on both the Bagley and Smith side; and we can’t forget about his fur friend Toby.

He is preceded in death by his parents Carl Edward Bagley and Frances Irene Bagley, grandparents, Harold Arthur Smith and Hattie Irene Smith, sister-in-law Sherry McDonald.

There was a private burial service on January 18, 2023 in Fortuna. A celebration of life (pot luck style) is scheduled for Saturday February 11, 2023 at 1 p.m. at Sequoia Park in Eureka. If you are able, please bring a side dish and a good story.

Thank you to all of Lyn’s friends and family members for the wonderful pictures, memories and kind words. It means so much!

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Lyn Bagley’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Tom Keating was a caring brother, uncle and friend. He died unexpectedly on Monday, February 6, 2023 at the age of 65.

He was born to Darrell and Marilyn Keating on December 13, 1957. After graduating from Eureka High School, at the top of his class, he became a cherished staple in local businesses such as JC Penny and Rite Aid. He is remembered by his coworkers for his work ethic, humor, kindness and above all his friendship.

Tom was a devoted Giants and Raiders fan. He had a passion for antiquing and specifically had a knack for collecting items of historical value. Most of his weekends were spent gardening and reading from his vast collection of books.

His family and friends could always count on a special caramel apple at Christmas time, as sweet treats were his language of love.

Tom is survived by his sister Dianne Keating, his niece Alex (Jack), his niece Andie (Tom), and his nephew Keaton (Brooke). The family will hold a private ceremony. Donations in his memory can be made to Hospice of Humboldt.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of David Bradburn’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Our beloved and amazing mother was born Lorraine Giraud on November 24, 1929, and joined her husband, family and friends in heaven on February 3, 2023. She was born in San Francisco to Ersilia and Maggiorino Giraud and grew up in the Sunset District, graduating from Lincoln High in 1947.

She worked for her father at Superior Building Company until she married Elmer Miller on August 7, 1954, at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church. Twin daughters were born in 1955 and her life changed forever! The family relocated to rural property in Santa Rosa in 1963 and she took care of the family, property, garden, and farm animals while her husband worked, along with participating in the twins’ elementary school activities. Later she became a 4-H leader, where she taught cooking and sewing. She was a wonderful seamstress making many of our school clothes and later beautiful quilts.

In the mid-1970s Mom and Dad relocated to their dream property in Fort Jones. There she continued to enjoy her hobbies as well as working with Dad at Interstate Battery of the Siskiyous. They made many friends and loved Scott Valley until they came west due to Dad’s illness to be closer to us in Eureka.

Mom took care of Dad for almost 10 years as he suffered from dementia and passed away in 2006. Travels with her daughters served as respite during that time. There were many trips to Scottsdale and San Francisco for Giants Baseball. After Dad passed there were trips to Hawaii, Canada, and Europe where she especially enjoyed river cruises.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, parents, uncle Frank Giraud, sister-in-law Beth Giraud, and lifelong friends Gloria and Sayoko.

She is survived by her daughters Karen Miller and Marie Liscom and her husband Glen. She is also survived by her beloved brother Richard Giraud and his children Julie, Rich and Tony, their spouses, and children. Her loyal dog Penny was at her side when she passed.

The family wishes to thank Beth Abels and her staff Karen and Jericho for their amazing ongoing care. Many thanks also to Providence Home Health and Hospice of Humboldt who helped guide us in her illness and final days. Thanks also to Betty Jean for her recent care and guidance.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of Humboldt, 3327 Timber Fall Ct, Eureka 95503; or Sequoia Humane Society, 6073 Loma Ave, Eureka 95503.

A memorial service will be held at Sacred Heart Church on February 17, at 11 a.m., Father Bernard D’Sa officiating.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Lorraine Miller’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

HUMBOLDT TODAY: Will a giant barge docked in Eureka soon house Cal Poly Humboldt students? We look inside the rumored vessel. Plus, a man is arrested in Fields Landing for failing to register as a sex offender. Those stories and more in today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.

FURTHER READING:

• Cal Poly Humboldt is Exploring the Idea of Housing Students on a Huge-Ass Barge in Humboldt Bay
• One Arrested, Two Cited During Fields Landing Probation Search
• DN Sheriff Decides to Continue Searching For Missing Woman, Will Get More Searchers, Resources From CalOES

HUMBOLDT TODAY can be viewed on LoCO’s homepage each night starting at 6 p.m. Want to LISTEN to HUMBOLDT TODAY? Subscribe to the podcast version here.