I don't know about overall personality but I do believe that the main characteristic differences , in my limited experience, would be motivation and passion development. I worked with the homeless in New Mexico a few weeks ago and they seemed no different but as I talked to those returners they did not seem to be as passionate or motivated about different things as others would. The attached articles could explain this thought.

Article The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the S...

thanks so much. I agree that there is a sense of lethargy about life. I provide medical care to homeless veterans and find that week 6-8 in emergency housing is like magic. They seem to wake up out of a stoop er. Malnourishment, poor sleep pattern and weather ware on them over time they can't make any decisions. It is quite a transformation to watch someone that has been homeless for 20+ years and transitioning to permanent housing and engagement with the community. God gives everyone a chance to be a better person and help others.

Blessings

Do google the authors 'Adlam and Scanlon' for their important writings on these matters. It's also useful to look back in history to the Greek story/myth of 'Diogenes' who refused to be housed in a superb villa by Alexanda the Great. The story goes that when Alexanda offered him a villa (he was living in a barrel in the square in Athens at the time) he refused and told him to move away because he was blocking his light!

Those experiencing homelessness have important things to say about the type of society we have co-created. I work in a specialist general practice for people experiencing homelessness in Oxford, England and have done for the past 14 years. Homelessness is a spectrum of accommodation status and also a spectrum of different personalities. Whilst there are commonalities, such as mental health issues, addictions and 'personality disorders', it only takes a tragedy of circumstance for any of us to become homeless. In one sense it's like addiction in that it can occur to anyone from any class/division in society. Stereotyping isn't helpful and when you listen to homeless people's life stories they are often quite tragic and the tragedies started at an early age. In one sense it is not surprising that so long as society continues to abuse people their will be individuals and groups of people who for whatever reason choose not to join in. However, that said many homeless people, with appropriate support, do establish a more helpful relationship with themselves and others and move back into society and this has to be the goal of course. Here in Oxford there is an older lady who doesn't accept gifts from anyone and refuses to take the state benefits she is entitled too. She has lived in a culvert for the past 8 plus years. She is your stereotypical bag lady but harms no-one and is not a danger to herself. She is, in my view, a very spiritual woman and our outreach teams have over the years built up the beginnings of a trusting relationship with her anbd she has agreed that when it all gets too much for her she'll accept somewhere that most of us would consider normal accomodation. Where she currently lives is clearly where she feels at home i.e. where she can be herself. Thankfully her wishes are being respected.

thank you for your words of wisdom. IN those that do not have mental health or substance abuse problems there seems to be imbedded fears of being in fixed housing which requires financial and social accountability. Continuiity of care requires relationship to affect outcomes for the homeless. Primarily adherence to medical plan of care to support wellness is difficult in this population but not impossible. I have couple guys living in sheds have chronic medical conditions. All I can do is ensure that they don't get into a crisis as we are establishing a trusting relationship. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for your kind words Vanessa, you keep up to good work too

Kind regards,

Richard

I do not have time to write much at the moment but I would be happy to discuss it further later. I was homeless and lived on the street for over ten years. I spent the entire time trying not to exist that way and yet the solutions eluded me year after year. I was raised in a lovely home and had a fine wife and 3 sons. My last night on the street was June 24, 2009. Today I have a beautiful wife and a company helping people rebuild their lives. Contact me and with more specific questions and we can discuss what you would like to know.

I am on the management committee of a refuge for girls and young women 14-18 y.o. at risk of homelessness in NSW. We have a 24 hour per day service that is non-judgmental, reparative and trauma informed. Residents are transitioned in from youth crisis accommodation, or other settings, and after a period of stabilisation in the safe, supported ecology we offer, establish their own goals and processes for their achievement. No one case plan is the same. Our staff are highly trained in trauma informed care and quite a few have worked with us for quite a number of years. Often a girl will live with us until she has finished her high school education or its equivalent. Residents are offered an extended period of support when it is agreed they are ready to transition to independent living. Right now, the government has altered the funding model and many refuges for women and youth based on medium to long term care models like ours are facing closure. I understand the situation is similar in the UK and that Canada too had a situation where government conflated generalist homelessness services with refuge models for people escaping family violence, etc. I am interested in this discussion as I am looking for literature that distinguishes these two populations as well as documentation people may know of describing care models similar to ours. Our government's rhetoric is about early intervention, yet we have difficulty convincing government that we are an early intervention service, as we intercept the downward trajectory to chronic homelessness. Thanks

Homeless is an international problem and will not ever go away. Even  Jesus in the bible tells us that "the poor will always be with us" Isaiah. Convincing governmental agencies to support models of care is a daunting process because the dollar is the bottom line. The program similar to yours is important because it prevents the downward spiral to literal homelessness. If we are preventing homelessness then it has to be caught in the early stages particularly for the young and old who are at greater vulnerability.  The Vulnerable Population Model by Flaskarud and Winslow (1998) reveals at risk populations,health status, and resource availability in relation to policy making affects on the vulnerable population. Look forward to more  dialogue on the subject.

Flaskerud, J., Winslow, B. (1998). Conceptualizing Vulnerable Populations Health-Related Research. Nursing Research. 47(2).

Their personalities will go on to develop according to their environment and how they are uniquely able to deal with, or not, and over time, they will have changed to the homeless person they are. Given the current state of affairs in this country and around the world, they will be increasingly demonized and marginalized, and, of course, their personalities should reflect that. For them to change after significant time as homeless would certainly require addressing all aspects of who they with who they need to change to. The current state of affairs? http://sungraffix.net/school/Rule-of-the-Psychopaths.html  Changing the "trajectory for homeless" may become more and more of an impossible task. Meet some homeless personalities right now!: http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/

In the study I am currently conducting so far relational trust  and technology improving outcomes for homeless and saving lives. I have one that needed to be conserved and we had to go through the process to protect him. I believe and have faith in all who provide complex care to the homeless. They will always be with us how we approach them and accept them in their street community is what matters. Preventing death on the street cancer, ESRD, ESLD, dementia, HIV, cancer, COPD is my goal...death with dignitiy.

A truly noble cause. We are, after all, responsible for them and much of the problems of society... albeit to varying degrees. I had been homeless once for about 4 months. It was quite a learning experience.

I am reminded of this : http://www.dalailama.com/messages/world-peace/the-global-community

I am sure that viewing politics  and society as being affected by a "psychopathic force" offers nothing you can use.