"I didn’t expect to be homeless in my sixties": Steve’s story

He has arthritis and diverticulitis (a serious digestive condition) and was sleeping on a park bench. The damp and cold made his symptoms worse.

"It was scary,” recalls Steve, now aged 64. “I was sleeping on a park bench and wondering why this was happening to me. It felt like a live or die situation. At this age, I didn’t know if I was going to survive.

Homeless aged 62

Steve had become homeless after leaving prison. He temporarily moved into a shared flat for prison leavers but wasn’t given enough time to find somewhere long-term to live.

Steve has a daughter but was hesitant to ask her for help. “She has kids, a partner, two dogs and a mother-in-law already living in a three-bedroom home,” he explains.

Out of options, he began sleeping on the streets and staying on friends’ sofas when possible.

Steve was cold, scared and trying to ignore the negative effect homelessness was having on his health conditions. He feared being attacked by members of the public, something he’d seen happen to other people.

"They’re abused by idiots who've been in the pubs. Luckily it didn't happen to me, but I've seen the results. People I knew were in their sleeping bags then someone came along and kicked them for no reason."

In a bid to stay safe, Steve began avoiding the town centre and started sleeping on the seafront. He would shower at a local sport centre and relied on friends to bring him food.

"Nobody realises how hard it is to be homeless. You get called riffraff and scum. You also become invisible to most people."

Eventually, for the sake of his health, Steve reached out to his daughter and moved into her house. But it wasn’t a sustainable long-term solution.

“I was grateful but it was very crowded and I was embarrassed about my situation,” he says.

Somewhere to rebuild

Steve was put in contact with Porchlight. We gave him a flat in one of our supported living properties.

"It was a big shock, I didn't expect to get help at my age,” he says.

Steve finally had a safe, stable and suitable to live. He was able to prioritise his health and begin rebuilding his life.

“It was such a big relief - pukka, just perfect. There were food clubs and film nights, and the Porchlight staff were there to help me to change my thought patterns. I was angry about what had happened to me, but I learned to be diplomatic, seek advice and accept help.”

A forever home

Steve moved into his forever home in July. He says: “I have no stress and I'm a lot happier. This place is ideal for me."

One of his prized possessions is a note from his Porchlight support worker Daisy.

He explains: "When it came to leaving Porchlight, I was sorry to go. I was having a bit of a blip when Daisy came to check on me. I told her I wasn’t in the mood to talk and assumed she’d left. She was actually sat on the steps outside my front door, writing me a heartfelt letter of reassurance. When I read it, it brought me to tears.

"Daisy is clever, dedicated to her job, has empathy and understands. She's an angel. The entire Porchlight staff are a cut above the rest.”

Our staff wrote Steve a leaving card and he reads their messages every morning. His new home is close to a fishing spot and he regularly takes his grandson out there. He hopes to start a community fishing group for local residents.

He’s also begun volunteering for Porchlight and was recently part of a group that made improvements to one of our communal gardens.

"I like to give stuff back now and help people if I can," Steve says, adding: "Just because you're homeless it doesn't mean you're not human. People look at you differently and sometimes you're not even noticed. You should treat people how you want to be treated.”