A coordinated response to support aging homeless Veterans
In fiscal year 2024, almost half of all Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare were 65 or older. By fiscal year 2035, the number of Veterans aged 85 and older is expected to increase by 66%. Within this broader population, a growing subset of aging Veterans is experiencing or facing homelessness—some for the first time in their lives—due to factors like rising housing costs, complex medical needs, income loss or lack of family support.
With the number of aging and disabled homeless Veterans expected to increase, VA launched the Homeless Aging and Disabled Veterans Initiative to bring together housing assistance, healthcare and supportive services through the Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) and Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) programs. The initiative helps connect older, homeless and disabled Veterans with complex health needs to stable housing, case management, community based care and services that support long-term health, independence and quality of life.
Providing tailored care for aging Veterans at risk of homelessness
For older Veterans, housing instability can compound the challenges of aging. Without stable housing, it becomes harder to manage chronic conditions, keep medical appointments, store medications safely, prepare meals or access transportation and in-home support.
Homelessness can also make age-related needs more complex. Veterans who rely on oxygen equipment, assistive devices, personal care support or specialized services may require more coordinated care than traditional shelters, short-term housing and standard physical settings can provide.
The Homeless Aging and Disabled Veterans Initiative addresses these challenges by aligning housing, health care and supportive services around four key strategies:
- Increasing access to GEC
- Developing housing options that support the use of HUD-VASH vouchers in specialized programs
- Expanding HUD-VASH project-based vouchers with intensive onsite services
- Proactively building partnerships with community agencies
Expanding housing and care for aging Veterans
Since launching the initiative, VA has expanded specialized housing models that allow Veterans to use HUD-VASH vouchers in assisted living facilities, community residential care settings and medical foster homes designed for aging adults.
Building on that foundation, VA has also increased the use of project-based HUD-VASH vouchers, which bring services—like case management, care coordination, wellness checks and connections to healthcare and community services—directly to where Veterans live.
The initiative has also strengthened partnerships between homeless programs and geriatric care specialists across Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) nationwide. This includes 10 regional geriatrics specialists helping to expand aging-focused support across the country and 30 enhanced project-based voucher sites providing onsite services for aging and disabled Veterans.
Internally, the initiative has helped VA teams better understand and respond to aging-related care needs and work together in a more coordinated way. Housing teams, healthcare providers and aging services specialists have more opportunities to share information, ask questions and collaborate across programs.
As a result, VA staff can identify needs earlier and connect Veterans more quickly to services such as home-based primary care, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, durable medical equipment, caregiver support and other resources that help them remain safely housed.
Expanding the initiative nationwide
As of April 2026, the Homeless Aging and Disabled Veterans Initiative was supporting 159 Veterans in specialized housing settings, the majority living in assisted living facilities or personal care homes. Across 15 VISNs, Project-Based Voucher Early Entry sites now provide approximately 1,600 housing units designated for aging and disabled Veterans.
Recognizing the need for specialized interim housing settings, two Grant and Per Diem (GPD) models now offer more focused support for this population. The “hospital-to-housing” model helps Veterans experiencing homelessness move directly from inpatient care settings and emergency departments into transitional housing with supportive care. The Special Need Frail Elderly model is designed to support older Veterans who need additional assistance, providing services that address not just physical health, but also emotional, social, spiritual and generative well-being.
These efforts demonstrate what is possible when housing and supportive services are designed around the unique needs of aging and disabled Veterans. While this progress is encouraging, more work remains. Many enhanced services and interventions currently exist in pockets across the country. As VA works to expand these efforts, the focus remains on making it easier for aging and disabled Veterans to find the right housing, receive the right level of care and stay connected to support over time.
Learn about VA programs
- If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk for homelessness or need to connect with a Veterans justice outreach specialist, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838.
- Learn more about how VA helps Veterans experiencing homelessness with more than just housing services.
- Visit the VA Homeless Programs to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
- Find out how you can get involved in housing homeless Veterans.
Author: Nikki Verbeck