Homelessness is associated with dramatic health inequities, including younger onset of chronic disease, multimorbidity and a reduced life expectancy (Fazel et al., 2014). The mean age at death for rough sleepers in Dublin is 38 for women and 42 for men (Barry et al, 2016).
An assessment of physical and cognitive health of residents in Sundial House was conducted in March 2017 as a Trinity College
Dublin (TCD) second year medical student project. Five medical students carried out the project under the supervision of Dr Clíona Ní Cheallaigh, consultant physician in St James’s
Hospital and senior lecturer in medical gerontology in TCD and of Jess Sears, CNM, Depaul.
The aim of the study was to achieve a comprehensive view of the level of multimorbidity and health care utilisation amongst this population in order to evaluate resources and staffing levels to meet the evolving needs for older homeless people.
