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What help is there for homeless people with diabetes?

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VolunteerSA

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The woman I'm trying to help is homeless, and has complex problems. She is safe at present, in a B&B. Her problem is that she cannot easily be housed because she has a dog. She believes her dog is an alert dog, but has no certification. How would she go about getting her dog certified? Housing them both would possibly be much easier, , if the dog was 'official'.

At present she has her dog with her, but I'm afraid if she is found out she will be evicted, declared 'intentionally homeless' (for breaking the rules) and end up back on the streets.

What advice is there in general for homeless people with diabetes? I can see with cuts to disability allowances and the switch to Universal Credit, trying to manage diabetes whilst homeless will be an increasing problem.

In our town, there is a brilliant Homeless Healthcare Team, who got this lady into hospital, so it's not all bad news.
 
VolunteerSA said:
What advice is there in general for homeless people with diabetes?
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None that I know of. Many of the homeless people I have encountered had other issues. Emma Cons Gardens would be the place where they would drink whatever they brought with them from the offy that day. There was an old lady with a pram full of linen and nowhere to go. I don't know why she saved her linen.

The Salvation Army had a hostel where they house a lot of homeless people. The Southbank and the Embankment had the cardboard cities which I used to visit to to get the atmosphere and I found the people, given any chance, would survive. I am at a complete loss to explain my feelings when people think they are a problem that should just go away. It won't.

As to diabetes, that's another world where these people are concerned.
 
Is the woman a type 1 who is suffers from hypo unawareness ? Or does the dog alert her to some other condition?
If she is type 2 and not on insulin ( or tablets which increase insulin which could cause hypos ) then not sure what the the alert dog would be doing as regards her diabetes but as you say she has complex conditions so there may be other things which the dog is providing assistance.

There is a site called the medical awareness https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/

If you look at frequently asked questions you will see that it takes 18 month- 3 years for a person to be allocated a dog but they do consider family dogs so while I am not sure I would hold out much hope to get the dog officially recognized - might be worth contacting the organisation to see if they have any suggestions.

I note that you say she is getting help from a homelessness organisation so I would have thought they can advise on her benefits - but if more advice is required then could be worth her speaking to the local Citizens advice bureau..
 
I can't offer any suggestions for help, but was reminded of a homeless man and his dog I used to see sitting outside the supermarket - the dog was obviously very much loved and was immaculately cared for in spite of the very sorry state of his owner, and I always tried to make sure I had some spare change to give them. So I hope your lady can stay united with her precious pet.
 
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