Caring for Our Veterans Means Addressing Homelessness

Providing Homes and Care for Those Who Protected Our Homeland

Author

ieadvocates
November 11, 2025

Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newsletter

Brought to you by ieAdvocates (invisible employee advocates)

Thank you for being here!

Did you know that the demographic of homeless veterans in the U.S. (11-13%) is disproportionately higher than their composition of the U.S. general population (less than 10%)?  Every day, thousands of veterans who served our country with bravery and dedication struggle in the fight against homelessness. We all have a role in their battle to find stability and shelter. Ending veteran homelessness will take a united front including government agencies, businesses, private citizens and communities working together to address the housing, mental wellness and financial issues involved.

In this issue, we delve into the complexities around veteran homelessness and offer insights and solutions to help address these challenges. Advocates, community leaders and employers are uniquely positioned to help make a difference by raising awareness, providing training programs, promoting housing initiatives and hiring veterans. More than a gesture of gratitude, investing in our veterans is an investment in the shared future of our country. 

Table of Contents

In the news:

Latest research, events, and articles that are making an impact for working caregivers and their employers.

November is National Family Caregivers Month!

Erika Jacobson reaffirms the VA’s support for caregivers in November recognizing that it is National Family Caregivers Month. In this article she emphasizes the benefits of the Caregiver Support Program (CSP) are there for the entire journey of a caregiver for a veteran. Read the article here.

NOTE: The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Caregiver Support Program (CSP) offers clinical services to caregivers of eligible and covered Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. The program’s mission is to promote the health and well-being of family caregivers who care for our Nation’s Veterans, through education, resources, support, and services. Find Your Local Caregiver Support Team located at every VA facility . Source: https://www.caregiver.va.gov/

The authors found that there are 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers in the United States, which is 5.5% of the U.S. population. Thirty percent of these caregivers spend between one and thirty hours a week and 11-16% spending 31 or more hours a week caring. In this report, the authors compare how caring for service members and veterans compare with those caring for civilians and with non-caregivers, the impact on caregivers’ health, finances and families’ wellbeing, and they propose recommendations to strengthen caregiver support.

Did you know? (Read our blog):

Our blog brings you knowledge, personal and researched, to raise your awareness and empathy about working caregivers and caregiving.

 Caring for Our Veterans

Brother Can You Spare a Dollar?

Have you ever been waiting at a stop light at a busy intersection and noticed someone sitting on the curb in a wheelchair holding up a cup and a cardboard sign? The sign said something like, “Disabled Veteran Please Help.” Unfortunately, this scenario is one we see much too frequently, especially in a country traditionally known globally as the “land of milk and honey.” Yet, we are seeing more and more veterans living on the streets of our nation. Many having weathered the battlegrounds of war, now unarmed against the harsh elements of a society that seems to have forgotten them.

We can’t help but ask why? Why are so many of these former warriors living either in homeless shelters or without any shelter to protect them at all? These are people who risked life and limb to preserve our freedom. How did they come to begging on the streets of the country they served to protect? Although veterans make up under 10% of the total U.S. population, they account for between 11-13% of the homeless adult population. (Time.com; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) Between 2022 and 2023 there were an average of 35,574 homeless veterans. About 20,067 and 15,507 of these individuals were either living in shelters or without any shelter at all respectively.

People and Companies In the spotlight:

Our podcast puts a spotlight on guests who are making a significant difference in the working caregiver space.

Episode 29: Aging, Workforce & Caregiving with Expert Robert Espinoza

In this episode, we sit down with Robert Espinoza, a national leader in caregiving, equity, and aging, for a powerful conversation that every HR professional, business leader, and working caregiver needs to hear. With personal stories and deep policy insight, Robert walks us through the systemic gaps in the long-term care system, the challenges facing our care workforce, and the real-life impact of underfunding the care economy. His message is clear: caregiving touches all of us, and we have the power to create change right where we are.

We also dive into what a thriving, sustainable care economy could look like in the future—one that respects care workers, empowers working caregivers, and ensures continuity of care for our aging population. Whether you’re in HR looking to better support your team, or a caregiver trying to navigate your dual responsibilities, this episode will leave you feeling seen, informed, and inspired to act.

Robert Espinoza is a prominent advocate and thought leader in the fields of workforce, aging, and caregiving. He is a Distinguished Fellow and Senior Advisor at the National Academy of Social Insurance, where he leads efforts to build broad, nonpartisan support for a sustainable long-term care system that meets the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and the care workforce. He is also a Leadership & Society Fellow at the University of Chicago. He previously served as CEO of National Skills Coalition, a bipartisan, DC-based policy organization focused on workforce issues, and as Executive Vice President of Policy at PHI, the nation’s leading authority on the direct care workforce, where he directed for nearly a decade the organization’s award-winning national advocacy, research, and public education division. In addition, Robert served as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

Actual working caregivers share their stories.

Meet Ashley Hurana, a real working caregiver:

Ashley Hurana

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“… The way they [employers] could change the culture is by just really being appreciative of the people showing up to work. …thank you for showing up because caregivers are dependable. They're probably the most dependable people on this planet because that's the reason why they ended up with the caregiver title to begin with, right?  They care, and they're showing up when they need to show up. And I find that they're going to show up for their family, and they want to show up in every aspect of their lives. They want to show up at work as well. So, I think just the culture of saying, thank you for choosing us. Thank you for coming to work. We know it's not easy. We know that you have life circumstances. Just being grateful that they showed up to work”

Ashley is the founder of La Perle Concierge, a senior care concierge service dedicated to helping caregivers stay organized, confident, and supported. A Registered Nurse and Certified Health Coach with more than a decade in senior care, Ashley combines her clinical expertise with her signature Care Plan Workbook and personalized caregiver coaching to teach caregivers how to plan proactively, avoid burnout, and reclaim peace of mind.  

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“I run into a lot of caregivers, sometimes they become very possessive of their loved ones to where they don't want to trust the professionals to do it. They don't want to trust any other family members to do it. And I understand, you don't feel like anyone can do it like you can do it. And it's true. No one can do it like you can do it. But I think they absolutely need the help. So, because no one can do it like they can do it, they have to allow others in so that they don't burn out. Because if they burn out and they end up in the hospital, no one's going to know how to do it at all. ..You taking care of you is part of the care plan.”

Recommended media content:

We explore and share with you diverse media illuminating the dynamics and narratives within the care economy - from insightful podcasts to thought-provoking books and engaging videos.

PODCASTS

A Question Of Care Podcast Host Robert Espinoza speaks with Josephine Kalipeni, a longtime advocate for care workers and a leader in advocacy related to care, the workforce, and families. They discuss the centrality of care workers to our economy, why these jobs suffer in quality, and how to make a profound difference for care workers and those they support. 

 BOOKS

If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s, be prepared for anything. Pam Ostrowski’s guidebook, It’s Not That Simple, walks you through what can happen and prepares you for the challenges you may face.

 VIDEOS 

In this episode, the SITREP chats with Colleen Richardson, Executive Director of VA's Caregiver Support Program.

With gratitude, we share a book review:

We want to thank Kathryn. who took the time to read our book and provide a thoughtful ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!

“The authors’ expertise given in caregiving is worth every penny in this book! You can tell how impactful both of their personal and professional experiences have been in their lives, and they candidly share in ways that will really benefit everyone-especially a work environment. As a mom, it is very relatable and I can also see how this will benefit me down the road with my family.”

Order your copy of Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees book here. If you want to order a quantity of books for your leadership team and employees, contact us directly about discount pricing.

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