Angels Of The Northern StarAngels of the Northern Star recommends the following health checks for homeless individuals. These checks address common conditions that often go undiagnosed in the homeless community.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex disorder characterized by persistent, extremely debilitating fatigue that isn't relieved by rest.
Symptoms can include a range of physical and cognitive issues, impacting daily life significantly. Diagnosis can be challenging due to the lack of specific tests.
Common in those with vital vitamin, mineral, nutrient, hydration & calorie deficiencies. This fatigue affects all muscles that function internal organs.
Ongoing pain often resulting from untreated injuries, sleeping in uncomfortable conditions, or underlying health issues.
Functional weakness is a symptom of a neurological disorder where a person experiences difficulty moving a part of their body, but there is no physical damage to the nervous system that can explain the weakness.
It can be caused by a problem with how the brain and body communicate, often triggered by stress, anxiety, or trauma.
However, if there are deficiencies in vital vitamins, minerals, nutrients, hydration & calories, internal organs won't function correctly.
Deficiencies in essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus can lead to weakened bones and teeth, increasing the risk of conditions such as osteoporosis and dental issues.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, often accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive difficulties (sometimes referred to as "fibro fog"), and mood problems like depression and anxiety.
It's believed to involve a problem with how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals, amplifying painful sensations.
Respiratory problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia, are significant health challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Limited access to healthcare further exacerbates these problems, as individuals may not receive timely diagnosis, treatment, or preventative care.
Addressing respiratory health requires improving air quality, ensuring adequate housing, and expanding access to adequate healthcare.
Internal organ failures can arise from various factors, including prolonged exposure to harsh environmental conditions, poor diets, substance abuse, or untreated chronic medical conditions.
These stressors can overwhelm the organs' ability to function properly, leading to a decline in health and potentially life-threatening complications.
Addressing the underlying causes and seeking timely medical intervention are crucial for managing and potentially reversing organ damage.
Malnutrition is a significant issue among the homeless population due to limited access to affordable, nutritious food, inconsistent income, lack of cooking facilities, and the prioritization of other needs like shelter.
This can lead to various health problems, including weakened immune systems, chronic diseases, and impaired physical and cognitive function.
Dehydration, caused by insufficient fluid intake, disrupts the body's delicate balance of electrolytes, essential for numerous physiological processes.
This imbalance can lead to a range of health problems, including impaired brain function, as proper hydration is crucial for optimal cognitive performance and nerve signalling.
This severely restricts a person's ability to perform the most simple daily tasks.
Panic attacks are sudden surges of intense fear or discomfort that can cause physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
They often make individuals feel like they are having a heart attack or losing control, despite there being no actual threat.
These can be severely triggered by waiting in queues or being in unsettling, busy, or stressful environments.
Dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in the brain's reward system, plays a crucial role in motivation, pleasure, and learning.
Dysregulation of dopamine can significantly impact addiction vulnerability and contribute to various mental health challenges.
When the reward pathway is disrupted, individuals may seek external sources, such as drugs or behaviors, to compensate for the lack of natural dopamine release.
This can lead to addiction, depression, anxiety, or ADHD, showing the connection between neurochemistry and mental well-being.
Cortisol, often called the "stress hormone", plays a vital role in the body's stress response, metabolism, and sleep-wake cycle.
Chronic stress can lead to imbalanced cortisol levels, disrupting sleep patterns and contributing to mood issues, weakened immunity, and cardiovascular problems.
Disruptions in brain chemistry can contribute to various mental health conditions and impact emotional and cognitive functioning.
Trauma, substance use, and chronic stress can significantly impact brain function, leading to cognitive issues.
These include memory difficulties, impaired attention, reduced executive functioning, and altered emotional regulation.
Mental health issues are disproportionately prevalent among homeless populations.
Conditions like depression, PTSD, and schizophrenia significantly impact their ability to maintain stable housing and access necessary support.
Sensory overload occurs when one or more of the body’s senses become overstimulated by the environment — such as loud noises, bright lights, crowded spaces, or overwhelming smells.
It can lead to intense discomfort, anxiety, panic, and an inability to concentrate or function, making even simple tasks like navigating busy environments feel impossible.
For those with existing mental health vulnerabilities, this can be especially debilitating and may lead to withdrawal, shutdown, or outbursts if not recognized and managed.
Managing IBS often involves a carefully tailored diet.
A natural, plant and vegetable-based approach focusing on high protein and avoiding additives, preservatives, and chemicals may help minimize symptoms.
Vital deficiencies occur when the body doesn't receive enough essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients, hydration and calories required for proper health.
These can result from malnutrition, dehydration, or other dietary and medical factors and lead to a wide range of health complications.
This guide is aimed at all those who interact with the homeless community (including police, council, nhs, charitable organisations & local businesses), to help understand the unique health challenges faced by homeless individuals in the Tyne & Wear area. Regular screening for these conditions can significantly improve health outcomes.
Homeless individuals face unique health challenges due to exposure to the elements, limited access to nutrition, and barriers to consistent healthcare. Early detection of these conditions can prevent serious complications and significantly improve quality of life.
These health issues often become major obstacles when our clients try to engage with supportive public services. Many are experiencing severe internal health problems — their organs may be shutting down, their cognitive function impaired, and their attention spans limited. As a result, even the simplest tasks, such as filling out forms or following basic instructions, can become impossible.
This puts our clients at a serious disadvantage when trying to access help and support. Their health struggles often go unnoticed or unaddressed, leaving them further neglected and marginalized.
Angels of the Northern Star advocates for holistic care that addresses physical, mental, and nutritional health needs. We believe in natural, sustainable approaches to health whenever possible, combined with necessary medical interventions.
If you are working in a public sector and would like more information about our work with the homeless community, please contact us. We can provide resources and support to help you better serve this vulnerable population.
Our clients can also seem rather agitated with erratic mood swings when waiting in queues or for long periods of time, which is severely detrimental to their health and well being and often creates further distress to their urgent crisis. Due to our clients complex hidden conditions they need to be assessed in a very calm and relaxed environment by compassionate & empathetic staff, to allow our clients to express their issues effectively at their own comfortable pace in a more respectful manner to accommodate their specific disability needs.