Essay Example on The Homeless and Health Care

A majority of those living in the United States tend to look down on the homeless population and see them valued as below themselves, yet this is not who they are. Those on the streets are most often stereotyped as lazy individuals who probably have deep drug use or other heavy issues such as alcoholism. Though for many, the drag into homelessness is not due to this. Homeless people are delicate, very vulnerable human beings,  and deserve the same care and attention as any other housed person receives. The homeless go through days, weeks, months, and worst, many years of being alone on the streets, without much care or shelter whatsoever. So what is left to wonder here is if “The homeless should have the opportunity to be provided with free medical treatment and care.” All homeless people deserve to be granted equal treatment to those who are fortunate to be under a roof. They deserve to be provided with medical treatment and care free of charge for themselves. Taking a glance at the wider picture, as a citizen of the United States, each is promised equality, no matter the race, gender, or religion of the individual. Each homeless person, being named a citizen, is included in that promise. Therefore, they are just as deserving of equal keeping, such as any other would.

Though there is firm, thorough evidence that supports the benefit of the homeless deserving to be provided with free healthcare, many individuals may feel the opposite.  When constantly being exposed to what the media shows about the homeless population, minds are led to form these glum ideas. Certain media coverage can change the opinions that many once held. Some may feel that those who are homeless are the ones who put themselves into that very situation. Once again, the main idea surrounding homeless people is that they are lazy individuals who probably have an intense drug use problem or struggle with other issues such as alcoholism. People often push this stereotype onto the homeless, creating a widespread view that the homeless are without housing, strictly due to their mental issues and concerns, or the excessive amount of money they had previously spent on their unhealthy addictions and habits, while financially unstable.

Though some of the homeless population has previously suffered from drug or alcohol misuse, that is not the case for each one.  Many were hit by financial struggles at just the wrong time. Possibly when they inherited debt from a family member who has passed away, or when their house had caught on fire during a time where they were not in the most stable of spots of flowing income. The truth is that not all homeless people were pulled into these finicky situations strictly due to only drug use and alcoholism. The housed population in the United States needs to recognize this and see that those who are homeless truly do deserve the equal medical care and attention as every housed individual receives. The homeless population deserves equal keeping and treatment because a number of them are literally fighting for life or death. No single homeless person should ever be forced into a position of being ignored medically because many are homeless due to no fault of their own.

Just as Forbes Magazine states, “How you define a problem determines how you solve a problem.” This is a valuable statement that could absolutely open up the minds of many. When experiencing a bump in the road, many may recognize it, and push it to the back of the head and never think about it again, rather than putting in the effort to find a resolution. Then there are those who recognize the problem and work right off the bat to find a resolution. No matter how minuscule the problem may be, or just how big it may be, a problem is a problem, and somewhere in their mind, it is bothering them. These people sit down and are determined to find a solution, they are not the ones to quickly give up after a few minutes of thinking. Not only are they separating time from their daily routine to brainstorm, but they are also frequently turning to find a way, but they are also motivated to find an answer that suits them right. This is a significant, meaningful characteristic for one to have throughout their lifetime. Some who see the homeless population may feel sorrow or guilty towards them, but then there is the small percentage of individuals who genuinely work and provide effort and motivation into solving these issues and coming up with a plan. When providing aid to the homeless, one must be prepared for all situations. They must be willing to provide a selfless, unjudgemental personality while dealing with all. While interviewing several workers that provide multiple types of aid towards the homeless, they were asked what the most difficult part of their job was. Responses such as “Dealing with people who aren't willing to be determined”, “Hearing from those that aren't understanding”, or “Putting on a happy face when I am having a bad day myself”, were the most common pieces of feedback. This goes to show that when becoming an individual who is to work with and provide for the homeless population…(leads into the sixth page).