Antony "the homeless"

by Andres & Pieter

Story like in the press
(Other who know him, read it in the newspaper)
Antony is 72 and is living in the street. He had a lot of money in the bank but refuses any help from social services and he is a little bit afraid of other people (mentally disabled, social handicap). He becomes angry when strangers speak to him. It makes him feel ‘wrong seen’. Form him social workers of professionals are strangers that cannot be trusted. He also likes to be independent.
Gardener finds him in a really bad health condition “Do you need any help?” Antony sais “yes” and the gardener phones the mobile unit of the Salvation Army. And brings him to the hospital and after that to the shelter. Workers try to convince him to go to residential care of elderly. But he refuses because all social workers offer him doesn’t interests him. He has a public pension of 500euro/ month but he doesn’t take it up. He saves in on the bank and from time to time he collects money to buy alcohol.
For him it is very important to have money on the bank. He feels guilty when he takes this money. He explains to the social worker that he cannot spent the money for the residential care. He saved this amount for years and years. The institute for elderly costs 900/month. On his account there is enough money for paying the institute for 2 years. The social worker arranges a meeting with his nephew and this nephew is able to convince him to go to the institute. He within 3 months Antony dies.
People in the park know him. He has been living in the park for years.
His needs and characteristics
He needs to be left alone and doesn’t want to be disturbed. His main need is the quality of the benches. Benches in the park are not the same anywhere. There is a huge difference in quality because the colds comes from down. On top of that it is your hip with needs to be supported. Benches needs to be hollow so that you don’t roll out during the night.
Strength homeless: Can you do this put everything you own, everything you remember, all personal objects in one bag. This is a skill.
You don’t care about other people.

Elements for the students
Compulsory help? How can you reach this target-group as a social worker and how can you accept that homeless people don’t want to fit in to the schemas or steps social workers have in the head. Community project in order to gain trust in the other.
What is the community case in this? Is it too individualized?
Do we have to accept that people want to live on the street and just improve the conditions. Mattresses, washing place, public lockers for their stuff?
People don’t like them because they speak loud or homeless people get angry on passers-by. Antony symbolizes the social system not functions very well.
Tasks for students: write a reply in the newspaper, produce a drama plot for the theater corner.
The newspaper brings other groups in the park: journalists, politicians, businessmen, concerns from the teachers and the police. Concerns that come from people who go out there with the dog.
Who will take care of this situation in Spain, Belgium, Norway, Latvia? Who will be engaged in this?
Homeless feel unsecure, unsure and unsafe. Life is a chaos. I have no bounds with family, friends or neighborhood. I have difficulties to take care of my own life. I just can’t manage things that come up to me. Gambling. Mentally retardation and prostitution and I was mal treated as a child. Many health problems bronchitis and asthma. Skin and bone problems. Suffer violence and accidents. Prevalence of HIV. Refuse to go social services.

Profile of the homeless-people: mental diseases (most of them have mental problems and are schizophrenic) and drugs addicts.
Structural elements: homeless are invisible. There is almost no laws on the homeless.
There are teased and put away by the police. They are often angry on people passing by. They go to shelters.
Provide possibilities to sell something rather that begging initiatives like: Daklozenkrant, magaphone, La Farola
Homeless people are a danger to society. That is why politicians have to do something about them. They invite for violence. In the night they get beaten-up or they fight for alcohol. Homeless people make people feeling unsafe in the streets and in the parks. They are also risk to society because they are bearing diseases. Especially they contaminate the rest of the population with tuberculoses or HIV.

Flickr picture by Mabar