Caring for vulnerable homeless people

Homeless people are one of the most vulnerable groups socially and health-wise. The group is hit hard when they are discharged from hospital, as the healthcare system increasingly encourages short and specialized hospitalizations with final treatment and care at home.

The Red Cross runs three care centers for the homeless – Eirsgaard (formerly Thorsgade) in Copenhagen, Pitstop in Aarhus and Svalegangen in Middelfart, covering the Region of Southern Denmark. The care centers fill a function that is not offered by other actors. It is an intermediate stop between treatment at the hospital and discharge to their own home, which for many is the street.

In this project, a team from Architects Without Borders is lending a hand with upgrading and redecorating the care centers Pitstop and Svalegangen, aiming to achieve a less institutional and more homely environment, with an eye for universal design and accessibility. The project is carried out in close collaboration with Red Cross staff and volunteers as well as the centers’ users.

Read more about the Red Cross work for the homeless and the three care centers here.