Port Townsend shelter sees increase of older clients

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. (AP) — Officials say the emergency summer shelter in Port Townsend has seen an increase of older clients this year.

The Peninsula Daily News reports the Jefferson County shelter at the American Legion Hall has been at capacity since opening in May. It closes for the season at the end of October.

Kathy Morgan, housing and community development director of the Olympic Community Action Programs, says more people over the age of 65 are seeking services from the shelter this year.

Morgan says the county does have an aging population, but she hopes the increase at the shelter does not become a trend. She says the issue requires a broader response from the community.