New data reveals that people 60 and older are spending on average 20 percent more days homeless than other seniors. Culhane said many of the homeless adults he studies in the 60 to 65 age range aren’t eligible for social security. To qualify for social security, an individual needs to be 62 and have proof that they worked for at least a decade while paying social security taxes. Diega said he was denied social security disability income because he doesn’t have enough medical records. He can’t qualify for social security until he turns 62 and must wait until he’s 65 to qualify for supplemental security income.