Almshouses historically served which group?

• A. Hospitals attached to universities.
• B. Early public housing for poor, elderly, or sick people who had no one to care for them.
• C. Private clinics for the wealthy.
• D. Military barracks converted to housing.

Answer: (B)

Almshouses represent an early form of social welfare aimed at housing those who had no family or means to support themselves. They were charitable institutions funded by churches, parishes, or generous patrons and were meant to provide shelter (and sometimes basic care) for the poor, the elderly, or the sick who could not care for themselves. Residents typically paid little or no rent and were admitted under criteria set by the endowments or the religious or charitable organizations that ran them. This is different from hospitals tied to universities, private clinics for the wealthy, or military housing, which serve medical treatment, exclusive clienteles, or soldiers, respectively. Almshouses therefore focused on providing safe, stable shelter for vulnerable people long before modern welfare programs existed.