At $1,100 a month I’ll speculate this guy might be on Disability.
Even if he’s not, and that’s his total income, he’s eligible for $200 a month in Food Stamps, for heat assistance, for rent assistance, he’s older than his sister who is almost 64, so he’s eligible for Medicare, he’s eligible for at least one free meal a day at his local senior citizen center, eligible for a free or discounted bus pass, for free transportation to and from the doctor, for transportation to the grocery store if he has mobility issues, etc., etc.......
Would most Americans choose to live this guy’s life?
No.
Is this guy “poor?”
No.
I understand your post, but I’d bet if we investigate, this guy will have a ton of assets and her story is Clintonian parsing of the situation.