‘Growing Old’ in Shelters and ‘On the Street’: Experiences of Older Homeless People

Abstract

Homelessness among older people in Canada is both a growing concern, and an emerging field of study. This article reports thematic results of qualitative interviews with 40 people aged 46 to 75, carried out as part of a mixed-methods study of older people who are homeless in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Our participants included people with histories of homelessness (n = 14) and persons new to homelessness in later life (n = 26). Interviews focused on experiences at the intersections of aging and homelessness including social relationships, the challenges of living on the streets and in shelters in later life, and the future. This article outlines the 5 main themes that capture the experience of homelessness for our participants: age exacerbates worries; exclusion and isolation; managing significant challenges; shifting needs and realities; and resilience, strength, and hope. Together, these findings underscore the need for specific programs geared to the unique needs of older people who are homeless.

Positive health among older Traveller and older homeless adults: A scoping review of life‐course and structural determinants

“…Grenier, Sussman, et al. (2016) report that older homeless people often experience a sense of ‘placeless’ ageing – deprived of the necessary material conditions from which they can build a meaningful home. Studies highlighted improvements in depressive symptoms among those who found stable housing compared with those who remained homeless (Brown et al., 2015).…”

“…Authors suggest that it is incumbent upon services to strike a balance between providing intensive support while maintaining sufficient respect for older homeless adults’ need for independence (Crane & Warnes, 2010; Ogden, 2014). This body of work argues that it is crucial that older homeless adults are positioned as adaptable, independent and resilient individuals, who are not simply passive recipients of care and welfare (Grenier, Sussman, et al., 2016).…”

“…In combination with age‐related changes, around health, income, social relationships and status, these experiences can mean that older members of both communities are particularly susceptible to further disadvantage (Grenier, Barken, & McGrath, 2016; Smith & Ruston, 2013). A common thread across many of the articles is that these circumstances are compounded by difficulties in accessing the health system (Goward et al., 2006; Grenier, Sussman, et al., 2016; Rhoades et al., 2014) and that there must be efforts to account for individual experiences, and structural issues that face these individuals to facilitate better care (Milaney et al., 2020). Literature on inclusion health highlights that there is an increasing potential for health and social care services, particularly primary care delivery, to target a reduction in complex forms of social exclusion among vulnerable population groups (Cheallaigh, Lawlee, Sears, & Dowds, 2018; O'Donnell, O'Donovan, & Elmusharaf, 2018).…”

“…There is an implicit and often an explicit reference to the life‐course accumulation of these attributes and their association with experience and even age itself (Goward et al., 2006; Bazzari et al, 2018; Kenny & Yoder, 2019). Independence and resilience were connected to positive well‐being in a number of ways, including a sense of identity and pride (Brack & Monaghan, 2007; Grenier, Sussman, et al., 2016). Studies called for the recognition of individual agency and noted that overly paternalistic models of care can be counterproductive to positive health and well‐being.…”

“…Reflecting the impact of economic uncertainty, the restricted supply of affordable housing, and ageing demographic structures, there has been a marked increase in ageing homeless populations internationally, with some jurisdictions (e.g. U.S.; Canada) reporting that up to half of those homeless are aged 50 years and over (Grenier, Sussman, et al., 2016; Woolrych, Gibson, Sixsmith, & Sixsmith, 2015). In Europe, while patterns vary across contexts, available data suggest older people comprise a third of the homeless population (Benjaminsen, Busch‐Geertsema, Filipovič Hrast, & Pleace, 2014).…”