Age and Homelessness in United States– a critical literature analysis

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Age and Homelessness in United States– a critical literature analysis

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Table of Contents Background ................................................................................................................................ 4

Aim and objectives ................................................................................................................ 4

Research questions ................................................................................................................. 4

Scope of the study .................................................................................................................. 4

Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 5

Presentation of literature and Discussion ................................................................................... 5

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 6

References ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

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A. Literature Review

This section deals with short literature review on relatedness of aging and homelessness.

(Beynon et al, 2009) have addressed that current practices and knowledge demonstrates

homelessness focuses on youth, adults and provides less attention on older people. Reports

from (Gonyea et al., 2010) states that homeless aging population are regarded as invisible

population in society whereas due to larger demographic shifts number of elderly people was

predicted to increase (Edmonston and Fong 2010). (Cohen 1999 and Morrison, 2009) reports

that elderly individuals living in street who exhibit mental and physical inabilities. (Price and

Molnar, 2009) addressed that average age of homeless people in US is 9 years. Grenier

(2012) defines that aging is process that occurs in life courses in relation to structure of

institution, practices and experiences. Studies reported from (Cohen, 1999; Garibaldi, Conde-

Martel, and O’Toole, 2005; Gonyea et al., 2010; McDonald, Dergal, & Cleghorn, 2007;

Ploeg et al. 2008; Shinn et al., 2007) emphasises that homeless older people living in North

America considers themselves as old between 50-55 years. (Mott et al., 2012) reports that

homeless people does not live in fixed address and counting methods to estimate the size of

homeless population further complicates the issue to identify exact numbers of elderly

homeless population. US department of Housing and Urban development (2008) reports that

highest number of age old homeless population in Los Angeles those other cities in United

States such as New York and US department of Housing and Urban development (2012)

report that 633,782 homeless people resides in America. (Stergiopoulos & Herrmann, 2003)

reported that adults above age 55 depict 45-55% of total homeless population in S. Due to the

lack of shelter facilities for elderly population signifies that elderly adults were overcrowded

in hospitals reports (Serge & Gnaedinger, 2003).

Psychological disorders, traumatic events in childhood and adolescence trigger events for

homelessness among elderly population. (Padgett, Smith, Henwood, & Tiderington, 2012)

reports that death of patient and family breakdown are chief reasons associated with

homelessness in earlier parts of life among individuals. Research study conducted by (Hearth

et al 2007) address that various kinds of structural factors account for later life homelessness

in elderly population. (Rothwell & Haveman, 2013) states that 28% of adults above 66 age

group lacks sufficient level of financial assets to survive with low income threshold for three

months. Precarious environment, diminishing financial assets, poor mental health, reduced

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social connections and reduced physical health are related with age old homelessness. (Barak

and Cohen, 2003) poor psychiatric conditions and alcoholism also accounts as reason for

homelessness. Also studies from (Rank & Williams, 2010) states that education, prior work

performance, incarceration are associated with lack of shelter among age old population.

Studies from (Toro, 2007) reports that poverty and victimisation are closely associated with

age related homelessness. Individuals who experience above vulnerabilities lack skill to cope

up with the situation which triggers homelessness among this population.

B. Research Paper

Title: Age and Homelessness in United States

Background

Homelessness is reported as chronic problem among United States population. The rates of

homelessness among population continue to change over the period of time with significant

rise in poverty, less healthy and living indoors. North et al (2004) reported that trends of

homelessness in ten years have been observed with respective increase in age, variations in

ethnic population, substance use disorders.

Aim and objectives

The main aim of this paper is to address etiological relationship between age and

homelessness. This study documents about the trends in age, housing, health status, drug

usage among homeless population. The objectives of this study are to examine various factors

influencing age related homelessness by conducting extensive literature review.

Research questions

The research questions generated for this study which includes:

1. What are the reasons for aging related homelessness?

2. What are the chief factors affecting homelessness?

Scope of the study

This study addresses chief factors behind age related homelessness. There is a significant rise

in homeless age old population lacking shelters in US. Health status of individuals, gender,

geographical status experiences of homelessness plays vital role in aging related

homelessness. This study demonstrates the previous findings on factors influencing aging

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related homelessness among US population since it was reported with exploding rates of

homelessness among elderly population. This study sheds light on current knowledge and

practice in literature archives on theme of research to devise strategies to reduce escalating

rates.

Methodology

The chief purpose of this literature based study is to compile existing literature findings in

ageing and homelessness. Literature was gathered with a view of incidence of homelessness,

pathway to lack of shelter among age old individuals. Literature search was performed in

Google Scholar, Webline, MedLine, and PubMed from the period of 2000-2015. Search

terms used for searching literature are aging related homelessness, support, Shelter and

Canada, elderly adult and senior individuals.

Presentation of literature and Discussion

This section presents the earlier findings related to aging and homelessness among United

States population. Reports from (Gonyea et al., 2010) states that homeless aging population

are regarded as invisible population in society whereas due to larger demographic shifts

number of elderly people was predicted to increase (Edmonston and Fong 2010). (Cohenson

1999 and Morrison, 2009) reports that elderly individuals living in street who exhibit mental

and physical inabilities. Grenier (2012) defines that aging is process that occurs in life

courses in relation to structure of institution, practices and experiences. Studies reported from

(Cohen, 1999; Garibaldi, Conde-Martel, and O’Toole, 2005; Gonyea et al., 2010; McDonald,

Dergal, & Cleghorn, 2007; Ploeg et al. 2008; Shinn et al., 2007) emphasises that homeless

older people living in New York considers themselves as old between 50-55 years. (Mott et

al., 2012) reports that homeless people does not live in fixed address and counting methods to

estimate the size of homeless population further complicates the issue to identify exact

numbers of elderly homeless population. Sermons et al (2010) reported that average elderly

population is currently 89 million which is expected to be doubled by 2050.

A study from Kushel (2002) reports that uncritical situation of homelessness identity of

elderly population. In a survey study conducted by Brown, Keily et al (2012) reported that

homelessness is defined as “the situation of an individual or family without stable,

permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring

it”. (Gaetz, Donaldson, Richter, & Gulliver, 2013) have addressed that federal, provincial,

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territorial, municipal and aboriginal strategies to reduce homelessness in US. (Morris, Judd,

& Kavanagh, 2005; Shinn et al., 2007) stated that Conditions associated with a gradual

decline include precarious employment and/or diminishing finances leading to poverty, poor

mental and/or physical health, decreasing social connections. There is no single pathway for

homelessness. Research conducted with older homeless individuals in the United States,

England, and Australia found that two thirds had not experienced homelessness earlier in life,

while the other third had been homeless before (Crane et al., 2005). Similarly a New York

City study of 79 homeless adults over 55 finds that half of the participants lead what they

considered ‘conventional lives’ prior to becoming homeless. The other half was more likely

to have experienced homelessness throughout their lives (Shinn et al., 2007). In addition to

representing a new population, the duration of time an individual spends homeless is typically

longer for older adults than younger people because they are less likely to reintegrate into the

workforce (Caton et al., 2005).

By 2050, the elderly homeless population is projected to more than double, with 95,000

elderly persons expected to be living without stable housing. The age composition of the

homeless population has shifted significantly over the past two decades, with the median age

of single adults increasing from 35 years in 1990 to 50 years in 2010 (Culnahe, 2012).

(Denton & Boss, 2007) suggested that dispropionate involvement of unpaid care work

reduces women’s labour forces in the market. Kosor and Kendal-Wilson (2002) states that

spouse abuse, family violence, abuse of drugs and disputes with family and friends are major

pathways to homelessness among older women in US.

Conclusion

This study has observed chief reasons of age related homelessness by conducting extensive

literature review. This study employed qualitative research methods as research design.

Qualitative methods are inexpensive method and reliable for studies analysing human

behaviour. In line with this context, this study has employed secondary research methods

using critical review of literature on ageing related homelessness among USA population.