Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2025
11:21
Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
8.2K
Late-Life Homelessness: A Definition to Spark Action and Change
Amanda Grenier1,2, Tamara Sussman3
1Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Gerontologist
|September 2, 2024
Summary
Late-life homelessness is poorly defined. A new definition includes age, life-course disadvantage, social exclusion, and unmet needs, guiding better policy and practice.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Social Sciences
- Public Health
Background:
- Late-life homelessness is a growing concern but lacks a clear definition.
- Existing understanding is insufficient for developing effective policies and practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a comprehensive definition of late-life homelessness.
- To inform the creation of responsive policies and practices for older homeless individuals.
Main Methods:
- Critical ethnography utilizing interview data from older homeless persons (N=40) and service providers (N=20) in Montreal, Canada.
- Reconceptualization of qualitative data to identify key components of late-life homelessness.
Main Results:
- Late-life homelessness definitions require four intersecting components: age/eligibility/access, life-course disadvantage, social/spatial exclusion, and unmet needs due to policy inaction.
- The proposed definition integrates structural and relational factors shaping service gaps and complex needs.
Conclusions:
- The new definition provides an empirically grounded framework for understanding and addressing late-life homelessness.
- This definition can guide the development of improved interventions and policies for older adults experiencing homelessness.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
72
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
72
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
875
Documentation in long-term care facilities and home healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive care for patients. Each setting has its specific documentation processes and tools:
Long-Term Care Facilities
Long-Term Care Facilities
875
01:27Emerging Adulthood
49
Jeffrey Arnett's concept of emerging adulthood offers a framework to understand the unique developmental stage between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, generally from ages 18 to 25. This period is marked by extensive exploration and shifts in identity, relationships, and career choices, a process known in psychology as role experimentation. Emerging adulthood reflects the evolving cultural expectations surrounding adulthood and the dynamic process of personal transformation during...
49
02:20Longitudinal Research
11.9K
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
11.9K
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
72
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
72
01:30Community Based Intervention
36
Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
36