Increasing Social Connection in Permanent Supportive Housing: A Participatory Study on Therapeutic Recreation for...

Social exclusion and isolation due to homelessness are compounded in older people by physical frailty and stigma. Interventions to support older people with experiences of homelessness often neglect social dimensions of well-being. In this participatory action research study, residents, staff, and researchers collaborated to develop, implement, and evaluate therapeutic recreation programming in a permanent supportive housing facility for older people with experiences of homelessness (n = 68).

A community advisory group, "The Exchange," co-designed program delivery and evaluation. Quantitative evaluation data consisted of participant demographics, participation rates, goals set, and quality of life questionnaires at three points in the study. Qualitative data included co-design meeting notes (n = 24), and interviews with residents (n = 19) and staff (n = 20). Quantitative data were reported descriptively, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically, using social and ecological theories of care from recreation studies as a sensitizing lens. Data were synthesized to develop a final interpretation.

Sixty-one (90%) residents participated in recreation programming. Residents set 253 goals; social goals were the most popular. Residents reported increased confidence to learn new skills, engaging in meaningful activities, and improved social connection with their community.

Co-designing recreation programming contributed to an inclusive social environment that enhanced individual and community connectivity. The findings demonstrate the benefits of therapeutic recreation in promoting well-being among older people with experiences of homelessness living in permanent supportive housing.