Seniors Experiencing Homelessness and Their Understanding of the Meaning of Home: Using Collage to Envision Home

Abstract

This study explores the meanings and understandings of home of seniors experiencing homelessness and the supports and services these individuals need in their homes as they age. Guided by interpretive social sciences and critical gerontology this study engaged with 7 homeless seniors living in a seniors’ shelter in the City of Toronto. Using arts-based research methodology, this study had 7 seniors make collages to represent their vision and understandings of ‘home’. In addition, participants were asked what specific support and services they would need in their homes in order to support their overall health and wellbeing. Based on individual art session recordings and collages, thematic analysis was used to identify key themes in order to understand what home means, and what supports and services are required for homeless seniors. For these participants home is a unique physical space with nuanced meanings and provides unique elements that a shelter cannot. In addition, these participants identified specific in-home and community supports they would require in their homes.