Homelessness continues to be a prevalent issue in society. While there exists a vast body of literature evaluating homelessness among the youth, there are significant gaps that require attention. There is limited information in regards to older homelessness despite the society witnessing increased levels of elderly homeless individuals. Current knowledge and implementation of policies thus focus majorly on younger families while disregarding the elderly who face homelessness due to various factors. Nevertheless, there fails to exist a definitive description of homelessness as different states have different policies in regards to minimum housing.
The United States' demographic characteristics influence homelessness despite federal efforts to reduce the same. The government thus offers technical and financial support through homelessness intervention programs to shelters and emergency care services. Similarly, such organizations as the Methodist services offered a wide range of services that contribute to the management of homelessness within the US. This literature review thus aims at evaluating homelessness among both young and senior women as well as barriers involved in the transitioning process. The first section will offer a literature review of older homeless individuals while the second will focus on the young adults and families.
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While some scholars argued that there was a high possibility for the number of homeless individuals to increase over the years, recent studies show a significant decline in the same ( Ravenhill, 2016 ). Similarly, the author describes four stages of homelessness as transitional, episodic and chronic homelessness. The latter comprises individuals with enhanced defects such as disabilities or substance abuse that hinder them from acquiring shelter hence use shelter services as permanent residences. Ravenhill (2016) further suggests that older homeless individuals additionally experience early mortality as compared with their non-homeless peers as they consider themselves older and irrelevant. Older women exhibit higher levels of depression due to financial need as compared to men.
Data in regards to statistical information about homelessness within the US is limited as little attention is accorded the same. According to the Labella, Narayan, McCormick, Desjardins, and Masten (2019) , 110 million individuals experience homelessness globally. Nevertheless, the US fails to account for unsheltered individuals or those at risk of homelessness as it focuses primarily on analyzing individuals in the home shelters. For example, studies conducted in Canada by Thompson, Ryan, Montgomery, Lippman, Bender, and Ferguson (2016) revealed that homeless individuals account for 0.1% of the total population between 2002 and 2016. Similarly, Toronto records the highest number of homeless individuals as well as those living in shelters.
In the US, older women account for 5% of the overall homeless individual's population ( Labella et al., 2019) . According to Labella and his colleagues, there are various causes of homelessness among women between 50 years to 65 years such as the lack of affordable housing mainly after cases involving divorce or separation ( Labella et al., 2019) . Similarly, Fransham and Dorling (2018) further support that older homeless women register higher levels of psychiatric disorders as compared to men who then contribute to inappropriate housing and eventual homelessness. Cultural, ethnic and racial differences significantly contribute to women's homelessness as they may face exploitation and abuse from others which may lead to lack of housing yet fail to report the issues. This then poses a challenge to both the local housing services and the concerned victims hence homelessness. Nevertheless, the US provides welfare benefits for individuals older than 65 years; thus a reduction in the homelessness rate among older women.
Conversely, according to Boland and Cunningham (2018), primary attention is accorded young homeless adults and their families based on the prevalence of the phenomenon. While this population accounts for over half of the homeless individuals' population, limited attention is granted women above 25 years with no dependent children or pre-existing medical conditions or alternate history of substance abuse. Shelter services prioritize women with dependent children, violent backgrounds and struggles with substance abuse. Nevertheless, they disregard single women of the same age hence an increase in the number of homeless women older than 25 years without children or other conditions.
Young adult women and their families experience various challenges while transitioning from homelessness to shelters and proper housing facilities. Minnery and Greenhalgh (2016) suggest that the most common problem is social exclusion and discrimination as well as other underlying factors such as substance abuse, poverty, inadequate housing systems, and alcohol dependence. Marquardt (2016) further supports the authors as he argues that homeless individuals suffer from mental health problems which may prove difficult to treat during the transitioning process. Additionally, Glynn and Fox (2017) contend that victims of chronic homelessness are considered long term residents of the area in which they transition in which may have led to illiteracy. Transitioning women, therefore, face continuous unemployment and consistent engagement in violent crime.
In conclusion, this essay has provided a literature review of homeless women and the challenges faced during the transitioning process. Similarly, the study identified various gaps in the literature in regards to older homeless women as there exists little to no information while there is an abundance of information about young adults and their families. Various cases of homelessness were identified as age, poverty, substance abuse, violence, and divorce. Similarly, causes for homelessness among older women were identified as exploitation and fear of discrimination from the government hence the lack of inquiring on assistance.
References
Boland, L., & Cunningham, M. (2018). Homelessness: Critical reflections and observations from an occupational perspective. Journal of Occupational Science , 1-8.
Culhane, D. P., Metraux, S., Byrne, T., Stino, M., & Bainbridge, J. (2013). The age structure of contemporary homelessness: Evidence and implications for public policy. Analyses of social issues and public policy , 13 (1), 228-244.
Fransham, M., & Dorling, D. (2018). Homelessness and public health.
Glynn, C., & Fox, E. B. (2017). Dynamics of homelessness in urban America. arXiv preprint arXiv:1707.09380 .
Labella, M. H., Narayan, A. J., McCormick, C. M., Desjardins, C. D., &Masten, A. S. (2019). Risk and adversity, parenting quality, and children's social‐emotional adjustment in families experiencing homelessness. Child development , 90 (1), 227-244.
Marquardt, N. (2016). Counting the countless: Statistics on homelessness and the spatial ontology of political numbers. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space , 34 (2), 301-318.
Minnery, J., &Greenhalgh, E. (2016). IDEAS, INTERESTS, AND INSTITUTIONS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING: A CASE STUDY OF THE BRISBANE HOUSING COMPANY.
Ravenhill, M. (2016). The culture of homelessness . Routledge.
Thompson, S. J., Ryan, T. N., Montgomery, K. L., Lippman, A. D. P., Bender, K., & Ferguson, K. (2016). Perceptions of resiliency and coping: Homeless young adults speak out. Youth & Society , 48 (1), 58-76.
Wardhaugh, J. (2017). Sub city: Young people, homelessness and crime . Routledge.
