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By Kemi Kelly

For as long as I can remember, aging has been a social justice issue of interest to me. Aging is an inevitability, and I was exposed to the realities of living and aging at 8 years old while living with my paternal grandmother. My grandmother was an amazing woman who was fully invested in my life and education and I am blessed with the memories she left with me. She cared for me and impacted my life positively with her storytelling, morals, and values. She passed away in 1997 at 91 years of age and remains for me the quintessential example of aging well. My adult beliefs, values, and perceptions about poverty and homelessness were influenced and informed by my relationship and closeness to my grandmother.

Now, as an adult, I am a Master’s of Social Work student at Renison College, University of Waterloo. Because of my grandmother’s influence, I am following my interest in gerontology. I applied to the University of Calgary’s Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) research project as a research practicum student to learn more about how older women in supportive housing experience homelessness. The Calgary arm of this multimethods study, led by Dr. Christine Walsh, provided me with the opportunity to develop a literature review and conduct a secondary data analysis of photovoice interviews with older women living in a shelter to understand the intersectional impacts of gender, class, and elder abuse on the ability of older shelter residents to age in the right place.

Through my research, I discovered that older women’s homelessness is on the rise in Canada (Craig & Hastings, 2024). Notably, research on this topic was scarce. Older women are subject to systemic barriers and interpersonal challenges, which perpetuate and exacerbate their vulnerability to homelessness (Craig & Hastings, 2024). Examples include social inequalities, lack of adequate supports and appropriate resources, limited affordable housing, and other life circumstances (Waldbrook, 2015).

Following the literature review, I sought to understand the experiences of six older women who were residents at Unison Shelter in Calgary, a temporary supportive shelter for those who have experienced elder abuse. The women were interviewed using the photovoice method, taking photographs (see above) as a tool to reflect, engage, and tell their stories. The often simple images offer important insights into things that were meaningful to the participants in their daily lives. Participants shared through their narratives and images how they coped with living in a temporary transitional housing. For example, the woman who shared the image in the centre of the gallery above indicated the importance of privacy, comfort, and personal space – noting that she particularly loves her bedroom and the fact that she has a desk to work at, a dresser, and a place to hang her clothes.

As a novice researcher, I realize that photovoice methodology used by Aging in the Right Place project not only servces as a data collection method but also empowers participants to share their experiences, heal, and contribute to dialogue on personal and community issues on homelessness (Wang & Burris, 1997). Like these participants, I too sometimes rely on taking pictures, such as the image of the boat in the above gallery, to maintain self-care and as a way to engage or tell my stories. Through this connection, I believe photovoice creates an avenue to capture and share meaningful experiences. During my involvement with the Aging in the Right Place project, I learned the value of arts-based research methods.

Lastly, in my secondary data analysis of the photovoice interviews, I identified preventative measures that promote aging in the right place for older women experiencing homelessness. Preventative measures include provision of affordable housing, financial assistance, increased government funding for shelter services, community-based social and practical support, and access to resources (Sutherland et al., 2022). Furthermore, it is suggested that policy reform, tailored supportive services for older women, and the provision of affordable and adequate housing can improve the wellbeing of older women experiencing homelessness (Sutherland et al., 2022). As I move through my social work career, I will take the lessons from my time on the Aging in the Right Place project to advocate for supportive and preventative measures for older women experiencing homelessness.

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.

Craig, L., & Hastings, C. (2024). Intersectionality of gender and age (‘gender*age’): a critical realist approach to explaining older women’s increased homelessness. Journal of Critical Realism, 23(4), 361–383.

Sutherland, G., Bulsara, C., Robinson, S., & Codde, J. (2022). Older women's perceptions of the impact of homelessness on their health needs and their ability to access healthcare. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 46(1), 62-68. 

Waldbrook, N. (2015). Exploring opportunities for healthy aging among older persons with a history of homelessness in Toronto, Canada. Social Science & Medicine, 128, 126–133.

Wang, C., & Burris, M. (1997). Photovoice: concept, methodology, and use for participatory needs assessment. Health Education and Behaviour, 24(3), 369-387).