Aspiring for home: Exploring homing practices of older adults residing in transitional shelters in Canada

Hoselton, J. H., Walsh, C. A., Grittner, A. L., Canham, S. L., Mahmood, A., & Sussman, T. (2025, Oct). Aspiring for home: Exploring the ‘homing’ practices of older adults residing in transitional shelters across Canada [poster presentation]. 54th Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting of the Canadian Association on Gerontology, Montreal, QC. 

Abstract

Study Objective

Older adults are increasingly represented in the homeless population in Canada due to population aging, shifting age structure, limited affordable housing stock, and decreased social programs and assistance benefits. Despite these challenges, older adults experiencing various levels of housing precarity manage to create home, including within temporary housing and shelter systems. Drawing from data collected as part of an interdisciplinary inquiry investigating the perspectives of older adults who have experienced homelessness, we examined older adult homing practices in the temporary housing and shelter systems.

Methods

A secondary data analysis was conducted on primary data collected from photovoice interviews with 49 older adult residents (age 55+) from five temporary housing and shelter supports in three Canadian cities, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal.

Results

Through the thematic analysis of residents' stories and photography, we showcased both the opportunities and challenges of the socio-material conditions of older adult homemaking in temporary housing and shelters across six distinct themes: (1) meaning of home and homelessness (2) identity (3) community and relationships (4) built and natural environment (5) systemic barriers (6) aspirations for home.

Conclusion

Findings from this research inquiry offered novel insights into the socio-material environments of temporary housing and shelters for older adults in three major cities across Canada. The perspectives gained will support improvements in both service supports and shelter design, making it possible for older adults to age in place and feel at home in transitional spaces.