Using qualitative photovoice interviews to discover the role of biophilia for older homeless shelter residents

Abstract  

Access to green and blue environments and nature (biophilia) is highly inequitable in Canadian urban environments. Biophilia has also been shown to have significant beneficial impacts on the physical, mental, and social health of humans and, in particular, later life.  Although the World Health Organization advanced the importance of human access to nature, lack of access to green spaces has been documented in low-income populations and few studies have examined the role of economically disadvantaged aging populations. This research study is based on a secondary qualitative analysis of the Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) study, which considers the intersection of age and economic disadvantage to understand the experiences and perceptions of AIRP in relationship to supportive housing for older homeless adults with experiences of homelessness to determine the nature of optimal housing to support this population.

Drawing on the AIRP study, in this presentation we employ a secondary qualitative data analysis to examine the role of biophilia in the lives of older adult homelessness shelter residents. We conducted 25 in depth semi-structured photovoice interviews with older adults (50+) with experiences of homelessness living at three supportive housing sites in Calgary, Canada. Through the thematic analysis of residents’ stories and photography, as well as built environment assessments, we illuminated the impact of biophilia and biophilic design on AIRP for older persons with experience of homelessness across four thematic categories: (1) nature as providing a sense of peace or restoration; (2) reciprocity in human relationships with nature; (3) biophilia is important to aging well; and (4) operational impediments to biophilic design. Findings from this research inquiry illuminate the multiple ways in which biophilia and biophilic-design are necessary elements to be integrated into the environment of temporary supportive housing units and surrounding neighbourhood contexts to support multi-faceted wellness among this vulnerable population.