Housing insecurity and homelessness among immigrant older adults in Canada

Walsh, C. A., Kaushik, V., & Hoselton, J. (2022, September). Housing insecurity and homelessness among immigrant older adults in Canada. 25th International Metropolis Conference, Berlin, Germany.    

Abstract:

Immigrant older adults are more likely to live in poverty and face systemic challenges in accessing services than younger immigrants or mainstream Canadians. Among homeless adults in Canada, the proportion of older homeless adults is rising and studies on this population, point to their unique health and service needs that warrant special attention. All these factors compounded indicate that there is a need to specifically look at the housing insecurity and homelessness among older immigrant adults in Canada. However, there is a scarcity of research examining the topic and the related concerns. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to provide a general overview of the current literature: (1) to gain an understanding of the existing research and debates surrounding the topic of housing insecurity and homelessness among older immigrants in Canada, (2) to establish if housing insecurity and homelessness among older immigrants has received appropriate attention in the academic literature and public policy statements in Canada, and (3) to create a discourse designed to inform future academic research, public policies, housing strategies, and community services for older immigrant in Canada facing housing insecurity and homelessness. This review establishes an urgent need to document the current state of homelessness among immigrant older adults in Canada and to listen to the voices of immigrant older adults with housing insecurity or homelessness.