Homelessness Flashcards
Homelessness
- the state of not having a permanent or safe place to live
- includes individuals who are living on the street, living in a shelter, temporary accommodations with family or friends, and individuals who leave their home country due to conflict
Common factors
- substance abuse
- poor mental health
- poverty
Comorbidities
- substance use disorder = includes alcohol, drug, and tobacco
- depression and anxiety = the stress of homelessness
- hypertension = 2-4 times more likely to
Occupational alienation
- individuals exclude from meaningful participation in occupations due to feelings of social exclusion or disconnectedness
- treated “less than” in public spaces alienates them from society
- limited access to places where they can engage in meaningful interactions/activities
Occupational deprivation
- external factors preventing individuals from engaging in meaningful/necessary occupations
- access to meal preparation and a well-balanced diet
- inadequate shelters
- inability to maintain employment due to lack of transportation or appropriate clothing
- restricted healthcare access
Impact on IADLs
Household management:
- no permanent address to manage bills, schedule appointments or receive mail
Managing finances:
- average apartment price is $1,739
- can incur debt from unpaid bills, court fees, and fines/child support
- poor credit can lead to difficulties with managing banking services or unemployment
Managing medications:
- 73% of people have at least one unment health need
- lack of health insurance
Meal preparation:
- unbalanced diet
Impact on ADLs
Bathing/showering:
- shelters lack privacy to use the toilet or bathe
- lack of bathing essentials
Dressing:
- lack of appropriate clothing for weather or storage for clothing
Eating/feeding:
- dependence on food pantries, soup kitchens
- unpredictable food availability
Toileting:
- lack of access to clean and safe restrooms
- increased health risks (UTIs and kidney issues)
Functional mobility:
- finding accessible shelters for mobility impairments
Impact on work
- unemployment rates range from 57 to 90%
- insufficient background for job requirements
Impact on education
- no high school diploma or GED = faces greater risk of experiencing homelessness
- children struggles with reading, math, or writing if they miss school
- children may not have access to literacy and numeracy programs
Impact on leisure
- lack of resources or opportunities to engage in leisure activities
- safety plays an important role
Impact on social participation
- often socially isolated
- low levels of social support, social functioning, and lack of social resources
- stigma = criminality, laziness, and incompetence
Impact on occupational performance
Engagement in meaningful activities:
- desired coping straggly for those affected
- lack of resources or opportunities to engage in specific occupations
Shelter activities:
- lack meaning and structure
- participants often reliving trauma
Boredom is central to homeless experience:
- experienced as social withdrawal, fatigue, and hopelessness
- negative influence on mental health = may lead to emotional distress, hopelessness, anxiety, depression, and fatigue
Rest and sleep:
- lack of sleep is the most common symptom of homelessness
- struggles to sleep in shelters due to environments that are noisy, overcrowded, uncomfortable, and perceived as unsafe
Physical limitation
- weather-related struggles
- body weakness/aches
- exhaustion
- substance abuse
Cognitive limitation
- acquired brain injury
- mental illness
- dementia
- many co-occurring cognitive disorders
Social limitation
- isolation/seclusion from others, withdrawn, stigmatized
