Bridging the Gap: Examining Older Adults Experiences of Homelessness and Access to Harm Reduction Shelter Supports

Abstract  

Houselessness among older adults (50+) in Canada is growing due to a rapidly aging population and a lack of affordable housing, among other factors. This results in older adults experiencing homelessness increasingly relying on emergency shelter to meet their unique and complex needs. Harm reduction shelters have been advanced as effective in better meeting the unique needs of this population. Research investigating harm reduction shelter service, albeit extremely limited, identifies ageism and stigmas related to addiction as structural barriers to service provision and managed alcohol programs and substance use management were the most frequently used harm reduction interventions to support this population. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a secondary data thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 10 older adult residents and 5 service providers in one promising practice shelter in Calgary, Alberta to identify facilitators and barriers for the provision of harm reduction services for older adults as part of the Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) Study. Findings suggest that targeted interventions are needed for this population to adequately support their unique needs and vulnerabilities, including harm reduction. Further research is required to identify the barriers to housing with harm reduction service for sub-populations of older adults experiencing homelessness, such as Indigenous, racialized, and LGBTQ2S+ persons.