AbstractsWomens Studies

The rate of homelessness and the composition of the homeless population have changed dramatically over the past two decades. The previously smaller homeless population was made up primarily of older white men; now single women, youths, families with young children, younger men, and minorities are all increasingly found in the ever growing ranks of the homeless. The needs of these different subpopulations vary and planning appropriate policies and programs will depend on an understanding of their diverse needs.While there has been increased attention focused on homeless mothers with their children, single homeless women without children make up one subpopulation which has not been well researched to date. The population of single homeless women can be broken down further by age; the experience of homelessness is different for older women than it is for younger women. This study examines the lives of middle-aged women without homes.Utilizing a qualitative research approach, eleven homeless women were interviewed every few weeks over a period of six months; there were 58 interviews in all. Focused, open-ended interviews were used to gain information on the pathways to homelessness, day to day living, future hopes and plans, and social service utilization. Thirteen service providers were interviewed one time each to gain information on their views of available services for this population and to learn about their visions for the future. These views were compared with those of the homeless women.Four themes emerged from the stories women told about their past lives, their current daily living and their hopes for the future. These themes were: relationships, resiliency, normalcy, and political awareness. The themes supported the idea that older homeless women are not very different from other middle-aged women in our society though their poverty and the shortage of low-income housing have made their lives more difficult. The theme of political awareness is particularly interesting in that it suggests that collective action by these women may be possible.