Let's Talk About Grief & Homelessness
Hey Family let's talk about some of the causes and consequences of homelessness.
The causes and consequences of homelessness are varied and differ among the unhoused population. Traumatic events play a role in the vicious cycle of homelessness (Farrell, 2012). This vulnerable population is no longer part of mainstream society; so, a subculture has been established. Frequently this homeless subculture is passed from one generation to another because the trauma of disenfranchisement has been normalized. It is a misconception that most of the population enjoy being on welfare (Katz, 2017). The following sections further discuss some causes of homelessness: veterans who become homeless; aging out of foster care; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer; intersex and asexual; and senior adults.
Complexity of Homelessness. The number of homeless people continues to increase, which has led to a change in the face and complexity of homelessness. Being homeless is not prejudiced; it crosses socioeconomic, ethnicity, religious, educational, mental capacity, gender, veteran status, sexual orientation, and racial barriers. Researchers have found that the makeup of loneliness in the general population and homeless community are closely linked (Rokach, 2004). Individuals experience psychological and sociological issues of loneliness from different scopes. The causes and consequences may differ, but the result is the same, lonely, and homeless (Rokach, 2019), without a sense of security (Hallett & Crutchfield, 2017), stability (Boland et al., 2018), and possibly the loss of identity (Hudson, 2016).
Veterans Who Become Homeless. The health of the public is intertwined with the homeless, which is a community problem. A large portion of the homeless are veterans. They fall through the government programs’ crack because of the inability or patience to apply for government assistance (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2018). Donovan and Shineski (2013) found that “The significant economic and moral dimensions of homelessness come into sharper focus when those living on our streets once defended our nation” (p. 180). This one statement demands the public’s attention that several of the homeless are veterans, and government programs have largely failed to serve those who once served the country. Besides, this statement is a call to action, demanding changes in the policies, procedures, and fragmented systemic services (United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2021). This breakdown in human services systems creates a deficiency that eventually is precedent to chronic homelessness. The goals of homeless services should focus on transitioning and reintegration (Gaboardi et al., 2021).
Aging Out of Foster Care. Young adults that age out of foster care experience housing instability. In many states, when this population turns 18, they are considered independent. While in other states, turning 21 is the age of independence. Whether these emerging adults are going to college, has a place to after 1live or not, the governmental financial support ends, and the foster families are no longer responsible. “In terms of living situations, estimates are between 11% and 37% of youth aging out of foster care, experience homelessness one or more times in the years following their transition, and an additional 25-50% experience housing instability” (Shah et al., 2017, p. 33). The network of tangible and intangible support is deficient for this population. The psychological trauma experienced during the childhood of being removed from an adverse home life and then the retraumatization of homelessness has negatively affected this population (Haskett & Chatham, 2019). These emerging adults’ physical and mental health is challenged as they attempt to find a sense of meaning, belongingness, and security in the world.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual. According to a review of the literature, this community is now identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA). The terms used to describe the lesbian and gay community collectively is always evolving. The decision to “come out” and live openly with an individual’s sexual orientation is complicated (DiMichele, 2020). An individual struggling with this decision, often fears alienation from family and friends. This is even more so for financially unstable adolescents who face homelessness because of their sexual orientation (Brown, 2020; Bullock, 2018).
Most family conflicts regarding sexual orientations are based on religious ideologies and a lack of education. Trauma and family tensions are key factors in LGBTQIA exiting the home; however, the relationship between grief and loss associated with homelessness has not been critically examined (Robinson, 2005). According to Robinson (2018), “The attention on family rejection often portrays the parents of LGBTQIA youth experiencing homelessness as unaccepting of their child” (p. 383). Most LGBTQIA youths are often judged and shunned based on their sexual orientations. This family rejection isolation is a precursor to increasing LGBTQIA homelessness (Brown, 2020; van Eeden-Moorefield et al., 2018). The social rejection and imbalances of the family structures could be immobilized by the accepting LGBTQIA family members, and the results could lead to this family member being homeless (De Venanzi, 2008).
Senior Adults and Homelessness. A subgroup within the homeless community is senior adults experiencing homelessness for the first time (Burns et al., 2018). Homeless seniors encounter life-altering events from tragic incidents, such as a deteriorating lifecycle, death of a spouse, or a caregiver. According to Bekhet and Zauszniewski (2012), “Homeless elders suffer from loneliness and abandonment, they fear and avoid people; however, aging on the street could lead to dangerous self-neglect” (p. 228). Distressing data shows that senior adults’ homelessness increases among the age of 50-64 (Crane & Joly, 2014). Many older adults do not trust social service agencies and may be ashamed of their current situation. This sense of shame prohibits them from reaching out to family members and friends for housing. Therefore, during the golden years of their life, they are facing homelessness. The causes of homelessness are varied, as are the consequences of this epidemic, and the core issues of grief and loss from a sense of loss of security, stability, and possibly identity must be addressed.]
Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders Among the Homeless. The current research findings indicated that chronically homeless people could experience a plethora of mental illnesses and substance-abusing problems, and these are interrelated (Whitehead et al., 2018). The co-occurring experiences of chronic homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse demonstrate extreme tension that chronic homeless people can experience (Simon et al., 2018). These experiences are amplified by psychosocial and psychiatric problems leading to coping incapacity (Caton, 2017). While this is undoubtedly true, suffering from a chronic mental illness can lead to chronic homelessness due to the inability to maintain stable employment and relationships (Starnino, 2016). Moreover, chronic homelessness is very much connected to emotional experiences, including mental issues (Henwood et al., 2014).
The discussion of risk factors that homeless individuals endure is prevalent. It is noted in the literature that homelessness could lead to a multiplicity of issues, i.e., medical bills, an increase in crime, mental health issues, and drug abuse; the need has existed, but for the homeless, with each passing day, these issues are magnified. Homeless individuals with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders are at high risk for victimization and violence, frequently cycle between the streets, jails, and emergency rooms, and are difficult to effectively treat because of their multifaceted problems (Polcin, 2016). This information is a vital part of the cycle of chronic homelessness that must be addressed in the research process. Experiencing chronic homelessness can affect the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dynamic of a person.
Family, I know this was a lot of information to digest. Let's think about it and meet here again next week. Until then, do what you can to make the world a better place in which we all must live!
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