A PORTRAIT OF OLDER HOMELESS MEN - IDENTIFYING HOPELESSNESS AND ADAPTATION

Using participant observation as a homeless shelter volunteer and thro ugh face-to-face long interviews with four homeless elders (50+) and s ix service providers throughout the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan ar ea, data revealed unique coping strategies and patterns of service use of older homeless people. A state of hopelessness characterized many older homeless people who adapted and functioned in their culture of p overty. Sources of hopelessness were identified. Unique adaptations we re noted for certain individuals who either learned to use the service s opportunities provided or learned to exploit/abuse the service netwo rk. This group of people have found a social niche in which they can f unction and meet basic survival needs.