Older Men in the Homeless Shelter: In-Depth Conversations Lead to Practice Implications

This article reports on the themes generated by face-to-face interviews conducted with 10 men over the age of 50, currently homeless and residing in an overnight homeless shelter. In-depth interviews were conducted asking these men to tell their stories, talk about their lives in the shelter, and speak about their needs, hopes, and dreams. Based on an analysis of interviews, the following themes emerged and were presented: Talk of Work, Barriers to Housing are Overwhelming, Family Estrangement, and Coping Strategies. Discussion of these themes is presented and practice, administrative and research implications are suggested.