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‘Got a room for me?’ Housing Experiences of Older Adults Living with HIV/AIDS in Ottawa*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2012

Charles Furlotte ,
Karen Schwartz ,
Jay J. Koornstra  and
Richard Naster
Charles Furlotte*
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, McMaster University
Karen Schwartz
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Carleton University
Jay J. Koornstra
Affiliation:
Bruce House, Ottawa
Richard Naster
Affiliation:
Bruce House, Ottawa
*
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: Charles Furlotte, RSW, MSW School of Social Work Kenneth Taylor Hall (KTH), Room 319 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M4 (furlotcr@mcmaster.ca)
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Abstract

HIV/AIDS and aging is an important emerging topic with relevance to gerontology. Currently, little is known about the housing experiences of older adults within the context of HIV/AIDS. This article explores the issue and examines interview data concerning the housing experiences of 11 older adults (52 to 67 years old) living with HIV/AIDS in Ottawa, Ontario. Participants’ stories revealed concerns relating to three major themes: acceptance into retirement homes and long-term care communities, barriers to accessing subsidized housing services, and homelessness. Participants reported feeling that they lacked recognition and experienced confusion about their future housing prospects. These data suggest that a shift may be occurring in the housing needs of people aging with HIV/AIDS. This emerging population presents challenges to mainstream ideas of aging. We conclude that increased attention is needed in research, policy, and practice to address housing issues among this age group of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Résumé

Le VIH/SIDA et le vieillissement constitue un thème émergent important et pertinent pour la gérontologie. Les expériences des personnes âgées vivant avec le VIH relatives au logement sont encore très peu connues. Le présent article explore cette problématique en examinant les données issues d’entrevues portant sur les expériences relatives au logement de 11 adultes âgés (de 52 à 67 ans) vivant avec le VIH/SIDA à Ottawa (Ontario). Les histoires des participants ont révélé des préoccupations relatives aux trois thèmes principaux: l’acceptation dans les maisons de retraite ou dans les centres d’hébergements de soin de longue durée, le manque d’accès aux logements subventionnés et l’itinérance. Les participants rapportaient ressentir un manque de reconnaissance et de la confusion concernant leurs perspectives d’habitation. Ces résultats suggèrent qu’un changement se produit peutêtre dans les besoins de logement de personnes qui vieillissent avec le VIH. Cette population émergente apporte des défis aux idées dominantes sur le vieillissement. Nous concluons qu’une attention accrue est nécessaire au niveau de la recherche, des politiques et de la pratique pour aborder le problème du logement chez ce groupe d’âge de personnes vivant avec le VIH.

Keywords

vieillissementSIDA/VIHlogementsoins de longue duréel’itinéranceagingHIV/AIDShousinglong-term carehomelessness
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 37 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2012

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Footnotes

*

The authors thank the research participants who gave of their time. Thank you to Khaled Salam, Susan McWilliam, and Dr. Isabelle Wallach for their contributions, feedback, and support in the development of this article.

This first author of this manuscript received a $1,000 community-based research honorarium jointly from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network and Ontario AIDS Network.

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