Voices of Individuals: Collectively Exploring Self-Determination

 

Logo

With efforts to improve homecare (HC) services for older people in Ireland, and expected legislation to enshrine rights to these services, there is a critical need to ensure new HC reforms are accessible and relevant to the most marginalised older groups. Reflecting priority populations of the Health Service Executive (HSE) Social Inclusion Office, older adult Travellers and older homeless people (OTOH) are two such groups. However, OTOH voices are markedly absent from health policy and practice discourse. OTOH are also more likely to experience health inequalities and poor health outcomes. This can be related to accumulated exclusions across the life course. Structural factors concerning discrimination/stigma, and lack of access to education and employment can construct disadvantage for OTOH

Particular life-course experiences with respect to disability/ill-health, disrupted labour participation, family breakdown and irregular accommodation can dominate the life-paths of some OTOH. Such factors are reflected in greater prevalence of co-morbidities, higher rates of alcohol/substance abuse, and substantially lower healthy-life expectancies. They are also reflected in complex challenges concerning care delivery. Therefore, although specific mechanisms of inequity are likely to differ for the two groups, OTOH can experience similar patterns of community, socio-cultural and political displacement within society. Critically, however, there is little focus on marginalised older adults who achieve more positive health outcomes, and healthy ageing biographies. The ways in which life-course and structural forces shape these more favourable trajectories, and perhaps experiences closer to that of health equity, are unknown.

For more information regarding this project, click here.

Our Aim

The aim of this research is to investigate life-course and structural determinants of positive subjective health amongst older Traveller and older homeless people, with a view to centralising the voice of these groups in effective, ethical and rights-based models of home care delivery.

PI & Team

  • Kieran Walsh
  • Brídín Carroll
  • Diarmuid O'Donovan
  • Thomas Scharf
  • Anne MacFarlane
  • Eamon O'Shea

Collaborators

  • Diane Nurse
  • Fiona O'Reilly
  • Pat Bennett
  • Ciaran McKinney
  • Margaret O'Riada

Outputs

  • The Meaning of Positive Health and Ageing for older adult Travellers and Older People who have Experienced Homelessness, (2021), University of Galway
  • Life-Course and Structural Determinants of Positive Health and Ageing for Older Adult Travellers and Older People who have Experienced Homelessness, (2021), University of Galway.
  • Care Experiences and Home Care Preferences amongst Older Travellers and Older People Experiencing Homelessness, (2021), University of Galway