The core aim of Occupational therapy in any setting is to empower and engage people to participate in occupations which can help them attain a healthy and meaningful life (Schultz & Schkade, 1992). With this particular population the Occupational Therapist (OT) can offer a holistic and person-centred perspective by assessing and collaboratively identifying the strengths, limitations and needs of each homeless youth. This would lead to implementing individual plans that will help them foster skills needed to become a functional member of the society (Aviles and Helfrich, 2006). Reid (1999) found many homeless shelters provide housing, meals and referrals to medical and social services however do not teach the youths to access these resources …show more content…
The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) has been identified as a valuable theoretical model for OTs who work with the homeless population as it serves as a basis for developing profiles (Kavanagh and Fares, 1995; Kielhofner,2002). It inform all aspects of the OT process of assessment, identifying needs, negotiating and formulating goals, planning, intervention and outcome measures (Kielhofner, 2004). This model views individuals as occupational beings who are made up of three interconnected components of volition, habituation and performance capacity. The model seeks to explain how occupation is motivated, performed and patterned and the influence of the environment on performance (Kavanagh and Fares, 1995). The MOHO model can be applied to understand how routines for the homeless youths are often imposed and lack meaning as their main priority include engaging in occupations which meet the basic level of the Hierarchy of Need e.g. finding food, shelter or a place to sleep; which can be time consuming (Maslow, 1943). This can lead the youth to become habituated to their daily routines and the street conditions. Conversely the homeless youth may have the skills for performance however the lack of opportunities due to external or environmental restrictions can prevent them from …show more content…
In order for the therapy to be the most effective, each intervention would consider the individuals interest, values, promotion of health and wellbeing, whether the environment facilitates participation and if the activity can be graded and adapted (Finlayson et al., 2002). A beneficial characteristic of Occupational therapist is that they can work individually with clients to identify achievable goals, break down the goals to smaller components and encourage practice through repeated application of new skills using an activity which is both meaningful and purposeful to the homeless youth (Finlayson et al
We thought that the client would benefit from a plan that would teach budgeting, job training, and provide housing. One point that the client made clear during the intake session is that she did not know how to work her way out of a bad situation. “Predominant theories describe stress and coping as a linear and homeostatic process in which stress is understood, by definition, as harmful, and coping plays a restoring function providing homeostasis whereby emotions are managed, problems are solved, and life returns to normal (Ruiz p. 57-58, 2008).” We always incorporate the strengths-based perspective because the most effective tool against homelessness is self-independence and empowerment. “According to the strengths-based model, our strengths make us resilient in periods of adversity, so social workers must cultivate and enhance the strengths of their
The Problems and causes of homelessness are closely intertwined, with many of the problems of homelessness also sharing common source with the causes of homelessness. Narrative comments are included. There are three central themes that are highlighted in the cases. Mental health plays a large role in the cause and problem of homelessness as displayed by Stephanie’s experience as “her parents asked her to leave home. Stephanie had suffered from anxieties and bipolar”. Abusive relationships are also experienced frequently amongst the participants illustrated by Lauren and her children as it is noted “her husband was manipulative and abusive to her and the children”. Exposure to drugs is another theme of homelessness demonstrated by Elle’s
Being homeless presents many challenges for youth that they normally live day to day, unable to develop plans for forming a productive life structure. Since many homeless youth don’t have money so they start begging or selling drugs or start prostituting to earn money to cover their basic needs. The basic problem of homelessness is the human need for personal shelter,
Traditional methods of providing homeless services to the dually diagnosed homeless require individuals to abstain from substance abuse (Henwood, Padgett, & Tiderington, 2014, p. 80). This approach, referred to as treatment first (TF), fails to address issues associated with chronically homeless adults who had become habituated to this lifestyle (Henwood, Padgett, & Tiderington, 2014, p. 81). The rigidness of this approach, which includes abstinence and behaviour modification such as “curfews, daily supervision, mandatory attendance at day treatment, no visitors,
This research project studied the broad subject of homelessness from a distinctive perspective. Homeless individuals have different needs, and different human services organizations offer many homeless service programs to individuals, from temporary shelter to transitional housing, and training and health programs among others. Nonetheless, the most important service needed for homeless individuals should be the one that leads to permanent housing solutions. However, findings from this research study suggested that not all homeless service programs are as effective in alleviating homelessness in the community, as most have been led to believe in the past. Therefore, the required question had to be, how effective are homeless service programs in alleviating homelessness in the City of Springfield MA? Finding an answer to that question was the primary reason for this research. This research study sought to know more about the effectiveness of two distinctive service programs, which although similar in services offered, both operate with completely different funding and visions on how to solve the
For several years, researchers group together to find the right direction in analyzing how homeless people can acquire a better framework in a direction of regaining their dignity and integrity. Researchers were able to create an assessment tools that eventually produce a meaningful result. This paper will discuss the different tools that can assess the homeless people in developing the necessary guide to overcome their present difficulties, mentally and physically.
Our text illustrates that there are various populations within the homeless community. These people are homeless for different reasons, whether its voluntary or involuntarily. Runaways and Victims of
Fifteen items were listed and the survey asked how much the social worker, on a scale from one to five, saw the given item as a barrier. The fifteen items included but are not limited to: transience, identification, attendance, communication, personal resources, school administration, community resources, and embarrassment. Other information was gathered such as the level of licensure held, the location the social worker works at, the number of years they have practiced, and their level of awareness about homelessness. The results show that each of the fifteen items was seen as a barrier when dealing with homeless children by the participants of the study. The most widely seen barrier was transience, meaning the students have had to frequently move around a lot, which has hindered their ability to learn. Transience leads to low attendance and is correlated with poor academic performance. (Canfield, 2014) School administration was the closest to being perceived as a facilitator and not a barrier, but was still viewed as a barrier by the
Many youth who have or are still living on the streets have faced sexual or physical abuse from an adult at some point in their lives and the data states that 61% of all youth face this (McKay, E, (2009). Seeing the Possibilities. The Need for a Mental health Focus Amongst Street-Involved Youth: Recognizing and Supporting Resilience. Toronto: Wellesley Institute.). Approximately 1,500 – 2,000 homeless youth make up the total amount of homeless people sleeping on the streets every night in Toronto; this number is considerably large and it continues to grow because the issue of youth homelessness or homelessness in general is not thought of as a priority by various levels of government and therefore
Homelessness is a major problem in the United States. An incredibly vulnerable group is the homeless youth due to their young age and lack of education. According to Edidin, Ganim, Hunter, & Karnik (2012) on any particular night in the United States there are ~2 million homeless youth living on the streets, in shelters, or in other temporary accommodation. Youth become homeless for multiple reasons whether it be because they have aged out of foster care, ran from home, were kicked out of their home, or because they have become homeless along with their family members. Within the umbrella categorization of homeless youth there are high at risk subgroups, common misconceptions, and a serious concern of lack of support and medical services.
Throughout the United States, there are a large number of individuals that goes unnoticed. Hidden in right plain sight, but are overlooked. They can be our friends, family, classmates, or the person standing right next you to at this moment. There are young individuals who are facing the tremendous challenge of being homeless. They are overlooked by many in society. However, there have been countless individuals, groups, organizations dedicated to ending youth homelessness. However, they are confronted with challenges due to the lack of interest. The lack of interest found within society can contribute to barriers to ending youth homelessness.
Adults who are literally homeless (i.e., living on the streets or in places not meant for human habitation) represent the most visible and often the most vulnerable group of homeless persons and thus are of great concern to social service and health providers, as well as the public at large. Street outreach, defined as meeting individuals on the streets to increase their access to services, is a prime method of directly engaging literally homeless individuals and providing them access to the housing and health care services they need. Street outreach can be time-consuming and difficult, particularly in reaching people who have been chronically homeless, and with whom outreach staff need to develop rapport and use specialized client-centered
A Pathways Project study found that two out of three homeless people in the country suffer from a form of chronic mental illness for which they need treatment (Wells, 2009). Secondly, socioeconomic adversity includes shortages such as low education, job loss, and eviction (Bradford, 2009). Lastly, traumatic experiences such as domestic violence causing psychological trauma are a predisposition to homelessness (Bradford, 2009).
The problems of homelessness and mental illness are inextricably intertwined. One way that mental illness impacts people's lives is that it oftentimes renders them unable to carry out the functions of daily life, such as keeping a job, paying their bills, and managing a household. In addition to disrupting the events of daily life, mental illness "may also prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause people to misinterpret others' guidance and react irrationally" (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). What this means is that a population that is already vulnerable because of an inability to consistently manage self-care lacks the same safety net as much of the rest of society.
Children of many ages are affected by these tremendous problems resulting from homelessness that have just become greater as time has passed. Homelessness leaves long lasting scars on these children (Crary 2). “The burden places upon these people can influence every facet of their lives; from contraception to early adulthood” (Hart-Shegos 2). All stages of life are affected by this experience of homelessness and severe problems can be caused in every stage.