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Kusari, K., Walsh, C. A., Canham, S. L., Sussman, T., & Mahmood, A. (2025). Aging on the margins: Intersectional and postcolonial insights into older migrants’ experiences of homelessness. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 1–27. 

Abstract 

This study explores the lived experiences of older migrants experiencing homelessness (OMEH) in Canada, a population situated at the intersection of multiple structural vulnerabilities. Drawing on interviews with 22 older migrants across eight housing programs in three Canadian cities, the study applies an intersectional postcolonial framework to examine how migration status, age, and systemic exclusion shape participants’ sense of community, access to services, and well-being. Findings reveal that while culturally affirming relationships and activities supported a sense of belonging, participants frequently encountered isolation, racism, and depersonalized care environments shaped by neoliberal policy frameworks. Family relationships were described as both sources of support and tension, complicated by migration expectations and intergenerational differences in values. The paper argues that the current housing system often fails to account for the cultural, relational, and structural needs of OMEH and calls for a shift toward culturally responsive and relationship-centered care models. This research contributes to a growing body of intersectional gerontology and critical homelessness studies by centering the voices of older migrants and highlighting the systemic forces that shape their exclusion and resilience.

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