Reference no: EM133680518
Assignment:
Hello I am to respond to a peers discussion post; I will post below. They asked a question at the end that I am to respond in a thorough way. The instructor will be looking will be looking for evidence of critical thinking and connection to course content including theories and concepts learned ( Human development andante environment class). How does this social issue impact development across the lifespan?
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness defines homelessness as "the situation of an individual or family without stable, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it."
The video provides valuable insight into the experiences of homeless individuals living in encampments. The direct narratives of the individuals interviewed enable them to narrate their experiences in their own words, providing genuine and unfiltered perspectives on their experiences and realities of homelessness.
Living without a stable home and meeting their needs for shelter while exercising autonomy and self-determination, persons facing homelessness establish informal settlements called "encampments." (Flynn et al., 2022).
The video depicts some of the homeless individual's unmet needs, which include safety, basic hygiene, housing, food, clean clothes, healthcare, and resources, as well as the mental health challenges, addiction issues, and discrimination they face.
Living in encampments has heightened the vulnerability of individuals residing there due to the use of propane stoves and other methods for warmth in extreme cold. As reported by Global News in December 2023 on the encampment fire. This desperation often leads to potential disasters, such as fire incidents, which can result in tragic loss of life due to the lack of resources available to those experiencing homelessness. Similarly, without an urgent need for warmth, individuals are subjected to extreme cold conditions, often leading to hypothermia, frostbite, and potential amputations. Homelessness may have a direct impact on health through the physical and psychosocial hazards associated with rough sleeping or temporary accommodation (Baxter et al., 2019).
Although there are shelters and temporary housing programs, they frequently fill up quickly, depriving many people of access to crucial resources. Furthermore, homeless individuals may find it challenging to navigate these resources or may not feel safe, which can result in unmet needs and ongoing discrimination.
Connecting these challenges and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs offers essential perspectives on homelessness.Maslow asserts that human needs are arranged hierarchically, and humans satisfy these needs in order (Rogers, 2022, p. 195)., with basic physiological and safety needs as the foundation for self-actualization.
Homelessness disrupts this order because it makes it impossible for individuals experiencing homelessness to fulfill even their most basic needs, such as food, shelter, and security, which are the basic physiological and safety needs for them to be able to achieve their fullest potential toward higher needs for self-actualization.
Question?
What creative strategies may be used to address the systemic poverty and lack of affordable housing, which are the leading causes of homelessness?