Patterns of Living Environment Among Itinerant Elderly Community in Malaysia

AbstractThis qualitative research aims to explore the life stories of the itinerant elderly in shelter homes and vagrancy by the series of semi-structured interviews with fourteen folks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The data was collected using the snowball sampling and analyzed by using interpretative phenomenological analysis that managed to categorize the data into various themes and subthemes. Results showed that although there are variations in the living patterns and living environment at the care homes and public places, the destitute elderly ’s mental condition matched to a great extent because they were in the same phase of life. The study recommends the establishment of temporary residences for elderly living in the streets to improve their health, hygiene, security, and shelter facility along with the provision of some form of priv acy in sheltered institutions and panopticon instead of being left homeless to respect their dignity and independence.
Source: Global Social Welfare - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research