Meeting the Challenges of Urban Aging: Narratives of Poor Elderly Women of Detroit, Michigan

Abstract

Among the elderly, there is a larger percentage of poor women than men. Many aging minority women in poverty reside in the urban areas of America. This phenomenological study investigates poor urban women living in the inner city of Detroit, Michigan from a strengths perspective. In-depth interviews found that poor urban women exhibited both personal and environmental strengths. These strengths can be successfully utilized by social workers in their practice with this client population.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• seniors
• urban
• strengths
• Detroit
• urban
• phenomenological
• widows
• minorities
• narratives

The author thanks Debra Brown, Natalie Rae, and Dr. Cassandra Bowers for assisting me with the interviews. I also thank Mrs. Sandra Tene Ramsey, Director of the City of Detroit Seniors Citizens Department, who allowed me to solicit subjects for my study.

Notes

Pseudonyms were used to protect the identity of the participants.