On Friday, Parker, Matt and I interviewed Daniel, a chronically homeless man that is usually on the corner of S Bend Ave and Ironwood.
Ethnography Summary: Daniel
Date: 3/3/17
Type: Interview
Location/Time: Corner of S Bend Ave and Ironwood, where he was sitting/walking around asking for money at 10am on Friday 3/3
Team Participants: Sarah Riehl, Matthew McCormick, Parker Mathes
User Characteristics:
- Chronically homeless
- Male, age 34
- Physically disabled
- Bilateral drop foot
- Seizures
- Has seizures
Top 3 Learnings:
- South Bend has strong programs in place to provide the necessary, day-to-day resources.
- Losing an address when becoming homeless can cause significant issues to receiving necessary medication.
- Daniel was homeless with his wife, which put a lot of pressure on their relationship and made it difficult to remain positive and happy.
Takeaways:
- There is a clear lack of accessibility to transitional housing for those financially unable to move into permanent housing.
- Incredibly unique story of homelessness, physical disability can be even more challenging to deal with than substance abuse or mental illness.
- The resources available to acquire food are incredibly beneficial.
Memorable Quotes:
- “I was living a normal life until my concussion in high school football changed everything.”
- “My wife’s family won’t speak to me because they think I dragged her into homelessness with me. It’s tough because I love her and want to speak with her family.”
- “Acquiring and maintaining a job with a physical disability has been one of the most difficult aspects of my life. Without a steady income stream, it’s tough to get by.”
- “I just need to get in transitional housing. Then things will get better for my wife and I. Until then, things will be challenging.”