The meaning of being homeless.

In this study, the meaning of the experience of being homeless as lived by 15 homeless women with dependent children is explored. The significance of being homeless is approached from what is known about the concept of home. Following a review of the literature, an identification of the sample, and an explanation of how data were collected, a three-level phenomenological method was utilized: description, reduction, and interpretation. The descriptive level generates seven themes: boundaries, connections, fatigue/despair, self-respect, self-determination, privacy, and mobility. The reduction level reveals three ways of being homeless: physical, social, and symbolic. The interpretation of the meaning of being homeless employs the metaphor of homelessness as a whirlpool. Implications for nursing and social policy are discussed.