Housing for the Aged Action Group

To coincide with World Homelessness Day, we launched two reports on older LGBTI and housing - our own "Out of the Closet Out of Options" report and a report by the Australian Association of Gerontology.Shane introduces Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ people Ro Allen, Switchboard Victoria CEO Joe Ball and Fiona York who discuss the reports findings.You can read the report here: https://www.oldertenants.org.au/sites/default/files/out_of_the_closet_out_of_options_-_final_report_october_2020.pdf Next week: Part 2 with Tonye Segbedzi from Australian Association of Gerontology and Buzz Rainbowwolf

We hear from two panellists who were at the At Risk: Older Women and Homelessness forum, held during Homelessness Week in August.  Dr Emma Power (University of Western Sydney) talks about her findings from talking to older women living in private rental in NSW. Helen Conway (YWCA) talks about some of the factors that contribute to older women's homelessness, including a call to action to work together.This is the second part of our coverage from the event.  The videos and reports are available on our website here:https://www.oldertenants.org.au/news/national-forum-fans-flames-for-action-older-womens-homelessness

Fiona welcomes Pam back to the radio show, who has been busy handmaking masks for members during the pandemic.  Then we listen to recordings from the "At Risk: Older women and homelessness" online event held during Homelessness Week in August.  We hear from Age Discrimination Commissioner Dr Kay Patterson and HAAG's national project worker Kobi Maglen, who discuss new research into the numbers of older women who are at risk of homelessness in Australia.You can watch the videos, read the reports and chat from the online discussion on our website here: https://www.oldertenants.org.au/news/national-forum-fans-flames-for-action-older-womens-homelessness  

Shane interviews secretary of the Renters and Housing Union about their call for better protections for renters.You can sign their petition here: https://rahu.org.au/sign-the-petition-rahu-demands-an-immediate-extension-to-the-eviction-ban/

Fiona and Shane delve into the past with retired historian Dr Anthea Hyslop, currently in lockdown in the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria who is noticing some startling parralels with the 1919 flu pandemic known as the "Spanish flu".  As one of the few experts on this part of our history, Anthea tells us about what happened a hundred years ago, the similarities and differences with what we are living through right now, and how the flu pandemic caused us to look at the link between housing and health.You can see more of Dr Anthea Hyslop on the ABC's Australian Story https://www.abc.net.au/austory/lest-we-forget/12297630

Fiona & Shane talk to three public housing tenants, Jenny and Vanessa who are living in one storey units in the West, and Royal who lives in an older persons high rise in the southern region.  They were not part of the hard lock down, and have had very different experiences of the COVID-19 responses.  As with many public housing communities, they are looking out for each other - but finding the social isolation a struggle.

Fiona talks to three of our Housing Support Workers, Darwin, Paola and Nese, about the impact of the hard lockdown on public housing tenants in North Melbourne.  The hard lockdown was implemented without warning on 9 public housing towers, including 2 older person's housing blocks.  Our housing support workers relay what they found when contacting their clients in the days that followed, many of whom come from a non-English speaking background.

Fiona talks to Gary Ferguson, community education coordinator at Seniors Rights Victoria about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.Shane and Leonie are back, talking about all the HAAG news

 Shane speaks to Rebecca Walton about her survey of LGBTI older people and housing.  Fiona talks about the latest Federal Govt announcement on housing stimulus. Sign the Everybody's Home Petition here:https://everybodyshome.com.au/filthy-rich-homeless/